Animation fans of a certain age owe a lot of their childhood memories to the great Billy West. A cornerstone of early Nickelodeon, 1990s Looney Tunes, and the long-running “Futurama,” the actor has voiced some seminal characters.
But everyone has to start somewhere. If you’re an aspiring voiceover actor, it can help to use the best in the business as a road map. Even if your path to VO success doesn’t look (or sound) exactly like West’s, you should know the type of gigs that can lead to unexpected stardom.
“The Howard Stern Show” (1988) – Various impressions
Much like fellow VO icon Frank Welker, West’s way into traditional acting wasn’t a straight line. Early in his career, he worked in radio at New York’s K-Rock, at the time the home to “The Howard Stern Show.” Although he wasn’t an official part of Stern’s crew, Welker became a regular because he could do spot-on impressions of the host’s head writer, Jackie Martling, as well as Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott and celebrities like Johnny Carson, Lucille Balle, and Frank Sinatra. This gave West a huge audience and set the template for a versatile career filled not only with original characters but also uncanny mimicry of celebrities and roles already played by legendary actors.
Cartoon Voice Acting: 4 Steps to Animated Stardom “The Ren & Stimpy Show” & “Doug” (1991) – Stimpson J. "Stimpy" Cat and Doug Funnie
It’s fair to say that we wouldn’t have pioneering kids entertainment channel Nickelodeon without West. The actor’s first major TV roles just happened to lead two of the three shows that launched the network.
First, there was “The Ren & Stimpy Show,” one of the most groundbreaking cartoons of the 1990s. West voiced the titular Stimpy, a good-natured cat who gets into shockingly dark, oddball situations with the neurotic chihuahua Ren (originally voiced by creator John Kricfalusi, but West took over that role too in later seasons). In crafting Stimpy’s personality, West infused the character with a distinct sense of humor inspired by Larry Fine of the Three Stooges. (Who also happened to be an impression he did on “Howard Stern.”)
Meanwhile, West also voiced the titular character in “Doug,” a middle school–set animated sitcom. Taken together, the two parts are the definition of range: Stimpy called for over-the-top mayhem, while Doug was an everyday, relatable 12-year-old.
West’s relationship with Nickelodeon has persisted ever since, as he has voiced characters in beloved cartoons like “Hey Arnold!” and “Rocko’s Modern Life,” as well as reprising Stimpy for the 2022 video game “Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl.”
“M&M’s” commercials (1996) – Red M&M
West took over the role of “Red,” the plain milk chocolate M&M, in 1996 after Jon Lovitz left the role. It’s a part he’s returned to countless times in dozens of commercials over the nearly 30 years since. This is an example of just how varied the career of a voiceover actor can be, and how a seemingly small commercial gig can launch you to immortality.
“Space Jam” (1996) – Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd
Few movies have been claimed by ’90s kids as much as Joe Pytka’s animation-NBA mashup “Space Jam,” and West was a huge part of that (sure, Michael Jordan helped). West took over the roles of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, immediately giving both characters a new energy that nevertheless fit with what came before. The one-two punch of adopting these parts and the red M&M led to Entertainment Weekly dubbing West “the new Mel Blanc,” referencing one of the most prolific voice actors of all time (and the original voice of many Looney Tunes characters).
West continued to play Elmer Fudd for nearly 20 years after “Space Jam” in movies, cartoons, and video games.
“Futurama” (1999) – Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Zapp Brannigan, and Dr. Zoidberg
Following up “The Simpsons” was no easy task, but creator Matt Groening pulled it off with sci-fi comedy “Futurama” with a massive assist from West. The actor took on the lead Philip J. Fry—a late ’90s pizza delivery guy who is cryogenically frozen until 2999—infusing the character with a lovable sense of innocence and wonder laced with a touch of jaded sarcasm. But he also filled out many of the supporting parts, too, including cantankerous scientist (and Fry’s distant nephew) Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth, squid-lobster alien physician Dr. Zoidberg, and blowhard military commander Zapp Brannigan. Watch any of the series’ 160 episodes and there’s a good chance you’ll see a scene that’s just West talking to himself, a tribute to how versatile he’s always been and continues to be.