Richard Beals, voice of Adventures in Odyssey’s short-lived but well-remembered character, Nicholas Adamsworth, passed away on May 29, 2012. Mr. Beals’ role in the voiceover world, thanks to his small stature (4 feet, 6 inches in height), primarily focused on children’s voices.

Although he didn’t make many appearances on Adventures in Odyssey, Dick Beals became well-known for his role as a stop-motion animation figure called “Speedy Alka-Seltzer”, featured in television commercials for more than 50 years. He is also known for his role in “The Gumby Show” (1950’s) and Davey in “Davey and Goliath” (1960’s). His work includes numerous other roles as child characters, thanks to his childlike voice affected by his height. Dick Beals is an example of a man who used his God-given condition as a platform for a career in voiceover.

Said in his obituary:

“He was one of the great voice actors of all time,” Ron Simon, curator of TV and radio at the Paley Center for Media, told The Times on Wednesday. “He was one of those anonymous people who pioneered what animation would become today.” (Obituary, Los Angeles Times)

Here’s to a man who brought some extra life to Adventures in Odyssey, making his first appearance in Eugene’s Dilemma in 1989. Thank you for your work, Mr. Beals. There’s no doubt you have impacted many lives as a result of your work.

You can read Dick Beals’ full obituary here.

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