Frank Welker (actor)

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This article is about the actor. For other uses, see Frank Welker.
Frank Welker
Frank Welker (actor).png
Years active at Hanna-Barbera 1969-2001
Years active at Warner Bros. 2002-present
Characters played Scooby-Doo
Fred Jones
Dynomutt
Jabberjaw
Tom Cat
Jerry Mouse
Barney Rubble
Bogg
Flooky
Top Troll
Tooter Shellby
Orbitty
Don Coyote
McWolf
Mr. Dinkley
Astro
Magilla Gorilla
Himself
Robopup
Higgins
Mr. Conroy
Chickenstein/Casmer Codwaller
Dinkley 2000
Bruce Wormsley
Frank Welker WNSD cameo.png
Welker lookalike on What's New, Scooby-Doo?
Frank Welker (character).png
Welker guesting on Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?

Franklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American voice actor and former stand-up comedian. His most prolific roles for Hanna-Barbera (H-B) are Fred Jones and Scooby-Doo since 1969 and 2002, respectively. He has also been Wonder Dog, Marvin White, Dynomutt, Jabberjaw, the Shmoo, Orbitty, Barney Rubble, Tom Cat, Jerry Mouse, and McWolf. He was also Fangface on Ruby-Spears' Fangface.

He was interviewed in 2021 for The CW's Scooby-Doo, Where Are You Now!

History with Hanna-Barbera

Welker was doing a Friskies dog food commercial when he was informed by the casting agent's fiancé that she was casting for Scooby-Doo, Where Are You![1] He initially went in to read for Scooby-Doo, but was told not to worry,[1] as that went to H-B veteran Don Messick. He also wanted to audition for Shaggy Rogers, who he found more appealing than the "guy in an ascot." Casey Kasem also came into an audition for Fred, but Hanna-Barbera preferred the actors in the opposite roles.[1]

He was also one of many to audition for Scrappy-Doo, and although he didn't get the part, his ad-lib of the catchphrase, "Puppy power," was approved by Joseph Barbera and added to the script.[2]

Roles

The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda

Buford and the Galloping Ghost

Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels

CB Bears

Main article: CB Bears (TV series)

The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley

Dink, the Little Dinosaur

Dynomutt

Fangface

The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang

Foofur

Jabberjaw

Jetsons

Main article: Jetsons (franchise)

Johnny Bravo

The Kwicky Koala Show

Main article: The Kwicky Koala Show

Laff-a-Lympics

Laverne & Shirley

Monster Tails

Mystery Island

Pink Panther and Sons

The Pirates of Dark Water

Popeye

Main article: Popeye (franchise)
  • Shelly's father in the Popeye and Son episode "The Girl from Down Under" (1987).
  • Walrus in the Popeye and Son episode "The Girl from Down Under" (1987).
  • Dolphin in the Popeye and Son episode "The Girl from Down Under" (1987).

Richie Rich

The Robonic Stooges

Scooby-Doo

Main article: Scooby-Doo (franchise)

Snorks

Star Fairies

Tom and Jerry

Main article: Tom and Jerry (franchise)

Super Friends

Main article: Super Friends (franchise)

Teen Wolf

Trollkins

Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch

Wildfire

Yogi Bear

Main article: Yogi Bear (franchise)

Other roles

Welker has done a multitude of voice roles for Saturday morning cartoons (or just any day of the week) of the '80s and '90s, which include Megatron/Galvatron and Soundwave on The Transformers, Doctor Claw on Inspector Gadget, Slimer on The Real Ghostbusters, Fall Apart Rabbit on Bonkers, and Abu on Aladdin, and Mr. Plotz, Runt, Ralph the Guard, Buttons on Animaniacs. Tom Ruegger, the creator of Animaniacs, influenced the casting of Welker for Ralph, in particular, because of Welker playing Dimwittie in The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries.[3] He also acted as Santa's Little Helper and Snowball II and Nibbler in prime-time animated sitcoms, The Simpsons and Futurama, respectively. He is also the voice of Garfield the Cat and Curious George in TV shows and movies since the 2000s.

He has also had on-camera roles largely from the '60s to the '80s, playing opposite Elvis Presley in The Trouble with Girls, and Don Knotts in How to Frame a Figg, and played Don Messick's rival in an episode of The Duck Factory.

For his role in the live-action Transformers films, he once again voiced Soundwave and Ravage in the second movie, Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen. He would reprise as Soundwave again in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as well taking on the roles of Shockwave and Barricade. He returned as Galvatron and Megatron, in Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight, respectively.

Tributes

References