Val Bettin

Valentine John Bettin (July 8, 1923 – January 7, 2021) was an American 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 Disney's Aladdin, taking over for Douglas Seale in the two direct-to-video sequels The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves as well as the TV show. Bettin also hosted The Storyteller, a children's show on Chicago television in the late 1950s.

Early life and career He was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin on July 8, 1923. 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 in 1950, and 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 included Shrek, Gargoyles, Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series and W.I.T.C.H..

Personal life He married Hildy Pender, from Manchester, England, in 1950. She died in Ventura, California on August 16, 2007, at the age of 82.

Bettin died of natural causes in Ventura on January 7, 2021, at the age of 97. He was buried at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park on 3 March.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1980 Somewhere in Time Director, in 19121983 The Man Who Wasn't There Monocle The Young Landlords Mr. Bender TV film1986 Triplecross Winslow TV film The Great Mouse Detective Dr. David Q. Dawson/Thug Guard Voice role 1990 Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase Playwright TV film 1994 Aladdin: The Return of JafarThe SultanVoice role, direct-to-video1995 The Greatest Treasure Jasmine's Wish1996 True Hearts Magic and Mystery Aladdin and the King of Thieves Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story Mr. Breen 2001 Shrek BishopVoice role

Television Year Title Role Notes 1982 Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour Additional voices Episode: "Who's Minding the Brat?", voice role 1987 Disneyland Dr. Allworth Episode: "Young Harry Houdini" 1988 Webster Edwin Episode: "Nerds Are People Too" 1992 Great Scott! Pythagorean Episode: "Hair Scare" 1994-1995 Aladdin Sultan Series regular, voice role 1995 American Masters John Latrobe Episode: "Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul"1996 Mighty Ducks Sarks Episode: "Mondo-Man", voice role Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles Egon Pax Episode: "To Serve Mankind", voice role 1997 Pepper Ann Sanford I. Paper Episode: "The Big Pencil/Sani-Paper", voice role 1998 Hercules King Tivius Episode: "Hercules and the Jilt Trip", voice role 2005 W.I.T.C.H. Herbert Olsen Episode: "The Mogriffs", voice role; final role

Video games

Audiobooks Quest for Camelot Audio Action-Adventure (1998) - Narrator