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Born as Billy Mae Dinsmore in Toronto, she was best known for voicing the role of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1964's television special (credited as "Billy Richards" to mask the fact that she was a woman[1]).[2] She 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.[3] In an interview, she stated "I'm just so glad that my kids, my grandkids, my great-grandkids and probably my great-great-grandkids will see Rudolph."[3] She voiced Rudolph again in two other Rankin-Bass productions, 1976's Rudolph's Shiny New Year and 1979's summertime sequel Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July. Richards' four other appearances in Rankin-Bass productions were in Willie McBean and his Magic Machine, The King Kong Show, The Smokey Bear Show and The Daydreamer (both from the mid-1960s). About that same time, she appeared in the original Spider-Man television series. She also voiced all the female characters in The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo and The Toothbrush Family with Len Carlson, who voiced all the male ones.[citation needed] She also made a guest appearances on the television shows Maniac Mansion, My Secret Identity, War of the Worlds and The Hidden Room. She appeared in Pennies from Heaven (1981; with Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters). She also had a bit part in the 1998 horror film Bram Stoker's Shadow Builder, in which her character was attacked with an axe by Paul Soles (who had played Hermey the elf in the original Rudolph special), and the 2001 short Bluehair. Richards retired to Toronto. She was at one time married to musician Bill Richards and their daughter Judi Richards is a successful pop singer and songwriter.[4]
Birth Name
Billie Mae Dinsmore
Born
Monday, 21 November 1921
Died
Friday, 10 September 2010
Actress Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
Shadow Builder | Mrs. Butterman | 1998 |
The Neverending Story | Additional Voices / Sea Horse | 1995 |
The Big Comfy Couch | Clowns | 1992 |
Rupert | Young Sea Serpent | 1991 |
The Hidden Room | Nonnie | 1991 |
The Big Slice | Lady Overboard | 1991 |
Maniac Mansion | Aunt Winnie | 1990 |
War of the Worlds | Matron #1 | 1988 |
Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation | Tender Heart Bear / Tender Heart Bear (voice) | 1986 |
The Care Bears | (voice) / Bright Heart Raccoon | 1985 |
Actress Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
Shadow Builder | Mrs. Butterman | 1998 |
The Neverending Story | Additional Voices / Sea Horse | 1995 |
The Big Comfy Couch | Clowns | 1992 |
Rupert | Young Sea Serpent | 1991 |
The Hidden Room | Nonnie | 1991 |
The Big Slice | Lady Overboard | 1991 |
Maniac Mansion | Aunt Winnie | 1990 |
War of the Worlds | Matron #1 | 1988 |
Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation | Tender Heart Bear / Tender Heart Bear (voice) | 1986 |
The Care Bears | (voice) / Bright Heart Raccoon | 1985 |
The Care Bears Movie | Tender Heart Bear / Mrs. Cherrywood | 1985 |
The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings | Grumpy Bear / Cheer Bear / Funshine Bear / Bedtime Bear | 1983 |
The Trolls and the Christmas Express | Voice / (voice) | 1981 |
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July | Rudolph | 1979 |
Jailbait Babysitter | 1977 | |
Rudolph's Shiny New Year | Rudolph / Rudolph (voice) | 1976 |
Festival of Family Classics | Tom Sawyer / Peter / Danny / (voice) | 1972 |
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town | Lucy Van Pelt Meisterburger (voice) | 1970 |
The Smokey Bear Show | Additional voices | 1969 |
Spider-Man | Paperboy / Billy Conner / Boy / Billy Connor | 1967 |
King Kong | Billy Bond / Bobby Bond (voice) | 1966 |
The Daydreamer | Various / Various (voice) | 1966 |
Willy McBean and His Magic Machine | Willy McBean / Willy McBean (voice) | 1965 |
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer | Rudolph / Rudolph (voice) | 1964 |