Robert Bao, editor of the MSU Alumni Magazine, will regularly conduct Q & As with Spartan celebrities and distinguished alums. This feature by the MSU Alumni Association will soon become only available to MSUAA members.

His current subject is Dick Beals, �49, longtime voice actor most famous for being the voice of Speedy Alka Seltzer.

For previous Q & As, see our archives.

Biography:

Dick Beals (right) was back on campus during the Varsity Alumni S Club weekend (date?). Here he is seen with Don Coleman, former All American guard and now a retired administrator, admiring the new grass in Spartan Stadium.

Dick Beals is one of America�s most prolific voice actors, probably best known for his impersonation of Speedy Alka-Seltzer in the 1950s and 1960s. As the company�s redheaded mascot, Beals made famous the popular jingle, "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, Oh what a relief it is . . . " Now in his 70s, he lives in Escondido, CA, where he coaches and announces football, and occasionally plays bridge and golf. A native of Detroit, Beals credits MSU with his successful career in radio and television. Blessed with a child�s voice, Beals was the voice behind numerous Warner Brothers cartoons, including the Bugs n� Daffy Show (1996), Pinocchio�s Revenge (1996) and That�s Warner Bros.! (1995). He acted in such TV series as Q*bert, Monchichis, The Biskitts, Casper and the Angels, and The Jetsons. Every year he returns to his beloved alma mater for at least one football game. A former MSU cheerleader, Beals is an avid follower of Spartan sports.

BAO: Dick, you've been one of the most successful voice actors ever. Besides Speedy Alka Seltzer, for which you are famous, what are some other roles you've played?

BEALS: This is my 50th year with Speedy Alka-Seltzer and the cartoon and commercial voice-over business. Over the years you work hundreds, no, thousands of projects and they soon become just a blur.

As a product spokesman Speedy is #1, but close behind is Oscar Mayer, the Campbell Soup Kids, and Bob's Big Boy. Then Huey, Dewey and Louie, Donald Duck's kids, for Shell Oil.

Cartoon voices started with an Academy Award winner for Warners called Lazy Daze, the voice of Ralph Phillips. Then Buzzer Bell and Shrinkin' Violet on the Funny Company, Yank, Doodle and Dan on Roger Ramjet, Buzz Conroy on Frankenstein Jr., N. J. on the Adam's Family, Scat on the Biscuits, Davey on Davey and Goliath, etc.

When Hanna-Barbera started with the Flintstones, and then The Jetsons, I did hundreds of kid's voices on those shows. The most unusual assignment was on the Flintstones, where there were five Boy Scouts. By mistake, Joe Barbera thought there was one Scout, so he cast just me. It ended up I had to do all five, in a three page scene all by myself. But as the saying goes...."that's what they're paying you for."

When the phone rings, you head for the studio, mark your script and go to work. You tend to forget what part or parts you played halfway home.

BAO: You also worked in radio way back when, playing characters like Green Hornet. Tell us a bit about that experience.

BEALS: In January of 1949, as a senior at MSU, I got a call for a commercial on the Challenge of the Yukon, WXYZ, Detroit. After the show, the director told me I would be on call for all the kid's voices, on all three network shows, in that studio....The Lone Ranger, the Green Hornet and the Challenge of the Yukon. Wow !!

However, how do I commute to Detroit and still attend classes for the winter and spring terms. My counselor, Dr. Don Buell, sent me to see the Dean of Students, Dr. Tom King. What he did to allow me to finish school and still do the radio work they had trained me to do was incredible. I was told to attend as many classes as I could, take the homework with me on the bus, and do the best I could in each class. Dr. King then contacted each professor, described his plan, and asked each prof to give me at least a C. They all agreed.

Beals on the 10 yd. line of Spartan Stadium during the Varsity S Club Weekend of '02.

For the Spring term I was allowed to take any class in the catalog. After covering sports on the State News for three years, Dr. King had me take "Introduction to Journalism," taught by Professor Applegate. He had me sit in the back of the room and correct papers.

Dr. King ordered me to take "Beginners Golf". The instructor.... Duffy Daugherty. Duffy, on the first day, took role, then announced he would see us on the last day of the class, and we would tell him what grade we wanted.

So Spring Term was hectic. I couldn't take the many courses I truly needed. Broadcast days started with a bus ride at 7 am, arriving back at Phillips Hall around midnight, but I working at what Michigan State had trained me to do, and it was giant step in the right direction. Little did I know that Hollywood was three years away.

BAO: Is life for voice actors similar than that for actors in general? Give us an idea of your life. Did you have to go to a lot of auditions? Did you have to have an agent, or did your ability become known via word of mouth?

BEALS: A voice actor is a salesman...pure and simple. It all starts with the audition. For radio, the agent is not involved, because the fee is not commissionable The actor must knock on doors, fight for an appointment with the director, hopefully get a chance to read for him, and hopefully get a return call to audition for a part on his show.

At State we were taught how to make sales calls, how to audition, how to continue to plug along until you got a work call.

My first call was on Dr. Christian. The Casting Director once worked at WXYZ, and knew if I could work those shows, with that tough director, I could work in Hollywood. As a favor, he cast the top actors in town for that particular show. I had a tough part; a lot of crying, sobbing, screaming, etc. Those actors spread the word. In a week, I was a very busy radio actor....but still knocking on doors, every day, 8 to 5.

One of those calls was to see a Mr. Forrest Owen, director for Wade Advertising. He didn't use many actors but if he was on my list, then I was taught to knock on his door. He was busy. The nearest appointment was three months away.

But that night, while cleaning out my wallet, a note fluttered to the floor. It was "from the desk of Jack McCarthy, Station manager, WXYZ." It read...."see Forrest Owen, Wade Advertising." Jack gave it to me after a Green Hornet show.

He mentioned that Forrest used to work for him as a staff announcer. Oh...Jack was also the voice of the Green Hornet.

At 8 am the next morning, I placed that note about two inches from the secretary's nose and announced...."Mr. Beals to see Mr. Owen. Tell him the Green Hornet sent me".

Fifteen seconds later, I was ushered into Mr. Owen's office. Forrest Owen was from Battle Creek, a varsity swimmer at Michigan State, WKAR announcer, class of '41. He showed me a rendering of a proposed product spokesman for their client, Alka-Seltzer. However, he said auditions were closed but maybe something else would come up....thanks for coming in.

Two weeks later, he called and suggested I record something for Speedy Alka-Seltzer. I did. Never heard a thing. I assumed they had found somebody else.

Four months later he called me to announce that I was Speedy. 50 years ago, October 1952, we recorded the first commercial, as a test spot, for the west coast.

The test brought overwhelming results. With Forrest Owen in charge of the campaign, product sales soared. Profits quadrupled. Miles Laboratories had a winner.

Today, 50 years later, Forrest Owen is my closest friend, and my mentor. Back to the audition and the agent. For Voice Over work on cartoons and commercials, you must have an agent. He knows the business, can negotiate the best for his client.

Beals is pictured here on the Spartan Stadium 50 yd. line with fellow graduates of '52 and Sparty during the Varsity S Club Weekend of '02.

However, for the past twenty years the business has changed. No longer does the director hold the audition and direct the actor. The actor goes to his agent's office, records the faxed copy in the agent's recording booth, with no direction except a brief description of the character, and he goes home. You must direct yourself. There are 10 top Voice Over agents. Maybe he calls in 20 actors. Each actor might record 5 or 6 takes. All the recordings are sent to the ad agency, who with the client, network, etc., listen to 500 - 600 takes.

Under those impossible conditions, the veteran actors no longer audition. The tell their agent to call them only if it is for a session....or with the director present to help them mold the character.

For on-camera or on-stage work, it is even tougher....but at least you get to read for the casting director. However, when you see a good show, each actor was selected from probably 400 others. They were the best....and they earned the shot.

BAO: Are you still in the business today? Do you do motivational speeches? Tell us about your life today.

BEALS: I started an advertising agency in Los Angeles some 40 years ago, then moved it to Escondido in 1970. A few years back, when I lost my partner suddenly, it seemed time to turn in over to my assistant, and I did.

Yes, I'm still in the voice-over business but very selective. I audition only if my agent says the director is asking for me. Davey and Goliath is planning a comeback. That's a fine cartoon show for the kids.

Radio is back again, but because of Old Time Radio conventions around the country. The Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound, in Seattle, is the most successful. All the veteran radio actors attend and recreate your favorite radio shows. Hundreds attend annually.

Motivational speaking is still going quite well. My book, Think Big, brings me many speaking engagements.

Here is Beals with Ron Mason, MSU's Athletic Director, during the Varsity S Club Weekend '02 event.

Other than that I spend many days on my yacht, visit the campus as much as possible, and speak to classes when asked. My favorite group on campus is the Spartan Marching Band. Dr. John Madden asks me to speak to them every year. They are indeed the cream of the crop.

Another top notch group is our hockey team. None better.

BAO: I know you're very interested in athletics, and have actually coached football. Tell us about your involvement in athletics, as well as your own interests (eg golf).

BEALS: The turning point in my life came when I became involved in sports, and more particular, football. I was five years old, in kindergarten, and I became the mascot on the high school football team, in Birmingham. I learned, in the locker room before and after the game, and sitting on the bench, that if you win you cheer and if you lose, you cry. For 70 years now, winning has always been #1. In a lifetime of sales and marketing, finishing #2 doesn't cut it.

Yes, I coached Little League baseball, Pop Warner football, a semi-pro baseball team, and high school freshmen football and baseball. My goal is to teach young people the importance of doing their absolute best in life, through discipline, fundamentals and team unity. Sports is a good vehicle to accomplish these goals.

BAO: In the past, I've heard you give enormous credit to MSU with helping your career. Tell us about this. Did you have a special mentor?

BEALS: Michigan State prepared me for my life's work. My first week on campus, in 1945, it was the Station Manager of WKAR, Dr. Robert Coleman, who directed me to dramatic radio, rather than sports announcing. Radio shows were an extracurricular activity. But the training was spectacular. Our director on "Rural School Music Time" was J. Kenneth Richards. It was a live, 30 minute, weekly show, in front of an audience in the Music Building.

He was tough. He stressed basics that won me more auditions than anything else; Diction, articulation, "sound those consonants, those vowels. It isn't runnin', it's running. Let me hear that 'g'."

After three years of dramatic radio shows at WKAR, all those directors prepared me for that chance commercial at WXYZ . They also prepared me for the Speedy Alka-Seltzer audition. It was the articulation training that got me that job.

BAO: At MSU you were well known as a cheerleader. Tell us about your campus activities back in those days.

Here is Beals next in line for his award during the Varsity S Club Weekend '02 event.

BEALS: Cheerleading started for me in the third grade. The mascot was told he was now a varsity cheerleader.

When I filled out my application at State, I guess I listed cheerleading. Dean of Men, Dr. Tom King told the captain of the cheerleaders, and somehow I was given a tryout. Classmate Jack Bates and I somehow made the squad. But again, it put me back on the sidelines and the basketball court, where I was most comfortable.

I struggled through Basic College, became a radio major, covered intramural sports for the State News and wrote feature stories, then took all the writing and history courses I could, especially a new course called Business Letter Writing, which was invaluable later on in business.

BAO: One of the most inspirational books I ever read was your autobiography, Think Big. Can alums buy this book today? Is there a phone number or web site?

BEALS: Think Big was written to show the reader that if you set goals, surround them with positive thinking 24 hours a day, the Angel Voices will deliver.

It starts with an amazing story when I was but seven years old, in the Depression, after my Sunday School teacher told us that all prayers are answered. My prayer was answered, the Angel Voices delivered.

Think Big is autobiographical, inspirational and spiritual. It is a problem solver.

If you would like a copy of the book, you can send $13.50 ($12 plus $1.50 for S&H) to me at 1741 David Dr., Escondido, CA 92026-1616. I'd be happy to personalize each book if asked.