Frank Welker

Born Franklin Wendell Welker on March 12, 1946, in Denver, Colorado, he later moved to California, where he attended Santa Monica College, majoring in theatrical arts. Early in his career, Welker performed as a stand-up comedian and impressionist starting in 1967. His transition to voice acting began with a commercial for Friskies cat food. A significant turning point occurred when he auditioned for Hanna-Barbera’s “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” in 1969, initially trying out for the titular character or Shaggy, but ultimately securing the role of Fred Jones. This role marked the beginning of a long association with the “Scooby-Doo” franchise, where he has voiced Fred in nearly every series and incarnation, and later took on the voice of Scooby-Doo himself starting in 2002. As of 2014, with the passing of Casey Kasem, Welker became the only original voice actor remaining in the Scooby-Doo franchise.

Throughout the 1970s and beyond, Welker continued to build an extensive portfolio. He voiced Wonder Dog and Marvin White in “Super Friends” (1973), and characters like Pudge and Gabby in “Bailey’s Comets” (1973). His work for Hanna-Barbera expanded to include “Jabberjaw,” “Dynomutt, Dog Wonder,” and the Shmoo in “The New Fred and Barney Show.” The 1980s and 1990s saw him become one of the busiest voice actors, with notable roles such as Brain, Doctor Claw, and M.A.D. Cat in “Inspector Gadget,” Baby Kermit and Baby Beaker in “Muppet Babies,” and various characters in “G.I. Joe.” He also contributed voices to “The Simpsons” as Santa’s Little Helper and Snowball II, and Nibbler in “Futurama.” His versatility extended to vocal effects for numerous animals and creatures in films like “Aladdin” (1992) as Abu and Rajah, “Mortal Kombat” (1995) as Shao Kahn and Reptile, and “Shrek 2” (2004) as Puss in Boots’ meows.

Welker’s career has been marked by both quantity and impact. He is recognized for handling complex vocal effects and animal sounds, a skill that earned him the nickname “Dr. Frankenwelker.” In 2006, he began voicing Curious George in the children’s series and film. Following Lorenzo Music’s passing, Welker became the voice of Garfield in 2007, voicing the character in several films and “The Garfield Show.” His extensive work in the “Transformers” franchise began in the 1980s, voicing Megatron and Soundwave, roles he reprised in later animated series and live-action films, including “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (2011) and “Transformers: The Last Knight” (2017). His contributions span over five decades and hundreds of credits, making him one of the most prolific voice actors in history, with his films generating billions worldwide. In recognition of his enduring career, Welker received a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award in 2016.