Transformers Generation 1 voice actor veteran, Dan Gilvezan, has released a book entitled “Bumblebee and me: My Life as a G1 Transformer“. Dan Gilvezan is the voice for Generation 1 Bumblebee and in the description from the Amazon.com listing it reads: “In the spring of 1984 Dan Gilvezan walked into an audition for a half-hour animated TV series and walked out an hour later with a role in a show that would change the landscape of television in the late ’80s: A show called The Transformers.”
“Bumblebee & Me takes you behind the scenes of the original Transformers television series for a first-hand look at the making of a classic. Experience the controlled chaos of the recording sessions, learn the secrets behind creating a character voice, get to know the members of the cast up close and personal.”The book is also full of stories, reminiscences, anecdotes and never-before-published photographs, cast list and a complete G1 episode guide.
Sounds like a must have for any fan of the original Transformers cartoon series. You can read the full description by clicking the title bar.
Additionally, there is a youtube promotional video for the book courtesy of ngsmoov productions, Featuring Dan voicing Bumblebee! Video embedded below for your viewing pleasure.
In the spring of 1984 Dan Gilvezan walked into an audition for a half-hour animated TV series and walked out an hour later with a role in a show that would change the landscape of television in the late ’80s: A show called The Transformers. As the voice of Bumblebee, the little yellow Volkswagen, Gilvezan was there from the very start, witness to the birth of an entertainment industry phenomenon that continues to surprise and delight audiences to this very day. Bumblebee & Me takes you behind the scenes of the original Transformers television series for a first-hand look at the making of a classic. Experience the controlled chaos of the recording sessions, learn the secrets behind creating a character voice, get to know the members of the cast up close and personal. Chock full of stories, reminiscences, anecdotes and never-before-published photographs, Bumblebee & Me is sure to satisfy even the most knowledgeable and discerning Transformers fan. Includes cast list and complete G1 episode guide.
Optimus4EVER
Audible…..? When you purchase the audiobook is it MP3 and you can copy it onto your computer or do you have to use Amazon to listen to it?
Greyley
FYI, the audiobook version is currently available on Amazon (via Audible) for only $1.95. And it's read by Dan himself, which couldn't be more perfect! I plan on picking up the paper version too, but you can't beat two bucks for a book read by a voice actor.
Cool! I'll have to look into getting his book too. I love that actors from our generation's entertainment are starting to do autobiographical works.
Nexus Prime
Once the silver cord has been severed living beings perish. The damage goes beyond the physical.
Billzilla
Okay, but by that logic how does any transformer ever die? they can just scan a mode that isn't destroyed, they should be able to recover any injury. Not saying you're wrong, just that this is consistently inconsistent.
bradforj
Dan needs to come back. For the past 4 years Bumblebee has been lame. Boop-boop-beep-beep-boop. It is incredibly stupid to play up a gimmick of a "damaged voice mechanism" on a robot capable of scanning any object to create a new alt-mode. If he can alter his entire appearance and transformation at will, he can bloody-well repair his own damn voice box. Bring back Dan!
G1Wheeljack
Well looks like I'll be getting this book sooner than I thought!
gothsaurus
Wow. That's a great deal. Will pick it up. Glad to send some dough his way… because he was indeed a kind and gracious actor at Botcon. Really nice guy. Would be great to see him show up again.
Infosaur
I know he did Spiderman too, but I'm sure I've heard him on some other 80's stuff as well.
Did he do War For Cybertron? That sounded like a pretty good G1 voice.
Why wasn't Dan Gilvezan approached to do Prime or the Movies? He was a Bee actor. thank you, I'm here all week.
VAwitch
Yeah. That would be sweet. Plus I've heard that he's great w/ the fans & a real gent.
TuEstPwned
This just went to the top of my Xmas list.
[Wing_Saber-X]
an older sounding BB. lolz. not a bad read, might be tempted to pick it up.
Fairlady_Z
Listening to that clip was pure bliss. I've missed Dan as BB so bad. Getting to mmet him at TFCon '09 will always be a convention higlight for me. I hope that if BB does talk in a flashback of TFP they can get him. I can't wait to read the book. I also recommend picking it up with Dan's other book "Drowned in the Grenadine" which is a semi-autobiograpical fiction book about an actor in Hollywood trying to make comeback.
denali76c
he also played slipstream on the vintage gi joe series.
Moonscream
Well that was a nice little read.
–Moony
Batman
This looks spectacular. Gotta pick this up, especially for the price.
BigRC83
Just pondering what could have been an Alternators Bumblebee…
Shark Jumper
For a second I thought he sounded a bit more like Gears, but that's played by another guy.
Moonscream
Wooo, finished Lance Henriksen's a few days ago and need something new to read while sitting here being a sicky! And rewatch Aliens with my new appreciation for what went behind Bishop. Not so much about Lockdown, but he was mentioned.
and you can read the first chapter for free. Cool.
–Moony
Autovolt 127
^This. or voicing him a series that takes place after the Great War and Bumblebee is old veteran that still got a youthful personality.
artiepants
Yeah, besides Meiko, R2D2 Bee is one of the few off-putting things about the show (and Raf being able to understand Bee for no apparent reason doesn't really add much to either of their characters for me). I'm no G1 VA's HAVE to do the voices nostalgia hog (but Cullen still rules!) but clearly Dan's still got it there, even thought the animation wasn't the greatest it gave me a bit of the warm n' fuzzies.