# People You're Suprised To Find Are Voice Actors? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679 "2004-08-26T21:21:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/1 "2004-08-26T21:21:02Z")
The brief discussion of Mark Hamill over in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=273116) got me thinking about some of the people I was amazed to find out did voice acting, especially in cartoons I watched as a kid. Of course, now it seems like being a voice actor is actually respectable (look at all the big animated movies over the last decade; Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Mike Myers, Antonio Banderas, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Albert Brooks, Ellen Degeneres, Robin Williams…) but I bet no one could tell you who the voice actor was for any character of a lot of the earlier Disney movies, for example. At least not without an IMDB search first. Anyway, here’s at least part of my list. The criteria is that for a TV show the actor can’t be doing a cameo or one-off part, but is a recurring character. No real limitations for movies. Mark Hamill–already mentioned in the linked thread. Ben Stein–the Fairy Godfather in several _Animaniacs_ episodes, as well as the movie. It took me years to figure out who that was, and I had to read the credits. I blame it on the only other thing I ever saw Stein doing as a kid was eyedrop commericals. Tom Bodett–the Narrator in several _Animaniacs_ episodes. Like Stein, it took me forever to figure out who that was, and I blame this one on the only other thing that he ever did at the time was Motel 6 commericals. Though you’d think I’d have less of an excuse since he actually says “I’m Tom Bodett” in those commericals. Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Brent Spiner–at least these four for _Gargoyles_. I recognized all their voices thanks to ST:TNG, but I never could figure out why they all did it. Kate Mulgrew–I’ll admit to an IMDB search here while I was looking up the previous four. _Gargoyles_ once again. I’ll be honest in that I’d never heard of her until ST:Voyager, and I gotta say that her acting career doesn’t look all that spectacular. Brent Spiner (again)–I’ll never figure out why he did a Conan O’Brien impression in _South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut_. I’m sure there’s a whole lot more, but that’s all I can really come up with right now. So, Dopers, what do you have on your list? ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/2 "2004-08-26T22:15:37Z")
Olivia d’Abo and Michael T Weiss are Jane and Tarzan respectively on the Disney Channel’s _The Legend of Tarzan_ cartoon. Patrick Warburton, David Puddy from Seinfeld, does the voice of Buzz Lightyear in Disney’s TV show _Buzz Lightyear of Star Command_. He also voices Kronk in the Disney movie _The Emperor’s New Groove_. And he’s the P.E. teacher in _Kim Possible_. John O’Hurley, J. Peterman from Seinfeld, does a lot of voice work for Disney as well. He’s done episodes of _The Legend of Tarzan_, \*Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, \* and _Kim Possible_. Wayne Knight, Rene Aberjonois, Dabney Coleman and Ed Asner have all done voice work for Disney channel probrams. We watch an awful lot of Disney in our house. There are lots of other voices I recognize that I don’t know the actors names. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/3 "2004-08-26T22:21:45Z")
Re-read the original posts and wanted to note: all the actors I mentioned are, if not regular characters in every episode, re-occurring guest characters. ---
**Author:** ![foxymoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d26b3c/32.png) [@foxymoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foxymoron)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/4 "2004-08-26T22:29:29Z")
I was surprised when I learned recently that [Phil LaMarr](http://imdb.com/name/nm0482851/) does the voices of both Green Lantern and Static Shock. My surprise was not because he’s famous (he’s not), but that both voices are done by the same guy. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/5 "2004-08-26T22:43:01Z")
> [@foxymoron](#): > > I was surprised when I learned recently that [Phil LaMarr](http://imdb.com/name/nm0482851/) does the voices of both Green Lantern and Static Shock. My surprise was not because he’s famous (he’s not), but that both voices are done by the same guy. Caught Pulp Fiction for the first in years last week. I was very surprised to realize that Phil played Marvin (he of the missing head). Just one of those, oh, duh moments. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/6 "2004-08-26T22:46:20Z")
I’ve mentioned this in other threads more than once but it bears repeating: Ted Knight (Mary Tyler Moore, Caddyshack) was the narrator on the old Superfriends episodes. “Later…at…the Hall of Justice!” ---
**Author:** ![MikeCollins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbce88/32.png) [@MikeCollins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeCollins)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/7 "2004-08-26T22:46:31Z")
The aforementioned Mark Hamill. Also, I was stunned upon finding out it was Hank Azaria who did Professor Frink. I’d like to see Arnie do voice-acting more often. ---
**Author:** ![GythaOgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/8 "2004-08-26T23:41:17Z")
‘Gargoyles’ deserves special mention for its voicework. At one time or another, most of the TNG cast appeared on the show. Here are a few other suprising voice actors from the show - these are all recurring roles, not just cameos. The show was very continuity-driven and not really episodic. Michael Dorn - Coldstone Brent Spiner - Puck Nichelle Nichols - Elisa’s mother Laura San Giacomo - Fox Xanatos John Rys-Davies - McBeth Clancy Brown - Wolf Mat Frewer - Jackel Michael Horse - Peter Maza David Warner - the Archmage There were many more - the show is somewhat unusual in that there were no ‘repeat voices’ - that is, no actors playing more than one role to save money. Each and every role had a different actor. And the the cast list is sizeable; they must have spent a fortune on voice talent. There’s a comprehensive listing [HERE](http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/CastGuide/showid-2079/Gargoyles/) if anyone is interested. Gytha ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/9 "2004-08-26T23:50:27Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > Olivia d’Abo and Michael T Weiss are Jane and Tarzan respectively on the Disney Channel’s _The Legend of Tarzan_ cartoon. Not only that, but Olivia d’Abo recently did a guest voice as Morgan le Fay on _Justice League Unlimited_. The next episode, Fred Savage and Jason Hervey voiced Hawk & Dove, thus completing the \*Wonder Years \* kid trifecta. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/10 "2004-08-27T00:17:46Z")
> [@MikeCollins](#): > > The aforementioned Mark Hamill. When I first saw B:TAS, I could not believe that was Hamill as the Joker. In fact, I just cannot picture him doing the voice. It’s a shame he won’t be doing it for the upcoming Batman toon. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/11 "2004-08-27T00:31:56Z")
Kathy Ireland (of all people!) had a recurring role as Crystal in the Fantastic Four cartoon from a few years ago. And Lou Ferrigno did the voice of the Hulk in the recent cartoon by that name. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/12 "2004-08-27T00:50:15Z")
Voice work is a great gig! You don’t have to lose weight, put on makeup, etc. I am a little surprised that Cathy Najimy, after losing a whole bunch of weight, became… the voice of Peggy Hill. Huh!? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/13 "2004-08-27T01:38:12Z")
Gene WIlder was “Letter-Man” on the Electric Company. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/14 "2004-08-27T02:11:26Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > Re-read the original posts and wanted to note: all the actors I mentioned are, if not regular characters in every episode, re-occurring guest characters. When I said that, I was mainly thinking about the Simpsons. I didn’t think we really needed 40 posts of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Michael Jackson, Rod Howard, and so on. I was thinking people like Kelsey Grammer and Phil Hartman would count. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/15 "2004-08-27T02:24:38Z")
> [@Dooku](#): > > I’ve mentioned this in other threads more than once but it bears repeating: Ted Knight (Mary Tyler Moore, Caddyshack) was the narrator on the old Superfriends episodes. “Later…at…the Hall of Justice!” I just found that out a couple months ago or so and was surprised too, although after I thought about it, yeah, it’s so obvious since he does his own voice, but I still never noticed until it was pointed out. Also, just a few weeks ago, I looked up the voice cast for [url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0182576/]Family guy\*\* and was surprised by that pretty much everybody was voiced by a celebrity. Until then, I only knew that Seth Seth MacFarlane was Peter, and a few other characters, and Seth Green was Chris, and that was about it. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/16 "2004-08-27T02:27:55Z")
:eek: Let’s try that again, this time with proper coding… > [@Master Control](#): > > I just found that out a couple months ago or so and was surprised too, although after I thought about it, yeah, it’s so obvious since he does his own voice, but I still never noticed until it was pointed out. > > Also, just a few weeks ago, I looked up the voice cast for [Family guy](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0182576/) and was surprised by that pretty much everybody was voiced by a celebrity. Until then, I only knew that Seth Seth MacFarlane was Peter, and a few other characters, and Seth Green was Chris, and that was about it. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/17 "2004-08-27T02:29:20Z")
:eek: :eek: Two duplicate posts, and I still didn’t catch the “Seth Seth” error :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/18 "2004-08-27T02:29:54Z")
> [@Master Control](#): > > :eek: :eek: > Two duplicate posts, and I still didn’t catch the “Seth Seth” error :smack: That’s that’s okay. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![don\_Jaime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@don\_Jaime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_Jaime)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/19 "2004-08-27T04:22:46Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Ben Stein–the Fairy Godfather in several _Animaniacs_ episodes, as well as the movie. It took me years to figure out who that was, and I had to read the credits. I blame it on the only other thing I ever saw Stein doing as a kid was eyedrop commericals. > Tom Bodett–the Narrator in several _Animaniacs_ episodes. Nitpick: Stein played a boring man named Francis “Pip” Pumphandle in two episodes. Other guest stars included Jonathan Winters, Jack Burns and Avery Schreiber, and Ron Perlman, who now plays Slade on “Teen Titans.” The real shock from that show: Bernadette Peters as Rita. I still can’t figure out how they got her. The Pinky and the Brain spinoff also had Roddy McDowell as their archenemy, Snowball the hamster. The recent “Chalk Zone” movie had Malcolm MacDowall in it. Seriously. Caligula as a hyperintelligent centipede. It’s even drawn to look like him. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679/20 "2004-08-27T06:11:13Z")
Everybody’s favorite cross-dressing alien/the guy who made us _even more_ scared of clowns, [Tim Curry](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000347/) does a lot of voices for cartoons on Nickelodeon. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-youre-suprised-to-find-are-voice-actors/261679.md?page=2)