Pat Buttram — Mr. Haney from Green Acres — on his many Disney roles

"The animators at Disney love my voice," said Buttram.

"Walt Disney once said that the two most recognizable voices in the world were Pat Buttram and Orson Welles." 

This is according to Pat Buttram himself in a 1982 interview with Tampa Tribune staff writer Greg Tozian.

Buttram was famous as the sidekick in nearly 200 TV and movie westerns with Gene Autry. Later, he would star as Mr. Haney on Green Acres, where he'd play the con-man character to much recognition.

While grown-ups recognize Pat Buttram's face from his many appearances onscreen, children might be more likely to know the actor's voice. Beginning with The Aristocats in 1970, Buttram voiced characters in six animated Disney movies, culminating in 1995's A Goofy Movie. Along the way, he was The Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood, a muskrat in The Rescuers, a dog in The Fox and the Hound, and an old Western bullet in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

While promoting the upcoming The Fox and the Hound back in '82, Buttram spoke about what it was like to have a face for cartoons.

"They want you to use your natural voice in the recording studio at Disney," Buttram said, "and then they pattern the characters after you. I do an old huntin' dog named Chief in the new movie and he's got my eyebrows and nose."

It was no coincidence that Buttram appeared in so many animated movies. He had one of the most distinct timbres in show business.

"The animators at Disney love my voice. And I love workin' with 'em, because kids not yet born will see these animated films 100 years from now; whereas everything else will be gone," he said.

While none of them are a century old yet, each of the movies Buttram worked on with Disney has already aged into classic status. 

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13 Comments

MC1707 6 months ago
His voice along with Andy Devine, you cant deny are definitely recognizable.
Jon 6 months ago
He got the last line in "The Aristocats" as bloodhound Napoleon, alongside George Lindsay's basset hound Lafayette: "I'm the leader! I'll say when it's the end!" ("THE END" hits him upside the head.) "It's the end!"
firemandk 6 months ago
"Mr. Douglas, I have here a deal you cannot pass by".......... Makes me laugh and smile just thinking about him....... even my 34 year old Filipina wife and 8 year old son know what I am talking about when I do that voice, at 62 I find myself watching old episodes of "Green Acres" on MeTV , and that says a lot because all i watch is PBS and the new "Quantum Leap" ..... wish MeTV would run "The Time Tunnel" and " The Green Hornet"......
BigPirate firemandk 6 months ago
Mr. Douglas: "Mr. Haney, you would sell your parents if you could!!" Mr. Haney "No, but I'll rent 'em to you" as he uncovers the truck and there sitting in the back.
zzyzx firemandk 5 months ago
What No Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea with CO2 fire extinguishers or Lost In Space with the annoying Dr Smith.?
CoreyC 6 months ago
One of Pat Buttram last roles is in Back To The Future III.
Jimtypes 6 months ago
...Not to mention how funny he was on Green Acres.
JHP 6 months ago
he was one of the super funny characters on one of my favs:) X1000
WordsmithWorks 6 months ago
Buttram definitely had an instantly recognizable voice which was tailor-made for cartoons. As good as he was on Green Acres, voice acting was really his calling.
KawiVulc 6 months ago
A Goofy Movie was the first movie we took our son to at a theater. Really a fun movie & Pat was of course perfect as the host at Lester's Possum Park. Saw a trailer that day for a movie with a bunch of green army men running around & said, yeah, we gotta see that! A few years before that in '88 or '89 I'd seen a really cool video on VHS called "Tin Toy" & another short with a weird little hopping desk lamp made by a company called Pixar but hadn't thought much of that name since...
McGillahooala 6 months ago
Great actor who contributed much to classic television.
cperrynaples 6 months ago
Mickey Mouse's debut in Steamboat Willie is close at 96! In fact, this year is the centennial of Walt Disney Studios!
Runeshaper 6 months ago
Buttram had a GREAT voice! The dog named Chief did sorta resemble him lol
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