On this day July 20, 1890 actress Verna Felton was born (died December 14, 1966). She was best known for providing many voices in numerous Disney animated films. Felton was the original voice of Fred Flintstone's mother-in-law, Pearl Slaghoople, voicing the character as a semi-regular in seasons two and three of Hanna-Barbera's landmark TV series The Flintstones. Fred's mother-in-law was not named during Felton's run; the "Slaghoople" name was mentioned in season four when Janet Waldo debuted in the role. Felton was a popular actress at the Walt Disney Studios and MGM Studios, lending her voice to several animated features, including: Dumbo (1941) as the Elephant Matriarch and Mrs. Jumbo, Dumbo's Mother, Cinderella (1950) as The Fairy Godmother, Alice in Wonderland (1951) as the Queen of Hearts, Lady and the Tramp (1955) as Aunt Sarah, Jim Dear's aunt (Felton's son voiced Jim Dear and the dogcatcher), Sleeping Beauty (1959) as Flora, the Red Fairy and Queen Leah, Princess Aurora's mother, Goliath II (1960) as Eloise, The Man from Button Willow (1965) as Mrs. Pomeroy, Mother and Lady on Trolley, and The Jungle Book (1967) as Winifred the Elephant (her final role, animated or live-action). On this special podcast listen to a Golden Age of Radio drama Verna Felton voice acted in.
