Speed Racer voice actor passes away‏

[Roy Mustang]

Posted on an anime email group

Peter Fernandez, the actor and voice director best known as the title character in the animated Speed Racer series, passed away this morning due to lung cancer. He was 83.

Fernandez not only voiced Speed himself, but also his brother Racer X and several other characters in the English-dubbed adaptation of Tatsunoko's Mach Go Go Go anime series. He also directed the voice cast and even wrote the lyrics to the signature theme song. He later played Lupin III, Daisuke Jigen, and President Jimmy Carter in the JAL dubbing of the Lupin III: The Secret of Mamo film. His voice can be heard in such dubbed anime titles as Astro Boy, Gigantor, Marine Boy, Star Blazers: The Bolar Wars, and Superbook. He made a cameo appearance as an announcer in the 2008 live-action Speed Racer film.

Corinne Orr, the actress who played Speed Racer's romantic interest Trixie and younger brother Sprittle Racer, spoke with Fernandez as recently as last week. The two had worked together on 200 productions, and she noted that he was a big star on radio and Broadway. Orr is the last surviving member of Speed Racer's main cast. Fernandez's family is planning a private service, but there are plans for a public celebration of his life in September in Pomona, California.

He will be miss as I got to meet him and Corinne Orr at AWA in 2008. They were very nice and love being around the fans and taking the time to talk to anyone.


[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[steenajack]

Oh goodness, that is sad news. He will be missed.

[Wolf-man]

So sad!!!!!:waah!:
Speed Racer RIP!

[rocklobster]

And thus he drives off, never to return:waah!:

[Atria35]

You know, one of my friend's dad hates anime, but loves Speed Racer.... he doesn't know it's an anime.

Goodbye, Speedracer, for bringing the love of anime to peole who don't know it's anime....

[battletech]

I read an article about Peter Fernandaz on ANN. They had some pictures of shows he voiced. One of those pictures was from Super Book. He is on the credits as additional voices.

[airichan623]

You know, one of my friend's dad hates anime, but loves Speed Racer.... he doesn't know it's an anime.

Goodbye, Speedracer, for bringing the love of anime to peole who don't know it's anime....

*sniff* Speed Racer was my first ever anime... and the only one my dad likes! :waah!: [font="Century Gothic"][color="Red"]SPEEEEED!!![/color][/font]


Here he comes here comes speed racer, he's a demon on wheels.
he's a demon and he's gonna be chasin after someone.
.....he's drivin in the powerful Mach 5!
and when the odds are against him and there's- daaanger lurkin
you bet your... speed racer, he'll see it through...
go speed racer go speed racer go speed racer goooooo!

(thats all i can remember, but thats all straight from memory folks!)

[Nekomimi]

RIP, Mr. Fernandez, he helped introduce anime to a lot of people who might never have checked it out otherwise. I mean, Speed Racer! Astro Boy! Gigantor! Dang! And yes, Superbook ;D