Person Details

Birthday:

Aliases: Wil Ryan , William Z. Ryan , William Frank Ryan

Gender: Male

Place of birth: Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 45

TV Involvements: 15


Most Famous Work

Biography

William Frank Ryan (May 21, 1949 – November 19, 2021) was an American voice actor and producer–writer–composer, well-known for singing about the American West. In the late seventies he teamed up with Phil Baron as Willio and Phillio.  They had regular gigs on television, radio and comedy clubs and universities throughout the US. Ryan and Baron later paired up again voicing characters of best friends Teddy Ruxpin (Baron) and Grubby the Octopede (Ryan) in the Teddy Ruxpin book and tape series as well as the 1987 television show The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin. The Willio and Phillio act brought Ryan back into music and after moving to California, he began to write and record songs for Disney. He provided the voice of Rabbit, Tigger, and Eeyore in the Disney Channel's long-running series Welcome to Pooh Corner and in many other Pooh cartoons. He also provided the voice of Barnaby the Dog on the popular series Dumbo's Circus. Since 1987, Ryan has been a fixture of the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey, playing Eugene Meltsner, Harlow Doyle, David Harley, Patrick O'Ryan and hundreds of one-shot characters. He also voiced Rabbit in Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore after the death of Junius Matthews. Ryan also voiced the character Digit in the 1986 animated film An American Tail. Ryan had also provided the original voice of Petrie in the 1988 animated film The Land Before Time. He appears in the film The Wizard of Speed and Time as several different motion picture union representatives. He is the current voice of Elmo Aardvark. He can be heard as the character, called Elmo Aardvark: Outer Space Detective and in several Elmo Aardvark CDs. Ryan is the current voice of Willie the Giant. He started voicing the character from Mickey's Christmas Carol. Ryan's youthful involvement in pop music has continued alongside his animation career. Will Ryan compositions have been recorded by artists such as Patti LaBelle, Diane Schuur, Victoria Jackson, The Pointer Sisters and Joanie Sommers (whom he also produced). With Andrew J. Lederer and Michael Rosenberg (Jackie Diamond), Ryan performed in the '20s-style music and comedy trio, The Merry Metronomes. He and Lederer also appeared from time to time as a duo, usually under the name The Natty Nabobs. His latest musical incarnation is as leader of Los Angeles-based Will Ryan and the Cactus County Cowboys, a cross between the Marx Brothers and The Sons of the Pioneers. His variety show, Will Ryan's Cactus County Round-Up, has been a staple in Southern California since 2008. It regularly plays at several venues, including the Steve Allen Theatre in Hollywood. Ryan continues to do voice work. In 2009 he was working on the third season of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, the 21st season of Adventures in Odyssey, and the new radio series of Will Ryan's Cactus County Round-Up. Description above from the Wikipedia article Will Ryan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia .

Most Famous Work

Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Average
7

Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears

(1985) Unwin / Ogres (voice)
Disney's House of Mouse
Average
7

Disney's House of Mouse

(2001) Willie the Giant
DuckTales
Average
8

DuckTales

(1987) Dangerous Dan (voice)
The Little Mermaid
Average
7

The Little Mermaid

(1989) Seahorse (voice)
Mickey's Christmas Carol
Average
8

Mickey's Christmas Carol

(1983) Collector for the Poor #2 / Ghost of Christmas Present (Willie the Giant) / Ghost of Christmas Future (Pete) / Santa Claus (Big Bad Wolf) / Weasel #2 (voice)
The Land Before Time
Average
7

The Land Before Time

(1988) Petrie (voice)
Mickey Mouse Funhouse
Average
7

Mickey Mouse Funhouse

(2021) Willie the Giant (voice)
Thumbelina
Average
6

Thumbelina

(1994) Hero / Reverend Rat (voice)

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2021 Willie the Giant (voice)
2019 Herald (voice)
2015 Sam Shooster
2014 Self
2013 Peg-Leg Pete (voice)
Himself
2010 Winnie the Pooh (voice)
2007 Willie the Giant (voice)
2005 N/A
2004 N/A
2003 Papa Bear (voice)
2002 Eugene Meltsner
2001 Eugene Meltsner
Willie the Giant
2000 Eugene Meltsner
1999 The Duck Brothers
Winnie the Pooh (voice)
1998 Eugene Meltsner
Eugene Meltsner
1997 Eugene Meltsner
Eugene Meltsner
1995 Eugene Meltsner
Royal / Tika (voice)
1994 Boss (voice)
Eugene Meltsner
Hero / Reverend Rat (voice)
1993 Eugene Meltsner
Morris (voice)
Weasel
1991 Stuey (voice)
Mouse (voice)
Uncle (voice)
Boogwart (voice)
1990 N/A
Bean Seller (voice) (uncredited)
N/A
1989 Seahorse (voice)
All the Unions / Mr. President (voice) (as William Z. Ryan)
Dale (singing voice)
Voice
1988 Petrie (voice)
Wordsy (voice)
Goofy (voice)
1987 Captain Pietro (voice)
Roman Knight (voice)
Captain Blackheart (voice)
Dogface Pete (voice)
Sharkey (voice)
The Micro Ducks (voice)
Weasels (voice)
N/A
Dangerous Dan (voice)
N/A
Frog
Scrooge McDuck / The Beagle Boys / Gyro Gearloose (voice)
Pete / Goofy (voice)
The Paper Man (voice)
1986 Digit (voice)
Rabbit (voice)
Tigger (voice)
Wordsy (voice)
Unwin / Ogres (voice)
Stars and Hearts (voice)
Pongo / Goofy (voice)
1985 (voice)
Wordsy (voice)
Unwin / Ogres (voice)
Rabbit / Tigger (voice)
Frog
N/A
1984 Self
Voice
1983 Collector for the Poor #2 / Ghost of Christmas Present (Willie the Giant) / Ghost of Christmas Future (Pete) / Santa Claus (Big Bad Wolf) / Weasel #2 (voice)
N/A
Rabbit (voice)
1977 Guards (uncredited)
Year Character Movie/Tv

Production

Year Role Movie/Tv
1996 Producer
1993 Associate Producer
Year Role Movie/Tv

Writing


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