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Interview With Phil Baron
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Editor's Note: Please keep in mind this
interview is (C) 2007-08, Teddy Ruxpin Online. Please do not use elsewhere
without either the permission of Teddy Ruxpin Online or Mr. Phil Baron.
(This includes re-posting it in languages other than English) Thank You!
Along
with the interview I did with Ken Forsse, this is one of the greatest
moments I've had in my ten years of operating this site. I first had the
opportunity to talk with Mr. Baron while I was out in California visiting
Ken in 2003... talking with 'Teddy Ruxpin' on the phone brought out the
four year old in me and I had a smile on my face for the rest of the day.
Likewise when I conducted this interview. Mr. Baron is a very busy man
these days, as he's a professional cantor as well as still doing Teddy's
voice when the opportunity arises. I really appreciate him taking time out
of his busy schedule to touch base with us. It was truly a pleasure. Here
is his interview, conducted in October 2007.
JOSH:
First off, if you
would like, just tell us a little about yourself, maybe things we wouldn't
know about you otherwise, and a little bit about your history in the
entertainment industry and what you're up to these days.
PHIL:
I became a professional musician at age 16. I
originally played violin, and aspired to be like my father, an
accomplished violinist. Eventually I switched to guitar because it was
easier to sing at the same time. I always sang, from the time I could
talk, and this always got the biggest reaction from people. I sang
on records, films, and many commercials before I started doing voice-over
work. My first voice gig was as Piglet for the Disney Channel’s
“Welcome to Pooh Corner.” Coincidently, Ken also worked on that
series early on when they were developing their audio-animatronic
characters, but we didn’t meet until
later.
JOSH:
How did you first hear about Teddy Ruxpin and how
did you become his voice?
PHIL:
One night about
10:30 I was watching TV with my wife when the phone rang. It was George
Wilkins, who I had met at Disney. George said he was working on a
new toy project and the guy they had doing the voice was not a
singer. He asked if I could come in and do the singing for
him. I said “Sure, when?” He said “right now!” So I got
dressed and headed over to North Hollywood to what was then Emmy Lou
Harris’ studio. After doing some singing, Ken asked if I could read
some lines. After a brief conference somebody asked if I was busy
the next day. I came back and replaced all of Teddy’s lines, did the
singing, and that’s how it
started.
JOSH:
It's been widely
reported that you and Will Ryan (Grubby's voice) have been longtime
friends, how did you meet and are you still in contact these days?
PHIL:
Prior to Teddy Ruxpin, Will and I had an act for about 6
years called Willio and Phillio. We played around the mid-west and
in LA, recorded 2 albums, had our own daily radio show in Cleveland, and
did weekly TV appearances back there. We came out to LA together to
because Disney had bought several of our songs, and we were also recording
with the Disney characters. It was a very exciting time. We
still see each other occasionally, and it’s always great fun when we get
together.
JOSH:
What is your favorite
memory/experience of being Teddy Ruxpin's voice?
Having the opportunity to touch children’s lives was, and is, an
ongoing privilege. Specifically, getting to work with Will and Tony
(Pope) was such a riot. The 3 of us had done another TV show
together (The Rainbow Patch for NBC) and also several Disney albums (Tony
was the voice of Goofy). Also, amazingly, we were all from
Cleveland. So the rapport was terrific. It’s a wonder anything
got recorded because we were so busy laughing and telling
stories.
JOSH:
What is your favorite Teddy
Ruxpin storyline/tv episode
PHIL:
I particularly like
the episode when Teddy discovers who he is. He meets his father
(although his father doesn’t know who he is at first) and eventually goes
back to Rillonia and we meet the whole Ruxpin family. By the way, a
bit of trivia -- my wife Michelle was the voice of Teddy’s
mother.
JOSH:
Have strangers
ever recognized you as Teddy's voice or as a familiar voice in your
everyday life?
PHIL:
No. But if the subject comes up with people of a
certain age (say 20-25) they basically go crazy when they find
out.
JOSH:
When you
recorded for the Adventure Series and the TV series, did the voice actors
record seperately or together?
PHIL:
We were almost always
together, although occasionally there were “pick-up” lines that were added
later.
JOSH:
When the TV series ended after episode 65, was it a
planned exodus or just a hiatus that Teddy just never came back from? The
last episode seemed to lend itself to a continuing plot rather than
wrapping things up.
PHIL:
Ken wanted to
leave the story open-ended to imply more adventures to
come.
JOSH:
Ken
has filled me in on the majority of the talent behind the Adventure Series
and the toy products, but as busy as he was during that time didn't spend
a lot of time with the TV series people so he's been less informative
about those things. Do you remember exactly who voiced what character and
did you ever meet any of the other castmembers other than Will Ryan?
Particularly I think based on seeing him in other projects that the actor
Les Lye must have voiced Quellor, was wondering if you could confirm
that.
PHIL:
Will and I went to Ottawa to record with the
Canadian cast. We took, I think, 12 trips up there and did roughly 5
episodes each time. We actually got quite close with the cast.
If you showed me the names I could tell you who was who. Yeah, Les
Lye was Quellor.
One funny episode was when the heat went out
in the studio. This was the middle of winder in Ottawa, and let me
tell you it was freezing -- even for a couple of Clevelanders. There
is a photo somewhere of me at the microphone in my long winter coat, hat,
and scarf.
JOSH:
You
came back and recorded new material in 2005 for Teddy's newest release.
Was that the first time you had done Teddy's voice professionally since
the TV show ended? If so you didn't miss a beat. How do you feel
about the re-release and the updated stories and artwork?
PHIL:
There were a few other opportunities to voice Teddy over
the years. I did a project for Yes! Entertainment which was a kind
of interactive video product for which I did quite a lot of new
recording. Maybe Ken has a copy of that. I love the new
toy.
JOSH:
Since you
have a wonderful new calling/career, would you return as Teddy's voice on
a larger scale if a new project, say a movie or new TV show, came to
fruition?
PHIL:
I’m still doing Teddy. In fact, I did
a session a few months back for Back Pack’s new Teddy computer
program. Teddy lives!
JOSH:
If anything, what do you miss most about
being Teddy's voice / a full-time voice actor / in the entertainment
industry.
PHIL:
The checks! (kidding!) When you are
identified with a character like Teddy, it’s possible to move people in a
way that’s difficult in regular life. Actually, my profession as a
member of the clergy is about as close as it
gets.
JOSH:
What advice would you give to individuals wanting
to break into a career in children's entertainment, voice acting, or just
the entertainment industry in
general?
PHIL:
Despite my earlier quip, don’t do it for the
money or the fame, because that may never come. You have to want to
be a vehicle for positive messages. Unfortunately, much of
children’s entertainment has grown coarse, cynical, and dark. Be a
light.
JOSH:
in the Adventure
Series Will Ryan did the voice of Tweeg but was replaced
in the
TV series by John Koensgen for Tweeg's voice, do you know why they made
the switch? (Ken really disliked the change)
PHIL:
This was a “Canadian content”
production, partly underwritten by the Canadian government, so a certain
percentage of people working on the show had to be Canadian
citizens. That’s also why I was called “story consultant” instead of
head writer, and some of our American writers got no credit at all
(including my wife Michelle). Also, George Wilkins did all the song
tracks but I believe he was
uncredited.
JOSH:
Other than Teddy, did you voice any other
characters? Ken and I were watching some episodes and both thought
you must have
voiced Teddy's father as
well.
PHIL:
Right, I was Teddy’s father, and we both
voiced incidental characters. I do remember Will doing the little
character in the Ying Prison. I really wanted someone to sing the
song “Freedom” who could get the right feeling from it, so we snuck Will
in there.
JOSH:
I read that you were a Henson employee, if so what
kinds of things did you do
there?
PHIL:
I was a puppeteer on
Muppets Tonight. I Worked on 8 Episodes.
Here is the cast
list, matched up with some characters from IMDB info. If you can fill us
in on any of the voices we're not sure about.
John Stocker- Gimmick
John Koensgen- Tweeg (and
also the Wizard)
Robert Bocksteal- LB
Les Lye- Quellor
Rick
Jones-
Rick did various funny characters.
I’d have to watch the
episodes to tell you which ones, but his voice is very distinct.
Abby Hagyard- Tweeg’s mother and various females
You left out Pierre Cole (Paquette) who did
Wooley.
JOSH:
Any parting
thoughts or anything you would like to add that we didn't touch on.
Can you and I be
friends?
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