Reliving Fond Memories: Remembering Paul Winchell
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Paul Winchell
1922-2005
Truly what is known as a Renaissance Man, Paul Winchell will always be known as the voice of Tigger. But the spastic stuffed animal was only one side of this one of a kind performer, most recognizable to the baby boom generation for his children’s programs of the 50’s and 60’s. Ventriloquist, author, painter, comedian and…creator of the artificial heart! Mr. Winchell was truly an original.
Paul Winchell made his debut on radio in 1947 with a ventriloquist dummy called Jerry Mahoney. The show was Major Bowes Amateur Hour, and he won first prize. However, it was the new medium of television that he excelled in, creating a string of Children’s Programming, starring himself and the dummy character he had created as a teen. In 1950 he created another character, Knucklehead Smith, and the rest is television history. The original dummies are now in the Smithsonian Institute.
Besides reinvigorating the art of ventriloquism, Winchell also is a mechanical tinker of creative skill. He held 30 patents for such inventions as a flameless cigarette lighter and a gauge to tell when food has gone bad in a refrigerator after a power outage. But his most amazing invention is the artificial heart.
In 1968, Winchell again made history as the manic toy, Tigger, in “Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day�?, forever cementing the lisping tiger into American pop culture. Paul also received a Grammy for the song “The Wonderful Thing about Tiggers�?. Paul continued voicing Tigger until 1998. Jim Cummings now performs both Tigger and Pooh.
In order to keep himself busy, Winchell painted and studied acupuncture. He also is well read and wrote on theology. His autobiography, “Winch�?, was published in the late nineties.
Paul was also into the internet, savoring the possibilities of the new technologies. He was hoping that with the spread of broadband, he may show his adventures with Jerry Mahoney on the internet. He had put the project on hold until the technology was readily available.
Paul Winchell passed away peacefully in his sleep in Moorpark, California on Friday, June 24. He leaves behind millions of fans of all generations. Each day a new Paul Winchell fan is born whenever any of the Winnie the Pooh featurettes are played in DVD players. Now we know that Tigger invented the artificial heart. Tell that to your pals tomorrow!
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-- Posted June 29, 2005