Scatman Crothers

Benjamin Sherman, also known as Scatman Crothers was an accomplished American actor and musician. His recognizable roles included Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show Chico and the Man and Dick Hallorann in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining released in 1980. Complementing his acting talents, was his work as a distinguished voice-over actor. He lent his voice to memorable characters such as Meadowlark Lemon in the Harlem Globetrotters animated TV series, Scat Cat in the Disney animated film The Aristocats (1970), and Jazz the Autobot in The Transformers. Crothers began his musical career in his teenage years, teaching himself guitar and drums. Arguably, his most significant contribution to pop culture came with his nickname, Scatman, derived from his scat singing. He was a constant figure in performances in Los Angeles, Harlem and Las Vegas, and released several singles and albums.

Crothers began his Hollywood dream with the film Meet Me at the Fair in 1953 and over the decades worked in multiple films with a varied range of roles. He ventured into voice acting with The Aristocats in 1970. His impressive voice-over work extended to Hong Kong Phooey, Harlem Globetrotters cartoon series, and The Transformers. His regular appearance in Chico and the Man made history as it was one of the first times a black person appeared regularly on a Los Angeles television show. Towards the end of his career, he provided the voice to the Autobot Jazz in the TV series The Transformers. He sadly passed away on November 22, 1986 after a struggle with lung cancer.