John Foster Widelock (1944-2017) was an American actor, psychologist, performer, executive director, acting coach and voice actor. He is best known for being the original voice actor of Chuck E. Cheese, a role he kept from 1976 to 1984. He also provided the voice of several supporting characters within the franchise, including the demo voices of Crusty the Cat, Jasper T. Jowls and Pasqually.
Career[]
Chuck E. Cheese[]
In 1976, John was hired by Bob Black, to do the voice of The Big Cheese (an early name for Chuck E. Cheese) and Crusty the Cat in The Big Cheese Birthday Show. eventually he would voice all the characters in the demo showtape. But eventually, it was decided to get separate voice actors to speed up post production and have better chemistry between the characters. When he was given the choice of which character he wanted to keep, he picked Chuck E. Cheese.
John based his portrayal of Chuck E. Cheese on fictitious gangster Muggs McGinnis, originated by character actor Leo Gorcey,[1] but was forced to adopt a New Jersey accent for the character after he was deemed too abrasive for a child audience. John struggled to provide Chuck E. Cheese with a singing voice, and was fired in 1983 due to failing to sing a number for the holiday special, The Christmas That Almost Wasn't. He was replaced by Scott Wilson as Chuck E. Cheese during 1984.
Other Work[]
Outside of the Chuck E. Cheese franchise, John played minor roles in several movies, stageplays and radio shows.
Death[]
John passed away on April 18, 2017 from Alzheimer's disease at Casey Hospital Emergency Department.
Trivia[]
- John's parents were Dan Widelock and Helen Foster. John also had a brother named David who died in 2024. They were of a Jewish background.[2]
Filmography[]
Chuck E. Cheese[]
- Chuck E. Cheese (1976-1984)
- Crusty the Cat (1976-1977)
- Jasper T. Jowls (1977 demo voice only)
- Pasqually (1977 demo voice only)
Gallery[]
