Janet Waldo, The Voice Of Penelope Pitstop, Dies At 96

Janet Waldo, the actress best known for voicing Penelope Pitstop and Judy Jetson on cartoon show ‘The Jetsons’, has died at the age of 96.

Though the cause of death has not been confirmed, ABC News reports that the veteran actress had been diagnosed with a benign but inoperable brain tumour in 2011.

Born in Washington in 1920, she was spotted as a student actress by Bing Crosby, and signed a deal with Paramount Pictures.

She appeared on shows like 'The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet’, and then later on the 'I Love Lucy’ and 'The Lucy Show’ with Lucille Ball.

But it was her prolific voice work for which she was best known.

She played Judy Jetson, the daughter of George and Jane Jetson, for the entirety of the futuristic cartoon for Hanna-Barbera.

She also played the role of Pearl Slaghoople, Fred Flintstone’s mother-in-law in 'The Flintstones’, taking over the role from Verna Felton.

Then later, she played the perpetually imperilled Penelope Pitstop in both 'Wacky Races’ and 'The Perils of Penelope Pitstop’, as well as other roles in 'The Scooby-Doo Show’, ‘Josie and the Pussycats’, 'Battle of the Planets’, and the 1973 cartoon version of 'The Addams Family’.

Controversially, after completing her reading of Judy Jetson in the 1990 reboot movie of ‘The Jetsons’, she was abruptly replaced by the pop star Tiffany, who had a growing profile at the time.

Her performance was slated by critics, however, and the movie was a flop, producers admitting that ousting Waldo has been a mistake.

She died at her home in Encino, California, on June 12.

She is survived by her sister, composer Elisabeth Waldo Dentzel, a son, a daughter and two grandchildren.

Image credits: Hanna-Barbera/Deadline/IB Times