William Richard "Billy" West (born April 16, 1952)[2] is an American voice actor, singer and comedian best known for his voice-over work in a number of television series, films and commercials. He has done hundreds of voice-overs in his career such as Ren Höek(season 3 and onward) and Stimpson (Stimpy) J. Cat on The Ren & Stimpy Show; Doug Funnie, Porkchop, and Roger Klotz onDoug; Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan, and a number of others on Futurama. He also does voices for commercials and is the current voice of the red M&M and Buzz, the Honey Nut Cheerios Bee. In addition to his original voices, he has also voiced Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Shaggy Rogers, Popeye, and Woody Woodpecker during later renditions of the respective characters. He was also a cast member on The Howard Stern Show, noted for his impersonation of The Three Stooges' Larry Fine.
Early life[edit]
William Richard West was born in Detroit and raised in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston. He played in several bands in the late 1960s and 1970s and began a radio career in 1980. He has been sober since the age of 35 and is a vegan.[3][4][5]
Career[edit]
West worked at WBCN in Boston performing daily on the air on The Big Mattress show, then moved to New York City in 1988, working at K-Rock Radio (92.3 FM WXRK). West became a regular on The Howard Stern Show at that time until leaving in 1995. West moved to Los Angeles, where he found success as a voice actor and performer.
Television[edit]
West launched his career in the early 1980s performing daily comedic routines on Boston's WBCN. He left the radio station in 1988 to work on the short-lived revival of Beany and Cecil, which was his first role in television. He was also a cast member and impressionist on The Howard Stern Show during the 1990s, where he gained notice for his impersonations of Three Stooges middleman Larry Fine, Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott, and Stern's head writer Jackie Martling. West's most notable film work was inSpace Jam (1996), providing the voice of both Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. He has provided the same voices for other Looney Tunes films and video games.
West's first two high-profile roles came almost simultaneously: Doug and Ren & Stimpy, which were two of the first original three Nicktoons (the other being Rugrats). Over his career West has been the voice talent for close to 120 different characters including some of the most iconic animated figures in television history. He has become one of few voice actors who can impersonate Mel Blanc in his prime, including characterizations of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, the voice Arthur Q. Bryan used for Elmer Fudd, as well as other characters from Warner Bros. cartoons. In 1998, Entertainment Weekly described West as "the new Mel Blanc" and noted his ability to mimic well-known voices,[6] though he would rather develop original voices.[6] West's favorite characters are Philip J. Fry and Stimpy, both of which he originated.[7] West has been very outspoken over his displeasure about the influx of movie star actors providing voice-over for films and major shows.[8][9] West has stated that he did not like the Disney version of Doug, and that he "couldn't watch" the show.[10][11] West was the voice of the show's namesake, Geeker, throughout Project Geeker 's 13 episode run. West was the voice of Zim in the original pilot for Nickelodeon's Invader Zim.[1] Richard Horvitz was chosen for the series role because West's voice was too recognizable, according to Invader Zim creator Jhonen Vasquezduring DVD commentary. West is also the voice of "Red" in numerous M&M commercials as well as the 3-D movie "I Lost my M in Vegas", currently playing at M&M's World in Las Vegas, NV. West also voices a number of characters in the series Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World. He does not play a regular character in that series, but appears in almost every episode of the show voicing various minor and one-off characters. West voiced the character Moobeard in Moobeard the Cow Pirate, a short animation featured on Random! Cartoons, and reprises his role as Elmer Fudd in Cartoon Network's series The Looney Tunes Show.
The Ren & Stimpy Show[edit]
West provided the voice of Stimpy in Nickelodeon's The Ren & Stimpy Show from 1991 until 1996, and he provided the voice of Ren Höek from 1993–1996 (after Ren's original voice and series creator John Kricfalusi was fired by Nickelodeon for delivering un-airable episodes). West performed other characters on the series as well, such as Mr. Horse (another role that West was issued after Kricfalusi's departure) and the "Announcer/Salesman" of such shorts as the "Log" ads (a voice West would years later use as the Narrator for The Weird Al Show).
According to West, he was originally supposed to do the voice of both Ren and Stimpy (and performed both characters on the tape that was used to sell the show to Nickelodeon), but then Kricfalusi decided to do the voice of Ren himself once the show was sold and he had West on board as part of the selling point.[12] However, West provided Ren's maniacal laughter when John Kricfalusi was the voice of Ren.
Futurama[edit]
West's roles in Futurama include Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg and Zapp Brannigan, as well as various other incidental characters. As he and other Futurama cast and crew point out in DVD commentaries, West voiced so many characters throughout the series that conversations are often held entirely between characters he is voicing.
West went into the Futurama auditions and was asked to try out for, as he says, "just about every part";[13] eventually landing the professor, Zoidberg, and Zapp Brannigan. West later got the part of Fry, which originally had gone to Charlie Schlatter.[14] While West is known for doing many different and unique voices, the voice he does for Philip J. Fry is often considered to be closer to his natural voice than any other character he has done (in an audio commentary, he states Fry is just himself at age 25).[15] This similarity, West acknowledges, was done purposefully in order to make it harder to replace him in the part[16] along with placing more of himself personally into the role (DVD commentary).
The part of Zapp Brannigan was created for Phil Hartman, but he died before the show started and West was issued the role. West has described his interpretation of Zapp Brannigan's voice as an imitation of Hartman, but described the actual vocalizations of the character as being based on "a couple of big dumb announcers I knew."[17]
Futurama was renewed by Comedy Central as four direct-to-DVD films broken into 16 television episodes.[18] West reprised his roles for these films, and was signed on for a new 26-episode season of Futurama which began airing in June 2010.[19]
Commercial television[edit]
West was the announcer of the program Screen Gems Network which ran from 1999–2001. He was also the promotional announcer for The Comedy Channel before it merged with HA! to become Comedy Central. Over his career, Billy West has voiced multiple characters in television commercials. These include (but are not limited to):
- Red, the plain/milk chocolate M&M (1996– ) (after Jon Lovitz's departure from the role in 1996)[6]
- Buzz, the honey nut bee for Honey Nut Cheerios
- An alien for Pentium 4
- Popeye for Minute Maid
- Babe Ruth, Mickey Goldmill,[20] and Bruce Lee for Brisk Iced Tea
West voiced the Speed Racer character in a late-1990s advertisement for Volkswagen,[6] because the commercial's producers could not locate Peter Fernandez, the original voice of Speed. However, the producers did locate Corinne Orr, the original voice for the characters Trixie and Spritle.[citation needed]
Internet entertainment[edit]
He also provided voices for the Eric Kaplan-created webtoon Zombie College as well as voicing two characters in Tofu the Vegan Zombie.[21]
In addition Billy appeared on Ken Reid (comedian)'s TV Guidance Counselor Podcast on January 30, 2015. The episode was recorded live at The Smell in Downtown Los Angeles during the 3rd annual Riot LA Comedy Festival.
Films[edit]
Perhaps West's most notable film work came in the 1996 film Space Jam, where he provided the voice of both Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. West reprised the roles of Bugs and Fudd in subsequent Looney Tunes feature-length films and returned as Fudd in the theatrically released Looney Tunes: Back in Action. In 1998, West starred in the direct-to-video film Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island as Shaggy Rogers, becoming the second person to portray the character (the first being Casey Kasem). He was one of the top contenders to replace Kasem after his retirement in 2009, but lost the role to Matthew Lillard. In 2000, he provided additional voices in Disney's Dinosaur. In 2004, West voiced the classic character Popeye in the 75th anniversary film Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy, and made his live-action film debut in Mark Hamill's Comic Book: The Movie. He also appeared in a cameo in Garfield: The Movie. Other films featuring West's vocal talents include Joe's Apartment, Cats & Dogs, Olive, the Other Reindeer, TMNT, The Proud Family Movie, and three Tom and Jerry direct-to-video movies.
Music[edit]
West is also a guitarist and singer-songwriter with a band called Billy West and The Grief Counselors. They have released their first album, Me-Pod.[22] West has toured as a guitarist for Roy Orbison and Brian Wilson.[6]
In 1982, West sang lead, doing an impersonation of Mike Love, on a Beach Boys-inspired tune, "Another Cape Cod Summer This Year," by studio band ROUTE 28, written and produced by Erik Lindgren on his Arf! Arf! Records label.[citation needed]
West has collaborated with Deborah Harry, Lou Reed, and Los Lobos, and he has played live on several occasions with Brian Wilson, including the guitar solo on the Beach Boystune "Do it Again" on Late Show with David Letterman, in the mid-1990s.[23]
The Futurama episode "Proposition Infinity" features the track "Shut up and Love Me" which was written and played by Billy West and Greg Leon.[24]
Radio[edit]
Throughout the 1980s, Billy West provided character voices on Charles Laquidara's Big Mattress radio show on Boston's WBCN. West was also one half of the award winning WBCN Production team from 1980–1986. From 1989 through 1995,[25] West provided The Howard Stern Show with character voices such as Jim Backus, Lucille Ball, Raymond Burr, Johnny Carson, Johnnie Cochran, Connie Chung, Jane Curtin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Doris Day, Louis "Red" Deutsch, David Dinkins, Mia Farrow, Larry Fine, Pete Fornatale,Frank Gifford, Kathie Lee Gifford, Rudolph Giuliani, Mark Goddard, Bobcat Goldthwait, the Greaseman, Jonathan Harris (as Dr. Zachary Smith), Leona Helmsley, Evander Holyfield, Shemp Howard, Lance Ito, Elton John, Don Knotts, Jay Leno, Nelson Mandela, Jackie Martling (as the Jackie puppet), Ed McMahon, Al Michaels, Bill Mumy (as Will Robinson), Cardinal O'Connor, Maury Povich, Soon-Yi Previn, Marge Schott, Frank Sinatra, Rae Stern (Howard Stern's mother), George Takei, Joe Walsh, and Robin Williamsuntil eventually leaving the show over money.[26] West was an occasional contributor to The Adam Carolla Show, a syndicated morning radio show that replaced Stern's show on CBS in LA. On February 19 and 20, 2007, The Howard Stern Show ran a special two-part retrospective of West's work with the show. It marked his first work with the show since leaving after his last show on November 1, 1995.[citation needed] On June 9, 2009, West appeared on Jackie Martling's Jackie's Joke Hunt on Stern's satellite radio channel Howard 101.[27]
Video games[edit]
West's talents have also extended into the realm of video games. Characters most notably voiced by West are perhaps Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in numerous Looney Tunesvideo games.
Other video game characters voiced by Billy West include:
- A police officer on the radio of Need for Speed: Undercover (2008)
- Stimpy in Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots (2007)
- Dr. Zoidberg in The Simpsons Game (2007)
- Additional voices in Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly (2002)
- Sparx in The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night (2007)
- Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, and Zapp Brannigan in Futurama (2003)
- Ninja in I-Ninja (2003).
- Nash and Zam in Crash Nitro Kart (2003)
- Murfy in Rayman 3 (2003).
- Murfy in Rayman Arena (2002).
- Muttley and L'il Gruesome in Wacky Races (2000, 2001, 2008)
- Some voices in Mad Dash Racing, for the Xbox
- Voice of Red, the red M&M in M&Ms: The Lost Formulas (2000)
- Hamton J. Pig in Tiny Toon Adventures: Toonenstein
- Atomic Bomberman in Atomic Bomberman
- Emilio Baza in Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
- Bugs Bunny & Elmer Fudd in Bugs Bunny: Lost in Time
- The Yak in Nicktoons MLB (2011)
- Fire Kraken and Freeze Blade in Skylanders: Swap Force
Selected filmography[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The New Adventures of Beany and Cecil | Cecil | Voice role Animated series |
| 1991-1994 | Doug | Doug Funnie (1991–1994) Porkchop Roger Klotz (1991–1994) | Voice role Animated series |
| 1991-1996 | The Ren & Stimpy Show | Stimpson J. "Stimpy" Cat Ren Höek (1993–1996) Mr. Horse (1993–1996) | Voice role Animated series |
| 1994 | The Shnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show | France Bug | Voice role Animated series |
| 1996 | Earthworm Jim | Additional voices | Voice role Animated series |
| 1996 | Joe's Apartment | Ralph Roach | Voice role Live action film |
| 1996 | Space Jam | Bugs Bunny Elmer Fudd | Voice role Live action/animated film |
| 1997 | The Wacky World of Tex Avery | Tex Avery Freddie the Fly Sagebrush Sid | Voice role Animated series |
| 1997 | Cow and Chicken | Additional voices | Voice role Animated series |
| 1997 | I Am Weasel | Additional voices | Voice role Animated series |
| 1997 | Project G.e.e.K.e.R. | GeeKeR | Voice role Animated series |
| 1997 | The Weird Al Show | Show announcer Harvey the Wonder Hamster | Voice role Television series |
| 1997 | Extreme Ghostbusters | Slimer Mayor McShane | Voice role Animated series |
| 1997 | Space Goofs | Additional voices | Voice role Animated series |
| 1998 | Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island | Norville "Shaggy" Rogers | Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 1998-1999 | Mad Jack the Pirate | Snuk Jon LeFeet additional voices | Voice role Animated series |
| 1998-1999 | The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs | Voice role Animated series | |
| 1998-2000 | Histeria! | Chit Chatterson Bugs Bunny Elmer Fudd Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 1998–2000 | Voltron: The Third Dimension | Pidge | Voice role Animated show |
| 1998-2005 | The Powerpuff Girls | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 1998-2005 | CatDog | Rancid Rabbit Mr Sunshine Randolph Grant | Voice role Animated series |
| 1999 | Queer Duck | Bi-Polar Bear Other characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 1999 | Detention | Emmitt Roswell Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 1999 | Olive, the Other Reindeer | Mr. Eskimo | Voice role Animated television film |
| 1999 | Rayman: The Animated Series | Rayman | Voice role Animated series |
| 1999 | Dilbert | Marketing Guy Additional voices | Voice role Animated series |
| 1999-2002 | The New Woody Woodpecker Show | Woody Woodpecker Wally Walrus Smedley Doug Knutts Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 1999-2003, 2008-2013 | Futurama | Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg Zapp Brannigan Richard Nixon Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2000 | Baby Felix | Felix the Cat Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2000 | Poochini's Yard | Poochini Walter White Mr. Garvey Lockjaw Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2001 | Horrible Histories | Stitch Narrator various | Voice role Animated series |
| 2001 | The Oblongs | George Klimer Anita Bidet Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2001 | Totally Spies! | Lester Crawley | Voice role Animated series |
| 2001 | Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | Various characters | Voice role Animated film |
| 2001 | Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring | Freddie | Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 2002 | Jackie Chan Adventures | Monkey King | Voice role Animated series Episode: "Monkey a Go-Go" |
| 2002 | Crank Yankers | Confucious Moo Shu | Voice role |
| 2002 | Ozzy & Drix | Muscle Cell | Voice role Animated series Episode: "Reflex" |
| 2002-2007 | The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | Sam Additional voices | Voice role Animated series |
| 2003 | Looney Tunes: Back in Action | Elmer Fudd Peter Lorre | Voice role Live action/animated film |
| 2003 | Duck Dodgers | Mother Fudd | Voice role Animated series |
| 2003-2009 | My Life as a Teenage Robot | Principal Razinski Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2004 | Justice League Unlimited | Skeets | Voice role Animated series Episode: "The Greatest Story Never Told" |
| 2004 | Comic Book: The Movie | Leo Matuzik | Live action role Direct-to-video |
| 2004 | Garfield: The Movie | Dog | Voice role |
| 2004 | Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy | Popeye Pappy | Voice role Direct-to-video Computer-animated film |
| 2004 2006 | Codename: Kids Next Door | Numbuh 13 | Voice role Animated series Episode: "Operation M.A.C.A.R.R.O.N.I." Episode: "Operation I.T." |
| 2004-2006 | Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2004-2009 | Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2005 | Tom and Jerry: Blast Off to Mars | Major Biff Buzzard King Thingg | Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 2005 | The Proud Family Movie | Board Member Cab Driver | Voice role Animated television film |
| 2005 | Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry | Biff Buzzard President of Hollywood Squirty | Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 2005 | Camp Lazlo | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2005 | The Buzz on Maggie | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2005 | The Life and Times of Juniper Lee | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2005 | The Boondocks | Guard Priest | Voice role Animated series Episode: "The Garden Party" |
| 2005-2007 | Loonatics Unleashed | Electro J. Fudd Sagittarius Stomper | Voice role Animated series |
| 2006 | Curious George | Manager | Voice role Animated film |
| 2006 | Queer Duck: The Movie | Bi-Polar Bear | Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 2006 | Zombie College | Skully Graham | Voice role Web series |
| 2006 | Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas | Bugs Bunny Elmer Fudd | Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 2006-2007 | Squirrel Boy | Kyle Finster | Voice role Animated series |
| 2007 | Chowder | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2007 | El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2007 | TMNT | Anchorman Jersey Devil Various characters | Voice role Animated film |
| 2007 | Futurama: Bender's Big Score | Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg Zapp Brannigan Richard Nixon Additional characters | Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 2007-2009 | Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World | Dr. Hunk Anderson Pooper George W. Bush Franz Nerdlinger Log Cabin Tom Various characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2008 | The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2008 | The Mighty B! | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2008 | Random! Cartoons | Finster #1 Pilot #1 Johnny Space Guy Space Thug Moobeard | Voice role Animated series |
| 2008 | Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs | Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg Zapp Brannigan Richard Nixon Additional characters | Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 2008 | Futurama: Bender's Game | Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg Additional characters | Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 2009 | Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder | Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg Zapp Brannigan Leo Wong Richard Nixon Additional characters | Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 2009-2012 | Jungle Junction | Ellyvan | Voice role Animated series |
| 2010 | Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes | Tom | Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 2010 | Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2010 | T.U.F.F. Puppy | Additional characters | Voice role Animated series |
| 2010 | Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated | Gunther Gator | Voice role Animated series |
| 2010 | Glenn Martin, DDS | Mr. Vernon | Voice role Animated series Episode: "Camp" |
| 2011 | Mongo Wrestling Alliance[28] | Various | Voice role Animated series |
| 2011 | Eric Kaplan's Sketch World | Additional voices | Voice role Web series |
| 2011 | Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz | Tom (uncredited) | Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film |
| 2011-2014 | The Looney Tunes Show | Elmer Fudd | Voice role Animated series |
| 2012 | The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange | Cranberry | Voice role Animated series |
| 2013 | Ultimate Spider-Man | Rocket Raccoon | Voice role Animated series |
| 2013 | I Know That Voice | Himself | Documentary |
| 2014 | The Simpsons | Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg | Voice role Animated series Episode: "Simpsorama" |
| 2014 | Mixels | Lunk, Gobba, Balk | Voice role Animated series |
| 2014 | Adventure Time | Goose, Dr. Erik Adamkinson, Mayor | Voice role Animated series Episode: "Everything's Jake" |
| 2014 | Turbo FAST | Fleagor, Mosquito, Adolfo, Waterbug | Voice role Animated series |
| 2014 | TripTank | Sextus Scribonus | Voice role Animated series Episode: "Ahhh, Serenity" |
| 2014-present | The 7D | Bashful | Voice role Animated series |
| 2015 | The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water | Seagull | Voice role Animated film |
| Preceded by Casey Kasem | Norville "Shaggy" RogersVoice 1998 | Succeeded by Scott Innes |
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