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Billie Mae Richards

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Voice Actress

The Resume

    (1921-September 10, 2010)
    Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Birth name was Billie Mae Dinsmore
    Provided the voice of Rudolph in the Rankin-Bass special 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' (1964) and its sequels and Tenderheart Bear in the Care Bears tv series and movies
    Appeared in the films 'Pennies from Heaven' (1981) and 'Bram Stoker's Shadow Builder' (1988)

Why she might be annoying:

    She was taking acting, singing and dancing lessons at age two, noting 'I was Toronto's version of Shirley Temple.'
    She specialized in providing the voices of boys in radio programs, and was billed by the Canadian Broadcasting Company (and later Rankin-Bass) as 'Billy Richards' to obscure her gender.
    In the horror film 'Bram Stoker's Shadow Builder,' she takes an axe to the head from Paul Soles, who had voiced Hermey the Elf in 'Rudolph.'

Why she might not be annoying:

    She entertained Canadian troops during WWII as part of the 'Meet the Navy' show.
    She, and the rest of the voice cast other than Burl Ives, got paid residuals from 'Rudolph' for only three years, despite the show becoming a holiday staple for four decades and counting.
    She said of Rudolph's enduring popularity, 'What better legacy can you leave than a show that everybody loves?'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 23 Votes: 21.74% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 115 Votes: 46.96% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 11 Votes: 18.18% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 22 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 21 Votes: 52.38% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 90 Votes: 60.0% Annoying