Introduction
Valentine John "Val" Bettin (born August 1, 1923) is an American actor and voice actor, known for using an English accent in all of his roles. He is perhaps best known for voicing Dr. David Q. Dawson in the 1986 Disney animated film The Great Mouse Detective and the Sultan in The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves, the two direct-to-video sequels to Disney's Aladdin as well as the TV show, taking over for Douglas Seale. Bettin also hosted The Storyteller, a children's show on Chicago television in the late 1950s.
Early life and career
He was born Valentine John Bettin in La Crosse, Wisconsin. In 1948, he went to England to enroll in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and graduated in 1950. There he met his wife Hildy. The two married that same year. They returned to the United States in order for him to become a drama teacher in Iowa.
Bettin's first film role was in 1980's Somewhere in Time. He later became a voice actor, with his first role as Dr. David Q. Dawson in the 1986 Disney film The Great Mouse Detective. His credits include Shrek, Gargoyles, Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series and W.I.T.C.H..
Bettin's wife died in 2007 at age 82.
Filmography
Animated roles
- The Great Mouse Detective - Dr. Dawson/Thug Guard #4
- Aladdin: The Return of Jafar - Sultan of Agrabah
- Aladdin (TV series) - Sultan
- Aladdin and the King of Thieves - Sultan
- Shrek - Bishop
- The Mork & Mindy / Laverne & Shirley / Fonz Hour - Additional Voices
- Hercules - King Tivius
- Gargoyles - Egon Pax
- Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles - Egon Pax
- Webster - Erwin
- Mighty Ducks - Sarks
- W.I.T.C.H. - Herbert Olsen
- Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders - Narrator
Video game roles
- Tarzan - Professor Porter
- Zork: Grand Inquisitor - Sneffle/Flickering Torch
Live-action roles
- Webster - Edwin
- American Masters - John Latrobe
- Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story - Mr. Breen
- Somewhere in Time - Director, in 1912
- Triplecross - Winslow
- Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase - Playwright
- The Man Who Wasn't There - Monocle