What’S His Name? John Fiedler: The Man the Face the Voice

By Elizabeth Messina

Whats His Name? John Fiedler The Man The Face The Voice highlights the captivating life and work of character and voice actor John Fiedler. Most people are familiar with Johns voice work as Winnie the Poohs best friend, Piglet. John was hand-picked by Mr. Walt Disney, and worked for the Disney Company, providing the voice of Piglet, for 37 years (1968 2005). In addition to Johns wonderful voice acting career, he had a lucrative career in television and film. John is known for his roles in memorable films such as 12 Angry Men, A Raisin in the Sun, The Odd Couple, True Grit, That Touch of Mink, and A Fine Madness. John has the special distinction of entering television during its inception, riding the ever changing current of TV for nearly 60 years. John is remembered for his notable guest appearances in television shows such as The Bob Newhart Show, The Odd Couple, The Twilight Zone, The Munsters, Star Trek, Bewitched, Get Smart, Threes Company, The Golden Girls, Cheers, and many more. John spent the later portion of the 1940s and the entire 1950s in New York, relocated to California during the 1960s and 1970s, and returned to New York in 1980, where he would remain for the duration of his life. John certainly had an impressive career, spanning nearly six decades. Johns work and creations will continue to live on in the hearts of millions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 20, 2012
• ISBN: 9781468558562

Elizabeth Messina

Elizabeth Messina was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She is the oldest of four children. Elizabeth graduated from Hunter College in 2006 (The City University of New York) with a BA in English Language Arts. It was in Hunter College that her love of writing blossomed. Elizabeth received a Master of Arts in Teaching in 2010 from Montclair State University. Elizabeth is currently a Special Education Teacher in Brooklyn, New York. She now lives in northern New Jersey with her husband, Nicholas and their rabbit, Lola.

Book preview

What’s His Name?

John Fiedler

The Man The Face The Voice

Elizabeth Messina

US%26UKLogoB%26Wnew.ai

AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2012 by Elizabeth Messina. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/28/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4685-5858-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4685-5857-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4685-5856-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012903965

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Epilogue

Filmography

Bibliography

Notes/Websites

In Memory of John Fiedler

A Man of True Integrity and Sincerity

My Inspiration

Classic%20John.jpg

For Jim Fiedler and Mary Fiedler Dean

Thank you for all of your support throughout this

exciting journey

For my husband, Nicholas Messina,

I love you with all my heart

For my parents, Stu and Lina Handman,

Thank you for nurturing my love of reading and writing throughout my life, and thank you for introducing me to

John and his wonderful work

Preface

In late 2010, it hit me; I decided to write a book about the life and work of character and voice actor, John Fiedler. I spent all of my life admiring the talent and work of Mr. John Fiedler, always believing that he did not justly receive the recognition which he so truly deserved.

Since childhood, my favorite Disney character was none other than Winnie the Pooh’s sweet, small friend, Piglet, who was brought to life by the one and only John Fiedler. As a very young child, I didn’t quite understand that an actual person was behind Piglet’s voice. In the early 1990’s, when I was about seven or eight years old, I was watching an episode of Bewitched, in which John appeared. My mother, who was enjoying the episode with me, turned to me and said, You know, that’s the man who does the voice of Piglet. I’m not sure what his name is though. With this, I was utterly awestruck. I could not wait for the ending credits to arrive, so that I could discover this actor’s name. With anticipation and little hands that could not keep still, the credits came, and I soon found out that the name of the man bringing Piglet to life was John Fiedler. From that point on, I was captivated by the man who brought life to my favorite cartoon character.

When I was sixteen, I wrote a letter to Mr. Fiedler, expressing how much I admired his work, how talented I believed him to be, and how I adored the work he did with Piglet. Four days after mailing the letter at the post office, my doorbell rang, and there was the mailman holding a large brown envelope marked with Do not bend on the front. I carefully opened the envelope, and to my delight, found a personalized, autographed picture of Mr. Fiedler. At the top of the photo, I found the words, Mr. John Fiedler is Piglet. Underneath these words I found a head shot of Mr. Fiedler, with Winnie the Pooh and Piglet holding hands alongside of him. I thought, Wow, what a wonderful and kind-hearted man to not only respond so quickly, but to personalize the photo, so I knew it was only for me. My father immediately bought a frame for this wonderful photo that I knew I would treasure forever. I am much older now and I have my own home, but the personalized, autographed photo that Mr. Fiedler sent me all those years ago still hangs on my wall for me to admire each and every day.

After months of surfing the internet, trying to pick up any piece of information I possibly could, I realized I needed some help. True, I was able to find a plethora of information regarding his wonderful professional career, but what about the man himself? After reading about the various encounters that people have had with him, both professionally and from a fan’s viewpoint, I was able to deduce that he was a truly kind-hearted and gracious person. What about topics such as his childhood, the early years of his life, his hobbies, and his family? To write a biography, these were areas I needed to know more about. I knew that John was survived by a younger brother, Jim, and a younger sister, Mary, both living in Wisconsin.

I decided to contact Mr. Jim Fiedler first. I sat down at my desk, pen in hand, and began writing a detailed letter to Jim, expressing my admiration for his brother, as well as my need for additional help in completing my project. I was thrilled and ecstatic when, upon receiving my letter, Jim called me, more than willing to help me make this book a reality. Jim was gracious, kind, and friendly, providing me with invaluable information. I was delighted to know that Jim had also spoken to his sister, Mary, who was just as willing to help me. After calling Mary, I realized that she was just as gracious, kind, and friendly as Jim. She too, provided me with precious information.

Both Jim and Mary became an important part of my life. They were kind enough to go through the records which they kept on John’s life and career, and share many priceless stories through phone conversations. Jim and Mary mailed me a variety of pictures and information regarding their brother, John, and for this, I will be forever thankful. I must add that both Jim and Mary thanked me for thinking of John the way I do, and for trying to give him the recognition that he so very much deserves.

It is now my turn to thank Jim and Mary because without both of you, I would have never been able to write this book. Thank you both for helping to make my dream come true. With your help, I was able to bring John back to life. You are truly two magnificent people, and I know John was just the same.

After speaking with John’s brother and sister, I had enough information to finally begin writing. After weeks and weeks of research and wondering if I could actually undertake such a project, Mary and Jim provided me with the extra motivation that I needed. The first day I began writing, I sat at my computer with a cup of coffee and a million ideas running through my head, staring at a blank Word document. After several minutes, I began writing, and the words just poured out. I wanted more than anything to create a piece of work that would pay the ultimate tribute to not only an exceptionally talented actor, but to a sincerely decent human being. I diligently sat at my computer nearly every day for at least four hours, paying respect to my favorite actor. I must say, writing this work has been the most wonderful experience.

Writing about John’s life has been one of the most exciting and uplifting journeys that I have ever traveled. I completely immersed myself in the life and work of Mr. John Fiedler, and have come to feel a deep and special connection with him. Through my electrifying process of writing this book, I have come to feel as if I have lived John’s life right along with him. I have clear and vivid images of John in all that he did, and if I close my eyes, there he is, with his sparkling blue eyes and his dazzling smile.

I know that I am blessed because I was granted the wonderful task of bringing John back to life. For anyone who is familiar with John and his work (and even those who are not), this is an opportunity to view him in an entirely new light; learning things which I am sure will delight and interest any reader and fan. John was a beautiful person, with an unwavering spirit and dedication to his family and to his profession. Thanks to John, I have found within myself, a strength and courage which I never even knew existed.

Acknowledgements

There are several people to whom I owe a great deal of gratitude. I cannot thank Jim Fiedler and Mary Fiedler Dean enough, for their support and guidance has been instrumental in my success with the completion of this book. I am grateful to each of John’s nieces and nephews as well as their spouses. They were kind enough to share delightful memories of their uncle, and I greatly enjoyed speaking with them. I would also like to thank my former writing professor from Hunter College (The City University of New York), Jim Paul. He helped me to realize my potential, and instilled in me, a love of writing. I cannot forget to thank Hunter College; for it was there that I developed a love and deep passion for writing.

I want to take this time to thank some very important people who have been an integral part of this project. I want to thank my husband, Nick, who not only believed in me, but helped me believe in myself. I want to thank my mother and father, Stu and Lina, who have wanted me to write a book for years, always providing me with the chance to go after my dreams in life. I would like to thank my younger sisters and brother, Jackie, Stephanie, and Peter, who were interested in this project throughout its process. I have to thank my mother-in-law, Josette, and my father-in-law, Nick, who were both thrilled at the prospect of their daughter-in-law writing a book. To Joey, my brother-in-law, although unable to read or write, was nonetheless overjoyed upon hearing of this project, having total faith in me. Thank you Grandma Frances (who is now in Heaven) and Grandma Anna, for you have always believed in me.

Thank you, John. Through your life and work, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime. You have played such a significant role in television, film, and animation (with your magnificent voice acting), and you sincerely deserve to have your story told. Thank you for playing such a significant role in my life, as well as in the lives of countless others.

Chapter 1

The Early Years

John Fiedler spent nearly six decades working as a character actor, showing us that, clearly, he was a diverse, well-rounded, and talented performer. Many remember him as Mr. Emil Peterson, the nervous, bespectacled patient of Dr. Bob Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show. John is well remembered for his role as Mr. Hengist in the famous Star Trek episode, Wolf in the Fold. People may recognize him as Vinnie, Oscar and Felix’s poker playing buddy in the original Broadway and film productions of The Odd Couple. John was also famous for his role as Juror # 2 in the acclaimed film, 12 Angry Men. I think most identify with John’s voice, however. Midway through his career, John became a renowned voice actor, bringing to life one of the most beloved and popular Disney characters of our time, Winnie the Pooh’s timid and caring pink friend, Piglet.

The one sad truth is that too many people are unable to match John’s name with his face and voice. Typically, a character actor portrays many different roles, and is never remembered for just one part; however, John has managed to carve his own special niche into the entertainment world. John once said, People will come up and say, ‘Gosh, I thought it was you. Then I heard your voice, and I knew.’ Nine times out of ten, they don’t know the name. I would like to change that, and give readers the opportunity to get to know the man behind the voice and face.

John Donald Fiedler arrived in this world on the glorious Tuesday, February 3, 1925, in a small city in southwestern Wisconsin called Platteville. John was the eldest of three children born to Donald Fiedler and Margaret Phelan Fiedler. Donald and Margaret were married in 1923, and remained husband and wife for over forty years, until Margaret’s passing in 1966. At the time of John’s birth, Margaret was twenty-eight years old and Donald was thirty years old. Jim was the middle sibling, and Mary was the youngest of the three. (Jim was nearly four years younger than John, while Mary was five years younger than John.) John and his siblings were of Irish and German descent.

Donald Fiedler was born in 1895 and his wife, Margaret, was born two years later, in 1897. Donald worked tirelessly as a beer salesman at a local brewery, and although the Fiedlers struggled financially, Donald and Margaret always managed to bring their family enough money to live comfortably, and were always able to put food on the table. Margaret was a devoted wife, mother, and homemaker. Donald and Margaret Fiedler were dedicated and hard-working parents, working endlessly to provide for their children, creating a close and tight-knit family. John, Jim, and Mary loved their parents dearly, and always looked forward to the time spent together as a family

John was the typical older brother while growing up, always taking charge, and constantly watching out for his little brother and sister. As a child, John was a happy and playful little boy, filled with a friendly and caring nature. Even as a young boy, he radiated a captivating spirit, always drawing people to him. Young John was never without a smile, always ready to entertain those around him. Being around John filled anyone who was near him with joy. In fact, as a young boy, many of his teachers and friends knew that he would one day become an actor.

Picture%201.jpg

Two year old John in Platteville, Wisconsin

(Courtesy of Jim Fiedler and Mary Fiedler Dean)

When John was five years old, Jim barely two, and Mary only a baby, Donald and Margaret decided to move their family to Shorewood, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. Both parents felt that Shorewood would be a wonderful place to raise their children. Also, the move occurred one year after the 1929 stock market crash, and Donald believed that he would earn a larger profit from his work if he were closer to Milwaukee, a much larger city.

It was in Shorewood that John’s love of acting flourished. He was always an outgoing and headstrong child, and at five years old, he knew exactly what he wanted to do in his life, and that was to act. At the tender age of five, John began to have dreams of being on the big screen, imagining that one day he might even become a movie star. Yet, John’s father always wondered why his oldest son did not want to become a doctor or a dentist, like other children. Nevertheless, John had his dream, and was determined to make it come true.

Chapter 2

The Dazzling World of Film

As John’s childhood progressed, throughout the 1930’s, his interest and passion for acting grew more and more intense. John always enjoyed attending school, and worked very hard at his studies, but he always found time to act and see as many films as he possibly could. The 1930’s marked a turning point in America’s entertainment culture, and John wanted more than anything to be part of it.

The 1930’s was a decade filled with political turmoil and severe economic problems. John was only a young boy throughout the decade, and did not quite understand the impact that the 1929 Wall Street stock market crash had upon the world. However, Donald and Margaret were more than a little concerned about the future of America, as well as the rest of the world. The crash of the stock market in 1929 threw the world into an economic downfall called the Great Depression, lasting throughout much of the 1930’s. As a result, several countries in Europe saw a rise of authoritarian regimes, in particular, the Third Reich in Germany, with the growing power of Adolf Hitler. Expansionist world