Jump to content

Billie Hayes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other people with similar names, see Billy Hayes.
Billie Hayes
Hayes c. 1969
Born
Billie Armstrong Brosch

(1924-08-05)August 5, 1924
Du Quoin, Illinois, U.S.
DiedApril 29, 2021(2021-04-29) (aged 96)
Los Angeles, California
OccupationActress
Years active1934–2016
Websitewww.billiehayes.com

Billie Armstrong Brosch (August 5, 1924 – April 29, 2021), known professionally as Billie Hayes, was an American television, film, and stage actress, best known for her comic portrayals of Witchiepoo and Li'l Abner's Mammy Yokum.

Early years

[edit]

Hayes was born in Du Quoin, Illinois, on August 5, 1924, to Charles and Marie (Armstrong) Brosch.[1] Her father was from Germany, and was a coal miner who headed the local miners' union. Her mother was from Illinois, and worked in administration relief.[2] She had an older brother, Louis Brosch.[3] She started working professionally in entertainment at the age of nine, tap dancing in local theatres. By the time she was in high school, she played in bandleader Vince Genovese's orchestra, then toured with her own singing and dancing act throughout the Midwest.[1] Hayes then moved on to New York City, where she auditioned for theatre owner/operator and producer J.J. Shubert, and was hired for principal roles in three roadshow operettas: The Student Prince, The Merry Widow, and Blossom Time.[1]

Career

[edit]

Hayes was best known for her comic portrayal of Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo on NBC's Sid and Marty Krofft television series H.R. Pufnstuf, as well as in the 1970 film Pufnstuf based on the series. Her characteristic cackle and animated physicality were notable during the show's 17-episode run in 1969–70. She reprised this role in another Sid and Marty Krofft program Lidsville (while also having a regular role as Weenie the Genie), and in The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976). Hayes portrayed a similar character in another television role as the gingerbread-house witch in Season 8, Episode 10 (1971) of Bewitched ("Hansel and Gretel in Samantha-Land").

Hayes played Mammy Pansy Yokum in the Li'l Abner 1956 Broadway musical,[4] the 1959 film version, and a 1971 television special. In 1966, she toured with the national company of Hello, Dolly! starring Betty Grable.[1] Hayes made television appearances on Murder, She Wrote,[5] on the soap opera General Hospital as Robert Scorpio's mentor O'Reilly in 1981 and 1985, and in the role of Maw Weskitt in Episode 39 of the second season of The Monkees ("Hillbilly Honeymoon").

Her first voice work role was as Orgoch on the Disney feature film The Black Cauldron in 1985. Other voice work roles included Mother Mae-Eye in the animated series Teen Titans, One-Eyed Sally in The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald, Granny Applecheeks in The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, and roles on cartoons The Further Adventures of SuperTed, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Johnny Bravo, W.I.T.C.H., The Batman, TaleSpin, The Brothers Flub, Bubble Guppies, Rugrats, Transformers: Rescue Bots, Duckman, Shrek Forever After, Bonkers, Problem Child, Siegfried and Roy: Masters of the Impossible, and Darkwing Duck.[citation needed]

Hayes retired from acting in 2016.

Personal life and death

[edit]

Hayes was the president of the animal rescue organization Pet Hope.[6]

Hayes died of natural causes at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, on April 29, 2021, at the age of 96.[7][5]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1959 Li'l Abner Mammy Yokum
1970 Pufnstuf Witchiepoo
1985 The Black Cauldron Orgoch Voice[8]
1987 Snowballing Emma Ferguson
1999 The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald: The Legend of Grimace Island One-Eyed Sally Voice, direct-to-video[8]
2010 Shrek Forever After Cackling Witch Voice[8]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1967 The Monkees Maw Episode: "Hillbilly Honeymoon"
1967 The Monroes Mrs. Peabody Episode: "Manhunt"
1969–1970 H.R. Pufnstuf Wilhelmina Witchiepoo Main role
1971 Bewitched Witch Episode: "Hansel and Gretel in Samanthaland"
1971–1972 Lidsville Weenie the Genie Main role
1976 Wonderbug Agnes Episode: "I Kidd You Not"
1977 Tabitha Sister Rosalind Episode: "Mr. Nice Guy"
1978 The Bay City Rollers Show Witchiepoo, Weenie the Geenie 8 episodes
1981, 1985 General Hospital Brighton O'Reilly 2 episodes
1982 Trapper John, M.D. Mrs. Landers Episode: "Cause for Concern"
1984 Murder, She Wrote Peter Pan Episode: "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes"
1987 Mathnet Mrs. MacGregor Episode: "The Problem of the Missing Baseball"
1987 Square One Television 2 episodes
1989 The Further Adventures of SuperTed Blotch, Slot Machine Owner Voice, 2 episodes
1991 Darkwing Duck Old Lady, Grammy Whammy Voice, 2 episodes
1991 TaleSpin Crazy Edie, Mrs. Nelson Voice, 2 episodes
1993 Bonkers Old Lady Voice, episode: "Frame That Toon"
1995 Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Selma Voice, episode: "A Room with No Viewfinder"[8]
1996 Duckman Nurse Voice, episode: "A Room with a Bellevue"
1997 Johnny Bravo Old Woman Voice, episode: "Johnny Bravo Meets Adam West"
1997–2000 Rugrats Fabulous Lady, Woman Voice, 2 episodes[8]
2001 What a Cartoon! Nadine's Grandma Voice, episode: "My Freaky Family: Welcome to My World"[8]
2004 The Powerpuff Girls Old Lad Voice, episode: "Curses"[8]
2005 Teen Titans Mother Mae-Eye Voice, episode: "Mother Mae-Eye"[8]
2005 The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy Granny Applecheeks Voice, episode: "Puddle Jumping"
2005 The Batman Virginia, Georgia Voice, episode: "Grundy's Night"[8]
2006 W.I.T.C.H. Emily Voice, episode: "M is For Mercy"
2012–2016 Transformers: Rescue Bots Mrs. Neederlander, Zookeeper Voice, 8 episodes[8]
2013–2014 Teen Titans Go! Mother Mae-Eye Voice, 2 episodes[8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Billie Hayes, Witchiepoo on 'H.R. Pufnstuf,' Dies at 96
  2. ^ "Home". billiehayes.com.
  3. ^ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWCB-3PW  : 8 January 2021), Billie Brosch in household of Charles Brosch, Du Quoin Election Precinct, Perry, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 73-6, sheet 2A, line 16, family 27, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 866.
  4. ^ "Li'l Abner". IBDB.com. Internet Broadway Database.
  5. ^ a b "Billie Hayes obituary: "H.R. Pufnstuf" star dies at 96". Legacy.com. 2021-05-04. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
  6. ^ "Pet Hope". Billie Hayes. Archived from the original on 2004-04-07.
  7. ^ Billie Hayes Dies: Wicked Witchiepoo Of ‘H.R. Pufnstuf’ Was 96
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Billie Hayes (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved April 7, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billie_Hayes&oldid=1252946372"