Jeff "Swampy" Marsh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeff "Swampy" Marsh
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Marsh at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con
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| Born | Jeffrey Kent Dudman December 9, 1960 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1989–present |
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| Spouse |
Birgitte Bear Verburgt
(m. 2006) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Les Brown (grandfather) |
Jeffrey Kent "Swampy" Marsh (born December 9, 1960) is an American animator, writer, director, and voice actor. He is best known for creating the popular Disney Channel animated shows Phineas and Ferb and Milo Murphy's Law with his partner, Dan Povenmire.
Marsh was born in Santa Monica, California. He grew up in a big, blended family. He has worked on many famous animated TV shows. These include The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and Rocko's Modern Life. In 1996, he moved to England. After six years, Dan Povenmire asked him to help create Phineas and Ferb. Marsh moved back to the U.S. and the show became a huge hit! He has even been nominated for two Emmy Awards for songwriting. After Phineas and Ferb, Marsh and Povenmire created Milo Murphy's Law. They also made a second Phineas and Ferb movie in 2020.
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Early Life and Interests
Jeffrey Kent Dudman was born on December 9, 1960. He grew up in Santa Monica, California. His stepfather, Bill Marsh, later adopted him. This is how his last name became Marsh. He grew up in a large blended family. He felt that blended families were not shown as "normal" enough in media.
Marsh loved spending his summers outdoors. He would dig trenches, build tree houses, and make forts. His family was very musical. His grandfather, Les Brown, was a famous bandleader. Marsh learned to play many instruments. These included the banjo, trombone, trumpet, and guitar. He remembers singing into fake microphones with his friends and family.
In high school and college, Marsh studied architectural drawing. He also took part in theater productions. This helped him understand how to build sets.
Animation Career
Starting in Animation
As an adult, Marsh worked as a sales and marketing vice president for a computer company. One day, he decided to quit. A friend helped him create a portfolio. This led him into the animation business.
In 1990, he started working on The Simpsons. He was a background layout artist. Marsh worked on the show for over six seasons. Three episodes he helped with won Emmy Awards. He used many books about art and architecture to help his animation work. His desk was across from another layout artist, Dan Povenmire. They became good friends because they liked the same humor and music.
By 1993, Marsh was a writer and director for Rocko's Modern Life. This was Nickelodeon's first cartoon made in-house. He worked with Povenmire again as a writing partner. They developed a unique style. Their stories often had musical numbers and chase scenes. They even won an award for an episode of Rocko they wrote in 1996.
In 1996, Povenmire and Marsh came up with the idea for Phineas and Ferb. It was based on their own childhood summers spent playing outside. Povenmire tried many times to get the show made. In 1997, Marsh became one of the first artists for King of the Hill. He worked as a storyboard artist and designer.
Working in England
After Rocko's Modern Life, Marsh moved to London, England, in 1996. He loved living there. He spent six years working on animated TV shows. These included Legend of the Dragon, Postman Pat, and Bounty Hamster. He also worked on projects for major companies like BBC and ITV. He helped produce several British movies for BKN New Media Ltd.
Around 2005, Povenmire called Marsh. He told him that The Walt Disney Company was interested in Phineas and Ferb. Disney wanted to see an eleven-minute pilot episode. Marsh quickly agreed and started packing. He already had a trip planned to Los Angeles. Povenmire planned to travel to France. Povenmire changed his plans to visit England. Marsh flew to Los Angeles for two days. There, he created the story for the episode "Rollercoaster". Povenmire then drew the storyboards in France. After that, they met in England to finish the dialogue.
Creating Phineas and Ferb
Marsh moved back to the United States when Disney approved the pilot. They ordered a full 26-episode season. To convince Disney executives overseas, they recorded the storyboards for "Rollercoaster". Povenmire did all the character voices and added sound effects. When the recording was sent, the executives approved. The show, named Phineas and Ferb, officially began on Disney Channel on February 1, 2008.
Marsh and Povenmire wanted the show to have the same humor they used in Rocko's Modern Life. They added action scenes. With Disney's help, they included a musical song in almost every episode. Povenmire joked that the songs were their "jab at immortality." They have been nominated for two Emmy awards for Phineas and Ferb songs.
The show's art style was influenced by Tex Avery. It uses geometric shapes for characters and backgrounds. Povenmire created the main character, Phineas Flynn, by doodling him on a paper tablecloth. He liked the sketch so much that he kept it. It became the design for Phineas and the style for the whole show. Marsh is a co-executive producer and co-creator. He also voices the character of Major Francis Monogram. Marsh based the character's voice on the famous journalist Walter Cronkite.
New Shows and Revivals
The last episode of Phineas and Ferb's original run aired on June 12, 2015. Before the game Yo-kai Watch came out in North America, Marsh and Povenmire wrote and performed its opening song.
Marsh and Povenmire then created a new show for Disney XD. It was called Milo Murphy's Law. It started on October 3, 2016. Two seasons aired, with the last episode on May 18, 2019. Marsh also developed an animated TV series for Amazon Prime. It was based on the Pete the Cat children's books. The first season came out in September 2018.
His recent work includes Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe. This movie was released on Disney+ on August 28, 2020. In 2019, Marsh was announced as a producer and director for a web series called S.A.L.E.M.: The Secret Archive of Legends, Enchantments, and Monsters. Marsh is also an executive producer for the upcoming Disney Junior series Hey AJ. On March 16, 2023, it was announced that Marsh would return as an executive producer for a new Phineas and Ferb revival.
Personal Life
Marsh is married to Birgitte Bear Verburgt. He has two children and four grandchildren. While attending college in England, he was nicknamed "Swampy." This was because of his last name, "Marsh." He later added it to his credited name: Jeff "Swampy" Marsh. He likes having "Swampy" in his name because it makes it longer than most other people's names.
