In a one of those coincidences of the world, as Ryan Gosling is giving Mattel doll Ken his moment on the big screen inGreta Gerwig’sBarbie, the sad news was revealed thatBill Cunninghampassed away earlier this month at the age of 96. While the name may not sound familiar, to put this in context, Cunningham was the original voice of Ken in Mattel’s adverts and vinyl recordings in the 1960s. According to reports, the star passed away at his West Hollywood home on July 15.
The news was revealed by CESD Talent Agency, which was founded by the star as a commercial and voiceover agency, who released a statement praising Cunningham as the “template” for everything they do. The statement read:
“Bill set the template for client and customer service, particularly in commercial, voice-over and print. He was a warm, gregarious, classy man who made a positive impact on all those he represented and employed. It was our honour to know him and to learn from him.”
Born in January 1927, Cunningham was a lover of the industry from a young age, but had to curtail his enthusiasm for films when he enlisted in the US Navy and served in World War II. After the war, the star followed up singing performances with Fort Emory Drum and Bugle Corp with appearances on The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show and Voices of Walter Schumann. His first appearance as Barbie’s boyfriend Ken came, coincidentally, after the star recorded on some movie soundtracks for, among others, Warner Bros. – who years later would acquire the rights to Barbie.
Cunningham retired from the industry in 1989, and in 2014 published his autobiography, “I Wonder What Became of Me”, which charted his life including his experiences in the entertainment industry. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.
Related:Barbie: Will We Get a Ken Spinoff?
Ryan Gosling Has Brought Another Side To Ken in Barbie
Although Bill Cunningham’s version of Ken was very much “quintessential” Ken as the character has been depicted time and time again over the last six decades,Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Kendelivers something that is partially the same old Ken, but then transcends every expectation to become a modern interpretation of the character that has never been done before.
For many, Gosling’s performance is just one of the highlights of the movie – and let us be fair there are many – and he certainly throws himself fully into the role. From mooning after Barbie, to discovering a world where men and horses rule, and even through an inflatable-filled beach battle and dance-off, Gosling isanything but “Just Ken.”
Despite that, there will be plenty of people who still see Ken as “beach” and spending most of his time in the shadow of his blonde girl friend, and it is probably not going to be too long before that persona of Ken reappears in a future kid-friendly animated movie or TV show. Whichever version of Ken is for you, just remember that his on-screen appearances all began with Bill Cunningham.
