While serving myself some of Todd Supple’s turkey meatballs during Sunday’s Writers Group From Hell holiday party, I made the joke that “you get no bread with one meatball” and was met with nothing but blank stares. I’d thought that if any group would catch my reference to a 1944 Tin Pan Alley song, it’d be that one. But no!

So I pulled out my iPhone and sought out the version I knew best (by Josh White) and while doing so found something better—this comic interpretation by Candy Candido, delivered in three different voices, that gave me a big, goofy smile.

Who was this guy? And why had I never seen a performance of his before?

It turns out I had, but hadn’t known it. And you’ve probably experienced Candy Candido, too, whether you knew it or not.

How?

It probably wasn’t because of his novelty numbers, such as this one, with Ted Fio Rita and His Orchestra …

… or because he could hold his own dancing with some of the best, as here with Fred Astaire in Roberta

And it likely wasn’t because he played a mean bass either …

No, the reason I’m pretty sure you’ve taken in a Candido performance before is because in addition to that novelty singing, dancing, and bass playing—and briefly taking over as Bud Abbot’s partner after Lous Costello died— he voiced the Angry Apple Tree in The Wizard of Oz!

So I don’t think there’s anyone in the world who hasn’t heard Candy Candido.

In addition, he barked in 101 Dalmatians, meowed in The Aristocats, was a goon in Sleeping Beauty, the Captain of the Guards in Robin Hood, Fidgit in The Great Mouse Detective, and many more. And he was also the voice of Gentle Ben on the ’60s TV series!

Oh, and if you’ve ever gone to the Haunted Mansion, you’ve heard his laugh as you’ve exited the crypt.

I had no idea.

Who knew meatballs could be so educational?