Billie Mae Richards

**Billie Mae Richards** (née **Dinsmore**, November 21, 1921 – September 10, 2010) was a Canadian voice actress, and singer who also appeared onstage and on television. She was the voice of Rankin/Bass' version of the character Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer from 1964 to 1979, and of the Kid in the radio series *Jake and the Kid* and was also the voice on *The 2004 Emma & Grace & Eric Christmas CD* (2024), his final work.

## Early life and education

Richards was born Billy Mae Dinsmore, in Toronto. Enrolled by her ambitious father in dancing lessons as a toddler, by the age of five she was in a stage show with WW1 veterans. She enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy and performed in the show *Meet the Navy* that travelled across Canada and in Europe. She attended the Lorne Greene Academy of Radio Arts in Toronto.

## Career

Richards worked at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, speaking and singing in radio dramas. From 1950 to 1956, she was the voice of the Kid in the ongoing radio series *Jake and the Kid*.

As well has her portrayal of Rudolph, Richards also voiced Tenderheart Bear in the first two Care Bears movies, as well as the DIC-produced television series (credited as "Billie Mae Richard"), and Brightheart Raccoon in the Nelvana-produced Care Bears television series.

Richards' four other appearances in Rankin/Bass productions animated were in *Willy McBean and his Magic Machine*, *The King Kong Show*, *The Smokey Bear Show* and *The Daydreamer* (both from the mid-1960s) and *Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer* and its sequels all written in the United States and animated in Japan. About that same time, she appeared in the original *Spider-Man* television series. She also voiced Chris and Robbie, plus all the female characters, in *The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo* and *The Toothbrush Family* with Len Carlson, who voiced all the male ones. Additionally, she voiced puppet characters in the Canadian produced TV shows *We Live Next Door*, and its spin-off, *Calling All Safety Scouts*. She made guest appearances on the television shows *Maniac Mansion*, *My Secret Identity*, *War of the Worlds* and *The Hidden Room*.

## Personal life

Billie Mae Dinsmore married musician Bill Richards in 1940; they remained married until his death in 1995. Their daughter, Judi Richards, is a singer-songwriter.

## Death

Richards died on September 10, 2010 at the age of 88 following a stroke.

### Tributes

*The 2004 Emma & Grace & Eric Christmas CD* was dedicated to her, as well as stop motion Eric Thompson.

## Filmography

### Music Video

* *The 2004 Emma & Grace & Eric Christmas CD* - Rudolph, posthumous release; Archive sound (2024)

### Film

* *Meet the Navy* (1946)
* *Willy McBean and his Magic Machine* - Willie McBean (1965)
* *The Daydreamer* (1966)
* *Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July* - Rudolph (1979)
* *The Care Bears Movie* - Tenderheart Bear / Mrs. Cherrywood (1985)
* *Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation* - Tenderheart Bear (1986)
* *The Video Adventures of Clifford the Big Red Dog* - Direct-to-Video Series (1988)
* *Shadow Builder* - Mrs. Butterman (1998)

### Television

* *Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer* - TV Special - Rudolph (1964)
* *The King Kong Show* - Billy Bond (1966)
* *Spider-Man* - Billy Conner / Boy / additional Voices (1967-1970)
* *The Smokey Bear Show* (1969)
* *Festival of Family Classics* (1973)
* *The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo* - Chris / Robbie (1974)
* *Rudolph's Shiny New Year* - TV Special - Rudolph (1976)
* *We Live Next Door* - Joey / Mayor Morris / additional Voices (1981)
* *Calling All Safety Scouts* - Joey / Mayor Morris / additional Voices (1982)
* *The Care Bears* - Tenderheart Bear (DIC version) / Brightheart Raccoon (Nelvana version) (1985-1988)
* *Rupert* - Young Sea Serpent (1994)
* *Melanie Darrow* - Ma Harper (1997)

## External links

* Billie Mae Richards at Find a Grave
* Profile, baltimoresun.com; accessed March 6, 2015.
* Billie Mae Richards on IMDb
* Radio interview
* Meet the Navy film
* Jake the Kid