William John "Bill" Scott was an American voice actor, writer, and producer for animated cartoons, primarily associated with Jay Ward and UPA, as well as one of the founding members of ASIFA-Hollywood.
History
Scott began work as a voice actor as well when he joined Jay Ward as head writer and co-producer, and voice acted in such television series as The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show (most notably as the titular character Bullwinkle and Mr. Peabody, as well as Dudley Do-Right and Fearless Leader). In a 1982 interview, Scott said, "I got a call from Jay [Ward] asking if I'd be interested in writing another series, an adventure script with a moose and a squirrel. I said, 'Sure.' I didn't know if I could write an adventure with a moose and a squirrel, but I never turned down a job." Scott never received an on-screen credit for his voice acting on any of the Ward series.
Toward the end of his career, Scott worked for Walt Disney Studios, where he voiced Moosel in The Wuzzles, as well as Gruffi Gummi and Toadwart in Gummi Bears (he was succeeded by Corey Burton after his death). Scott's last role in Gummi Bears had also reunited him with his Rocky and Bullwinkle co-star June Foray. Additionally, Scott was a fine singer and performer, active with a Little Theatre group in Tujunga called the Foothill Curtain Raisers. He was especially well-known for his talents interpreting Gilbert and Sullivan, and did much to encourage aspiring actors and musicians. He donated great amounts of time to tutoring young people in difficulty.
Scott died of a heart attack on November 29, 1985 in Tujunga, Los Angeles, California. He was survived by his wife, Dorothy, and their three children. Because of this, further episodes and seasons of The Wuzzles were canceled, and Scott's roles in Gummi Bears were all recast with different voice actors. Additionally, the films George of the Jungle (and its sequel) are inspirations to his work on the classic George of the Jungle cartoon series from the 1960s.
