Cecil Roy
American actress (1900–1995)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cecil H. Roy (October 2, 1900 – January 26, 1995) was an American actress who was well-known in radio broadcasting of the 1930s and 1940s as The Girl of a Thousand Voices.[1]
October 2, 1900
Cecil Roy | |
|---|---|
| Born | Cecil H. Roy October 2, 1900 Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | January 26, 1995 (aged 94) Englewood, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
Early life
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, she grew up in Oklahoma. Her father was an opera singer.[2]
Career
Roy entered radio during the 1930s, appearing on The Rise of the Goldbergs, The Henry Aldrich Show, Pepper Young's Family. Marthy and Elmer, and many other programs.[3]
The "Girl of a Thousand Voices" label came about due to her ability to immediately shift through a wide range of characters and ages, from an elderly woman to a crying baby.[3]
Roy's roles on radio programs included those shown in the following table.
| Program | Role |
|---|---|
| The Adventures of Dari-Dan | Stanley Hall[4] |
| Amanda of Honeymoon Hill | Aunt Mazie[5] |
| Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories | infant[2] |
| Big Sister | Jerry Jr.[6] |
| Kaltenmeyer's Kindergarten | Daisy Dean[5]: 187 |
| Ma Perkins | Junior Fitz[5]: 335 |
| The Timid Soul | Madge Milquetoast[5]: 187 |
| Quiet Please | Carol Sue [5]: 187 |
She also was featured "enacting dilemmas" on Daily Dilemmas.[5]: 89
Animation
Between 1943 and 1964, she provided voices for numerous animated cartoons, specializing in children's voices, originating the voice of Little Lulu.[2]
Recordings
Her recordings for children included the role of Winnie the Pooh on a recording with Jimmy Stewart,[3] and Cindy Bear on a Yogi Bear record.[7] Through Replica Records, Roy released at least one 33 rpm recording ("Helen's Holiday"), as well as three 45 rpm recordings with Helen Searles Westbrook and Betty Barrie: 1) Buddy's Butterfly 2) The Thistle/Buddy's Garden 3) Christmas Eve/Plasco Toys.[citation needed]
Personal life
Roy spoke German and French and sang in Italian and French. She was reported to have a "polished repertoire of 20 dialects."[2] Her long-time partner, Beni (missing last name), was a hairdresser in New York City. His clientele included many Broadway and vaudeville stars. Cecil Roy also lived in Cozy Lake, Oak Ridge, New Jersey. Her "summer" or weekend home was a place where she entertained many of the neighborhood children with her accordion, singing, and voice talents.
