John Ratzenberger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Ratzenberger
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Ratzenberger in 2016
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John Dezso Ratzenberger
April 6, 1947 Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Sacred Heart University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1973–present |
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| Political party | Republican |
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| Children | 2 |
| Honours | PhD, Humane Letters, Sacred Heart University |
John Dezso Ratzenberger (born April 6, 1947) is a famous American actor. He is best known for playing the funny mailman Cliff Clavin on the TV show Cheers. He was even nominated for two Emmy Awards for this role! You might also know his voice from many Pixar animated movies. He has voiced characters like Hamm the piggy bank in Toy Story, The Abominable Snowman in Monsters, Inc., and Mack the truck in Cars. John Ratzenberger has lent his voice to characters in many popular films, making him one of the highest-earning actors of all time.
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Early Life and Beginnings
John Ratzenberger was born on April 6, 1947, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. His father, Dezső Alexander Ratzenberger, was a veteran of World War II. John's family has roots from Austria, Hungary, and Poland. He went to St. Ann's School in Bridgeport and later to Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.
In 1969, John worked at the famous Woodstock Festival. He helped build the stage using heavy equipment. In 1971, he moved to London, England. There, he started his career in acting, writing, and directing.
His Acting Career
While living in London, John Ratzenberger started his performing career. For eight years in the 1970s, he toured Europe with Ray Hassett as a comedy duo called Sal's Meat Market.
He appeared in several movies during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some of these films include A Bridge Too Far, where he played Lieutenant James Megellas. He was also a missile controller in Superman and a control man in Superman II. In Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, he played Major Derlin. He also appeared in Outland and Gandhi.
Playing Cliff Clavin in Cheers
John Ratzenberger is most famous for his role as Cliff Clavin on the TV show Cheers. When he auditioned for the show, he noticed there wasn't a character who knew everything. He suggested the idea to the producers, and they loved it! That's how the character of Cliff Clavin, the bar's resident know-it-all mailman, was created.
John also came up with Cliff's special white socks. He wore them as a tribute to a French comedian named Jacques Tati. Cliff became known for telling wild stories and sharing "little known facts." He and his friend Norm were main characters at the Cheers bar. John was nominated for an Emmy Award twice for his role as Cliff. He also played Cliff in a spin-off show called The Tortellis and in an episode of Wings.
Voice Acting for Pixar and Beyond
After Cheers, John Ratzenberger became a very popular voice actor for Pixar movies. He has voiced characters in 23 Pixar films! This tradition started because he was good friends with former Pixar filmmaker John Lasseter.
Some of his most famous Pixar voice roles include:
- Hamm the piggy bank in the Toy Story series (1995, 1999, 2010, 2019). This was his first Pixar role.
- P.T. Flea the Circus Ring Leader in A Bug's Life (1998).
- Yeti the Abominable Snowman in the Monsters, Inc. series (2001, 2013).
- The school of Moonfish in Finding Nemo (2003).
- The Underminer in The Incredibles series (2004, 2018).
- Mack the truck in the Cars series (2006, 2011, 2017).
- Mustafa the waiter in Ratatouille (2007).
- John the Axiom passenger in WALL-E (2008).
- Tom the construction worker in Up (2009).
- Fritz the mind worker in the Inside Out series (2015, 2024).
John Ratzenberger has said that Hamm from Toy Story is his favorite Pixar role. He also really liked playing P.T. Flea from A Bug's Life.
He has also done voice work for other animated projects. He voiced Harland the jet tug in Disney's Planes (2013) and Brodi the plane in Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014). He was also the voice of Aniyaku in the English version of the Japanese animated film Spirited Away (2002). More recently, he reprised his role as Yeti (now called Adorable) in the TV series Monsters at Work.
Personal Life
John Ratzenberger lived in London for 10 years. Since 1994, he has lived in Vashon, Washington. He married Georgia Stiny in 1984, and they had two children before divorcing in 2004. He later married Julie Blichfeldt in November 2012.
John also helped create a product called SizzlePak. It's a type of packaging made from recycled paper that is safe for the environment. It's a good alternative to foam peanuts or plastic bubble wrap.
His Views on Politics
John Ratzenberger is a member of the Republican Party. He has supported Republican candidates in elections. For example, he campaigned for John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012. He also supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he showed his support for the United States Postal Service (USPS). He encouraged people to help them by donating and buying Christmas presents early.
Images for kids
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John Ratzenberger at a film festival in 2008
See also
In Spanish: John Ratzenberger para niños
