Who Is Mel Blanc? Age, Biography and Wiki
Mel Blanc was born on May 30, 1908. Although he passed away on July 10, 1989, his legacy as one of the most renowned American voice actors and radio personalities continues to thrive. Known as "The Man of a Thousand Voices," Blanc voiced numerous characters on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig. His innovative vocal talent and ability to bring characters to life has earned him a place in the hearts of fans worldwide.
At the time of this article in 2025, Mel Blanc would have celebrated his 117th birthday.
| Occupation | Voice Actors |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | May 30, 1908 |
| Age | 81 Years |
| Birth Place | San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Gemini |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 10 July, 1989 |
| Died Place | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Popularity
Mel Blanc's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details regarding Mel Blanc's height and weight were not prominently recorded, he was known to be of average build. His talent to create diverse character voices often transcended physical characteristics, focusing instead on his vocal abilities, which were key to his career.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Mel Blanc was married to Estelle Rosenbaum in 1933, who was a supportive partner throughout his life and career. They had two children together, and their family remained close-knit. Mel often credited his wife for her unwavering support as he pursued his passion for voice acting. As of 2025, we remember him as a devoted husband and father who balanced his professional life with family.
He was the younger of two children born to Eva (née Katz) and Frederick Blank. His mother was a Lithuanian Jew who had immigrated to the United States, while his father had been born in New York City to German Jewish immigrant parents.
He grew up in San Francisco's Western Addition neighborhood, and later in Portland, Oregon, where he attended Lincoln High School. He had an early fondness for voices and dialect, which he began practicing at the age of 10.
He claimed that he changed the spelling of his name when he was 16, from Blank to Blanc, because a teacher told him that he would amount to nothing and be like his name, a "blank". He joined the Order of DeMolay as a young man, and was eventually inducted into its Hall of Fame.
After graduating from high school in 1927, he divided his time between leading an orchestra, becoming the youngest conductor in the country at the age of 19; and performing shtick in vaudeville shows around Washington, Oregon and northern California.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his passing, Mel Blanc’s net worth was estimated to be between $10 million to $20 million. His earnings primarily stemmed from his successful voice acting career, commercial endorsements, and radio appearances. Given the ongoing popularity of the animated characters he voiced, his estate continues to benefit financially through licensing agreements and merchandise, contributing to an enduring legacy beyond his lifetime.
Throughout his career, Blanc, aware of his talents, protected the rights to his voice characterizations contractually and legally. He, and later his estate, never hesitated to take civil action when those rights were violated.
Voice actors at the time rarely received screen credits, but Blanc was an exception; by 1944, his contract with Warner Bros. stipulated a credit reading "Voice characterization(s) by Mel Blanc". According to his autobiography, Blanc asked for and received this screen credit from studio boss Leon Schlesinger after he was denied a salary raise.
Initially, Blanc's screen credit was limited only to cartoons in which he voiced Bugs Bunny. This changed in March 1945 when the contract was amended to also include a screen credit for cartoons featuring Porky Pig and/or Daffy Duck.
This however, excluded any shorts with the two characters made before that amendment occurred, even if they released after the fact (Book Revue and Baby Bottleneck are both examples of this). By the end of 1946, Blanc began receiving a screen credit in any subsequent Warner Bros. cartoon for which he provided voices.
Career, Business and Investments
Mel Blanc’s career spanned over 60 years, starting in the 1920s as a radio actor. His breakthrough came when he began voicing various characters for Warner Bros. cartoons. His work in television included voicing characters for "The Flintstones," "The Jetsons," and "Scooby-Doo."
In addition to his voice work, Blanc was involved in various business ventures, including being a pioneer in merchandising for animation characters. His innovative approach to branding has encouraged generational engagement with characters that are still widely recognized today.
Melvin Jerome Blanc (born Blank ; May 30, 1908 – July 10, 1989) was an American voice actor and radio personality whose career spanned over 60 years. During the Golden Age of Radio, he provided character voices and vocal sound effects for comedy radio programs, including those of Jack Benny, Abbott and Costello, Burns and Allen, The Great Gildersleeve, Judy Canova and his own short-lived sitcom.
Social Network
While Mel Blanc didn't have social media in his lifetime, his characters have a lasting presence on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Fans often share clips and tributes in remembrance of his contribution to the animation industry. The ongoing appreciation for his work creates a unique network of nostalgia that connects generations.
Following this, Blanc became a very prominent vocal artist for Warner Bros., voicing a wide variety of the Looney Tunes characters. Bugs Bunny, as whom Blanc made his debut in A Wild Hare (1940), was known for eating carrots frequently (especially while saying his catchphrase "Eh, what's up, doc?").
To follow this sound with the animated voice, Blanc would bite into a carrot and then quickly spit into a spittoon. One often-repeated story is that Blanc was allergic to carrots, which Blanc denied.
Education
Mel Blanc attended high school in Portland, Oregon, where his love for performance began to take shape. He later honed his skills with practical experience in the entertainment field rather than traditional education dedicated solely to voice acting. His success can be attributed to his innate talent and relentless dedication to perfecting his craft.
Blanc was a regular on the NBC Red Network show The Jack Benny Program in various roles, including voicing Benny's Maxwell automobile (in desperate need of a tune-up), violin teacher Professor LeBlanc, Polly the Parrot, Benny's pet polar bear Carmichael and the train announcer.
The first role came from a mishap when the recording of the automobile's sounds failed to play on cue, prompting Blanc to take the microphone and improvise the sounds himself. The audience reacted so positively that Benny decided to dispense with the recording altogether and have Blanc continue in that role.
One of Blanc's characters from Benny's radio (and later TV) programs was "Sy, the Little Mexican", who spoke one word at a time. He continued to work with Benny on radio until the series ended in 1955 and followed the program into television from Benny's 1950 debut episode through guest spots on NBC specials in the 1970s.
