# Familiar voices in animated childrens shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 6, 2001, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031 "2001-09-06T14:23:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/1 "2001-09-06T14:23:54Z")
Having been blessed with a young family (well sometimes afflicted is a better word but I digress) I have some familiarity with childrens TV and video selections. In Australia, the majority the animated childrens shows are of BBC (UK) origin. One of the main attractions for an adult is the number of (to me) familiar actors who provide the narration or character voices. Off the top, a couple recently seen are: Bob the Builder - Neil Morrissey Kipper - Martin Clunes Preston Pig - Hugh Laurie The Lost Toys - Joanna Lumbley & Bob Hoskins Brambly Hedge - Robert Lindsay & Neil Morrissey Now the US sourced TV seen in Oz tend more towards the hard hitting/special effects/blockbuster genre, so I’m presuming the US has it’s own stable of animated childrens shows. OK, enough preamble, the question: Do the US acting fraternity have a tradition/culture of offering their time to programs of this genre in the same way the British do? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/2 "2001-09-06T14:37:41Z")
You seem to be implying that you think the BBC actors who “offer their time” to cartoon shows are doing it out of the kindness of their hearts. This, I seriously doubt. 😃 They’re doing it for the money, and so do actors in the U.S. The only exception I can think of is that Robin Williams did the voice for the Genie for Disney’s _Aladdin_ for free, for giggles, (so goes the skinny), but otherwise they all do expect to get paid. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/3 "2001-09-06T15:28:55Z")
That “skinny” was not quite correct: [http://mutamassik.50megs.com/articles/magic.html](http://mutamassik.50megs.com/articles/magic.html) > [@](#): > > The actor received scale of \$75,000 to do Aladdin because he wanted to be part of Disney’s animation tradition. The film went on to gross $500 million worldwide, and the studio gave the actor an original Picasso as a gift. But Williams blasted Disney for lying to him and breaching an agreement not to use his voice to merchandise products inspired by Aladdin. To make amends, Disney hired Williams again for one of the direct to video sequels for almost one million dollars and more art thrown in as an apology. ---
**Author:** ![They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@They\_Call\_Me\_Sneeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/They_Call_Me_Sneeze)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/4 "2001-09-06T16:23:44Z")
Casey Kasem was the voice of Shaggy in Scooby Doo. I dont know if Casey Kasem is a celebrity as those people you mentioned, and I dont know if he did it for free but - there ya go. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/5 "2001-09-06T16:36:50Z")
Most of the cast of Star Trek: Next Generation did voices for the Gargoyles cartoon show; there are a great many screen actors and actresses doing voices for the Batman/Superman series of cartoons (Mark Hamill, Ed Asner, Adrienne Barbeau, Melissa Gilbert, Roddy McDowall, Diana Muldaur, Paul Williams are all in Batman: The Animated Series, for example). ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/6 "2001-09-06T16:51:55Z")
Anyone remember John Ritter (Three’s Company)? He’s now the voice of the execrable [Clifford, The Big Red Dog](http://pbskids.org/clifford/). ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/7 "2001-09-06T18:43:36Z")
This is probably better suited to Cafe Society than General Questions. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/8 "2001-09-06T18:56:52Z")
In _Transformers:The Motion Picture_ you could hear the voices of Orson Welles, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack & Scatman Carrouthers (SP?). ---
**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/9 "2001-09-06T19:23:31Z")
I seem to recall hearing Emeril Lagasse in a cameo on the Hercules cartoon. ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/10 "2001-09-06T19:35:23Z")
David Jason did voices on Dangermouse. So did Terry Scott, I fancy. Terry Wogan used to narrate a thing called Whatamess. I believe Richard Briers narrated Roobarb. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/11 "2001-09-06T20:05:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor \* > \*\*In _Transformers:The Motion Picture_ you could hear the voices of Orson Welles, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack & Scatman Carrouthers (SP?). \*\* Scatman Crouthers did the voice of “Jazz” on the regular _Transformers_ cartoon series, too. But he’s had a decent record of doing animated voices, among them Hanna-Barbera’s karate-choppin’ canine super-guy, _Hong Kong Phooey_. As for Orson Welles, he actually died in the middle of doing voice work for _Transformers: The Movie._ His remaining lines were done by Leonard Nimoy, whose voice was slowed down to closer match Welles’ voice. As a TF fan, I’m mildly miffed that this never gets mentioned AFAIK in any of Welles’ biographies… ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/12 "2001-09-06T20:25:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > Most of the cast of Star Trek: Next Generation did voices for the Gargoyles cartoon show. I always felt that Frakes played a better Xanatos than he ever did a Riker; there wasn’t even the “familiar voice, wrong face” discontinuity you often get–Xanatos was drawn to look a lot like Frakes. Other well-known (non-Trek) voice actors on the show were Ed Asner as Hudson, Jim Belushi as Fang, John Rhys-Davies as Macbeth, and Tim Curry as Dr. Anton Sevarius (Tim Curry as a mad scientist? Who would’ve guessed? 🙂 ) All in all, it was a remarkable cast. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/13 "2001-09-06T21:10:49Z")
Tim Curry is the voice of Nigel Thornberry on Nickelodian’s The Wild Thornberrys. I always secretly wish he’d break into “Sweet Transvestite” … but he appears to have a lot of fun with the role anyway. Flea does the “voice” of the feral boy, Donnie. Famous actors are all over the Disney animated movies. (Just think of The Lion King, for starters – James Earl Jones, Matthew Broderick, Whoopie Goldberg, Robert Guillaume Nathan Lane, Jeremy Irons. There are others but I can’t think of them. My favorite obscure reference is Donnie Osmond, who does the singing voice for the male lead in Mulan. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/14 "2001-09-06T22:10:37Z")
I know what you mean. Mark Hamill’s on Time Squad, plus he played the cat on the Powerpuff Girls. I don’t remember the episode. And I think he’s been in a couple of other things. It’s so random, him being a cartoon guy. ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/15 "2001-09-06T22:35:16Z")
Bernadette Peters voices Rita the Singing Cat on Animaniacs. I was also going to mention Mark Hamill doing the robot’s voice on Time Squad, but someone beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/16 "2001-09-06T23:43:51Z")
A few off the top of my head: Ed Asner - Cosgrove on Freakaziod Jim Belushi - Simon on AHH! Real Monsters (what happened to that show?) Roddy McDowell - Chameleon on Secret Squirrel, The Breadmaster on The Tick John DeLance (“Q”) - The Yak in the Sack on Angry Beavers Michael Dorn (Worf) - I.M. Weasel on I Am Weasel ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/17 "2001-09-06T23:46:55Z")
Is it me or is all this a little depressing? Mark Hamill… as a cat on the PowerPuff Girls… ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/18 "2001-09-07T00:32:40Z")
rjung wrote: > [@](#): > > As for Orson Welles, he actually died in the middle of doing voice work for _Transformers: The Movie._ His remaining lines were done by Leonard Nimoy, whose voice was slowed down to closer match Welles’ voice. Really? Which of Unicron’s lines did Nimoy do? Did he do the one where Unicron says, “Destiny … you cannot … destroy … my … destinEEEEEEE” \ ? ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/19 "2001-09-07T00:51:27Z")
Jason Alexander has done numerous cartoon voices: _Aladdin_ (series); _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_ and its direct-to-video sequel (!); _Hercules_ (series); _Duckman_; _Dilbert_ (as Catbert); _Madeline: Lost in Paris_. As far as Disney features go, every one since _The Jungle Book_ has had celebrity voices, which was a departure from the norm and it’s not a coincidence that this practice began after Walt died. Walt believed that famous voices detracted from the story and I think he had a point. (Also, unknown voice actors work cheaper!) Another cartoon series that had many celebrity voices was _Spider-Man_. Get a load of this [cast](http://us.imdb.com/Credits?0112175). A few who stand out: Edward Asner, Mark Hamill, Martin Landau, Roscoe Lee Browne, Joseph Campanella and David Warner (who has also done many cartoon voices lately). To answer the OP, I’m sure these actors were all paid for their parts. ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031/20 "2001-09-07T01:24:42Z")
Sorry about the spelling. George Takei did the voice of Hadji on “Jonny Quest” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-voices-in-animated-childrens-shows/80031.md?page=2)