Mary Kay Bergman
The unseen vocal chameleon who gave life to a generation of animated icons, from Disney princesses to South Park's entire female cast.
1961–1999 (age 38)·American voice actress and voice-over teacher·Birthday: June 5·Baby Boomers
Biography
Mary Kay Bergman's voice was the secret soundtrack of 1990s animation, a versatile instrument that could shift from the crystalline purity of Snow White to the crass satire of South Park in a heartbeat. Before landing her defining role as the primary female voice on the nascent and controversial 'South Park,' she had already become the official voice of Disney's Snow White for a decade, a role she cherished. Her talent lay in an astonishing range; she could be the sweet Daphne Blake in 'Scooby-Doo' one moment and the villainous Dr. Blight in 'Captain Planet' the next. Her sudden death in 1999 at age 38 sent shockwaves through the voice-acting community, ending a prolific but often uncredited career that left an indelible mark on pop culture.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Mary was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mary Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Mary's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Died at 38
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
Key Achievements
- Served as the official voice of Disney's Snow White from 1989 until her death in 1999.
- Was the lead female voice actor for the first three seasons of 'South Park,' performing most of the show's female and child characters.
- Voiced Daphne Blake in the 'Scooby-Doo' direct-to-video films and series from 1997 to 1999.
Did You Know?
She was sometimes credited under the pseudonym Shannen Cassidy early in her career.
She provided the voice for Timmy's mom in 'The Fairly OddParents' pilot.
Her husband, Dino Andrade, is also a voice actor and continues to honor her legacy.
“I'm not just a voice; I'm an actress who happens to work in a booth.”
