Vale: Arnold Stang

US actor Arnold Stang, the voice of  Top Cat, died last week aged 91.

Stang died of pneumonia in Massachusetts last Sunday.

Stang starred alongside Frank Sinatra in 1955 film The Man with the Golden Arm plus It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. He also made appearances on  The Cosby Show and Batman.

Despite his film roles, it was for his inimitable voicing of the 1960s cartoon character Top Cat that he is best remembered.

“He was really unique, because he could perform in any role, comedy or drama, he just loved it all,” his wife said.

“He always thought of himself just as an actor, not any particular kind of actor, but just an actor who would play whatever he was asked to play.”

The 30 episodes of the Hanna Barbera studio-based Top Cat first aired between 1961 and 1962 on The Phil Silvers Show.

His last big screen role was in Dennis the Menace in 1993.

Source: BBC