Benjamin Sherman "Scatman" Crothers (May 23, 1910 – November 22, 1986) was an American actor and musician. He began his musical career as a teenager, specializing in the guitar and drums and getting the nickname Scatman from his scat singing. He turned to acting in the 1950s, starting with an appearance in the film Yes Sir, Mr. Bones.
But it was not until 1970, when he provided the voice of Scat Cat in The Aristocats, that his acting career really began to take off. He voiced Meadowlark Lemon in The Harlem Globetrotters animated series, starred in Hong Kong Phooey, and had a regular role as Louie the garbageman on Chico and the Man. He also worked alongside his friend Jack Nicholson in films such as The King of Marvin Gardens, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Shining. Among his last roles were Mr. Bloom in Twilight Zone: The Movie and the voice of Autobot Jazz in The Transformers.
Partial filmography:
- Porgy and Bess (1959) as Crabman
- Lady in a Cage (1963) as Pawnbroker's Assistant (uncredited)
- Hello, Dolly! (1969) as Mr. Jones (uncredited)
- Bloody Mama (1970) as Moses
- The Aristocats (1970) as Scat Cat (voice)
- The King of Marvin Gardens (1972) as Lewis
- Black Belt Jones (1975) as Pop Byrd
- The Fortune (1975) as Fisherman
- Coonskin (1975) as Pappy / Old Man Bone (voice)
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) as Turkle
- The Shootist (1976) as Moses Brown
- Silver Streak (1976) as Ralson
- The Cheap Detective (1978) as Tinker
- Scavenger Hunt (1979) as Sam
- The Shining (1980) as Dick Hallorann
- Bronco Billy (1980) as Doc Lynch
- Zapped! (1982) as Coach Dexter Jones
- Deadly Eyes (1982) as George Foskins
- Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) as Mr. Bloom
- Two of a Kind (1983) as Earl
- The Transformers: The Movie (1986) as Jazz (voice)
- The Journey of Natty Gann (1985) as Sherman
- Rock Odyssey (1987) as Jukebox (voice)
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1 episode, 1958) as Timothy
- Beany and Cecil (1959–60) as Go Man Van Gogh (voice)
- Bonanza (1 episode, 1961) as Jud
- Dragnet (1 episode, 1967) as Dave Richmond
- Love, American Style (1 episode, 1969) as One-Man Band
- The Harlem Globetrotters (1970) as Meadowlark Lemon (voice)
- Bewitched (1 episode, 1971) as Handler
- The Lorax (1972) as Singer (voice, uncredited)
- Nichols (1 episode, 1972) as Jack
- Adam-12 (1 episde, 1972) as George Strothers
- The New Scooby-Doo Movies (1972–73) as Meadowlark Lemon / Additional Voices (voice)
- Kojak (1 episode, 1973) as Gaylord Fuller
- Ironside (1 episode, 1973) as Jason
- Hong Kong Phooey (1974) as Hong Kong Phooey / Penrod Pooch (voice)
- Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1 episode, 1974) as Uncle Filemon
- Mannix (1 episode, 1974) as Mudcat
- McMillan & Wife (1 episode, 1974) as Floyd
- The Odd Couple (1 episode, 1974) as Blind Man
- Chico and the Man (1974–78) as Louie Wilson
- Sanford and Son (1 episode, 1975) as Bowlegs
- Petrocelli (1 episode, 1976) as Jubilee Jones
- Roots (1977) as Mingo
- Starsky & Hutch (1 episode, 1977) as Fireball
- Laff-A-Lympics (2 episodes, 1977) as Additional Voices (voice)
- CB Bears (1977) as Additional Voices (voice)
- Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels (1977–80) as Additional Voices (voice)
- Charlie's Angels (1 episode, 1978) as Jip Baker
- Vega$ (2 episodes, 1978–79) as Rosey
- The Love Boat (2 episodes, 1978–84) as Virgil "Scattergun" Gibson / Malcolm
- The Incredible Hulk (1977) (1 episode, 1979) as Edgar McGee
- The Super Globetrotters (1979) as Nate Branch / Liquid Man (voice)
- Banjo the Woodpile Cat (1979) as Crazy Legs (voice)
- Laverne & Shirley (2 episodes, 1980) as Porter
- Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (1 episode, 1980) as Rawhide Red (voice)
- Magnum, P.I. (1 episode, 1981) as Tickler
- Trollkins (1981) as Additional Voices (voice)
- Benson (1 episode, 1982) as Rev. Tompkins
- Taxi (1 episode, 1983) as Walt
- Casablanca (1983) as Sam
- Hotel (1 episode, 1983) as Garland Fisk
- Hill Street Blues (1 episode, 1984) as Lionel "Train" Talbot
- Pryor's Place (1 episode, 1984) as Uncle Moses
- The Transformers (1984–86) as Jazz (voice)
- Matt Houston (1 episode, 1985) as Moonshine Moody
- Paw Paw Bears (1985–86) as Eugene the Genie (voice)
Tropes:
- Enforced Method Acting: Crothers was reduced to tears on the set of The Shining due to Stanley Kubrick demanding dozens of takes for each scene. At one point, he broke down and asked, "What do you want, Mr. Kubrick?" Nevertheless, Crothers stated in an interview that he was grateful for the opportunity to work with "such beautiful people."
