Heather North & Daphne's Voices

[Sophia Peletier]

Heather North, as I'm sure you all know, was Daphne's voice actress for thirty-three years on and off.
She was truly amazing and worked wonders for the character. She was able to provide so much vocal range for the character and adapted her voice to suit Daphne's changes over the years. She was able to go from being klutzy to the more mature leader of the group, yet still knew when Daphne was having fun.
I find her to be the best voice actress for Daphne, and she had the advantage of being around for Scooby's golden years. When I first heard her voice again in "The Legend Of The Vampire", I just knew she still had it and was very much Daphne. It made me miss having her voice the character, as she was still perfect for the role and certainly knew the character after voicing her for so long. It's a shame she and Nicole never returned after the 2003 movies, they were just absolutely perfect. I loved Heather's more mature take on the character, it just suited Daphne so well.

I feel that Grey DeLisle hasn't done the character any justice. I hate her take on the character and can't stand her annoying, whiny, "valley girl" voice. Part of it can be blamed on the writing, but I just can't stand her being degraded from a mature leader to a love-sick idiot. Even after all these years, I just can't identify her with Daphne. She was only decent in "Cyber Chase", where she was imitating Bergman. Personally, I'm eagerly awaiting for her retirement or replacement. (Yeah, I know it's not likely to happen anytime soon, sadly.)

Mary Kay Bergman was decent, given that she was voicing Daphne in the high quality DTV movies. She was okay as the "modern" Daphne, but she wasn't anywhere near as good for the role as Heather.

Indira Stefanianna Christopherson had the advantage of Scooby's best incarnation, the original seventeen episodes. I loved her take on Daphne as a more soft, innocent girl. I highly prefer her to DeLisle and Bergman. I'm just curious as to how she would have continued with the character and what it would have been like if she returned in 2003 instead of Heather.

Anyway, as time passes, I find myself hating Daphne more and more. She was my favorite character in the Hanna-Barbera era of the series. Since Warner Brothers took over, she has become a mere shadow of her former self. She's been degraded to a typical teenage girl obsessing over a man with no depth whatsoever and Grey's interpretation of the character isn't helping. If Heather were brought back, I would be in love all over again. I miss the mature, leading lady Daphne.

[ahkyahnan]

I like the other voice actors also, but to me North will always be the "definitive" Daphne.

I agree that the writing seems to have an influence on how the characters are voiced, as well as the style of the actors themselves. Frank Welker has voiced Fred forever for instance, but to me he's handled Fred a little differently in recent years. And I attribute that to the writing and direction of the films, as his voice actually sounds younger to me despite Franks age.

Mark

[scoob16]

Grey DeLisle has kinda grown on me. But the rest of them portrayed Daphne perfectly!

[Sophia Peletier]

I don't think I'd mind Grey DeLisle as much if she would take Daphne in a more mature direction again. I preferred her voice when she was imitating Mary Kay Bergman.

To everyone who has viewed this thread, please vote and list your reasons/rankings! I'd love to know what the fanbase thinks! Thanks for participating!

[wileyk209]

As I have said before, Heather North is the best Daphne voice to me. She's done it for many years, and fits the character really well.
Grey DeLisle comes in second, and Warner obviously chose her back in 2001 because she's one of the most popular voice actresses there nowadays (she seems to be considered the new June Foray.)
Stefanianna Christopherson's Daphne was kind of whiny and complainy (though I doubt that's why she got replaced for the 1970 season of "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?"), and Mary Kay Bergman's Daphne is a little off at times, often rather perky for the character.

[Sophia Peletier]

Ha, I remember seeing your posts in the "Behind The Voice Actors" site!
I feel that Grey DeLisle gets an unfair advantage because she is so popular, current, and her voice is everywhere, while the older actresses have faded into obscurity. The clips on those sites don't help either, as they are of low quality, given another unfair advantage to DeLisle. The same applies for Velma.

Heather certainly did fit Daphne very well.
Although, I didn't find Christopherson's Daphne to be whiny, that goes to DeLisle!

Please remember to post your choices/reasons/rankings! I'd love to discuss and know what the fanbase thinks! Thanks!

[Doo]

I like Heather North best, but Grey is a close second.

[Sophia Peletier]

It's not surprising that Heather and Grey are in the lead, as Indira and Mary voiced the character for a shorter period of time.
I do have a friend though who thinks Indira was the best Daphne, although he isn't the biggest Scooby fan.

[Sophia Peletier]

Judging by the older DTV movies, Grey DeLisle is actually decent as Daphne when she is giving her a mature voice and personality. That's completely out of her control though, since the writers are making Daphne a love-sick idiot. I really wish they'd allow her to be mature and strong again.
That said, she still isn't anywhere near Heather's level of greatness. Heather will always be the definitive Daphne. <3

[Jinkies]

I honestly think Heather was the best. She gave the mature and strong personality to Daphne. Mary Kay was a very close second , however I think she did a fantastic job in Zombie Island. The voice actors in that were the closet to what I prefer to be honest.

[Sophia Peletier]

After viewing Mary's work in "Zombie Island" and "The Witch's Ghost" again, I have a new appreciation for her Daphne. She certainly was excellent and at the top of it, giving it her all. Had the poor woman not been so troubled (may she R.I.P.), she would have been an excellent successor to Heather North and been right up there with her in terms of giving Daphne a likeable voice/personality. I would have loved to see her take on the character past the first three DTV movies, and I'm sure she would have provided an excellent Daphne for years to come.
It makes me despise WB and their choice to cast Grey DeLisle even more, as she has been a poor successor to the two for the most part. They really should have held open auditions for the part instead of casting DeLisle just because she was Bergman's student. She pales in comparison to the previous three.

[Jinkies]

I agree entirely! Grey DeLisle has given Daphne the lovesick valley girl personality instead of the rightful strong and mature Daphne is really supposed to be.

[isis101z]

I voted for Grey DeLisle, i get where you're coming from in that Daphne has lost the intelligence and independence gained previously, but given the impressive repertoire Grey has under her belt, with some strong characterization and writing she could be amazing and has had some great moments, that and her portrayal of Daphne in 'what's new scooby doo' had me laughing on several occasions.

[Sophia Peletier]

If Grey DeLisle would change her Daphne voice, I might like her a bit more. She is a decent and respectable voice actress and I have loved her in other roles. She was at her best in bits of Cyber Chase.
I just don't like her current take on the character.