A three-time Gemini Award-nominated voice actor who grew up in a small hamlet just outside of Blenheim is taking his talents to the silver screen.
Ron Pardo, who was born and raised in Pardoville and went to school in Blenheim, voices several characters in the popular kids TV series PAW Patrol including the main antagonist, Mayor Humdinger.
Pardo stars in that same role as the series makes its way to the big screen in PAW Patrol: The Movie, which is now playing in theatres.
Pardo told CK Mornings with Chris, Jen and Matt on Wednesday that he first auditioned for the role as Mayor Humdinger in 2012 and has been voicing the character ever since.
"I was very fortunate, very grateful [to get the role]," said Pardo, who also voices Cap'n Turbot and Farmer Al on PAW Patrol. "The show has been doing well and we're recording our ninth season now -- and then the movie got optioned and I took Humdinger to the movies."
Pardo said he drew inspiration for Mayor Humdinger's voice from mixing impressions of a Dudley Do-Right cartoon character with a well-known American entertainer from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s.
"One of the notes I got was Snidely Whiplash... and that character was voiced by the great Hans Conried... so I raised that up a bit and he had to be a whiny character, so I threw a little Jack Benny in there," said Pardo. "Then it becomes your own and it evolves from there."
The pandemic presented some additional challenges for the film production with producer Jennifer Dodge noting that some of the voice actors even used walk-in closets to isolate them from outside noises during recording.
Pardo said he was still able to record his lines at a Toronto studio, adding that most of the work he is now doing for the TV show is all recorded at his home.
You can hear the full interview with Ron Pardo below: