Who is the Actor behind Thundarr the Barbarian?

For some people who want to feel nostalgic, an episode of Thundarr the Barbarian is enough to bring back those 80’s memories. But what of the actor behind the character’s voice? His name is Robert Ridgely and he spent most of his lifetime voicing character roles before his death. Robert Ridgely made so much impact in the entertainment world and here is everything you should know about him.

Thundarr the Barbarian: Robert Ridgely

Robert was born on December 24, 1931, in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA. Most of his personal information regarding where he grew up and the schools he attended is not available for public knowledge. He started his career as a cabaret entertainer.

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During the early 1960s, Robert was heavily involved as a talk show host with Woody Woodbury before appearing in TV commercials of McDonald which was staged as a Broadway production. Following this major leap in the show business, he threw himself fully into the rings of the entertainment world and it was not a bad decision as it shot him to fame. Thundarr the Barbarian is among the many television series where he played a voice role.

Robert Ridgely: Career

Robert started his career in 1964 in the film “Nightmare in Chicago” as Dan McVeay. The film is based on the novel Death on the Turnpike by William P. McGivern. And its story focus is about a serial killer named “Georgie Porgie” who preys on blondes and recently killed his fifth victim in Pinhook, Indiana. Robert returned in 1971 to star in the thriller revenge film “Chrome and Hot Leather” as Seargent Mack.

He got a regular role as Lieutenant Kimbro in the short-lived World War II Warner Bros./ABC series “The Gallant Men”. The series was later canceled and he moved to appear on shows as “Bonanza”, “WKRP in Cincinnati”, “Coach”, “Night Court”, “Wings”, and “Designing Women”.

In the later part of his career, he switched to voice acting roles and was outstanding in voice-over roles in movies like “Down and Dirty Duck” (1974), television specials such as “Thanksgiving in the Land of Oz”, (aka Dorothy in the Land of Oz) (1980), and “the video game Blazing Dragons”.

In 1980, Robert Ridgely voiced the character of Thundarr a muscular warrior, whose companions include Princess Ariel, a formidable young sorceress, and Ookla the Mok traveled the world on horseback, battling mostly evil wizards who combine magical spells with reanimating technologies from the pre-catastrophe world. The animated series was set in a future (c. 3994) post-apocalyptic wasteland divided into kingdoms or territories — the majority of which are ruled by wizards.

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From 1985 to 1996, Ridgely was one of ABC’s main primetime promo announcers. He also voiced the “Peculiar Purple Pieman” in the 1980s Strawberry Shortcake specials, General “Thunderbolt” He voiced Ross on “The Incredible Hulk”, Finch on “Daisy-Head Mayzie”, and Commander Chief in “Dexter’s Laboratory”. He has appeared in various films, including several Mel Brooks productions, amongst them; “Blazing Saddles” (1974), “High Anxiety” (1977), “Life Stinks” (1991), and “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” (1993).

Thundarr the Barbarian: Where is the character now?

Robert Ridgely is dead. He died on February 8, 1997. Ridgely died of cancer at his Toluca Lake, Los Angeles home. He was married to a woman named Patricia and they stayed married until his demise in 1997. There is no information on whether they had children. He was worth 850,000 dollars at the time of his death.

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