Rich Little
World famous voice impressionist Rich Little
has been performing almost all his life. As a kid he spent hours in
Ottawa’s darkened theatres studying the voices and mannerisms of
actors on the screen.
“That’s where I lost myself. Then I would come home and act out
the whole movie in front of my parents ... My dad said he never went
to a movie because I did it for him free.”
At school Rich would answer the teachers in their own voice. While
working as a radio announcer in Ottawa, crowds rushed to the station
when he announced that Elvis Presley would be filling in for him and
then proceeded as if Elvis was indeed in the building.
Luck was on his side when, in his early 20s, he gambled and went to
New York to audition for the Judy Garland network TV show. She hired
him and since then he has carved a career that will fill a book. In
an industry where stars rise and fall, his star has stayed up for
over 40 years.
Here’s how he explains his longevity: “Dick, I always keep busy
and up to date, adding new voices. I play a lot of club and concert
dates and some TV. I am busy writing and doing the charcoal sketches
for my book, which I hope to have out next year, called ‘People I’ve
Known and Been.”
His advice to aspiring entertainers: “You need some luck. But you
must have a good manager and a good agent. I would say that over the
two you really need a good agent, someone to sell you.”
His professional life has been filled with many highs, none higher
than the night Frank Sinatra flew to Ottawa with his entire
orchestra, at his own expense, to join Rich on stage. “Together
we raised $1 million for the Rich Little Neo Natal Centre ... life
doesn’t get much better than that.”
I have interviewed Rich Little twice, several years ago over a quiet
dinner, and recently over the phone from his home in Las Vegas. It
amazes me how he continues to be so easy to meet and accessible. The
hat he wore when he left Ottawa for New York 40 years ago would
still fit today —success has not gone to his head. He’s another
Canadian Achiever.
Read more about Rich Little at
www.canadianachievers.com.
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