Bill Thompson

Bill Thompson

Birth : 1913-07-08, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

Death : 1971-07-15

History

Born William H. Thompson, he was an early radio personality and voice actor whose career stretched from the 1930s until his death. He was the voice of Droopy in most of the MGM cartoons from 1943 to 1958.

Profile

Bill Thompson

Movies

Everybody Loves Donald
Donald, the world's most loveable duck from Walt Disney gets a DVD all about his web-footed, quacking white-feathered silly self. He's irritated by a bee in "The Inferior Decorator," and he gets to show off his dance moves with a lady-friend in "Mr Duck Steps Out." A funny and duck-filled cartoon compilation.
Disney’s Coyote Tales
J. Audubon Woodlore (voice)
Through redubbed footage of The Coyote's Lament, the coyote's relationship with man and dog is shown from the coyote's point of view, as seen in various Disney cartoons.
Disney's Halloween Treat
Mr. Smee (voice) (archive footage)
Contains memorable scenes from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Fantasia," "Lady and the Tramp," "Peter Pan," "One Hundred and One Dalmatians," and "The Sword in the Stone."
The Aristocats
Uncle Waldo (voice)
When Madame Adelaide Bonfamille leaves her fortune to Duchess and her children—Bonfamille’s beloved family of cats—the butler plots to steal the money and kidnaps the legatees, leaving them out on a country road. All seems lost until the wily Thomas O’Malley Cat and his jazz-playing alley cats come to the aristocats’ rescue.
Hell's Belles
L.G.
When hot-headed Dan out-drives the thoroughly vicious Tony in a motorcycle race and wins a brand new bike, he sets in motion a chain of events that includes one blazing gas station and a disastrous rock slide.
Scrooge McDuck and Money
Scrooge McDuck (voice)
Scrooge McDuck teaches Huey, Dewey and Louie the basics about money & its history, economics and investing.
How to Have an Accident at Work
J.J. Fate (voice) (uncredited)
J.J. Fate again shows us how accidents aren't his fault, but instead are the result of carelessness. Donald is Mr. Careful at home, but at work, he starts right off by falling down the stairs. He has run-ins with a punch press, flammable paint, a conveyor belt, loose clothing, a monkey wrench, and other problems.
Sleeping Beauty
King Hubert (voice)
A beautiful princess born in a faraway kingdom is destined by a terrible curse to prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a deep sleep that can only be awakened by true love's first kiss. Determined to protect her, her parents ask three fairies to raise her in hiding. But the evil Maleficent is just as determined to seal the princess's fate.
Tot Watchers
Policeman (voice) (uncredited)
The lady of the house has gone out for a few hours, leaving her baby in the care of a stereotypical 1950s teenager, who immediately begins calling her friends. Tom and Jerry must call a truce to their constant chases as the baby, unsupervised, continually gets loose. When the baby escapes out the front door, Tom and Jerry chase it to a construction site, where they frantically try to keep it from harm.
Robin Hoodwinked
Little John (voice) (uncredited)
Jerry and a friend overhear that Robin Hood is imprisoned; they set off to free him, but first they have to contend with his guard, Tom.
Mutts About Racing
Droopy / Butch (voice) (uncredited)
Droopy and Butch are competing race car drivers in a road race. While Butch has the faster car, his cockiness and the time he spends on unsuccessful schemes to stop Droopy work against him.
Sheep Wrecked
Droopy (voice) (uncredited)
Droopy is guarding his flock of sheep from the rebel wolf.
One Droopy Knight
Droopy (voice) (uncredited)
Sir Droopalot and Sir Butchalot (Droopy and Butch) vie with each other to kill a dragon that is terrorizing their kingdom. Whomever vanquishes the dragon will marry the king's daughter.
The Story of Anyburg U.S.A.
Defense Attorney
The city of Anyburg decides its traffic situation has gotten out of hand, so it puts the automobile on trial. The trial (conducted in rhyme) starts with a car that was in a hit-and-run accident, followed by a sports car whose sins are peeling rubber and general hot-rodding, followed by a heap, on trial for lack of safety. Next, a number of safety equipment designers testify that, despite their best efforts, the accident rate keeps rising. Through all this, the defense lawyer declines to ask questions. A highway designer bemoans the problems on his beautiful roads. At last, defense. He shows a number of scenarios, pointing out that the real problem isn't the car but the driver. Everyone left the courtroom, declaring the car not guilty, and drove politely again, for a little while.
Grin and Share It
Droopy / Butch (voice) (uncredited)
Butch and Droopy have equal shares in a gold mine. When they finally strike gold, Butch tries to make his share more equal by doing away with Droopy, with no success.
Timid Tabby
Cousin George (voice)
Tom's cousin, George, comes to visit, even though he's terribly afraid of mice. When Jerry gets out of Tom's ineffective prison, he discovers this and takes full advantage of it though he's rather confused, since Tom and George look alike. When Tom and George find this out, it's their turn to have some fun.
In the Bag
Ranger J. Audubon Woodlore (voice)
The tourists have left behind lots of trash. Ranger Woodlore enlists his bears to clean up by turning the task into a game (and a dance), but when he takes to his hammock, they see through his ruse. Plan B: bribery no food until cleanup complete. But all the other bears put their trash in to Humphrey's section, so he resorts to a number of unsuccessful ruses to dispose of it
How to Have an Accident in the Home
J.J. Fate (voice) (uncredited)
It's a peaceful day in a local city when suddenly, duck J.J. Fate appears to lecture us on how "fate" isn't to blame for accidents, people are! He uses Donald Duck as an example. Donald is extremely accident prone. He lights his pipe in a room with a gas leak, slips on a throw rug while carrying a fish bowl, overloads electrical outlets, and continually falls down the stairs. Finally, Donald has had enough and fixes his house guaranteeing no more accidents. That's good for Donald but the rest of the accident prone city still has to learn "not to blame fate for your carelessness".
Hooked Bear
Ranger J. Audubon Woodlore
Humphrey the bear isn't having much luck with his fishing; every time he catches some nice fish, he gets distracted and drops them. So he goes after the catches of the local anglers instead. But ranger Woodlore frowns on this, insisting the bear fish like one.
Millionaire Droopy
Droopy
Despite what's printed on the credits, Tex Avery had nothing to do with this cartoon - it's a Cinemascope remake of 'Wags to Riches' (1949), put together by others from his original artwork and production cels. Apart from the new Cinemascope backgrounds, it's identical to the earlier film.
Deputy Droopy
Droopy (voice)
Two outlaws are trying to steal a shipment of gold being guarded by Deputy Droopy, and have to keep quiet to avoid alerting the sheriff.
Beezy Bear
Ranger J. Audubon Woodlore (voice) (uncredited)
Beekeeper Donald catches Humphrey the bear raiding his hives. He complains to Ranger Woodlore, who assembles his bears and lectures them. Donald puts up a barbed wire fence, which slows Humphrey down a bit, but doesn't stop him.
Lady and the Tramp
Jock / Bull / Policeman at Zoo / Dachsie / Joe (voice)
Lady, a golden cocker spaniel, meets up with a mongrel dog who calls himself the Tramp. He is obviously from the wrong side of town, but happenings at Lady's home make her decide to travel with him for a while.
No Hunting
Donald's Grandpa / Ranger (voice) (uncredited)
Donald is inspired by the spirit of his forefathers to take up a gun and go hunting for his food.
Grand Canyonscope
Ranger J. Audubon Woodlore (voice) (uncredited)
Come along with Donald Duck as he visits one of nature's masterpieces. After a little ragtime rain dance, Donald strikes up a conversation with himself at Echo Cliff, then teeters along the edge of a precarious trail while riding a sure-footed burrow. It's a tough job for park ranger J. Audubon Woodlore to keep Donald in check, but it gets even tougher when they run afoul of a napping mountain lion.
Dixieland Droopy
Droopy (voice) (uncredited)
John Pettibone (Droopy), a dog whose love of Dixieland music is not appreciated by those around him, has a lucky meeting with Pee-Wee Runt and his All-Flea Dixieland band at the circus.
A Story of Dogs
Self
The Flea Circus
François Le Clown (voice) (uncredited)
In this animated comedic short, the entire entourage of a flea circus runs away to join a dog.
Grin and Bear It
Ranger J. Audubon Woodlore (voice) (uncredited)
Donald Duck arrives at Brownstone National Park. The park's ranger, J. Audubon Woodlore, asks the bears to participate with the tourists but...no stealing! Humphrey decides to pair with Donald particularly because of the roast ham he has. When Donald doesn't reward the bear with his food, Humphrey tries a variety of means to get the ham finally getting Donald's attention by lying down on the road pretending that Donald ran over him. After Donald pays up with food, he sees through the scheme and struggles with Humphrey. After the ranger makes Donald and Humphrey clean up the resulting mess, he too notices the ham and makes off with it but is scolded for it by Donald and Humphrey.
Homesteader Droopy
Droopy
Droopy and family head west to start a new homestead, but have to defend it against Dishonest Dan the cattle man.
Pigs Is Pigs
Flannery
Flannery, a railway agent does everything by the book. He gets into a scrape with a customer, McMorehouse, who wants to pay 44 cents freight for two guinea pigs which he considers pets. Flannery, however, considers them pigs (freight 48 cents), a decision he begins to regret when the animals begin to reproduce.
Drag-A-Long Droopy
Droopy (voice)
An "absolutely authentic account of the grazing land battles of the sheep and cattle wars of the early west," pitting sheep rancher Droopy against a cattle ranching wolf.
Spare the Rod
Narrator / Child Psychology (voice) (uncredited)
Donald's nephews are always playing instead of doing their chores. Donald is going to punish them, but the "voice of child psychology" convinces him to play along instead. This works well when they chop the wood to burn him at the stake. Meanwhile, however, a trio of Pygmy cannibals that escaped from the circus are out to do the very same thing to Donald with a cauldron of water.
The Three Little Pups
Droopy (voice) (uncredited)
In this variation on "The Three Little Pigs", Droopy and his brothers, Snoopy and Loopy, repeatedly outwit the big bad wolf, a dogcatcher who tries to find a way to get the pooches out of their house of bricks.
Ben and Me
Governor Keith / Tour Guide (voice)
A revisionist version of American history as a small mouse comes to live with Benjamin Franklin and turns out to be responsible for many of his ideas; including the beginning of the Declaration of Independance!
Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom
Professor Owl / Bertie Birdbrain
In this short subject (which mostly represents a departure from Disney's traditional approach to animation), a stuffy owl teacher lectures his feathered flock on the origins of Western musical instruments. Starting with cavepeople, whose crude implements could only "toot, whistle, plunk and boom," the owl explains how these beginnings led to the development of the four basic types of Western musical instruments: brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussion.
Melody
Professor Owl
An owl teaches his class full of birds about melody. It's all around in nature. Only birds and man can sing; man "sings" even when he speaks. We see a quick survey of the stages of life, as captured by songs: the alphabet song for primary school, Here Comes the Bride, The Old Gray Mare, etc. Some inspirations for song are outlined in song: love, sailing, trains, the West, motherhood, etc., but "we never sing about brains." Finally, an example of how a simple melody can be expanded into a symphony: an elaborate version of the simple tune that opened the lesson
Peter Pan
Mr. Smee (voice)
Leaving the safety of their nursery behind, Wendy, Michael and John follow Peter Pan to a magical world where childhood lasts forever. But while in Neverland, the kids must face Captain Hook and foil his attempts to get rid of Peter for good.
Caballero Droopy
Droopy (voice) (uncredited)
Droopy is on his way to woo his lovely señorita when he is waylayed by Slick the Wolf intent on winning the fair lass. But Slick wasn't counting on Droopy's uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time.
Rock-a-Bye Bear
Spike (voice)
Spike gets a job running the house for a hibernating bear. Only problem is that same bear is VERY noise-sensitive, and Spike's got a rival that wants his job.
Let's Stick Together
Spike (voice) (uncredited)
Even with his long white beard and aching back, an aging Donald still has to make ends meet by lancing trash in the park. When he happens upon his old partner, an elderly honey bee named Spike, it conjures up memories of the good ol' days.
Alice in Wonderland
White Rabbit / Dodo (voice)
On a golden afternoon, young Alice follows a White Rabbit, who disappears down a nearby rabbit hole. Quickly following him, she tumbles into the burrow - and enters the merry, topsy-turvy world of Wonderland! Memorable songs and whimsical escapades highlight Alice's journey, which culminates in a madcap encounter with the Queen of Hearts - and her army of playing cards!
Daredevil Droopy
Droopy (voice)
Droopy and Spike are applying for the job of Dare Devil Dog at the Circus, and the one who give the best performance in a variety of "feats of strength and daring" will get it.
Cock-a-Doodle Dog
Bulldog (voice) (uncredited)
Collection of classic Tex Avery visual gags, set up as a battle between a sleep-deprived bulldog who just wants some shut-eye and a rooster driven by his natural instincts to crow all night long.
The Chump Champ
Droopy (voice) (uncredited)
Droopy and Gorgeous Gorillawitz (Spike) are competing for the title of King of Sports and for a kiss from the Queen of Sports. Spike cheats as much as possible but can never seem to beat Droopy.
Garden Gopher
Spike (voice)
When Spike tries to bury a bone he finds a belligerent gopher.
The Counterfeit Cat
Spike (voice)
A cat steals the headpiece of a dog to deceive the bulldog Spike and get a chance to eat the canary Spike is guarding.
Out-Foxed
Droopy (voice) (uncredited)
Droopy is part of a pack of English hunting hounds trying unsuccessfully to catch a tricky, tea-drinking fox.
Wags to Riches
Droopy (voice)
Droopy inherits a fortune, but the will says that if he meets an untimely death all the money will go to Spike, who spends the entire film trying to make this happen.
Señor Droopy
Droopy (voice) (uncredited)
The wolf, the champion toreador, and Droopy, the challenger, are competing to see who is best in the bullring in the hopes of winning the hand of actress Lina Romay (who appears in a live action shot).
Northwest Hounded Police
Canadian Mountie Sergeant McPoodle (voice)
The wolf escapes from Alka-Fizz prison, but the persistent Sergeant McPoodle (Droopy) of the Canadian Mounties follows his trail wherever he goes.
Wild and Woolfy
Droopy (voice) (uncredited)
Droopy chases the wolf, a dangerous outlaw, after he kidnaps Lou, a sexy female singer, from the saloon.
The Shooting of Dan McGoo
Droopy
Dangerous Dan McGoo (Droopy) faces the wolf, a dangerous outlaw who is trying to steal his girl Lou, during the Alaska gold rush. Loosely based on "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" by Robert W. Service.
Jerky Turkey
Hunting Pilgrim (voice)
A dopey Pilgrim goes hunting a turkey who speaks in a Jimmy Durante impersonation and runs the local black market. War and rationing gags abound (Pilgrims line up behind a sign reading "Ye Cigarettes Today"), as well as a running gag featuring a bear wearing an "Eat at Joe's" sandwich sign. The turkey harnesses the power of gags to save himself.
Big Heel-Watha
Big Heel-Watha (voice) (uncredited)
To prove he's a true Indian Brave, Big Heel-Watha decides to catch a squirrel - but wouldn't you know it; Screwy Squirrel is the first one he sees...
Dumb-Hounded
Droopy (voice) (uncredited)
The wolf escapes from prison but can't get away from police dog Droopy no matter how hard he tries. This is the first cartoon starring Droopy.
Here We Go Again
Wallace Wimple
It's Fibber and Molly's 20th anniversary and they want to throw a big party. But when everyone declines their invitation, they decide to go on a second honeymoon instead. After one night at the broken down Ramble Inn, where they spent their first honeymoon, they decide to go across the lake to a swanky (and expensive) lodge, where they bump into their old friends Edgar Bergan, Charlie McCarthy, Gildersleeve, and Mrs. Uppington, so the party is on again.
Song of Victory
A vulture, a gorilla and a hyena (“with no small resemblances to actual dictators”) bully the woodland animals, who eventually fight back, using the letter V as their victory symbol.
Shop Look & Listen
Various (voice)
J.T. Gimlet's department store is closed, and the mice are going on a tour, led by the same W.C. Fields mouse as in Little Blabbermouse. First, the shoe department, where we see mules, both red and green, who pop out of the box and bray at us. Next, the artworks: Whistler's Mother proves to be a good whistler herself; The Thinker is puzzling over his tax return; a painting that starts with two Indians becomes The Last of the Mohicans. In housewares, an automatic ashtray deals with a cigar (prompting a string of babble from Blabbermouse). An automated poker table plays the whole game, complete with the requisite ace-up-the-sleeve. And finally, the gift-wrap department, which includes one robot to measure out ribbon and another to wrap packages. This prompts another string of babble from Blabbermouse, which gets *him* wrapped up (and, when that's not enough, slapped with a "Do Not Open Until Xmas" sticker on his mouth).
$1,000 a Touchdown
Animal Impersonator (uncredited)
A couple inherits a college and to generate revenue offers a thousand dollars to players for each touchdown they score.
Thru The Mirror
Telephone (voice) (uncredited)
Mickey has been reading Alice in Wonderland, and falls asleep. He finds himself on the other side of the mirror, where the furniture is alive. He eats a walnut, which makes him briefly larger, then small. He dances around a lot, ultimately doing a major number with a deck of cards. He dances with the queen, making the king jealous. He comes after Mickey with swords, and Mickey defends himself with a sewing needle. Mickey gets the upper hand, and the king calls for reinforcements. Mickey finds himself chased by several decks, which throw their spots at him. He turns on a fan and blows them away, back through the mirror, where his alarm is ringing.
Custer's Last Stand
Renegade
Kit Cardigan seeks the killer of his father...among other plot threads leading up to the famous historical incident.