Dick Beals (1927- )

Richard Beals was born March 16, 1927, in Detroit, Michigan. He never went through puberty and is only 4'7" (140 cm) and weighs just under 70 pounds (32 kg). He had a normal childhood in suburban Detroit. After graduating from high school he attended Michigan State University. He majored in broadcasting. Dick always dreamed of becoming a sportscaster. He loved sports and was a member of the MSU cheerleading squad (he dressed like a girl with a skirt, fake breasts made from balloons, and a long blonde wig). However, the staff at WKAR, the radio station at Michigan State, knew that the best place for Dick was in radio drama.

In 1949, a few months before his graduation from MSU, Dick was called on by radio station WXYZ (the station which brought such programs as the Lone Ranger, Sergeant Preston, and the Green Hornet) in Detroit to perform a commercial. From that time, he began acting in programs heard on that station in child parts.

In 1952, Dick was called by an advertising agency to be the voice of Speedy, the animated spokesman for Alka Seltzer after he was heard on an episode of the Green Hornet. He moved to Los Angeles and quickly became involved as the voice for other products (Oscar Mayer, Vaseline, Campbell's Soup, and Bob's Big Boy). He was heard on many great radio dramas from OTR's final decade, most notably on Gunsmoke.

Dick's voice became one of the most familiar voices in America. He was Davey on the Lutheran TV series, Davey and Goliath. He was Gumby. He also did cartoons for Warner Brothers as well as many Saturday morning's kids shows on TV.

Additionally, he could also be seen on several TV series in which he was a ventriloquist dummy or an alien from outer space.

Dick announced his retirement in 1996. He still works occasionally doing voice work in cartoons.

He is a licensed airplane pilot. He has no problem flying most small airplanes with control extensions.

Dick lives in Escondido, California, where he heads an organization called "Think Big."