Frank Welker

Frank Welker has established a prominent career as a voice actor, lending his talents to numerous iconic characters across film, television, and video games. After securing an early honor for his performance as the Cowardly Lion in a 1966 production of The Wizard of Oz, Frank Welker embarked on a prolific voice acting career. Following initial forays into stand-up comedy and impressionism in 1967, Welker’s voice acting debut came with a commercial for Friskies cat food. His breakthrough arrived in 1969, cast as Fred Jones in Hanna-Barbera’s iconic Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

The 1980s and 1990s cemented his status as one of the busiest voice actors, with key roles including Brain, Doctor Claw, and M.A.D. Cat in Inspector Gadget, Baby Kermit and Baby Beaker in Muppet Babies, and Wild Bill and Dreadnok Torch in G.I. Joe. His versatility extended to recurring roles as Santa’s Little Helper and Snowball II in The Simpsons and Nibbler in Futurama.

He later took on Galvatron and reprised his iconic Megatron role across live-action films including Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), Age of Extinction (2014), and The Last Knight (2017), alongside Soundwave in Revenge of the Fallen (2009). Welker’s prodigious talent continued to define animated and family entertainment. In 2006, he began voicing Curious George in the popular children’s series and film. Following Lorenzo Music’s passing, Welker became the voice of Garfield in 2007, portraying the character in multiple films and The Garfield Show.

His contributions span over five decades and hundreds of credits, underscoring his position as one of the most prolific voice actors in history, with his associated films generating billions worldwide. In recognition of his enduring career and unparalleled impact on the industry, Frank Welker received a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award in 2016.