MovieChat Forums > Jason and the Argonauts (1963) Discussion > Was Honor Blackman really dubbed in this...

Was Honor Blackman really dubbed in this?

posted 12 years ago by vnisanian2001
13 replies | jump to latest

In another thread, a user who I will not name out of respect for his privacy, claims that Honor Blackman (Hera) was dubbed by another actress. And the actress dubbing her voice was Joan Greenwood (who starred in another Harryhausen film called Mysterious Island). He then went on to claim that he was very familiar with Honor's' voice from her work on The Avengers, Goldfinger, and several television roles.

Well, I've only seen her in this film, The Avengers, Goldfinger, and a fragment from Moment to Moment, but even so, there is no suggesting (at least to me) that Joan Greenwood dubbed her voice. Not to mention I've seen Mysterious Island, and neither Joan Greenwood, nor Honor Blackman sound alike.

And if that's still not confusing enough, I even read a claim that Honor dubbed Nancy Kovack's voice.

Somebody, please shed light on this mystery! It's crazy!

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Big G-2 11 years ago

If you look at their movies (beginning with THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD), Ray Harryhausen and his producer Charles Schneer did not always want an all British cast (despite making their headquarters in the U.K.). As I recall from his book, in CLASH OF THE TITANS they hired both Harry Hamlin and Burgess Meredith, American actors, in an otherwise all British cast, to mix it up a little.

[–] petepi3 9 years ago

Is Harry Hamlin related to Billy Bob Thornton?

[–] vnisanian2001 11 years ago

Honor Blackman didn't dub Kovack's voice. It was Eva Haddon who did the dubbing for Kovack.

I guess what you said makes sense, but is anyone here actually familiar with Joan Greenwood's voice? That's what I'd like to know.

[–] SceneByScene 11 years ago

Hi vnisanian2001

Yes, I think viewers WOULD recognise Joan Greenwood's voice: it was VERY distinctive! (especially to us Brits amongst film fans! or indeed especially to any fans of Brit films! LOL!)

As Wikipedia states - for once accurately! - re Joan Greenwood:
"Her husky voice, coupled with her slow, precise elocution, was her trademark."

A quick look at YouTube proves it - e.g. clips of that great 1950s' film 'The Importance of Being Earnest' (e.g. at 14m44s into the film, at URL www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NFQbeE9gkQ&feature=player_detailpage#t=885). What a smoky voice!

And thanks to utgard14 for telling me why this great film had its 2 lead American actors dubbed. I had visited this forum to post just such a query, only to find the same question had already been asked & answered - yey, you saved me time!! Thanks.

from SceneByScene (UK) . . . I films & Freeview TV!

[–] vnisanian2001 11 years ago

Okay, so is it true? Did Joan Greenwood really dub Honor Blackman's voice, like another poster claimed? I mean Honor has a distinct voice, too. Let's not forget that.

[–] SceneByScene 11 years ago

It was an actress named Eva Haddon (www.imdb.com/name/nm1544235/). Apparently she was well known to BBC radio listeners; being a radio actress would explain Eva Haddon being a logical choice to dub another actress (in this case Nancy Kovack).

from SceneByScene (UK) . . . I films & Freeview TV!

[–] vnisanian2001 11 years ago

You didn't answer my question: Did Joan Greenwood dub Honor Blackman's voice? I want a simple yes or no.

I already know about who dubbed Nancy Kocak's voice. Or do you mean to say that Eva Haddon dubbed both Nancy Kovack AND Honor Blackman as well?

[–] SceneByScene 11 years ago

[ Correction to my previous posting: as I was thinking, earlier, that your question was "Who was the female dubbing actress in this film?", rather is "Was Honor Blackman dubbed?" ]

The answer is: No, Honor Blackman did her own voice i.e. she was NOT dubbed; for proof see YouTube clips of H.B. in this 'J&TA' film (e.g. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DxxpaSEaps). As you say, H.B. - like Joan Greenwood - has a very distinctive voice; & it is DEFINITELY Honor Blackman's voice in this 'J&TA' film.

Re the dubbing:

The actress named Eva Haddon only dubbed Nancy Kovack, the lead actress - an American. I suppose it made sense, back in 1963, to dub an American if they wanted to overwrite a US accent; though this now seems daft in comparison to today's day & age of multi-national! films. ,-)

It makes no sense, however, that the producers etc. would have also dubbed H.B. After all, why would they have ever wanted to dub a British actress in a British film?! H.B.'s English diction is, after all, perfect. Plus as an actress H.B. has a very characterful voice. She was already well-known to TV viewers due to her ground-breaking role in 'The Avengers', which started in 1962 (a year earlier than 'J&TA'). So perhaps the producers chose/wanted Honor Blackman's well-known face (?and perhaps also her smoky voice).

from SceneByScene (UK) . . . I films & Freeview TV!

[–] vnisanian2001 11 years ago

It's alright, SBS. No harm done.

[–] spookyrat1 9 years ago

It makes no sense, however, that the producers etc. would have also dubbed H.B.

Correct! She was huge throughout the British Commonwealth due to the success of The Avengers. Gold finger was her next movie.🐭

[–] Randy-144 9 years ago

The producers of "Jason and the Argonauts" would have been foolish to dishonor Ms. Blackman by dubbing her voice. 

[–] Axholio 11 years ago

No... Joan Greenwood is not dubbing over Honor Blackman. I am very familiar with Joan Greenwood's voice from Mysterious Island and Barbarella (she dubbed the Great Tyrant). It is not her voice.

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