Gone but Not Forgotten: Legendary Voice of Ken Doll, Bill Cunningham, Passes Away at the Age of 96

Bill Cunningham Courtesy of CESD Talent Agency/Instagram

Bill Cunningham, renowned as the original voice behind the iconic Ken doll, sadly passed away at the age of 96. CESD Talent Agency, which he established, confirmed his demise at his residence in West Hollywood on July 15. Deadline reported this news on Wednesday, July 26.

Cunningham's death occurred just six days before the highly anticipated premiere of Greta Gerwig's Barbie on July 21. This film reignited the global fascination with the iconic doll and her accompanying characters, thrusting them back into the spotlight of popular culture. Notably, in the early 1960s, Cunningham lent his voice to Ken, even featuring on the renowned 1961 album Barbie Sings!, which proudly claimed: "Enjoy 6 fantastic teenage melodies sung by Barbie and Ken."

In the Barbie movie, Ryan Gosling took on the role of Barbie's boyfriend, providing both his voice and face. He mesmerized the audience with his rendition of popular songs such as "Just Ken" and Matchbox 20's "Push." Meanwhile, in a separate instance, Cunningham-as-Ken enchanted Barbie as he sang, "Barbie, you're beautiful, you're just my style. I fall in love each time we meet. Barbie, you're so lovable, with just one smile, you simply sweep me off my feet."

"He possesses an exquisite voice and is an exceptional dancer. The process was very natural," Gerwig, 39, revealed in an interview published on Wednesday, July 25, with Rolling Stone. She explained how she successfully persuaded Gosling, 42, to sing for the role. "If I had directly asked him to sing and dance in this movie, he might not have agreed. It was more like slowly boiling a lobster. By the time he was singing and dancing, he didn't even realize how we had reached that point. But he is tremendously talented."

Although Cunningham was not specifically cited as one of the inspirations for Gosling's portrayal of Ken, Gerwig mentioned several iconic actors when discussing Gosling's performance. She described it as a blend of "Marlon Brando, Gene Wilder, John Barrymore, and John Travolta."

The original Ken doll. Courtesy of Mattel/MEGA

Cunningham, known for his role as Ken, gained attention for his portrayal in the recently released movie. However, he was primarily recognized for his contributions as the founder of CESD, one of the most esteemed voiceover talent agencies. CESD stated through Instagram that Bill Cunningham established Pacific Artist Agency Hollywood in 1963 after a successful singing career and with the encouragement of his friend Peggy Taylor. In 1967, Pacific Artists evolved into Cunningham & Associates, rapidly becoming the leading commercial and voiceover talent agency with the opening of a second office in New York in 1971.

In 2014, Cunningham released his memoir, I Wonder What Became of Me.