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Paul Winchell

Paul Winchell

Actor · Died June 24, 2005, aged 82 · New York City, New York, USA

Born Paul Wilchinsky on December 21, 1922, the son of Sol and Clara Wilchinsky, Paul Winchell grew up to be the most beloved ventriloquist of American children. Ironically, as famous as Paul was, his dummy, Jerry Mahoney, was probably more famous. Not since Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy in the previous two decades had a ventriloquist and his dummy known equal celebrity. Entering the spotlight on the Edward Bowes "Original Amateur Hour" (1948), he began working soon after in a review show in which Major Bowes would showcase the winners of his radio program. He started his television career on the CBS program The Bigelow Show (1948) in 1948; The Paul Winchell Show (1950), originally called "The Spiedel Show," in 1950; and, finally, the best-known of his shows Winchell-Mahoney Time (1965). With a clubhouse premise, his dummies Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff--another of Paul's characters--as the clubhouse leaders, and the music of the bandleader Milton Delugg. A new innovation of Winchell's was to replace the dummy's hands with those of puppeteers who were hidden behind the dummies in a crate. Winch also played many serous dramatic roles on television without his dummy sidekicks. What may be even more famous is that he created the voice of Tigger for the Walt Disney Company's "Winnie The Pooh" motion-picture series, based on the famous books by A.A. Milne. He played the role behind the scenes until 1999, when he was replaced by Jim Cummings, who also voiced Pooh from the time that Sterling Holloway died. He was also the voice of many other world-famous cartoon characters. A little-known fact about Winchell is that he was one of the original inventors of an artificial heart--years before the first successful transplant with such of a device--an automobile that runs on battery power, a method for breeding tilapia, and many other inventions that are still around today. - IMDb Mini Biography By: MeanDean

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 21, 1922
Died
June 24, 2005 (aged 82)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
30 on MovieCove · 93 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 18% in 30 days

What are Paul Winchell's films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
47%
Society
33%
Morality
8%
Self
6%
Power
4%
Survival
2%
Ideas
1%
Friendship13 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity15 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 10 · Serious 1 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 2 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 0

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 10 · Charged 1 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 6

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 11 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

10 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 3 of 10 analyzed roles.

Ally
3 of 10
Trickster
3 of 10
Shadow
2 of 10
Hero
1 of 10
Shapeshifter
1 of 10
Show the 10 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
17
Warm
11
Absurd
6
Thrilling
5
Hopeful
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Feel-good19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy18
  • Bittersweet1
  • Cyclical2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Paul Winchell's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Paul Winchell's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

93 credits, 30 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo(2004)

    as Tigger

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Magical World of Winnie the Pooh: A Great Day of Discovery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Tigger

  • Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year(2002)

    as Tigger (segment "Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too") (voice)

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Winnie the Pooh: Spookable Fun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Tigger (voice)

  • Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Tigger (voice)

  • Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Tigger (voice)

  • A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving(1998)

    as Tigger (voice)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin(1997)

    as Tigger (voice)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Winnie the Pooh: Frankenpooh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Tigger (voice)

  • Winnie the Pooh: Un-Valentine's Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Tigger (voice)

  • Winnie The Pooh Playtime: Cowboy Pooh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Tigger (voice)

  • Winnie The Pooh Playtime: Pooh Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Tigger (voice)

  • Winnie The Pooh Playtime: Detective Tigger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Tigger (voice)

  • Droopy, Master Detective (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Rumpley's Dad (voice)

  • Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too(1991)

    as Tigger (voice)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Fender Bender 500 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 50 episodes · as Dick Dastardly (voice)

  • Wake, Rattle, and Roll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 50 episodes · Actor

  • Garfield and Friends(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh(1988)

    Show 53 episodes · as Tigger (voice)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose(1987)

    as Dread Baron (voice)

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Kingdom Chums - Little David's Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as (voice)

  • Gummi Bears: A New Beginning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Zummi Gummi (voice)

  • Gummi Bears(1985)

    Show 76 episodes · as Zummi Gummi (voice)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Yogi's Treasure Hunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 27 episodes · as Dick Dastardly (voice)

  • The Smurfic Games (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Gargamel (voice)

  • Here Are the Smurfs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Gargamel (voice)

  • The Smurfs: Baby's First Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Gargamel (voice)

  • The Smurfs Halloween Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Gargamel

  • The 1st Annual NBC Yummy Awards (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Tigger (voice)

  • My Smurfy Valentine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Gargamel (voice)

  • The Smurfs Christmas Special(1982)

    as Gargamel (voice)

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • The Smurfs Springtime Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Gargamel (voice)

  • Romeo and Smurfette (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Gargamel (Voice)

  • The Flintstones: Wind-Up Wilma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Umpire / Thief / Reporter (voice)

  • Spider-Man(1981)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • The Smurfs(1981)

    Show 422 episodes · as Gargamel (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Trollkins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 26 episodes · Actor

  • The Fox and the Hound(1981)

    as Boomer (voice)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Heathcliff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 39 episodes · as Marmaduke

  • All-Star Comedy Ice Revue(1978)

    as Bubi Bear / Fleego (voice)

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Shake, Rattle and Roll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 13 episodes · as Shake

  • The Robonic Stooges (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 32 episodes · as Moe / Mummy / Professor Octane

  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh(1977)

    as Tigger (voice)

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Clue Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 16 episodes · as Woofer

  • The Tiny Tree (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Turtle

  • The Man from Clover Grove (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Jefferson Swickle

  • Joe Forrester (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Oddball Couple (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 16 episodes · as Fleabag (voice)

  • The Great Grape Ape Show(1975)

    Show as Additional Voices

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all shows

  • Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Tigger (voice)

  • Hong Kong Phooey(1974)

    Show 31 episodes · as Mr. Shrink

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 39 episodes · as Revs/Captain Tough (voice)

  • Dr. Seuss on the Loose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Sneetches / Sam-I-Am / Green Eggs and Ham Hater (voice)

  • Goober and the Ghost Chasers(1973)

    Show 16 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows

  • Blue Aces Wild (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Wizard (voice)

  • Killarney Blarney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Jamie / Timmy (voice)

  • A Christmas Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Goober (voice)

  • The Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus Park (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Fleegle / Tree (voice)

  • Ghost Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Carlson

  • The Wizard of Id (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as The King of Id/Peasant

  • McMillan & Wife(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as TV Interviewer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!(1971)

    Show 16 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

  • The Aristocats(1970)

    as Chinese Cat (voice)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Which Way to the Front?(1970)

    as Schroeder

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Goldilocks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Bobcat / Various Animals (voice)

  • Nanny and the Professor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Love, American Style (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Dale · as Harvey · as Ralph

  • The Brady Bunch(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 89 episodes · as Dick Dastardly / The General (voice)

  • The Perils of Penelope Pitstop(1969)

    Show 17 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • Vernon's Volunteers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Fire Chief Vernon

  • Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Tigger (voice)

  • Here's Lucy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Carlo · as Knife Thrower / Jeweler

  • Wacky Races (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 34 episodes · as Clyde (voice)

  • The Banana Splits Adventure Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 37 episodes · Actor

  • The Lone Ranger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as The Rainmaker (voice)

  • Winnie the Pooh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 3 episodes · as Tigger

  • Frankenstein, Jr. and the Impossibles(1966)

    Show as Aquator

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • The Dean Martin Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Lucy Show(1962)

    Show 2 episodes · as Doc Putnam · as Paul Winchell

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • The Beverly Hillbillies(1962)

    Show 2 episodes · as Grandpa Winch

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • The Jetsons(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Input (voice)

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Stop! Look! and Laugh! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Paul Winchell

  • 77 Sunset Strip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Donna Reed Show(1958)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Perry Mason(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Henry Clement

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Circus Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Paul Winchell Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Host

  • Your Show of Shows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Lights Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Bigelow Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Everything's on Ice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Voice of Dummy

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 90 titles from 1939 to 2003; peak year 1969.

Biggest box office

The Aristocats (1970)

$191M worldwide

Highest rated

What's My Line? (1950)

Midcredits 93rd

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19392003

Peak 1969 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting90 of 90: 90 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score59th

By decade

1930s1 · acting1940s2 · acting1950s6 · acting1960s16 · acting1970s26 · acting1980s23 · acting1990s13 · acting2000s3 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 13 roles
6878

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Paul Winchell's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 73rd percentile, the median of all 12; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 75th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 30 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

All-Star Comedy Ice Revue (1978)

86th percentile spread · 39% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

Midcredits 92nd · 80% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Paul Winchell's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and alcohol & drugs run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 32 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles5–18 · median 10 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 9 · minimalMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles1–29 · median 10 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles18–59 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Paul Winchell work with?

People who share at least 2 of Paul Winchell's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Joseph Barbera shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

  • John Fiedler8 titles    See all 8 shared titles with John Fiedler
  • Don Messick7 titles    See all 7 shared titles with Don Messick
  • Jim Cummings6 titles    See all 6 shared titles with Jim Cummings
  • Ken Sansom6 titles    See all 6 shared titles with Ken Sansom

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles