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10 Times Don Messick and Daws Butler were the ultimate dynamic duo
Best friends on and off screen!
Voice actors Daws Butler and Don Messick began their journey as a dynamic duo at MGM. It all started when Butler was double-booked and unavailable to perform on Droopy Dog for Tex Avery. Butler then recommended fellow voice actor, Don Messick.
From there, the two were often paired together on MGM cartoons, and when William Hanna and Joseph Barbera created their own animation studio, they recruited Messick and Butler to be their primary voice actors. From there the two played hundreds of characters and were often paired together to portray best friends - and also bitter adversaries.
At the end of their careers, the two considered each other lifelong best friends and colleagues. Let's take a look at this dynamic duo's many cartoon dynamic duos!
Yogi Bear and Ranger Smith
Some say they are enemies, but no one knows Yogi Bear better than Ranger Smith. While they are often at odds with each other, Ranger Smith and Yogi slowly become friends throughout the movies and spinoffs. Messick voiced Ranger Smith (and used his normal speaking voice for the character) while Butler voiced Yogi Bear.
Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo
The true dynamic duo of the show, Messick also voiced Yogi's best friend, Boo-Boo.
Wally Gator and Mr. Twiddle
Wally Gator and Mr. Twiddle had a similar dynamic to Yogi and Ranger Smith, but Mr. Twiddle was more sweet and understanding, and wanted Wally to be a good gator and enjoy living at the zoo. Butler voiced the ever-escaping Wally Gator and Messick played his enthusiatic, slightly exhausted zoo keeper Mr. Twiddle.
Pixie and Dixie
One of the earliest Hanna-Barbera cartoons was led by Messick and Butler, who voiced the precocious "meece". Butler voiced Dixie and Messick voiced Pixie.
The Slag Brothers - Gravel and Rock
Messick and Butler teamed up once again to play two dynamic duos on Wacky Races. One of those duos were Rock and Gravel, the Slag Brothers. They drove the Bouldermobile and won the most races out of all the racers.
The Gruesome Twosome
It's the Gruesome Twosome riding in the Creepy Coupe! Another Wacky Races duo, Butler voiced Big Gruesome and Messick voiced Little Gruesome. Between the two of them they also voiced other characters on the show including Muttley, Professor Pat Pending, Dum-Dum, Red Max, Sergeant Blast, Peter Perfect, and Rufus Ruffcut.
Mudsy and Boo
It's Funky Phantom Time! Using the same voice he used for Snagglepuss, Butler voiced Jonathan Wellington "Mudsy" Muddlemore, the phantom in The Funky Phantom. Using his superior animal impressions, Messick voiced Boo the cat ghost.
Peter Potamus and So-So
Butler used his impersonation of Lippy the Lion to voice Peter Potamus, and Messick voiced his monkey sidekick So-So.
Astro and Elroy
What duo is more dynamic than a boy and his dog? Butler captured the rambunctious childhood energy of Elroy by enlisting the help of his sons. Messick once again put his dog-impression chops on display as lovable Astro.
Ruff and Reddy
One of Butler and Messick's first pairings under Hanna-Barbera was for their very first independent cartoon: The Ruff and Reddy Show. Shocker to no one, Messick played Ruff the dog. Butler voiced Reddy the cat. While the two characters don't reappear often throughout the Hanna-Barbera universe, Butler and Messick revised their roles in a cameo on Yogi's Ark Lark.
