Joe Alaskey who voiced Yosemite Sam, Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny has died of cancer aged 63.
The Emmy-winning voice artist – who also voiced a host of other Looney Toons classic characters including Sylvester The Cat and Marvin The Martian – passed away in Los Angeles on Wednesday evening (03.02.16).
Joe was born in New York on April 17, 1952 and was the modern voice of Daffy Duck – taking up the mantle from Mel Blanc – but the character that propelled his early career was that of the grumpy cowboy Yosemite Sam who he voiced in Disney’s live-action and animation mash-up ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ in 1988.
From there, Joe portrayed Plucky Duck on ‘Tiny Toon Adventures’, which ran from 1990 until 1995.
His recognisable vocals gained him plaudits including an Emmy back in 2004 for being the eponymous character in ‘Duck Dodgers’, with the voice artist once describing the titular hero as "an egotistical, obnoxious duck with his own show".
The New Yorker – who once revealed he sang every day to keep his larynx supple – lent his voice to many characters outside the Warner Bros. fold including Richard Nixon in the 1994 Oscar winning movie ‘Forrest Gump’ and he played Grandpa Lou Pickles in all three animated ‘Rugrats’ movies, as well as Stinkie in ‘Casper’ and Droopy in three ‘Tom and Jerry’ movies.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit voicer Joe Alaskey dies
