# April Winchell
**April Winchell** (April Terri Winchell, born 1960) is an American voice actress, writer, talk radio host, and commentator, best known as the voice of [Clarabelle Cow](https://www.edgepedia.org/clarabelle-cow) in Disney's modern animated productions and for roles including Peg Pete in *Goof Troop*, Ms. Finster in *Recess*, and Sylvia in *Wander Over Yonder*.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/50014/april-winchell) • [2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/60741-april-winchell?language=en-US) She is the daughter of the ventriloquist, comedian, and voice artist [Paul Winchell](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-winchell), who originated the voice of [Tigger](https://www.edgepedia.org/tigger) in Disney's *Winnie the Pooh* films.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/winchell-april-1960) • [4](https://www.sbvtalent.com/talent/april-winchell)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name and birth | April Terri Winchell, born 1960 in New York City; daughter of Paul and Nina Winchell[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/winchell-april-1960) |
| Signature Disney roles | Clarabelle Cow (Disney franchise voice since 1996), Cruella de Vil in *101 Dalmatians: The Series*, and the Queen of Hearts[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/60741-april-winchell?language=en-US) • [4](https://www.sbvtalent.com/talent/april-winchell) |
| Early screen-adjacent work | Mrs. Herman in *Who Framed Roger Rabbit* (1988) and the voice of Baby Herman in the Roger Rabbit shorts[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/winchell-april-1960) |
| Television roles | Peg Pete in *Goof Troop* (1992), Ms. Finster in *Recess* (1997–2001), Tanya Vanderflock in *Mighty Ducks*, Sylvia in *Wander Over Yonder* (2013–16)[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/april-winchell/) |
| Writing career | Staff writer on *Roseanne*; script doctor with Carrie Fisher; one-woman show produced by Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner with a sold-out run at the Roxy Theatre[4](https://www.sbvtalent.com/talent/april-winchell) |
| Awards | Grand Prize, Radio Mercury Awards, 1997, for the radio commercial "Instant Death"; Annie Award nominations in 1998 (*101 Dalmatians: The Series*) and 2000 (*Recess*)[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/winchell-april-1960) |
## Early life and start in performance
Winchell grew up around the entertainment industry through her father, Paul Winchell, a famed 1950s ventriloquist, voice actor, and comedian, and decided to follow him into voice work.[6](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/april-winchell/umc.cpc.593ezl4v52en9vqd0vprqx3rb) Her first break came at age 12, when she voiced Connie on the children's cartoon *Kid Power* (ABC, 1972–73), a television adaptation of Morrie Turner's syndicated comic strip *Wee Pals*.[6](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/april-winchell/umc.cpc.593ezl4v52en9vqd0vprqx3rb) By the late 1980s she had begun regular voice work.[6](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/april-winchell/umc.cpc.593ezl4v52en9vqd0vprqx3rb)
## Voice acting career
**Roger Rabbit and Disney television.** Winchell played Mrs. Herman in the live-action/animated film *Who Framed Roger Rabbit* (1988), then reprised the role and provided the babbling of Baby Herman in the shorts *Tummy Trouble* (1989), *Roller Coaster Rabbit* (1990), and *Trail Mix-Up* (1993).[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/winchell-april-1960) • [6](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/april-winchell/umc.cpc.593ezl4v52en9vqd0vprqx3rb) In fall 1992 Disney debuted *Goof Troop*, with Winchell as Peg Pete, the wife of Goofy's rival Pete; she followed with Dyl Piquel in *Bonkers* and Tanya Vanderflock, the brainy duck who often sounded like she had allergies, in *Mighty Ducks* (ABC, 1996–97).[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/april-winchell/) • [6](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/april-winchell/umc.cpc.593ezl4v52en9vqd0vprqx3rb)
**Villains and schoolteachers.** In *Recess* (ABC, 1997–2001) she voiced Ms. Finster, the authoritarian assistant teacher disliked by the children of Third Street Elementary School.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/april-winchell/) She has said that one role she desperately wanted was [Cruella de Vil](https://www.edgepedia.org/cruella-de-vil), which she got in the television adaptation *101 Dalmatians: The Series* (1997–98); in a 2010 interview she described enjoying playing a Disney villain and being happy with her work on the series.[7](https://zulkey.com/2010/07/the-april-winchell-interview.shtml) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/april-winchell/)
**Clarabelle Cow.** In 1996 Disney cast Winchell as the voice of Clarabelle Cow for an audio book titled *The Story of Clarabelle Cow*, and she has been the character's official voice in the Disney franchise since 1996.[8](https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Clarabelle_Cow) • [2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/60741-april-winchell?language=en-US) She first played the character on television in *Mickey Mouse Works* (ABC, 1999–2000), continued through three seasons of *House of Mouse* (2001–03), where Clarabelle hosted a gossip talk show, and voiced her in at least 40 episodes of *Mickey Mouse Clubhouse* (2006–2013 across [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel) and Disney Junior).[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/april-winchell/) The role has continued in later series: she voiced Clarabelle in 52 episodes of *Mickey Mouse Funhouse* (2021–2025) and in *Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+* (2025–2026), alongside the related character Hilda.[9](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934589/fullcredits)
**Other work.** Beyond Disney, her credits include *King of the Hill*, *Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated*, the film *Despicable Me 2* (2013), and Sylvia, the loyal steed of [Jack McBrayer](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-mcbrayer)'s character in *Wander Over Yonder* (Disney Channel, 2013–16).[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/april-winchell/) Her talent agency describes her as having provided voices for thousands of hours of animated film and television, including *Antz*, *Phineas & Ferb*, and *Kim Possible*.[4](https://www.sbvtalent.com/talent/april-winchell)
## Writing, radio, and advertising
Winchell has worked as a comedy writer, serving as a script doctor with [Carrie Fisher](https://www.edgepedia.org/carrie-fisher) and as a staff writer on *Roseanne*; her one-woman show, produced by [Lily Tomlin](https://www.edgepedia.org/lily-tomlin) and [Jane Wagner](https://www.edgepedia.org/jane-wagner), played a sold-out run at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles.[4](https://www.sbvtalent.com/talent/april-winchell) As a copywriter and audio producer she has won major advertising awards, including the 1997 Radio Mercury Awards Grand Prize for the commercial "Instant Death," and she has worked as a talk radio host and commentator.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/winchell-april-1960) • [1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/50014/april-winchell) In a 2010 interview she noted that while she had done commercials in her natural speaking voice, animation let her be funnier and more creative.[7](https://zulkey.com/2010/07/the-april-winchell-interview.shtml)
## Personal life
Winchell married Mick Kuisel, an art director and writer, in 1996; the marriage later separated. She has been married to John Foley since 2013.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/winchell-april-1960) • [9](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934589/fullcredits)
## References
1. [April Winchell, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/50014/april-winchell)
2. [April Winchell, The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/60741-april-winchell?language=en-US)
3. [Winchell, April 1960–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/winchell-april-1960)
4. [April Winchell, SBV Talent](https://www.sbvtalent.com/talent/april-winchell)
5. [April Winchell – Actress, Writer, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/april-winchell/)
6. [April Winchell Movies and Shows, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/april-winchell/umc.cpc.593ezl4v52en9vqd0vprqx3rb)
7. [The April Winchell Interview, Zulkey.com (2010)](https://zulkey.com/2010/07/the-april-winchell-interview.shtml)
8. [Clarabelle Cow, Disney Wiki](https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Clarabelle_Cow)
9. [April Winchell full credits, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934589/fullcredits)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Voice performers › American voice performers › Animation and cartoon voice actors › Contemporary animation voice actors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license