News "Finding D.W." - A new podcast to find the male actors who voiced Arthur's little sister (1 Viewer)

[Tickita]

Like many preschoolers, Dora Winifred Read has a flair for the dramatic. She’s bossy, has short-lived obsessions and temper tantrums, and will play her favourite song, “Crazy Bus,” over and over.

But she’s also a protective big sister, has an imaginary friend, loves unicorns and believes that teachers live at schools.

An average (for an anthropomorphic aardvark) middle child, Dora, known as D.W. — along with her brother, Arthur, and baby sister, Kate — is charming a second generation of young television viewers in the TV series “Arthur.”

On air since 1996 — 24 seasons and counting — it’s one of America’s longest-running animated children’s television series and has Canadian roots. Based on books by Marc Brown, the show, which follows the lives of eight-year-old Arthur Read and his family and friends, is highly recognizable. But what original “Arthur” fans, now in their 30s, and current viewers may not know is that D.W. — that incorrigible tot with the signature brown bob and pinky-purple dress — has been exclusively voiced by male actors.

Between 2002 and 2006, Toronto resident Jason Szwimer provided the voice for D.W. in seasons 7 to 10 of “Arthur.” The experience made such an impact on Szwimer’s life that, a few years ago, he got to wondering about what it was like for the other actors who had stepped into D.W.’s Mary Janes. “I thought it would be fun to talk to the other guys who played D.W.”

The idea grew into a podcast concept in which Szwimer would try to find and interview all of the voice actors who ever played D.W. and document those efforts. But it wasn’t until COVID-19 hit that Szwimer got things going. “I couldn’t get the idea out of my head, so I decided I just needed to go for it,” he said.

The “Finding D.W.” podcast debuted June 29 and drops a 30-minute episode every Tuesday. It follows Szwimer on his search for voice actors Michael Caloz (who played D.W. from seasons 1 to 3), Oliver Grainger (seasons 4 to 6), Robert Naylor (seasons 11 to 15), Jake Beale (seasons 16 to 17), Andrew Dayton (seasons 18 to 19), Christian Distefano (seasons 20 to 21) and Ethan Pugiotto (Season 22 to the present).

The show always used male actors because D.W. is a tomboy, said Toronto voice and casting director Debra Toffan, who worked on the series in the mid-’90s. “The boy’s voice with a bit of raspy-huskiness worked really well. We certainly tried female (actors), but there was too much sweetness. (D.W.’s) tough and a bit bratty. She’s not afraid of anything and will tell you what she thinks.”

Toronto Star

 

[Tickita]

I did not know DW was voiced by male actors

 

[StrayMixx]

OMG I had no idea - interesting!