Bille Mae Richards is remembered for providing the voice of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in the 1964 television special that starred Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman. She was credited as Billy Richards possibly to hide the fact that she was a woman. Richards was also the voice of Tenderheart Bear in the first two Care Bears movies and that of Brightheart Raccoon in the Nelvana-produced Care Bears television series. Richards died after suffering a series of strokes.
Features & TV Movies:
VR indicates Direct-to-Video Release
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (voice, TV-1964)
Willy McBean and His Magic Machine (voice, 1965)
The Daydreamer (1966)
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (TV-1976)
Jailbait Babysitter (1977)
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (TV-1979)
The Trolls and the Christmas Express (voice, TV-1981)
The Care Bears Movie (voice, 1985)
Clifford’s Fun with Letters (voice, 1988)
The Big Slice (1991)
Pennies from Heaven (1991)
Melanie Darrow (TV-1997)
Bram Stoker’s Shadow Builder (1998)
Bluehair (2001)
TV Series – Cast:
King Kong (voice, 1966)
The Smokey Bear Show (voice, 1969)
Spider-Man (voice, 1967-1970)
The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo (voice, 1974)
The Toothbrush Family (voice, 1977)
The Care Bears (voice, 1985-1988)
TV Series – Guest appearances:
War of the Worlds (1988)
My Secret Identity (1989)
The Hidden Room (1991)
Maniac Mansion (1992)
Rupert (voice, 1994)
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First published as Northernstars.net February 1, 1998
ISSN 2563 4895