Billy West
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- For the 19th-century blackface minstrel show performer, see Primrose and West.
West provided the voice of Stimpy in Nickelodeon's The Ren and Stimpy Show from 1991 until 1996, and he provided the voice of Ren from 1993-1996 (after Ren's original voice and series creator John Kricfalusi was fired by Nickelodeon). West's roles in Futurama include Philip J. Fry, Professor Hubert Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg and Zapp Brannigan.
West voiced Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in the 1996 feature Space Jam and had a full-time stint on The Howard Stern Show. His work also includes voices on , and the original (Nickelodeon) version of Doug. He revoices Mr. Whiskers and Gaspar LeGecko in Brandy & Mr. Whiskers.
He and Joe Alaskey are known as the best voice actors who can impersonate Mel Blanc in his best years of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and other characters from Warner Bros. cartoons. He also took over the role of Lil Gruesome and Muttley in Wacky Races video game.
His favorite characters are Fry from Futurama, and Stimpson J. Cat.
According to the commentary for the Invader Zim pilot episode and Richard Horvitz's interview on the 1st Zim DVD, West was originally cast to provide the voice of Zim on the series, but the part was given to Horvitz instead. It was also disclosed on the DVD commentary that series creator Jhonen Vasquez disliked using Billy's voice as it reminded him of other cartoons, notably Futurama.
West is also a singer-songwriter with a band called Billy West and The Grief Counsellors.
Currently, West is working on the internet show [Billy Bastard: Amateur Human Professional Asshole]
West has been the voice talent for close to 120 different characters including his return to Futurama according to the [New York Post].
Recently, Futurama has been renewed for 13 new episodes. West is confirmed to reprise his role as Fry.
Major roles
Billy West has performed close to 120 characters according to the [New York Post].
- Stimpy (1991) in Ren and Stimpy and in 1992, Ren and Mr. Horse also.
- Philip J. Fry, Professor Hubert Farnsworth, Doctor Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan, President Richard Nixon's head, and others on Futurama.
- Cast member of the Howard Stern Show (1990-1995).
- Doug Funnie, Roger Klotz on Nickelodeon's version of Doug.
- Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in the movie Space Jam.
- Announcer of Screen Gems Network.
- BuzzBee, the honey nut bee in TV commercials for Honey Nut Cheerios.
- Confucius, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison in Histeria.
- Voice of alien on the Pentium 4 commercial.
- Voice of the red M&M in TV commercials.
- Many voices on The Oblongs.
- Slimer on Extreme Ghostbusters.
- In the 1980s did character voices on Charles Laquidara's Big Mattress radio show on Boston's WBCN.
- Rayman in Rayman: The Animated Series.
- Mr. Whiskers and Gaspar LeGecko in Brandy & Mr. Whiskers later.
- Bi Polar Bear in Queer Duck (1999, TV)
- I-Ninja in I-Ninja (2003, Video Game)
- Popeye starting in 2004.
- Porky Pig starting in 2003.
- Tweety starting in 2003.
- Woody Woodpecker in The New Woody Woodpecker Show (1999, TV)
- Norville "Shaggy" Rogers in Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998, Video)
External links
- [Billy West's Official website]
- [Voice-over agency featuring Billy West]
- [Billy West] at the [Voice Chasers Database]
- [Interview with The Onion A.V. Club]
- [WestWorld, Billy West fan site]
- [Interview with Slashdot]
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