Difference between revisions of "Frank Welker (actor)"

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* ''[[Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (TV series)|Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!]]'' ([[1969]]-[[1970]])
* ''[[Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (TV series)|Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!]]'' ([[1969]]-[[1970]])
** [[Fred Jones]]
** [[Fred Jones]]
** Pink dog ("[[Decoy for a Dognapper]]", 1969)
** Pink dog ("[[Decoy for a Dognapper]]," 1969)
** [[Charlie (Decoy for a Dognapper)|Charlie]] ("Decoy for a Dognapper", 1969)
** [[Charlie (Decoy for a Dognapper)|Charlie]] ("Decoy for a Dognapper," 1969)
** [[Hermit of the Hills]] ("[[Jeepers, It's the Creeper]]", 1970)
** [[Hermit of the Hills]] ("[[Jeepers, It's the Creeper]]," 1970)
** Dolphin ("[[Scooby's Night with a Frozen Fright]]", 1970)
** Dolphin ("[[Scooby's Night with a Frozen Fright]]," 1970)
** Seals ("Scooby's Night with a Frozen Fright", 1970)
** Seals ("Scooby's Night with a Frozen Fright," 1970)
** Sheep rustler ("[[Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Werewolf]]", 1970)
** Sheep rustler ("[[Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Werewolf]]," 1970)
* ''[[The New Scooby-Doo Movies]]'' ([[1972]]-[[1973]])
* ''[[The New Scooby-Doo Movies]]'' ([[1972]]-[[1973]])
** Fred Jones
** Fred Jones
** [[Cleopatra (Scooby-Doo Meets the Addams Family)|Cleopatra the plant]] ("[[Scooby-Doo Meets the Addams Family]]", 1972)
** [[Cleopatra (Scooby-Doo Meets the Addams Family)|Cleopatra the plant]] ("[[Scooby-Doo Meets the Addams Family]]," 1972)
** Male housekeeper ("Scooby-Doo Meets the Addams Family", 1972)
** Male housekeeper ("Scooby-Doo Meets the Addams Family," 1972)
* ''[[Super Friends (1973 TV series)|Super Friends]]'' (1973, credited as Franklin Welker)
* ''[[Super Friends (1973 TV series)|Super Friends]]'' (1973, credited as Franklin Welker)
** [[Wonder Dog]]
** [[Wonder Dog]]
** [[Marvin White]]
** [[Marvin White]]
** [[Bill (The Power Pirate)|Bill]] ("[[The Power Pirate]]", 1973)
** [[Bill (The Power Pirate)|Bill]] ("[[The Power Pirate]]," 1973)
* ''[[Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch]]'' ([[1974]])
* ''[[Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch]]'' ([[1974]])
** [[Wheelie]]
** [[Wheelie]]
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** [[Tinker]]
** [[Tinker]]
** [[Yakky Doodle]]
** [[Yakky Doodle]]
* ''[[CB Bears (TV series)|CB Bears]]'' (1977)
* ''[[CB Bears (TV series)|CB Bears]]''
** [[Cool Cat]] ("[[The King and His Jokers]]")
** [[Cool Cat]] ("[[The King and His Jokers]]," 1977)
** [[Wiley Fox]] ("The King and His Jokers")
** [[Wiley Fox]] ("The King and His Jokers," 1977)
** Carnival Worker ("[[The Carnival Caper]]")
** Carnival Worker ("[[The Carnival Caper]]," 1977)
** Ringmaster ("The Carnival Caper")
** Ringmaster ("The Carnival Caper," 1977)
* ''[[Skatebirds (TV series)|Skatebirds]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Skatebirds (TV series)|Skatebirds]]'' (1977)
** [[Curly Howard]]
** [[Curly Howard]]
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* ''[[The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang]]'' (1980-[[1981]])
* ''[[The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang]]'' (1980-[[1981]])
** [[Mr. Cool]]
** [[Mr. Cool]]
** Brontosaurus ("[[King for a Day]]", 1980)
** Brontosaurus ("[[King for a Day]]," 1980)
** [[Rock]] ("King for a Day", 1980)
** [[Rock]] ("King for a Day," 1980)
** [[Uncle Horatio]] ("[[Bye Bye, Blackbeard]]", 1980)
** [[Uncle Horatio]] ("[[Bye Bye, Blackbeard]]," 1980)
** News editor ("[[Westward Whoa!]]", 1980)
** News editor ("[[Westward Whoa!]]," 1980)
** Judge Morris's henchman ("[[You'll Never Get Witch]]", 1980)
** Judge Morris's henchman ("[[You'll Never Get Witch]]," 1980)
** Guards ("[[The 20,000 Drachma Pyramid]]", 1980)
** Guards ("[[The 20,000 Drachma Pyramid]]," 1980)
** Dragon ("[[Gone with the Wand]]", 1980)
** Dragon ("[[Gone with the Wand]]," 1980)
* ''[[Trollkins]]'' (1981)
* ''[[Trollkins]]'' (1981)
** [[Bogg]]
** [[Bogg]]
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* ''[[The Kwicky Koala Show]]'' (1981)
* ''[[The Kwicky Koala Show]]'' (1981)
** [[Dirty Dawg]]
** [[Dirty Dawg]]
* ''[[Laverne & Shirley (TV series)|Laverne & Shirley]]'' (1981)
* ''[[Laverne & Shirley (TV series)|Laverne & Shirley]]'' (1981-1982)
** Zarkon's superior ("[[Invasion of the Booby Hatchers]]", 1981)
* Mr. Cool
** [[Chungo]] ("[[Jungle Jumpers]]" (1981)
** Zarkon's superior ("[[Invasion of the Booby Hatchers]]," 1981)
** [[Chungo]] ("[[Jungle Jumpers]]," (1981)
* ''[[The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries]]'' ([[1984]])
* ''[[The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries]]'' ([[1984]])
** Fred Jones
** Fred Jones
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** [[Tooter Shelby]]
** [[Tooter Shelby]]
** [[Occy]]
** [[Occy]]
* ''[[Star Fairies]]'' ([[1985]])
** [[Lavender]]
* ''[[Foofur (TV series)|Foofur]]'' ([[1986]]-[[1988]])
* ''[[Foofur (TV series)|Foofur]]'' ([[1986]]-[[1988]])
** [[Foofur]]
** [[Foofur]]
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** [[Daisy]]
** [[Daisy]]
** [[Mr. Maconi]] (replacing [[Kenneth Mars]])
** [[Mr. Maconi]] (replacing [[Kenneth Mars]])
** [[Mr. Conroy (Grampa's in the Doghouse)|Mr. Conroy]] ("[[Grampa's in the Doghouse]]", 1986)
** [[Mr. Conroy (Grampa's in the Doghouse)|Mr. Conroy]] ("[[Grampa's in the Doghouse]]," 1986)
** [[Tiny]] ("Grampa's in the Doghouse", 1986)
** [[Tiny]] ("Grampa's in the Doghouse," 1986)
** Kittens ("Grampa's in the Doghouse", 1986)
** Kittens ("Grampa's in the Doghouse," 1986)
** Newscaster ("[[The Beast Within]]", 1986)
** Newscaster ("[[The Beast Within]]," 1986)
** Baby ("[[Up a Family Tree]]", 1986)
** Baby ("[[Up a Family Tree]]," 1986)
** Brush salesman ("Up a Family Tree", 1986)
** Brush salesman ("Up a Family Tree," 1986)
** [[Dell Davies]] ("[[Wolf Pride]]", 1986)
** [[Dell Davies]] ("[[Wolf Pride]]," 1986)
** Teacher ("Wolf of My Dreams", 1986)
** Teacher ("Wolf of My Dreams," 1986)
** [[Fangs]] ("[[Leader of the Pack]]", 1986)
** [[Fangs]] ("[[Leader of the Pack]]," 1986)
** [[Edmund Preston]] ("[[The All-American Wolf]]", 1986)
** [[Edmund Preston]] ("[[The All-American Wolf]]," 1986)
** [[Frank Johnson]] ("[[Under My Spell]]", 1986)
** [[Frank Johnson]] ("[[Under My Spell]]," 1986)
** [[Herman Mitchell]] ("Under My Spell", 1986)
** [[Herman Mitchell]] ("Under My Spell," 1986)
** [[Rubbish]] ("[[Teen Wolf Punks Out]]", 1986)
** [[Rubbish]] ("[[Teen Wolf Punks Out]]," 1986)
** Toy dog ("Teen Wolf Punks Out", 1986)
** Toy dog ("Teen Wolf Punks Out," 1986)
** Toy store owner ("Teen Wolf Punks Out", 1986)
** Toy store owner ("Teen Wolf Punks Out," 1986)
** [[Mr. Dimwitty]] ("[[Teen Wolf's Curse]]", 1987)
** [[Mr. Dimwitty]] ("[[Teen Wolf's Curse]]," 1987)
** [[Bink]] ("[[Toot Toot, Tut Tut and All That Rot]]", 1987)
** [[Bink]] ("[[Toot Toot, Tut Tut and All That Rot]]," 1987)
** [[Billy Bob]] ("[[Down on the Farm]]", 1987)
** [[Billy Bob]] ("[[Down on the Farm]]," 1987)
** [[Mr. Brody]] ("Down on the Farm", 1987)
** [[Mr. Brody]] ("Down on the Farm," 1987)
* ''[[Popeye and Son]]''
* ''[[Popeye and Son]]''
** Shelly's father ("[[The Girl from Down Under]]", 1987)
** Shelly's father ("[[The Girl from Down Under]]," 1987)
** Walrus ("The Girl from Down Under", 1987)
** Walrus ("The Girl from Down Under," 1987)
** Dolphin ("The Girl from Down Under", 1987)
** Dolphin ("The Girl from Down Under," 1987)
* ''[[The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley]]'' (1988)
* ''[[The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley]]'' (1988)
** [[Sheldon]]
** [[Sheldon]]
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** [[Niddler]] (replacing [[Roddy McDowell]])
** [[Niddler]] (replacing [[Roddy McDowell]])
* ''[[Johnny Bravo (TV series)|Johnny Bravo]]'' ([[1997]])
* ''[[Johnny Bravo (TV series)|Johnny Bravo]]'' ([[1997]])
** Fred Jones ("[[Bravo Dooby-Doo]]", 1997)
** Fred Jones ("[[Bravo Dooby-Doo]]," 1997)
** [[Speed Buggy]] ("Bravo Dooby-Doo", 1997)
** [[Speed Buggy]] ("Bravo Dooby-Doo," 1997)
* ''[[Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (film)|Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island]]'' ([[1998]])
* ''[[Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (film)|Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island]]'' ([[1998]])
** Fred Jones
** Fred Jones

Revision as of 22:48, 10 February 2024

For the actor's animated namesake, see Frank Welker (character).
Frank Welker (actor)
File:Frank Welker.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
Orbitty
Don Coyote
McWolf
Astro
Magilla Gorilla
Frank Welker
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

20th century

21st century

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