Rob Paulsen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the voice actor Rob Paulsen. For the Fight Club character Robert Paulson, see Fight Club.
| Rob Paulsen | ||
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| Alias | Rob Paulson, Vocal Magic | |
| Born | March 11, 1956 Detroit, Michigan |
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| Occupation(s) | Voice Actor | |
| Spouse | Parrish Todd | |
| Children | 1 son | |
| Website | Rob Paulsen.com | |
Robert Fredrick Paulsen, III (born March 11, 1956) (sometimes credited as Rob Paulson or "Vocal Magic") is an American voice actor best known as the voice behind Raphael from the 1987 cartoon of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Yakko Warner from Animaniacs and Pinky from Pinky and the Brain. His role as Yakko won him a Daytime Emmy Award for male vocal performance; he won a second one for his portrayal of Pinky. In 1999, the animated movie, Wakko's Wish, he was the voices of Dr. Otto Scratchansniff, Yakko Warner, Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid II & III, and Pinky.
In total, Paulsen has been the voice of over 250 different animated characters and performed in over 1000 commercials. He continues to play minor parts in dozens of cartoons as well as supporting characters in animated movies.
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[edit] Biography
Paulsen was born in Detroit, Michigan. He is married to Parrish Todd and has one son. In an interview with a Chicago TV station, Paulsen described himself as "a singer who decided to become an actor." Growing up in Grand Blanc, Michigan, Paulsen sang in choir throughout his youth and adolescence and began performing in plays in grammar school. However, his idol growing up was Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings; he considered the arts to be a secondary career choice, primarily interested in becoming a professional hockey player.
Paulsen has long supported charity organisations, and donated considerably for cancer research. He has worked a lot for GOALmodels, a program for adolescents; and is a sponsor of Camp Will-A-Way, a camp for mentally and physically disabled children.
[edit] Career
[edit] Early career
He began his voice over career on The Smurfs animated television show as an extra in 1981. A few years later, his career launched into more substantial roles such as G.I. Joe and The Snorks. He had an impressive turn as the villain "Jesse Blue" in the series Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs. The character has a bit of a cult following, due in part to Paulsen's excellent portrayal.
During the 1980s Paulsen also explored the field of live action cinema. His first movie was Eyes of Fire in 1983. He played supporting roles in Body Double, Stewardess School, and Warlock. He appeared in television shows during this time as well, such as MacGyver and St. Elsewhere. He mentioned in an interview, regarding his role in Body Double, that he would not want his child (who was very young at the time of the interview) to see the movie, so he could not really be proud of his work.
Paulsen's first major role was in 1987, as Raphael in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series.
[edit] Advertising
Paulsen became more prevalent in the world of advertising as well. In the 1980s he had been the announcer for the popular sitcom Cheers and continued to secure roles as an announcer. He appeared as the voice of "Mr. Opportunity", spokesman of Honda commercials on TV and radio, announcer for Buffalo Duck's Radio Ranch, and the spokesman for Lucky Stores, a West-coast grocery store chain, before it was acquired by Albertsons in 1998.
However Paulsen's most famous advertising role was in the original commercial of the now ubiquitous Got Milk? campaign. The famous commercial, Who Shot Alexander Hamilton?, aired in 1993, and launched the Got Milk? campaign into a monstrously successful enterprise. Paulsen continues to be one of the most sought-after commercial voice actors in the industry.
He can be currently heard as the voice of singing Mini-Wheat in the Mini-Wheats commercials in Canada.
[edit] Tuning in to Spielberg
Throughout the early 1990s, Paulsen continued to co-star in popular animated series, which proved so successful that he branched further into radio and television announcements and dropped live-action acting from his repertoire. In 1993, he voiced Antoine D'Coolette in ABCs series Sonic the Hedgehog, and Arthur, an insecure accountant in a moth costume (wings included), in the superhero series The Tick in 1995.
With a plethora of voice acting roles under his belt, it was only a matter of time before Paulsen was given the starring role. In 1993, he starred as the title character in both Mighty Max and The Mask. Also at this time he starred in what became one of his most popular roles, Yakko Warner of Animaniacs. Paulsen also provided the voice of "Pinky" from Pinky and the Brain, a show which won him several Annie Awards and a Daytime Emmy in 1999.
He also did a number of characters in Tiny Toon Adventures, including Fowlmouth, Arnold the Pit Bull, and Concord Condor. In the direct-to-video movie Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation, he did the voices for BanJo Possum, Mr. Hitcher (who would also appear in other episodes), and Johnny Pew.
[edit] Current roles
[edit] Animation
Paulsen takes on the role of "Brick and Boomer" in The Powerpuff Girls. Rob also currently does the roles of "Reuben" in Lilo & Stitch: The Series, "Jack Fenton," "Box Ghost," "Technus", and "The Ghost Vultures" in Danny Phantom, "Carl Wheezer" and "Butch" in Jimmy Neutron, "Mark Chang" and "Peppy Happy Gary" of The Fairly OddParents, and "Gordon" on the Nickelodeon cartoon Catscratch. He was also the voice of Rothchild in the early episodes of Samurai Jack. He also was the voice of PJ in the animated series starring Goofy, "Goof Troop," and the voices of Zeek and Joshua in K10C: Kids' Ten Commandments. Rob Paulsen his reprising his role as Throttle in the 2006 Biker Mice from Mars. Paulsen also played a role in The Boondocks as an art teacher.
It was not long before Paulsen returned to Warner Bros. Animation, which had diverged into a new era of television serials (following what is sometimes referred to as the "Silver Age of Animation"). Paulsen appeared as "Rev Runner" of the new show Loonatics Unleashed and stars in Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island. He also voiced "The Source" in the Teen Titans episode "Employee of the Month." He was also the voice of the character Squeeky on the TV show "Danger Rangers." Paulsen also provides the voice for the Honda character "Mr. Opportunity." In the upcoming Rob Zombie animated film, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, Paulsen will voice a character named El Gato a.k.a. Col. Hans Wolfburger. Rob also has a role as Ditto, one of the alien forms on Ben 10. He is also the current voice of classic Disney character José Carioca. Rob became the new voice of Prince Eric of Disney's The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea in 2000, and has reprised the role for the final installment, The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning in 2008.
[edit] Video games
In video gaming, much voice talent has bled over from television and radio voice actors. Paulsen has appeared in video games such as Doom 3 and Clay Fighter 63 1/3. He plays "Morte", a floating, talking skull, in Planescape: Torment as well as Anomen Delryn in Baldur's Gate II and Gray Fox in Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes and Super Smash Bros. Brawl as an assist trophy. More notably, he portrays "Tobli" and "Lian Ronso" in the English version of Square Enix's Final Fantasy X-2 and has played the lead character in Bubsy. Although an extremely minor role, Paulsen also has done the voice for the Greek soldiers in God of War. In the video game The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge, he does the voice of Igor. He also reprised his role as Yakko Warner and Pinky in Animaniacs: The Great Edgar Hunt.
[edit] Other
Paulsen is also the off-camera voice of the syndicated television series Funniest Pets and People which is seen on Superstation WGN and other television stations throughout the United States and abroad. '
[edit] Awards
Rob Paulsen has been nominated for an Annie Award for his role of "Pinky" for 4 consecutive years, which he won in 1996, 1997, and 1999. In 2004 he was nominated for his role The Troubador in The Three Musketeers, and in 2005 he was nominated for his role in The Happy Elf. In 1999 he also won the Daytime Emmy Award for the role of Pinky.
[edit] Public appearances
Paulsen has been a regular industry guest and featured panelist at Comic-Con International over the past several years. He has also appeared at animation industry-related events such as the World Animation Celebration in 1998, among many others. He has also been a guest at several anime conventions, including JACON, Mikomicon, and Anime Overdose. Paulsen was a guest of honor at Anthrocon in 2007.
Sometimes people in attendance would request him to sing the infamous "Nations of the World" number, where he sings all the nations of the world with his Yakko voice in a fast-paced delivery without rehearsing.
