Astro voice actor here

[Astro Forever]

Okay, the link is back.

[mikedemark]

I hope you're well. It's great that you're contributing so much to this forum.

I'm Mike DeMark, the primary audio engineer for the series. The other engineer in the photo is Tom Naunas, who was actually the technical director for the project. He worked in the film department at WHA (and still does, I believe). Tom may have the masters.

Here's my recollection of how the process worked: we received our masters on 16mm film, along with a 16mm "mag" sound reel, which contained the music and sound effects. Tom dubbed the film to 3/4" videotape so that we could easily play and rewind the tape for the actors to dub along to. All of the voices were recorded live, straight to a 1/4" mono Nagra tape machine, then dubbed to 16mm mag track for syncing and editing. We then loaded the 16mm film and the mag voice track and sound effects/music tracks onto the Steenbock editor (seen in the photo of me) to edit and marry the tracks together. Tom and Brad Wray did the final mixes, after the editing was completed.

MIke

[mikedemark]

The big challenge of the editing process was getting the dialog to match the lip movement on film. Jay and all of the actors did a great job of getting this as close as they could, but we spent a lot of time trying to get it closer on the Steenbock. We called this part of the process "Fixing Lip Flap," which got abbreviated to FLF, and eventually morphed into felafel, and the verb form felafelling.

One of the most fun parts of the process for me was the re-writing that we did on the fly. Often the English translation that we were provided didn't make any sense in English, or was too awkward, or simply could not be spoken in such a way to match the lip flap. So we in the control room, usually Del Lewis, Carl Battaglia and myself, along with the cast, would just make up new dialog that we thought worked better.

[jayrath]

The big challenge of the editing process was getting the dialog to match the lip movement on film. Jay and all of the actors did a great job of getting this as close as they could, but we spent a lot of time trying to get it closer on the Steenbock. We called this part of the process "Fixing Lip Flap," which got abbreviated to FLF, and eventually morphed into felafel, and the verb form felafelling.

One of the most fun parts of the process for me was the re-writing that we did on the fly. Often the English translation that we were provided didn't make any sense in English, or was too awkward, or simply could not be spoken in such a way to match the lip flap. So we in the control room, usually Del Lewis, Carl Battaglia and myself, along with the cast, would just make up new dialog that we thought worked better.

MIKE!

Wow. First of all, a big tight hug. I'm sure you're as amazed as I am that there are all these fans who care.

Next, let me state as I have already done several times above, that Mike was the cast's best friend. Del, Carl and Mike were all so good to us.

Mike did extra, extra, extra work to make the show good. If you love "Astroboy," even if you just like it, Mike Demark is one of the very main reasons why.

[jayrath]

I hope you're well. It's great that you're contributing so much to this forum.MIke

Thank you, old and excellent friend. I'm trying to do a text DVD commentary for everyone. Damn, just wish the Australians or Japanese would fly us out and let us record it for real!

Everyone else -- you are looking in on what to me is a very warm reunion. Mike, you have my love. I have been moved to tears by what the fans say here. I hope you enjoy it as much.

[jayrath]

Let me point out here that just Tom Naunas' loading the show onto a "film train" so that we could do it on video was a major task. This technology is now all dead, so you won't know what I'm talking about, but . . .

Okay, I am checking this week for the documentary videos. If any of you fans out there have any contact or any influence, let Mike and me and the rest of the cast know. I am sure we can re-record the pilot. I have every script. I definitely want to do a DVD commentary. All I need is the plane ticket.

[jayrath]

More DVD comment:

"Goliath's Head"

Goliath is Paul Nelson. Eww -- eyes in his nipples?

Dave Miller is Prof. Maxim. The robot Goliath destroys is Richard Ganoung. The radio announcer is Del Lewis. Auctioneer is Brian Perry.

Wow. I do not remember this episode at all. Pretty horrific ending.

Finally happy with the Skunk voice.

"The Light Ray Robot"

At last, a memorable episode! I remember doing it very well.

I am the introductory announcer. Richard Ganoung is the angry customer. I am of course Skunk again. It was very rare to double in the same scene. Brian Perry is the fat, mustachioed jeweler. Del Lewis is the TV announcer. Richard Ganoung is my sidekick. Kahlie Slick is the Light Ray Robot. Wow, this is her big first guest part. I remembered her as being much more central to the series.

This may be the single best Skunk episode. I am very proud of what I did here.

"Uran the Tomboy"

I remember it as "Urane." No matter. Yes, we all giggled at how close the name was to a bodily function. I am the opening announcer, Paul Nelson is the next to speak (a captain?) and I am the officer.

The Ministry of Science strongly resembles the Disneyworld hotel; I'm sure it was not an accident. Tezuka loved all things Disney.

I next am the intercom announcer. Wow, three parts for me already! Becky Wilenski is Urane -- and now I suppose it comes down to it: the whole cast -- well, we did not care for her. She came in very late, seemed to have a special relationship with the director, and she was much more of a serious stage actress; looked down on us and the project. So long ago and we have all changed and been humbled by life changes; Becky, wherever you are now, I love you.

I am the accident victim who shouts, "What do you think you're doing?" Greg Zerkle is the street clown. Dave Miller is the moustached gangster. I am the computer voice. I am the big brown robot who is thrown down. Wow! Lots of work for me this time.

Dave Miller is the next big brown robot.

Fine show! But where's the Urane song?

"Robio and Robiette"

Dave Miller is again the good yellow-shirted classmate (Doesn't he ever change his shirt?) Debbie Holmes again in the ballcap, Richard Ganoung again as Alvin. Becky is Urane. I am the bearded man, Robio's dad. Robiette is Kahlei Slick, Robio is Greg Zerkle. Kibble is Paul Nelson, Robiette's brother. I am the tall, bald guy in the back with downward slanted goggles. The guy with the horns, "Ox," is Brian Perry. Ben is Dave Miller, Cruiser is Richard Ganoung.

I am Kibble's dad. Popeye with hair!

Ugh. This episode truly reflects the writers' search for meaning over the entire series, and I so honor that, but it over-reaches too fast. Too much!

Me with the goggles again, fighting Robio.

Ha! I am the evil fathers of both lovers in the same scene!

!!!! How much more horrible could the ending be?

"The Girl From Alsoar"

Violet is Debbie Holmes.

TV announcer is Dave Miller.

Eww. This is pretty freaking awful -- the ending is. Happy ending eventually, I guess. But wow. I hope no one ever plucks her.

I have absolutely no memory of this entire show. It's strange that some episodes stand out so clearly to me, and that others such as this hit me in the head like a bag of crushed ice. This is such an odd episode. Yick!

"The Greatest Robot in the World -- Part I"

Well, naturally is Astro is the greatest, right?

The sultan is Dave Miller. Robots named Bruton, Brawndo, Molner, Zeron, Hercules, Photon? Yow, the Japanese producers had a strange understanding of Latin and Greek. Paul Nelson yet again is the first big robot on screen, Bruton. Paul was always the big robot, Greg Zerkle was always the leading man.

Is that Urane topless? And without the long red boots. XXX Astro! Ewww -- creepy! For that matter, why doesn't Astro ever wear a shirt when on missions? The first thing he does is strip down to his tin pants. Heck, even Superman keeps his shirt on.

Insect robot Molnar is Richard Ganoung. I am the glass-wearing "master." Very odd that my Skunk music plays behind that scene.

Bob Gonzalez is Brawndo. Greg Zerkle is the mysterious dark robot. Zeron is me. Wow. Hardly recognized my own young voice.

Brian is really so fine as Elefun. What a great actor.

"Greatest Robot -- Part II"

Opening narrator is Del Lewis.

I am Hercules.

The photon thing is Bob Gonzalez.

Nuts, why is Bruton so in love with Urane? It's a little creepy.

Nice message at the end: "physical violence isn't everything." But then why did we have a graphic two-part episode of them bashing each other?

Del Lewis closes the (ummmmm) idiot narration.

"The Robot Vikings"

I remember this show. They're all football players!

Ha! I always enjoyed the use of classical music in the show. Here in the opening we have "Mars" from Holst's "The Planets." Is that Grieg they come back with?

The big robots are Rich Ganoung and myself. I'm the throatier one.

Urane is such a bisty twitch. Ugh. Whoa, pointy Livian is back? Well, well, so is Atlas' wiener ship!

I am the fat, bald vet. Dave Miller is the TV announcer. Wow, the writers use announcers to dump exposition a whole lot -- did not recall that.

"The Time Machine"

Rock is Dave Miller. Roget is Brian Perry. Wow, he is so good. Sapphire is Kahlei Slick.

Ha! Gor is straight out of "Borat!"
'nough said. I hope it's an accidental character design, and not a racial stereotype.

Grand chamberlain is Rich Ganoung.

Hey! Pucko! That was me. One of my best parts. This was one of the very last shows we taped. Odd to see it so early.

Eww, Gor is Bob Gonzalez. I am that big, screaming bat thing.

"The Robot Stuntman"

The director is Brian Perry. Classmate credits same as always. I am the actor Stanton's big-nosed manager. Stanton is Greg Zerkle (aagain, he always got the leading man parts).

So many episodes now, and where is Urane's big song? She had a long and charming intro piece. It really was great. It went, "My name is Urane, my name is Urane."

The ugly studio boss is Dave Miller.

[Astro Forever]

Ha! I always enjoyed the use of classical music in the show. Here in the opening we have "Mars" from Holst's "The Planets." Is that Grieg they come back with?

Yes. It's strange how Grieg was used in English but not in the Japanese version. I've always enjoyed the classical music as well. I tried to identify as many as I could.

Hey! Pucko! That was me. One of my best parts. This was one of the very last shows we taped. Odd to see it so early.

You are watching the original Japanese order. Maybe you taped them closer to what was going to be the English order.

So many episodes now, and where is Urane's big song? She had a long and charming intro piece. It really was great. It went, "My name is Urane, my name is Urane."

Are you telling me there were lyrics in English too? We never got to hear them.

Your comments are funny!

[jayrath]

Are you telling me there were lyrics in English too? We never got to hear them.

Your comments are funny!

Urane had a huge, long song introducing herself to the audience. It was very charming. Yes, it was a full English dub.

[jayrath]

I have just written to contacts here asking where the documentary videos are, and if the pilot audio survives.

If the pilot is nowhere, I want to re-record it with as many of the original cast as possible.