So, you want your voice immortalized in the annals of pop culture alongside names like the original Bugs Bunny, Mel Blanc, or Charles “It’s-a me” Martinet of “Super Mario” fame. Before you embark on your journey to animated stardom, you should study the trajectories of the best in the business for an idea of how to get started—someone like Jim Cummings, for example.
Cummings is one of the most beloved, prolific voice actors working today. With a résumé spanning 40 years, 400 roles, and a wide variety of genres and mediums, he is an inspiration for VO performers both veteran and in the making. Let’s take a look at some of the roles that made Cummings’ career.
“Dumbo’s Circus” (1985–1986) - Lionel the Lion
Cummings’ TV voice acting debut was back in 1985, taking on the role of Lionel the Lion on “Dumbo’s Circus.” This was a live-action spinoff series to “Dumbo” that used puppets to tell the story of the title character’s life in the circus. Although Lionel was a secondary role, it immediately established Cummings’ ability to create a fully fleshed character with a distinct personality—and those skills snowballed into more opportunities. “As time went on, I’d get two or three more in this show and two or three more in that show, so now, I’m doing three or four characters per show, and I thought wow, this is really working out,” he told WCYB in 2019.
Most importantly, his one supporting part on “Dumbo’s Circus” established a relationship with Disney. Cummings has been a fixture at the studio for decades, becoming the primary voice of staple characters like the Tasmanian Devil, Mickey Mouse’s nemesis Pete, and perhaps his signature role, Winnie the Pooh.
Burger King Needs Talent for a Case Film + More Voiceover Jobs “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” (1988–1991) - Winnie the Pooh and Tigger
Animation is full of iconic characters whose voices live on eternally, but the actors behind them eventually have to change. In one of his earliest roles, Cummings adopted the part of Winnie the Pooh (the third person to do so, after originator Sterling Holloway and his successor, Hal Smith). The opportunity came for “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh,” which lasted four seasons. From the start, Cummings was able to hew almost startlingly close to Holloway’s soft-voiced portrayal of Pooh, creating a sense that the character was eternal. Eventually, the actor also took over the part of Pooh’s high-energy pal Tigger. These are both roles that Cummings has reprised again and again for four decades, across TV and film. Talk about job security!
“Aladdin” (1992) - Razoul
Making the jump from TV to film isn’t exactly easy, but Cummings did it with ease. In 1992, he joined the cast of Ron Clements and John Musker’s “Aladdin” as Razoul, the captain of the Agrabah Guard who is constantly after the title thief. Once again, it’s a bit part that led to bigger things. Cummings was cast over and over during the Disney renaissance of the 1990s, appearing in “The Lion King” (in which he voiced Ed the Hyena but also sang part of “Be Prepared” when Jeremy Irons hurt his voice), “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Hercules,” and “Tarzan.” This working partnership extended into the new century, with Cummings also getting cast in “The Princess and the Frog” and “Wreck-It Ralph.” Perhaps even more so than live-action, animation is a medium where one great effort can turn into dozens more chances.
“Goof Troop” (1992) - Pete
Known for his constant attempts at kidnapping Minnie Mouse, the eternal antagonist Pete is Disney’s oldest recurring character, having debuted in the animated short “Alice Solves the Puzzle” in 1925. Cummings became a major part of that legacy when he took over the role in the 1992 series “Goof Troop.” Compared to Billy Bletcher’s original rendition of Pete as a mustache-twirling villain, Cummings added a twist of subtlety and charm. Rather than a straight-up evil character, this Pete became an everyday jerk that you still felt an affinity for. That’s part of the reason why Pete became yet another cornerstone of Cummings’ career—he has reprised the role for more than 30 years, first in “A Goofy Movie,” then in several shows and films including “House of Mouse” and even the “Kingdom Hearts” video games.
“Baldur’s Gate” (1998) - Minsc
It’s tough to choose just one of Cummings’ video game roles—he has more than 240 credits in the space, including playing the main villain of the original “Fallout” in 1997. But many fans were first introduced to the actor in the influential, “Dungeons & Dragons”–set role-playing game “Baldur’s Gate.” Cummings played Minsc, a wacky comic relief ranger who instantly became a fan favorite. “Few names bring a wistful smile to the faces of aging PC gamers like that of Minsc,” wrote Empire in their list of 50 greatest video game characters of all time.
After Minsc, Cummings has enjoyed a long, fruitful relationship with game studio BioWare, playing roles in several “Baldur’s Gate” sequels, as well as popular RPGs such as “Dragon Age: Origins,” “Mass Effect,” and “Star Wars: The Old Republic.”
“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (2009–2012) - Hondo Ohnaka
Cummings joined the galaxy far, far away in 2009 when he brought Hondo Ohnaka, the space pirate and outlaw, to life on the animated series “The Clone Wars.” Hondo is a recurring villain who stands toe-to-toe with the likes of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, despite not having powers. He quickly became one of the most popular characters on the show, appearing several times throughout the series, as well as in “Star Wars: Rebels.” To become Hondo, Cummings meshed together the voices of iconic actors Charles Bronson and Yul Brynner—a lesson in finding creative ways to produce something uniquely menacing and charming. And in yet another case of one opportunity leading to another, the actor even reprised the role for the “Smugglers Run” ride at Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland and Disney World.