10 Famous Voice Actors in Live Action Roles
Last month, we took a look at some surprising celebrity voice acting roles. Well, it’s time to turn the tables and take a look at live acting gigs by actors primarily known for their voice acting work. So here, without further ado, are ten voice actors cast in live action roles.
Mel Blanc tries to teach Jack Benny to carry a tune.
Mel Blanc – The Jack Benny Program
We start this list by going back to the grand patriarch of voice acting. Mel Blanc was known as the man of a thousand voices. Although history has embellished his credits somewhat, he was responsible for voicing almost every major character in Warner Brothers’ Looney Tunes line-up. He also provided the original voice for Woody Woodpecker and numerous voices for Hanna-Barbera such as Barney Rubble, Speed Buggy, and Captain Caveman. In addition to voicing Bugs Bunny et al, Blanc had a successful radio career with re-occurring roles The Jack Benny Program. Therefore it is of little surprise that Blanc often appeared on the television incarnation of that program. Blanc portrayed multiple characters including Sy the Little Mexican and Professor Pierre LeBlanc. Professor LeBlanc was Jack Benny’s tortured violin teacher and sounded more than a little like a particular amorous skunk.
Hank Azaria as the dog walker Nat Ostertag in an episode of Mad About You.
Hank Azaria – Mad About You
To be honest, it is not hard to find Hank Azaria in front of the camera. The man responsible for dozens of voices on The Simpsons is equally proficient at live action roles. Azaria’s film credits include The Birdcage (1996), Godzilla (1998), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), and both The Smurfs (2011) and The Smurfs 2 (2013) in which he portrayed a live action version of Gargamel. On television he has portrayed Dr. Huffstodt on Huff, Jay Nichols on Herman’s Head, and Phoebe’s boyfriend David for five episodes of Friends. The role in which I first recognized him, however, was as Nat Ostertag the dog walker in sixteen episodes of the sitcom Mad About You from 1995 to 1999.
Centre Image from left to right – Melissa Joan Hart, some dude, Tara Strong
Tara Strong – Sabrina, Down Under
The Powerpuff Girl Bubbles, Timmy Turner from The Fairly Odd Parents, Raven from Teen Titans, and the pony Twilight Sparkle are just a few of the characters that owe their voice to Canadian Tara Strong. But in the late 90’s you might have seen Strong (then known as Tara Charendoff) portraying Gwen, the roommate/friend of Sabrina the Teenage Witch in the made-for-TV movies Sabrina Goes to Rome and Sabrina, Down Under.
Tom Kenny in the flesh! The same cannot be said for the parrot.
Tom Kenny – SpongeBob SquarePants
Tom Kenny has provided the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants since 1999. Other voice credits include numerous roles in Transformers Animated, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Ultimate Spider-Man as well as Ice King and others on Adventure Time. To see Kenny in live action, you do not have to look far. Kenny also portrays Patchy the Pirate in live action segments on numerous episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants. Patchy acts as host of the show introducing the cartoons and segueing between the show and commercial breaks.
Mama Tran possessed by the demon Crowley.
Lauren Tom – Supernatural
The distinction between a voice actor that takes roles in front of the camera and a live action actor that does voice work is not always clear. Case in point is the career of Lauren Tom. In recent years Tom seems to have focused on voice acting gigs but she worked entirely in front of the camera for the first fifteen years of her acting career and continues to take live action roles. Tom’s voice acting credits include both Minh and Connie Souphanousinphone on King of the Hill, Numbuh Three on Codename Kids Next Door, and Amy Wong on Futurama. Some of her more memorable live action roles are the wife of Santa’s Helper Marcus in Bad Santa, Ross’ girlfriend Julie for seven episodes of Friends, and Linda ‘Mama’ Tran, the mother of the prophet Kevin on Supernatural.
Rob Paulsen delivers X-rated lines in an R-rated picture. Goooood night everybody!
Rob Paulsen –Body Double
Many an animated character owes his (or her) voice and personality to Rob Paulsen. Over a 30+ year career Paulsen has voiced G. I. Joe members, Snorks, Gummi Bears, Fraggles, Transformers, Tiny Toons, and Biker Mice. He provides the voice of Donatello in the current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles incarnation and provided the voice of Raphael in the original 1980’s version. He is probably best known as the voice of Yakko Warner on Animaniacs and Pinky of Pinky and the Brain fame. However, early in his career, Paulsen had a bit part in the movie Body Double (1984). He only has a couple of lines but they are, shall we say, memorable. As a cameraman in a porn shoot, he voices, with a cadence reminiscent of Yakko, disbelief that a scene does not end… well…in a manner that it may not be appropriate to dwell on here. Body Double wasn’t Paulsen’s only live action role. But for sheer shock value, it is the funniest.
Sofia Vergara gets up close and personal with John DiMaggio.
John DiMaggio – Modern Family
John DiMaggio is best known as Jake the Dog on Adventure Time and everybody’s favourite foul-tempered robot, Bender Bending Rodriguez, on Futurama. He is also the narrator and executive producer of the fabulous voice acting documentary I Know that Voice. DiMaggio does appear from time to time in live action roles including Dr. Sean Underhill in eleven episodes of Chicago Hope. In 2012 he had a small part in Modern Family as the captain of a boat Mitchell charters for Cameron’s birthday. It is notable for DiMaggio taking a punch from Gloria. I had the opportunity to ask DiMaggio what it was like to get punched in the face by Sofia Vergara. His response? “Nice😍”
Cree Summer strangling (?) Jasmine Guy in a publicity photo for A Different World.
Cree Summer – A Different World
At the young age of 14, Cree Summer established herself as a voice actor when she provided the voice for Inspector Gadget’s niece Penny. Since then she has voiced approximately 200 characters including Elmyra Duff known for smothering animals with affection on Tiny Toon Adventures. Children of the 90’s may also have seen Summer on A Different World. A Different World was a spinoff of the insanely popular The Cosby Show intended to portray life at a historically black college. After its first season, both Lisa Bonet and Marisa Tomei left A Different World and new characters were added to fill the void. One such character was Freddie Brooks whom Summer portrayed for the next five seasons (1988 – 1993).
Nancy Cartwright (far right) attempts to enjoy supper with her ‘family’ before it all goes wrong.
Nancy Cartwright – Twilight Zone: The Movie
Nancy Cartwright is best known as the voice of Bart Simpson. She has numerous other voice roles to her credit including Mindy, the toddler protected by her dog Buttons on Animaniacs. In 1983, Cartwright was cast as Ethel in Joe Dante’s segment of Twilight: Zone the Movie. Ethel is one of a group of people being held against their will by the young boy Anthony. Anthony has the ability to will whatever he wishes into existence. As Anthony is not above using this ability to punish anyone who displeases him, his foster family lives in constant fear. Ironically, Ethel’s final fate at the hands of Anthony is to be banished to a cartoon universe.
Admittedly, it is a bit hard to recognize Phil LaMarr in the shot above.
Phil LaMarr – Pulp Fiction
Phil LaMarr has close to 400 voice roles to his credit including Samurai Jack and the accountant Hermes Conrad on Furturama. LaMarr has done a fair bit of live action work including one shot characters on numerous sitcoms in the 90’s and a six year stint on MadTV. He also has the somewhat dubious distinction of portraying Marvin in Pulp Fiction. Marvin is the character who Travolta’s character accidentally shoots in the face as they are driving. So, while LaMarr’s part was fairly small, bits of his skull and brains received additional screen time.
Please feel free to suggest any additions to this list in the comment section below.
