Where To Watch
Meet the woman behind Wilma Flintstone, Rosie the Robot, and other classic cartoon characters
She WAS the reigning cartoon queen of the 60s and 70s.
Have you ever watched a cartoon and thought ''hmmm...she sounds familiar?"
You were probably watching a show with Jean Vander Pyl. Her career started in radio but she quickly became one of the pioneers of voice acting at Hanna Barbera Studios. Starting in 1958 in a supporting role on The Huckleberry Hound show, Jean lent her voice to dozens of cartoons in roles ranging from narrator to supporting cast to lead roles in hit cartoons. She was incredibly talented and dearly missed, let's take a look at some of her most iconic characters.
Maw Rugg
Land sakes, Paw! Vander Pyl lent her voice to the level-headed matriarch of The Hillbilly Bears, Maw Rugg.
Floral Rugg
Another Hillbilly Bear! Vander Pyl also played Maw's daughter, Floral Rugg!
Rosie the Robot
Right away, Mr. J! Rosie the Robot was also voiced by Vander Pyl. Rosie's Brooklyn accent was inspired by Hazel the Maid from the show Hazel.
Ogee
Oh Gee! Vander Pyl was also behind the voice of Ogee, the sweet little girl who wanted to adopt Magilla Gorilla.
Nurse LaRue (and others)
Starting with the role of Nurse LaRue in the episode ''Top Cat Falls in Love'', Vander Pyl also voiced many of the girl-cats throughout the show including Goldie, Fifi, Shirley, and more.
The Winsome Witch
Oh! I just LOVE the Winsome Witch! Vander Pyl lent her voice to the sassy sorceress in The Secret Squirrel Show.
Pebbles Flintstone
Yabba Dabba Doozy! Vander Pyl voiced Pebbles Flintstone. Vander Pyl mainly voiced Pebbles as a baby and toddler, Pebbles had a series of other voice actors for her teenage and adult years.
''Additional Voices''
Before we get to Vander Pyl's most famous role, here are the shows she regularly contributed to in background and one-off roles. She provided ''additional voices'' on Snorks, The Yogi Bear Show, Mister T, The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show, The New Tom and Jerry Show, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, Quick Draw McGraw, Mister Magoo, and The Huckleberry Hound Show.
Wilma Flintstone
Fre-ed! Wilma Flintstone was Vander Pyl's most famous, and possibly most beloved, role. She originated the character in The Flintstones starting in 1960 and continued playing Wilma in every spin-off, short, and tv movie until 1996. As a way to commemorate a character she spent 36 years playing, Vander Pyl even had a picture of Wilma included on her headstone.
