Bill Farmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Farmer
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Farmer at GalaxyCon Columbus in 2023
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| Born | November 14, 1952 Pratt, Kansas, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Kansas |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1975–present |
| Agent | AVO Talent |
| Spouse(s) |
Jennifer Wynne
(m. 1984) |
| Children | 1 |
Bill Farmer (born November 14, 1952) is an American voice actor and comedian. He is most famous for being the voice of the beloved Disney character Goofy since 1987. He also voices Pluto and Horace Horsecollar for Disney.
Contents
Early Life and Voice Journey
Bill Farmer was born on November 14, 1952, in Pratt, Kansas. He was the second child in his family. His parents had roots in England and Wales.
Bill started doing different voices when he was just 10 years old. He loved doing impressions, especially of famous Western movie stars like John Wayne. He and his friends would even order food at drive-thrus using his character voices!
In 1975, Bill graduated from the University of Kansas. While at university, he worked in radio and TV. Later, he became a stand-up comedian, known for his impressions. In 1982, he worked at a comedy club in Dallas, Texas, until he moved to Hollywood in 1986.
His decision to move to California came from a commercial agent in Dallas. The agent thought Bill's talent for voices meant he should try his luck in California. Bill and his wife, Jennifer, decided he would move first. She stayed in Dallas for a year while he got settled in Hollywood.
Bill believes that voice acting is not just about making funny sounds. It's about truly acting. His teacher was a famous voice actor named Daws Butler. Daws taught Bill that when you do cartoon voices, you are an actor. You need to think like the character you are playing.
A Career in Voices
After moving to Hollywood, Bill got a chance to audition for the Disney character Goofy. To prepare, he carefully studied how the first Goofy actor, Pinto Colvig, spoke. He learned Goofy's funny laugh and his special "gawrsh" sound. In January 1987, Bill became the new voice of Goofy. He also started voicing Pluto in 1990.
Bill was also the first person to voice Horace Horsecollar in Disney's movie The Prince and the Pauper (1990). He has continued to voice Horace ever since. Besides Disney characters, Bill has lent his voice to many other projects. He did extra voices for The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse (1987) and Astro Boy (2004).
In 1996, Bill voiced several well-known characters in the movie Space Jam. These included Yosemite Sam, Sylvester, and Foghorn Leghorn. He has also voiced characters in popular video games. These include the Destroy All Humans! series and the Kingdom Hearts series, where he plays Goofy. He was also Detective Date in the SEGA game Yakuza.
From 2014 to 2016, Bill played Doc, the leader of the main characters in Disney's TV show The 7D. He also voiced Hopediah "Hop Pop" Plantar on Disney's Amphibia from 2019 to 2022. In 2020, Bill started hosting his own live-action TV show called It's a Dog's Life with Bill Farmer on Disney+.
Awards and Honors
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Bill Farmer has received special honors for his amazing voice work. In September 2009, he was named a Disney Legend. This is a very special award given to people who have made a big impact on the Disney company.
In 2011, he won the 'Friz Award' for Animation from the International Family Film Festival. He also won an Annie Award for Voice Acting in an Animated TV show. This award was for his work as Goofy and Grandma Goofy in the Mickey Mouse TV series.
Personal Life
Bill Farmer married his wife, Jennifer Wynne, on June 2, 1984. They have one son named Austin, who was born in 1989. Austin works as a sound engineer and is also a freelance drummer.
Images for kids
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Farmer at GalaxyCon Columbus in 2023
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Bill Farmer Disney Legends plaque at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California
See also
In Spanish: Bill Farmer para niños
