Zippy Dies

[Santa's Boyfriend]

Tragic, tragic news from The Register:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/21/geek_tv_five_bags_csi_for_video_on_demand/

In other telly news, the cruel hand of fate is just not leaving Doctor Who fans alone. Billie's gone, the Saturday night episodes have gone, and now the bloke who voiced the first Daleks has been exterminated. Peter Hawkins has gone to the great sound booth in the sky, at the not inconsiderable age of 82. He also created the flobalob voices of the original Bill and Ben, and – OK this is genuinely upsetting exciting – he was the Smash robots, and Zippy in Rainbow. Zippy is dead. I'm not sure I can handle this. Can I cut to the 'what's on this week' bit now, please? I need to go and lie down.

[Des Nilsen]

There's a nice little featurette on 'The Dalek Invasion Of Earth' DVD about him creating the Dalek voices. Well worth a watch.

RIP Peter Hawkins.

-

[Almost Yearly]

He's not supposed to die. No need to see or hear him, just knowing he was still around was enough.


That is a list of right old seminal cultural icons there though isn't it. I didn't know of the bloke.

[Catalogue Trousers]

Zippy is dead. I'm not sure I can handle this. Can I cut to the 'what's on this week' bit now, please? I need to go and lie down.

Student Grant wanker.

It is sad that Hawkins has gone, mind. This has - perhaps unsurprisingly - already shown up on the Old Doctor Who thread.

Hawkins also provided the voices of Captain Pugwash, and BA Calcutta (Failed) in the cartoon version of The Perishers, but these rarely seem to get mentioned so often. A pity, that.

Oh, and of course Hawkins's "role" of Zippy was taken over by Roy Skelton, another great voice man (also did Daleks for many years), who's happily still with us.

Edited to add:

And that list barely touches on all of the stuff that Hawkins did - check this out:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0370199/

Sir Prancelot, Dave Allen At Large, even Penny Crayon...blimey.

[Bert Thung]

I thought Roy Skelton was Zippy?

[the midnight watch baboon]

Alas poor Zippy. Hope his doctor doesn't blame it on a Bungle.

[weirdbeard]

I thought Roy Skelton was Zippy?

Hawkins was Zippy in the first series of Rainbow.  But Roy Skelton was certainly my Zippy.

[Pinball]

Yes, Skelton is the voice most people would know (including me). I don't blame the journo for bigging up his story though.

[mook]

I prefered the pink hippo looking bastard. I'm not gay either.

[23 Daves]

I prefered the pink hippo looking bastard. I'm not gay either.

Weren't they both voiced by Skelton?  I seem to remember him appearing on television saying that he loved setting himself challenges by seeing what high speed "arguments" he could create between them whilst doing their voices...

"But Zippy..."
"...no George..."
"...I..."
"...I'm not inter..."
"...but..."
"..ested".

[Pinball]

PETER HAWKINS
Actor and voice artist who has died aged 82.

Peter Hawkins was the creator of the voices and language of the Flowerpot Men and scores of other recognisable television characters including, the daleks and cybermen from Dr Who. Along with children's cartoon series Captain Pugwash and Zippy from Rainbow.

Peter Hawkins first landed a television job as the voice of a puppet called Mr Turnip in the children's programme Whirlygig.

Matthew Bannister spoke to his son,Silas Hawkins, who has followed in his father's footsteps providing the voices for a Cbeebies show 'Summerton Mill'.

Peter Hawkins was born on April 3rd 1924. He died on July 8th 2006.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio4_aod.shtml?radio4/last_word

[TOCMFIC]

Bungle fucking did it!

[Dusty Gozongas]

Bungle fucking did it!

LOL!*

*Sorry. I did lol though.

Apart from that, it's been great watching all the people I grew up with dropping like flies recently. Take me now o lord! Ho. Hum.

[TOCMFIC]

I even pictured the visual of Bungle killing Zippy... (Go on, it's fun, while George watches, and a helpless Geoffrey looks on through the window, while Rod, Jane and Freddy snort coke of each others... Oh, let's stop there... Leave sweet sweet Jane out of this.)

It is fucking sad isn't it! As you said, all these people we grew up with dropping like flies. It's fucking depressing. Not sure if I ever heard his voice, when did Rainbow start? I remember the "classic" Zippy voice, but don't remember if that was just a pale imitation of the original.

Wish I'd seen the original Daleks now as from what I've read, it sounds like he did an amazing job.