2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25
William Richard Verstin is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician, songwriter, and radio host. Worked under the pseudonym Billy West. His voice-over has appeared in a number of television series, films, video games and commercials.
Born April 16, 1952 in Michigan. His family is of Irish descent. Married to Violetta West.
This is what Billy West looks like in a photo with his working characters.
He has voiced over a hundred characters during his career, including Ren and Stimpy from the show of the same name, Doug Funnie and Roger Klotz from the animated series Doug, Fry, Dr. Zoidberg, Professor Farnsworth, Zapp Brannigan and many others from Futurama. He records his voice for commercials. Currently is the voice of red M&M. In addition to his original work, he has worked on Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Shaggy Rogers, Popeye the Sailor and Woody Woodpecker. He was a contestant on The Howard Stern Show, noted for parodying Larry Fine of The Three Stooges, George Takei better known as Lt. Sulu from Star Trek, Marge Schott, President andCEO of the Cincinnati Reds baseball franchise.
Television
Billy West got his start in the 80s, playing daily comedy roles on a Boston radio station. Left her in 1988 to work on Bunny the Rabbit and Cecil the Turtle. These were his first television roles. The most notable work of the actor at that time was the voice of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in the film Space Jam (1996). After the success of the picture, he was hired to work on the same characters, but for other films and video games in the Merry Melodies series.
During his career, Billy West has provided the voice for nearly 120 different characters, including some of the most iconic animated figures in television history. In 1998, Entertainment Weekly called Bill West "the new Mel Blanc" and noted his ability to imitate famous voices, although he preferred to use his own unique style. The actor's favorite characters are Philip J. Fry and Stimpy.
Cinema
One of the successful films with Billy West can definitely be called "Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island" (1998). He became the second person after Casey Kasem to voice Shaggy Rogers. Billy was one of the top contenders to replace Kasem on Scooby-Doo after Casey retired in 2009, but lost the role to Matthew Lillard.
In 2000 he took part in dubbing Dinosaur ("Disney"). In 2004, West voiced Popeye the Sailor in a film for the character's 75th birthday. In the same year, he made his debut in Mark Hamill's comic book film The Comic Book: The Movie. He also had a cameo in Garfield. Other films where West's vocal talents were realized are "Joe", "Cats and Dogs", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and three Tom and Jerry films.
Music
West is the guitarist and lead singer of Billy West and The Grief Counselors. They have already released their first album Me-Pod. Billy also toured as a guitarist with Roy Orbison and Brian Wilson.
In 1982, parodying Mike Love, he performed the song Another Summer Cod Summer This Year, written by Eric Lindgren. As a result, I received a label.
Cooperated with Deborah Harry, Lou Reed and Los Lobos. Played live with Brian Wilson several times, including the guitar solo on Do it again! in the mid-90s.
Futurama Proposition Infinity features Shut up and Love Me, written and played by Billy West and Greg Leonon.
Video games
As mentioned, Billy West voiced Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in games in the Merry Melodies franchise. However, this is not all the work of the actor in this niche.
Other video game characters voiced by Billy West include:
- Stimpy in the Nicktoons game series.
- Dr. Zoidberg in The Simpsons Game (2007).
- Additional voices in Spyro: Dragonfly (2002).
- Sparx in The Legend of Spyro: Eternal Night (2007).
- Fry, Dr. Zoidberg, Professor Farnsworth and Zapp Brannigan in Futurama (2003).
- Nash and Zam in CrashNitro Kart (2003).
- Additional voices in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000).
- Murphy in the Rayman series.
- Some voices in Mad Dash Racing.
- Hamton J. Pig in Tiny Toon Adventures: Toonenstein.
- Atomic bomber in the game of the same name.
- Emilio Base in Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned.
- Yak in Nicktoons MLB (2011).
- Minecraft Story Mode Story Mode (2015).
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