Muppet Babies voice artists

Xerus

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XERUS'S VOICE ARTIST FOCUS:

Since this is the Muppet Central Forum, I've finally decided to focus on the Muppet Babies voice artists. This was a great cartoon series with funny writing, great original songs, and seeing the Muppets in animation was great too. However, Jim Henson and his crew of Muppeteers didn't voice their cartoon versions. They were voiced by these talented voice artists and actors including comedians Howie Mandel and Dave Coulier as well as Barbara Billingsley who played June Cleaver on Leave it to Beaver.

BARBARA BILLINGSLEY: Nanny
FRANK WELKER: Kermit, Beaker, Skeeter(second voice)
LAURIE O'BRIEN: Piggy
RUSSI TAYLOR: Gonzo, Robin
GREG BERG: Fozzie, Scooter
KATIE LEIGH: Rowlf
HOWIE MANDEL: Skeeter(first voice), Bunsen(first voice), Animal(first voice)
DAVE COULIER: Bunsen(second voice), Animal(second voice), Bean Bunny, Waldorf, Statler, Janice
 

Drtooth

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Peter Cullen was listed as "Additional voices" in a few episodes. I only really noticed him in "Fozzie's Family tree" as various relatives of Fozzie (Some of the Football playes and Smoggy the Bear specifically).
 

Xerus

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Peter Cullen was listed as "Additional voices" in a few episodes. I only really noticed him in "Fozzie's Family tree" as various relatives of Fozzie (Some of the Football playes and Smoggy the Bear specifically).

Yes, I remember that episode and remember seeing the credits for Peter Cullen. And I think I saw Pat Fraley's name in the additional voices in a couple of episodes. But I don't which characters he did though.
 

Drtooth

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Yes, I remember that episode and remember seeing the credits for Peter Cullen. And I think I saw Pat Fraley's name in the additional voices in a couple of episodes. But I don't which characters he did though.

I had an inkling that he was the voice of one of the moles (in journey to the Center of the Nursery)., but I can't be sure
 

dwmckim

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I'll admit that when it was originally aired, i didn't pay close attention to Muppet Babies...i'd watch it when i could (or felt like it) but didn't fanatically follow it like i would other Henson productions, so if i missed an episode here or there, or went weeks or months at a time, no big deal!

So i was absolutely amazed when i learned later on that Howie Mandell eventually left and then his characters were taken over by Frank Welker and Dave Coulier...you really have to give those two their props for matching the voices so closely! (I won't make a snotty remark here about "now if they could only be half as good as matching the voices of the original characters..." since they WERE voicing the baby versions so i can give them some leeway/artistic liscense, but i guess you can still apply a similar snotty remark to most of the Fraggle Rock animated voice actors!) And given that Baby Animal was my absolute favorite, that's especially impressive that i didn't immediately notice until i finally put 2 + 2 together upon seeing the credits. ("hey, waidaminnit...")
 

Drtooth

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Actually, with Baby Animal, while close, there were subtle differences. Basically just in the way the two actors did the laugh. Howie did a very cute Baby sounding voice that was higher pitch on occassions, while Dave gave some real depth to the timber of his voice. Frank's Skeeter was very close to Howie's. A voice he would later use for Bobby's World. What is pretty interresting is that sometimes Frank would sub for Howie as Bobby's voice (as evident in the opening to The Underwater the Fish don't Stink number).

As for the Fraggle voices, I think most of them did a good job. The Red that had was awfully close, and I just love Rob Paulsen's Boober and Trashheap. All I can say is... well, good luck finding someone who can sound like Jerry Nelson. I give Townsend Coleman credit for trying. Plus, Boober and Gobo must have good chemestry in the show, since Rob and Townsend both were Ninja Turtles (Raph and Mike respectively), as well as Arthur (second Season onward) and the Tick later on down the line.
 

Xerus

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Actually, with Baby Animal, while close, there were subtle differences. Basically just in the way the two actors did the laugh. Howie did a very cute Baby sounding voice that was higher pitch on occassions, while Dave gave some real depth to the timber of his voice. Frank's Skeeter was very close to Howie's. A voice he would later use for Bobby's World. What is pretty interresting is that sometimes Frank would sub for Howie as Bobby's voice (as evident in the opening to The Underwater the Fish don't Stink number).

As for the Fraggle voices, I think most of them did a good job. The Red that had was awfully close, and I just love Rob Paulsen's Boober and Trashheap. All I can say is... well, good luck finding someone who can sound like Jerry Nelson. I give Townsend Coleman credit for trying. Plus, Boober and Gobo must have good chemestry in the show, since Rob and Townsend both were Ninja Turtles (Raph and Mike respectively), as well as Arthur (second Season onward) and the Tick later on down the line.
Maybe I'll make the animated Fraggle Rock series my next V/A focus. And Townsend Coleman also does the voice of Jerry Nelson's Architect Doozer character in the animated version.
 

GSmiley2007

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You know, there's another voice actor I thought of who could easily imitate Jerry Nelson for his cartoon Muppets-- Tom Kenny. I could easily hear him doing baby versions of Gobo Fraggle, Crazy Harry, Snuffy [he was performed by Jerry Nelson in the '70s, before Marty Robinson came along], The Amazing Mumford, and, should Russi Taylor not do a baby Robin again, well, Tom could always do him.

:sing: :crazy: :smirk:
 

Xerus

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You know, there's another voice actor I thought of who could easily imitate Jerry Nelson for his cartoon Muppets-- Tom Kenny. I could easily hear him doing baby versions of Gobo Fraggle, Crazy Harry, Snuffy [he was performed by Jerry Nelson in the '70s, before Marty Robinson came along], The Amazing Mumford, and, should Russi Taylor not do a baby Robin again, well, Tom could always do him.

:sing: :crazy: :smirk:
Yeah, I can picture Tom doing Jerry's characters if they were animated.

I kind of always imagined a young Sam Eagle joining the Muppets in the later episodes. And maybe Peter Cullen could voice him since he once did a guest voice on Muppet Babies.
 

GSmiley2007

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Speaking of Rob as Boober...

You know I did mention that I would like to hear Rob as a baby version of the Fraggle, too. (I could even hear Rob using his Pinky voice for a baby Mopatop, too.)
 
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