I flipped on NPR this weekend and caught a bit of the Harry Shearer show (Le Show). The entire time all I could think is “wow, this is pretty much the Principal Skinner show” - as Shearer is a voice actor on The Simpsons and his regular voice sounds pretty much like his voice for Principal Skinner.
Who else sounds much like one of their characters in real life?
I think all of Stephen Root’s characters sound the same. He’s Bill on King of the Hill and was also Jimmy on Newsradio and Milton in Office Space. BUT…he either puts on an accent when he’s Bill or gets rid of it when he’s Stephen. Not sure.
The scene at the beginning of The Blues Brothers when Jake is being released and Frank Oz is giving him his possessions back, made me realize how much Frank’s voice (I’m assuming it was his natural voice) sounded like Fozzy Bear’s.
I assume we’re not counting the celebrity voice actors in animated films who don’t make any attempt to sound like anyone else.
Many of the incidental characters in Warner Brothers cartoons were voiced by Mel Blanc using his real voice. For instance, the scientist briefing Duck Dodgers: “Our supplies of Illudium Phosdex, the shaving cream atom, are alarmingly low.”
Dan (Homer) Castellaneta uses his real voice, or something very close to it, on one minor recurring Simpsons character. Unfortunately the name is escaping me right now.
Edit: he also appeared as himself once, but that’s not who I mean.
Another Simpsons: Yeardley Smith sounds just like Lisa.
Elsewhere…
Stephanie Beard used her natural voice when voicing Rini in one of the later dubbed seasons of Sailor Moon. This is my personal favourite, since that’s not a voice you expect an adult woman to have.
I was going to mention Frank Oz but I wasn’t sure if I’ve heard him much outside of character. All I could think of is how much Yoda sounds like Grover
Has anyone ever heard/seen an interview with Lorenzo Music? He was the voice of “Carlton the doorman” on Rhoda, Garfield, one of the Gummi Bears and one of the cartoon Ghostbusters.
All of those characters have exactly the same voice, but I am not sure if it’s his natural voice or not.
And was instantly recognizable as the guy who said, “Muggahs!” in The President’s Analyst, listed as The Coolest Movie Ever, based on its complete, total, and non-discriminatory attitude. Watch it and you will see how the decades melt away as TPC (The Phone Company)attempts to invade your head.
Yeardley Smith, yes. I saw her on an episode of Dharma & Greg and had a helluva time placing her. I knew the voice, but her looks threw me.
Nancy Cartwright, no. She sounds very ordinary in real life. She occasionally does the “Do you know who I voice” bit in real life, but she doesn’t sound like Bart.
