Eddie Carroll died the was 76

Eddie Carroll was a voice actor who took over the role of Jiminy Cricket in 1973 after the death of original voice Cliff Edwards in 1971. He grew up in Canada. In the 1950s, he moved to Hollywood to become an actor. According to an interview, he was the uncle of actress Erika Eleniak, who played Elly May in the 1990s version of the Beverly Hillbillies. Eddie Carroll entertained in dinner theatres as a Jack Benny impersonator and provided the voice of Jiminy Cricket until his death in 2010.

(September 5, 1933 - April 6, 2010)


The Canadian-born actor assumed the role of Jiminy for all manner of Disney media, including the Kingdom Hearts video game series (2002's "Kingdom Hearts" and 2005's "Kingdom Hearts II") and the 1999 video game "Disney's Villains' Revenge." The Encino, California resident was also noted for his superb Jack Benny impersonation, both live and in voiceover commercials or re-creations. Until a recent injury which may have resulted in the cause of his death, Carroll had been performing the critically-acclaimed one-man tribute stage show Jack Benny: Laughter in Bloom, which he wrote himself. He was Jiminy Cricket (the Ghost of Christmas Past) in the 1983 featurette Mickey's Christmas Carol, and portrayed Jiminy in the 2001 TV series Disney's House of Mouse. As well, he was Jiminy in the 1992 attraction "Fantasmic!". Sometimes credited as Ed E. Carroll, he was born in Edmonton, Alberta on September 5, 1933. During the 1970s, he co-wrote scripts for Hanna-Barbera and other cartoon studios (notably The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, along with Jamie Farr). His many live-action TV credits included roles on Gomer Pyle, Mary Tyler Moore, and a weekly NBC series with Don Knotts.


Carroll's Jack Benny production opened in Los Angeles. He continued to perform the show in theaters across North America, as well as engagements in Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City. His performance earned front-cover stories in major newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and the Daily News. The entertainment industry lauded his show with numerous honors, including the coveted Golden Mike Award for Entertainment Excellence and the Preservation of Broadcast History. On TV, he was singled out for in-depth profiles on CNN, Turner Broadcasting and Headline News, as well as the featured story on ABC's Entertainment Magazine. Carroll's television career began with the MGM series The Lieutenant, followed by a recurring role on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. A long list of TV credits followed, including such classic shows as All in the Family, One Day at a Time, Fantasy Island, Life With Lucy and Love, American Style, plus recurring roles on the popular Maude and Alice series. He also appeared with such luminaries as Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Milton Berle and -- ironically -- Benny himself on their television specials.

Numerous appearances on the famed Hollywood Palace show with Knotts led to him co-starring with Don on a weekly NBC series. His most recent TV credits included guest-starring roles on Frasier and Spy-TV. On stage, he played leading roles in musicals, drama and comedy in more than two dozen theater productions from Los Angeles to New York, where he appeared in Legends On Broadway. He also had the unique experience of breaking new ground in the theater by playing two roles simultaneously. He portrayed Benny playing the fastidious Felix Unger in a new adaptation of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple. Critics said, "Juggling two roles at once is a precarious undertaking for any actor, but Carroll plays it just right... a superior performance marked by nuance and sharp timing." Carroll got his start in Canadian theater and working as a writer in radio and television. An NBC scholarship for a new talent brought him to Los Angeles, and he was soon drafted into the army, where he wrote and produced shows for Armed Forces Radio and Television. Pursuing his acting career after the service, Carroll expanded his other talents with a comedy album, writing songs that led to a recording contract and writing songs for other artists, including a hit single ("How Is Julie") for the singing group The Lettermen. During this time, Eddie and Farr formed Carroll-Farr Productions and were soon involved in creating and developing projects and pilots for ABC, CBS, Screen Gems/Columbia and H-B. In addition, they created the TV series Man to Man and wrote and co-produced a full season of episodes for MGM-TV. Over the years, Carroll also appeared in over 200 commercials and used his voiceover talents in more than a hundred animation, radio and TV spots. An honorary member of the famed Friars Club, he also served on the board of directors of the prestigious Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters, a group of more than 700 professionals who have worked in radio and television for more than twenty years. Each year, PPB holds five special events to honor the achievements of prominent actors, entertainers, directors, producers and writers who have distinguished themselves in the Broadcast media. Carroll was a recipient of the Diamond Circle Award For Many Distinguished Years In Radio And Television by the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters. The organization also has the distinction of building a library that has compiled the largest collection of radio and television memorabilia in existence. He and Carolyn Springer, a doctor of psychology, married in 1963. At the time of his death, his wife was writing a book, Touring the World with a Husband and Two Suitcases!. Besides his wife, Eddie Carroll is survived by their two children, Tina, an artist and actress, and Leland, a doctor of kinesiology and chiropractic. Video of Carroll discussing his work as Jiminy Cricket can be seen on the D23 Web site.
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