Peter Fernandez Dies at 83
By Anthony ZaragozaJuly 16, 2010 No Comments
Peter Fernandez, known for his voice actor role as “Speed Racer” television series has died Thursday after battling Lung Cancer; as Anime News Network reported.
His voice was dubbed into “Astro Boy,” “Gigantor,” “Marine Boy,” and several other anime series. He made an appearance in the 2008 film “Speed Racer” as a race announcer.
Fernandez was also a director on English adaptation shows and with American cartoon series. In a interview with Peter Fernandez with Vidgle.com, his favorite director role was being the voice director for Cartoon Network’s “Courage the Cowardly Dog,” in which he had cameo roles on the series.
Fernandez began his career on Broadway until he drafted to the United States Army at the age of 18 for World War II. After his duty in the army, he became a radio broadcaster, having roles in radio theater performances. His radio appearances included roles on “Mr. District Attorney”, “Let’s Pretend”, “Gangbusters”, “My Best Girls”, “Superman”, and “Suspense”, as well as on many soap operas. Fernandez also wrote a children book titled “Bedtime Stories from the Bible.”
Christine Orr, the last surving member of the Speed Racer TV cast, worked with Fernandez on more than 200 productions. Orr said that Fernandez loves going to conventions and meeting the fans. Fernandez said that to Vidgle reporter Louis Buffamante at Otakon 2008 in what became his last video interview. The interview can be seen here. His panel with Christine Orr and himself at New York Anime Festival 2008 can be watched here.
On his MySpace page, in which is still up, he states:
I began my career at age 7 as model for the John Robert Powers Agency. I worked on both Radio and Broadway acting in such golden age radio shows as Mr. District Attorney, Suspense, Gangbusters and The Adventures of Superman. Some of my regular roles were as George Bigelow on The Aldrich Family and as Jerry on The Sea Hound. During my stint in the Broadway play Watch on the Rhine, the cast was invited to the White House to meet President Franklin Roosevelt. I also starred in a motion picture with Tony Curtis entitled City Across the River.
However, I’m probably best known for writing, directing and voicing the dubs of Marine Boy, Speed Racer, Star Blazers, Ultraman, The Space Giants, Inframan, A Fistful of Dollars, Mothra and some of the Godzilla films to list a few. I recently served as the dialogue director for Courage the Cowardly Dog and Ace Venture Pet Detective.
On the original Speed Racer series, I voiced both Speed and Racer X. I also wrote the lyrics for the theme song and have recently recorded the dialogue for a new version of Speed Racer in which I voice Spritle as a middle aged man!
Fernandez was born in Manhattan, New York on January 29, 1927.
Fernandez’s family is planning a private service, but there are plans for a public celebration of his life in September in Pomona, New York.
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