Being a cartoon aficionado, I see the same voice actor’s names listed in the credits time and time again. From adult cartoons to childrens’, you recognize the names Billy West, Christine Cavanaugh, and Charlie Adler. For shits and giggles, I began creating a list of my favorite voice actors and soon decided to create a blog post with the greatest voice actors in the industry. However, this task soon proved way more difficult than I could have possibly imagined. There is an overflow of extremely talented voice actors, and my list grew from ten to twenty to thirty and nearly to fifty. The more I delved into the topic, the more voice actors I believed deserved to be on the list.
Unfortunately with my increasing deadline for this blog, it became rather overwhelming to pick and choose, so instead, I decided to create a list of my favorite voice actors and ranked them accordingly based on their iconic roles, their diversity and how long they have been in the industry. Even narrowing my list down was an excruciating task, so please, dear friends, be gentle. I chafe easily.
10. Patrick Warburton
Photo Courtsey of Wikipedia.org
I love Patrick Warburton. Yes, I know he is an actor… I’ve seen him in Seinfeld as Puddy, Agent T in Men and Black II, and The Tick in The Tick (Possibly his best live action performance. He’s absolutely perfect for the role) but I don’t care, I think he’s best utilized as a voice actor. From children’s cartoons to adult cartoons, Warburton has one of the most recognizable voices in the business. Warburton’s distinctive deep voice is his signature and although he may not do many “voices”, if I know he is attached to a project I will watch it with great fervor (Even Hoodwinked and Space Chimps… Thanks Patrick…). Patrick Warburton is most known for his role as paraplegic police officer Joe Swanson in Family Guy and bodyguard meets babysitter, Brock Samson, in the Venture Brothers. Warburton has voiced Sheriff Bronson Stone in Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated, Kronk in The Emperor’s New Groove and sequel, Prince Charming in Happily N’Ever After, Titan in Space Chimp and it’s unnecessary sequel as well as other animated ventures. Though I love Patrick Warburton and his glorious glorious voice, he’s tenth on my list specifically because of his limited range. But that’s okay. I still love him. Did I already say that? Regardless I think it needs reiteration. I love Patrick Warburton.
9. Tara Strong
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Tara Strong is amazingly diverse. Many female voice actors either voice female characters or young male characters, Tara does both with ease. One of my favorite roles Tara portrays is the misunderstood daughter of the demon Trigon, Raven (Azarath, Metrion, ZINTHOS!) in Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!. Ms. Strong voices the bossy and easily irritated Truffles in Chowder, Ben Tennyson in Ben 10, Timmy Turner in Fairly Odd Parents, Twilight Sparkle in the modern My Little Pony, Dil Pickles in Rugrats, Mary Jane Watson in Ultimate Spider-Man, Bubbles in the Powerpuff Girls, Terrence in Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and Barbara Gordon in several DC installments. Tara Strong provides her voice for video games, portraying Harley Quinn in the Batman: Arkham series and Raven and Harley Quinn in Injustice as well as several others. She also contributes various additional voices for several cartoon shows and movies such as Monsters University, TMNT (That random 2007 CGI reboot), Samurai Jack, Johnny Bravo and much much more.
8. John DiMaggio
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John DiMaggio’s voice is awesome. It this awesomeness that breathes life into the characters he lends his voice to. Bender. Jake the Dog. Fucking awesome characters, that without John DiMaggio, would hardly be as awesome. I know my logic is flawless. But besides voicing the alcoholic, human hating robot Bender Bending Rodriguez and the magical companion of Finn the Human, Jake the Dog, DiMaggio voices my favorite rendition of Aquaman in Batman: The Brave and The Bold as an arrogant, boisterous braggart. DiMaggio has voiced several of Ben Tennyson’s alien transformations such as Four Arms, Rath and Humungousaur in Ben 10: Omniverse, Schnitzel from Chowder (Rada Rada), Pizza Face in Nick’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and lent his voice to various cartoons. Regardless. Bender. Jake the Dog. John DiMaggio’s awesomeness is irrefutable. Think about it.
7. Kevin Michael Richardson
Photo Courtsey of Wikipedia.org
Kevin Michael Richardson has an extremely distinctive and deep voice. Like really deep. Like crazy deep. Like so deep it will grow hair on your chest deep. Kevin Michael Richardson is one of the most talented voice actors in the industry, able to modify his voice to portray various characters. Though KMR may not have leads in many of the cartoons he lends his voice to, he plays great and memorable characters like Principal Lewis in Family Guy, Throbulator in Invader Zim and Donny in Adventure Time with Finn and Jake. KMR voices an excellent villain as Captain Gantu in Lilo and Stitch, Black Manta, Starro, Blockbuster and Despero in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Trigon in Teen Titans, Tombstone in the Spectacular Spider-Man, the Highbreed Commander in Ben 10: Alien Force and Jabba the Hutt in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Richardson took an interesting and refreshing direction with the Joker in The Batman, manipulating his voice from a maniacal high pitched laughter to deep growling and intimidating lows. KMR’s vocal talents transformed Shredder from a bumbling fool in the 90s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to a menacing warlord in Nick’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Richardson has lent his voice to Kilowog in the Green Lantern: The Animated Series (Which is a fantastic, emotionally driven show which will hopefully be given a second lease at life), Lester Krinklesac and Cleveland Brown Jr. in the Cleveland Show, Bulkhead in Transformers Prime, Panthro in the modern and short lived reboot of Thundercats, Martian Manhunter, John Stewart and Dr. Fate in Young Justice and Roadblock in G.I.Joe: Renegades. He has contributed his vocal talents to The Simpsons, Family Guy, Ben 10: Omniverse, Monsters vs. Aliens, Ultimate Spider-Man, Pound Puppies and countless other cartoon shows. Basically, Kevin Michael Richardson is a balla and ya’ll best recognize.
6. Rob Paulsen
Photo Courtsey of Wikipedia.org
Not until recently, I didn’t really know shit about Rob Paulsen. I knew he did the voice of my favorite Ninja Turtle, Raphael, in the embarrassingly bad 80s/90s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (It was awesome when I was a kid… not so much anymore) and Donatello in Nick’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (The show is fantastic! It’s strange to get used to Donatello sounding like Raphael, once you do though, Paulsen is awesome as Donnie). However, with some research, I realized I never gave the man is dues. Paulsen is a wonderful voice actor who has provided the voices of many beloved characters, Yakko Warner and Pinky in Animaniacs, Arthur in The Tick, Snow Job in G.I.Joe (Who the hell ever thought it was a good idea to name the G.I.Joe Snow Job must have been high. Seriously… it rhymes with blow job… obviously), Max in Mighty Max (Remember those boy Polly Pockets that were monster themed?) and Hadji in Jonny Quest. Rob Paulsen has also provided additional voices in Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers, Tiny Toon Adventures, Goof Troop and many other cartoons. Rob Paulsen is a voice actor who deserves respect as well as a place on this list. RESPECT (Booyakasha)
5. H. Jon Benjamin
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H. Jon Benjamin is the type of voice actor that can say anything and it is fucking hilarious. I love this guy. Seriously. Deeply. Honestly. The first time I became acquainted with H. Jon Benjamin (and his magnificent magnificent voice) was as Jason Penopolis and Coach John McGuirk on Home Videos which ran on the late night block on Cartoon Network, Adult Swim. Home Videos is a great show, however without H. Jon Benjamin’s amazing voice, I don’t think I would have ever obsessively binge watched this show. Though he’s typically known for his wonderful gravelly uneven voice, H. Jon Benjamin can manipulate his voice in various ways, as illustrated with Jason Penopolis in Home Videos. Benjamin also lends his voice to Archer Sterling, an egotistical super spy with mommy issues in the FX show, Archer, and to Fox’s Bob’s Burgers as Bob Belcher. H. Jon Benjamin has lent his voice to various television shows, as Satan in Lucy: The Daughter of the Devil, Ben Katz in Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, the Master in the Venture Brothers, The Carl in Family Guy and even as a talking cabbage in American Dad! H Jon Benjamin is a unique up and coming voice actor who will only see more lead roles in animated series in the future. And let’s be honest, the whole damn world is better off for it.
4. Tom Kenny
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Tom Kenny is the voice actor whose best known for his uncanny performance as a sponge in Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants. The actor is also revered as the princess stealing wizard, Ice King, in Adventure Time with Finn and Jake. Tom Kenny has provided voices for many Cartoon Network programs (Besides Ice King), portraying the loveable yet cowardly Eduardo in Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, the bumbling Mayor and Narrator in the Powerpuff Girls, Val Hallen in Dexter’s Laboratory, Jake Spidermonkey in My Gym Partner’s a Monkey, Knightbrace and Mr. Wink in Codename: Kids Next Door and Scoutmaster Lumpus and Slinkman in Camp Lazlo! Kenny has lent his voice to several DC and Marvel installments such as the Penguin in The Batman, Doctor Octopus and Vulture in Ultimate Spider-Man, Zilius Zox in Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Mumbo and Jason Todd in New Teen Titans, Captain America, Iron Man and M.O.D.O.K. in The Super Hero Squad Show and Plastic Man in Plastic Man and Batman: Brave and the Bold.
3. Maurice LaMarche
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Maurice LaMarche’s name is credited to many notable cartoons from the 80s to the present. LaMarche’s voice has given life to Dr. Egon Spengler from the Real Ghostbusters, Destro in G.I.Joe, Brain in Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain, Jeremy Hawk from the Critic (One of my absolute favorite shows. If you’ve never watched it, WATCH IT!), modern Yosemite Sam and Pepe LePew. Most may recognize Maurice LaMarche from Futurama, the one man voice acting army portrays Morbo, Kif Kroker, Calculon, Donbot as well as so many voices I can’t even count them all (Seriously, I don’t think I can even count that high). He has also voiced several miscellaneous characters for several animated shows such as Dexter’s Laboratory, Codename: Kids Next Door, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, The Critic, Johnny Bravo, King of the Hill, Hey Arnold, Animaniacs, Freakazoid!, The Tick and The Simpsons. LaMarche is extremely versatile and can easily imitate celebrities such as William Shatner, Frank Sinatra, Larry King, John Wayne, Alec Baldwin and JFK, and is revered for his Orson Welles impersonation. To say that Maurice LaMarche is a voice actor doesn’t do the man justice. Maurice LaMarche is a voice artist.
2. Billy West
Photo Courtsey of Wikipedia.org
Billy West is most known for portraying the idiotic delivery boy sent to the year 3000, Philip J. Fry, in Futurama. However, West has been voice acting since the late ‘80s and landed his first major role as Douglas “Doug” Yancey Funnie and Roger M. Klotz in the Nickelodeon cartoon, Doug. Another ‘90s Nick show West starred in was Ren and Stimpy, not only voicing Stimpson “Stimpy” J. Cat as well as providing Ren Hoek’s voice in 1993. Billy West is an incredible impersonator, being one of the few who can imitate Mel Blanc’s beloved Looney Toon characters Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd, voicing both Bugs and Fudd in Space Jam as well as other Looney Toon movies and shows. Not only does West provide the voice of Fry, but also voices Planet Express employees, Hubert J. Farnsworth and Dr. John Zoidberg, and replaced Phil Hartman as Zap Brannigan. Billy West is the second voice actor to portray Norbert “Shaggy” Rogers, taking over for Casey Kasem in Scooby Doo on Zombie Island. West also lends his voice to commercials, most notably the Red M&M since 1996 (Taking over for Jon Lovitz) and Buzz the stupid bee mascot from Honey Nut Cheerios.
Drum roll please!……And the number one voice actor is….
1. Frank Welker
Photo Courtesy of Disney.wikia.com
If you have ever watched a cartoon, you have heard Frank Welker’s voice. Frank Welker has been in the voice acting biz since 1969. For those unfamiliar with the extremely versatile Frank Welker, his name is synonymous with Fred Jones. Since the very first Scooby Doo series, Scooby Doo Where Are You? Welker has voiced Fred in every Scooby Doo installment with one exception, A Pup Named Scooby Doo. One of Frank Welker’s iconic roles (and most badass) is as the Decepticon leader, warlord and future master of all humanity, motherfucking Megatron, voicing the character in the original Transformers cartoon show, Transformers the Movie and Transformers Prime. Welker has lent his voice to Skywarp, Rumbler, Frenzy and Soundwave in Transformers, Garfield in various incarnations, Jabberjaw (If you remember that old Hanna Barbera cartoon, he’s basically Curly from the Three Stooges as a shark. Unfortunately Jabberjaw is not a man eating shark though…), Dr. Claw (I’ll get you Gadget!), Slimer and Dr. Ray Stanz in the Real Ghostbusters, Shao Kahn and Reptile in Mortal Kombat, Hefty Smurf and Poet Smurf in The Smurfs, Wild Bill, Short Fuse and Rock n’ Roll in G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero, Dynomutt (An obnoxious robotic dog who is the sidekick to the Blue Falcon) and has voiced Scooby Doo in several of the Doo installments. The man has voiced nearly every major non speaking animated critter, from Abu and Rajah in Aladdin, Ravage, Laserbeak and Ratbat in Transformers, Tokka and Rahzar in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze, Santa’s Little Helper in the Simpsons, Brain and M.A.D. Cat in Inspector Gadget, Orbitty in The Jetsons, Isis the Cat (Catwoman’s favorite feline) in Batman: The Animated Series, Junkyard (Mutt’s faithful four legged companion) and Timber (Snake Eye’s wolf bestie) in G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero, Nibbler in Futurama, Furball in Tiny Toon Adventures, Mr. Chubbikins in Freakazoid!, Ace the Bathound in Batman Beyond, Dino in the Flintstones and even contributed animal vocal sounds for Shrek, Dinosaurs (I’m the baby, gotta love me!), Beavis and Butthead as well as many other series and movies. Does it feel like I’m listing? I think I’m listing… Though I don’t think there is any other possible way to emphasize the influence and importance Mr. Welker has in the voice acting world.
You may be wondering to yourself, “Where is Seth MacFarlane? I fucking love that guy’s nuts, he’s so funny as Peter Griffin!” There is a reason for that. Seth MacFarlane is known for his voice acting in his own television shows, American Dad! and Family Guy, and though he does great characters, being considered a great voice actor is more than headlining your shows. Most of the voice actors on my list are versatile and contribute various voices to cartoon shows, movies and video games that span many genres. Unfortunately MacFarlane doesn’t quite fit the bill (But he is listed under my Honorable Mention section, so dry those eyes big guy).
Honorable Mentions with most recognizable voice acting roles
Mark Hamill- Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and Arkham video games and Skips in Regular Show
Jeff Bennett- Johnny Bravo, Peppermint Larry in the Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Dexter’s Dad in Dexter’s Laboratory
Christine Cavanaugh- Dexter in Dexter’s Laboratory, Chuckie Finster in Rugrats and Babe.
Grey DeLisle- Modern Daphne Blake from Scooby Doo, Mandy in the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and Frankie in Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends
Phil LaMarr- Hermes Conrad in Futurama, Wilt in Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Samurai Jack, Baxter Stockman in Nick’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Aquaman and John Stewart in the DC universe.
Charlie Adler- Mr. Bighead in Rocko’s Modern Life, Cow and Chicken in Cow and Chicken, Buster Bunny in Tiny Toon Adventures and Ikis in Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Real Monsters.
Dan Castellaneta- Homer Simpson, Barney Gumble, Sideshow Mel and an obscene amount of characters in The Simpsons, The Robot Devil in Futurama and Earl in Cow and Chicken.
Kevin Connolly- The iconic Batman from Batman: The Animated Series and the DC universe.
Peter Cullen- Fucking Optimus Prime, THE Optimus Prime. Eeyore in Winnie-the-Pooh and Montery Jack in Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers (Seasons 1-3).
Steve Blum- Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop and the definitive modern Wolverine.
Chris Lata- Starscream in Transformers and Cobra Commander in G.I.Joe.
Cam Clarke- Kaneda in Akira, Leonardo and Rocksteady in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Die Fledermaus in The Tick.
Greg Cipes- Michelangelo in Nick’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Beast Boy in Teen Titans and Kevin Levin in Ben 10 series.
Diedrich Bader- Batman in Batman: The Brave and The Bold, Guy Gardner in Green Lantern: The Animated Series and Hoss Delgado in The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy.
Josh Keaton- Peter Parker in The Spectacular Spider-man (One of the best Spider-Man series), Hal Jordan in Green Lantern: The Animated Series and Jack Darby in Transformers Prime.
Dee Bradley Baker- Klaus in American Dad! and Clone Troopers in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Nancy Cartwright- Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum and so many fucking voices in The Simpsons, Mindy in Animaniacs and Margo Sherman in The Critic.
Casey Kasem- The original and best Norbert “Shaggy” Rogers. Cliffjumper in Transformers.
Elizabeth (EG) Daily- Buttercup in Powerpuff Girls and Tommy Pickles in Rugrats.
Jim Cummings- Winnie-the-Pooh and Tigger too. Montery Jack in Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers (Pilot and Seasons 4-5) and Fuzzy Lumpkins in the Powerpuff Girls.
Kath Soucie- Phil, Lil and Betty DeVille in Rugrats, Cubert Farnsworth in Futurama, Dexter’s Mom in Dexter’s Laboratory and Kanga in Winnie-the-Pooh
Tress MacNeille- Agnes Skinner, Jimbo Jones, Crazy Cat Lady and a ridiculous amount of characters on the Simpsons. Also voices Chip and Gadget in Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers.
George Newbern- The iconic Man of Steel, Superman.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone- Southpark. Need I say more?
Seth Green- Chris Griffin in Family Guy and various characters in Robot Chicken.
Jeffrey Combs- Ratchet in Transformers Prime, Rat King in Nick’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Question in the Justice League.
Corey Burton- Spike Witwicky, Sunstreaker and Shockwave in Transformers, Tomax in G.I.Joe, Count Dooku in Star Wars: The Clone Wars Dale, Brainiac in the DC universe and Zipper in Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers
Seth MacFarlane- Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin and a shitload of more characters in Family Guy, Ted in Ted and Stan Smith in American Dad!.
Mel Blanc- Ever hear of Looney Toons?
Frank Oz- I’m not sure whether to consider Frank Oz as a voice actor… Maybe he is a puppeteer? I don’t know… Regardless Frank Oz is Yoda. Enough said. Also a whole bunch of muppets.
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