Although versatile character actor and voice extraordinary Henry Corden will forever be associated with, and fondly remembered for, providing the bellicose, gravel-toned rasp of cartoon immortal Fred Flintstone, he enjoyed a long and varied career prior to this distinction, which took up most of his later years. Born in Montreal, Canada, on Tuesday, January 6th, 1920, Henry's family moved to New York while he was still a child. Henry received his start on stage and radio before heading off to Hollywood in the 1940s. He made his film debut as a minor heavy in the 'Danny Kaye' , passed away in 1977. Corden would go on to give life to Flintstone for nearly three decades on various revamped cartoon series, animated specials and cereal commercials. He was performing as Flintstone, in fact, until about three months prior to his death of emphysema at the age of 85 on Wednesday, May 19th, 2005. Married four times, he was survived by wife Angelina, his two children from his first marriage, and three stepchildren from his last union. Unlike the crass guys and gruff villains he tended to articulate on film and TV, Henry was actually a very humble & modest man, well loved and respected by friends, family and peers.
After replacing Alan Reed as the voice of Fred Flintstone, Corden took some time to learn the voice because he had to imitate Reed as close as possible, learning by listening to tapes. In later years he made the character more his own and less imitative of Reed, gearing it closer to the characters inspiration of Jackie Gleason s Ralph Kramden character on "The Honeymooners."
Father of two children from his first marriage, and father of three stepchildren from his final marriage. Had five grandchildren.
Survived by two daughters, Dawna and Robyn, from his first wife Thelma, and three stepchildren from his 10-year marriage to fourth wife Angelina--Erik, Derek and Monica.
Developed a friendly association with Boris Karloff while making his film bow in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty . He played Karloffs boorish henchman. in the movie. Karloff more or less took Henry under his wing and worked with him in a couple of subsequent other projects.
Performed on the live stage frequently with good friend Buster Keaton.
Following his death, he was given a special mention by Jay Leno in one of his opening monologues on the "Tonight Show."
Interviewed in the book "A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde" (McFarland & Co., 2010) by Tom Weaver.
Interred in San Fernando Mission Cemetery, Mission Hills, California.
