Paul Winchell

Paul Wilchinsky (born December 21, 1922; died June 24, 2005), credited as Paul Winchell, was an actor who played on. He was the first to play the character outside the comics.

Biography
In addition to acting, he was a famous ventriloquist. His most famous dummies were Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff.

He was a pre-med student. He patented over thirty inventions, including one of the first artificial hearts as well as a disposable razor, a blood plasma defroster, a flameless cigarette lighter, an "invisible" garter belt, a fountain pen with a retractable tip, and battery-heated gloves.

Outside of ventriloquism, his best known acting role is that of Tigger in the Winnie-the-Pooh franchise for Walt Disney Animation Studios, a role taken over by Jim Cummings following his death. He is also known for playing Gargamel on The Smurfs, a role also played by Hank Azaria.

Other notable works include The Beverly Hillbillies, 77 Sunset Strip, The Donna Reed Show, Perry Mason, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Lucy Show, The Virginian, Dick Dastardly in Wacky Races, The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, The Flying Nun, Here's Lucy, The Perils of Penelope Pitstop, The Aristocats, Nanny and the Professor, The Brady Bunch, Love, American Style, The New Scooby-Doo Movies, A Christmas Story, Dr. Seuss on the Loose, Yogi's Gang, Goober and the Ghost Chasers, Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch, Hong Kong Phooey, The Oddball Couple, Clue Club, Halloween Is Grinch Night, The Robonic Stooges, The Super Globetrotters, Boomer in The Fox and the Hound, Trollkins, Heathcliff, The Jetsons, Yogi's Treasure Hunt, Adventures of the Gummi Bears, and Garfield and Friends.