Rob Paulsen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rob Paulsen
Paulsen in 2024
Born	Robert Frederick Paulsen III (1956-03-11) March 11, 1956 (age 69) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Michigan-Flint
Occupation	Voice actor voice director
Years active	1978–present
Spouse(s)	Carol Anne Schnarr ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1982)​ Parrish Todd ​ (m. 1983)​
Children	1

Robert Frederick Paulsen III (born March 11, 1956) is an American voice actor. He is also a voice director. He is famous for his many roles in animated TV shows and movies. Rob Paulsen won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program and three Annie Awards. These awards were for his work as Yakko and Pinky in Animaniacs.

Some of his other well-known voice roles include Hadji in The New Adventures of Jonny Quest. He was also Raphael in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show. He voiced P.J. Pete in Goof Troop and the Goofy Movie films. Rob Paulsen also played Jaq in the Cinderella sequels. He was Mac in The Looney Tunes Show.

Early Life and Dreams

Robert Frederick Paulsen III was born in Detroit, Michigan, on March 11, 1956. His parents were Bob and Lee Paulsen. He grew up in Grand Blanc, Michigan. He finished Grand Blanc High School in 1974.

As a child, he loved singing in choirs. He also acted in school plays. But his biggest hero was ice hockey player Gordie Howe. Rob Paulsen first wanted to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). He thought acting was a second choice. He went to the University of Michigan-Flint for a short time. Then, in 1978, he moved to Los Angeles. He wanted to become an actor. His father, a doctor, was not happy about this. He wanted Rob to choose a more traditional job. Rob Paulsen first worked as a musician. Later, he became a full-time voice actor.

Rob Paulsen's Amazing Career

Rob Paulsen's first voice acting job was in 1983. It was for the mini-series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. He played characters like Snow Job and Tripwire. His career quickly grew from there.

Becoming a Voice Acting Star

In the 1980s, Rob Paulsen got many more voice roles. He was Corky on The Snorks. He also voiced Marco Smurf on The Smurfs. He played Boober in Fraggle Rock. He was Hadji in The New Adventures of Jonny Quest. He also voiced Saber Rider and Jesse Blue on Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs.

Rob Paulsen also tried acting in live-action movies. His first film was Eyes of Fire in 1983. He had small roles in movies like Body Double and Warlock. He also appeared in TV shows like MacGyver.

Voices in Commercials

Rob Paulsen became very popular in advertising. In the 1980s, he was the announcer for the TV show Cheers. He continued to get many announcer jobs. He was the voice of Mr. Opportunity for Honda commercials. He also voiced the dog in Taco Bell kids meal commercials.

His most famous commercial role was for the Got Milk? campaign. The famous commercial, "Who shot Alexander Hamilton in that famous duel?", aired in 1993. This commercial made the Got Milk? campaign a huge success. Rob Paulsen is still a very popular voice actor for commercials. You can hear him as Mr. Mini-Wheat in Mini-Wheats commercials in Canada.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

From 1987 to 1995, Rob Paulsen voiced Raphael. He also voiced other characters in the original 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. This show started as a short series. But it became very popular. It ran for ten seasons and 193 episodes. It was a huge success and a pop culture icon. Rob Paulsen has said that Raphael's voice is very close to his own natural voice.

He returned to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles world in 2012. He voiced Donatello for the 2012 series on Nickelodeon. This show ran for five seasons. He also voiced the 1987 Raphael in special crossover episodes.

Rob Paulsen is also the voice director for the show Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This show started in July 2018.

Rob Paulsen with Pinky at Anthrocon in 2007.

Animaniacs and Other Cartoons

In the early 1990s, Rob Paulsen continued to star in animated shows. This led him to focus more on voice acting. In 1993, he voiced Antoine Depardieu in Sonic the Hedgehog. He also played Arthur in The Tick in 1995.

In 1993, he voiced the main characters in Mighty Max and The Mask. Around this time, he also got one of his most famous roles. He became the voice of Yakko Warner in Animaniacs. Rob Paulsen also voiced Pinky from Animaniacs and its spin-off Pinky and the Brain. This show won him several Annie Awards and a Daytime Emmy in 1999. He also voiced many characters in Tiny Toon Adventures. These included Fowlmouth and Arnold the Pit Bull.

Rob Paulsen returned to voice Yakko and Pinky for the Animaniacs revival. This new series ran on Hulu from 2020 to 2023.

More Popular Characters

Rob Paulsen has voiced many other characters. He was Steelbeak in Darkwing Duck. He voiced Brick and Boomer in The Powerpuff Girls. He played Experiment 625 / Reuben in Lilo & Stitch: The Series. He was Atchan in Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi.

He also voiced Jack Fenton and The Box Ghost in Danny Phantom. He played Carl Wheezer in The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius. He was Mark Chang in The Fairly OddParents. He voiced Peck the Rooster in Barnyard. He was Gordon in Catscratch.

Rob Paulsen also voiced P.J. Pete in Goof Troop and the Goofy Movie films. He was Ratchet in the TaleSpin pilot movie. He voiced Boober Fraggle in the animated Fraggle Rock. He also voiced Gwizdo in the Dragon Hunters film.

He voiced Chomper and Strut in The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure. He also played Spike in many Land Before Time sequels and the TV series. He was Mo in The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water.

Rob Paulsen voiced characters in video games too. He played Fluffy the dog in 102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue. He was Morte in Planescape: Torment. He also voiced Gray Fox in Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. He played Erik the Swift in The Lost Vikings. He was Tobli and Lian Ronso in Final Fantasy X-2. He voiced the Riddler in Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes.

Rob Paulsen is also the off-camera voice for the TV show Funniest Pets & People.

Later Roles and Disney Work

Rob Paulsen returned to Warner Bros. Animation. He voiced Rev Runner in Loonatics Unleashed. He also starred in Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island. He was Squeeky on Danger Rangers. He voiced Ichabeezer and Bacon Bill in VeggieTales in the House for Netflix.

Starting in 2001, Rob Paulsen was the voice of Disney character José Carioca. He stopped playing characters of color in June 2020. He became the new voice of Prince Eric in Disney's The Little Mermaid movies. He voiced Toodles in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He also played Bobble in the Tinker Bell films.

Awards and Recognition

Rob Paulsen was nominated for an Annie Award for his role as Pinky for four years in a row. He won in 1996, 1997, and 1999. In 1999, he also won a Daytime Emmy Award for voicing Pinky.

In 2004, he was nominated for his role as the Troubadour in Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers. In 2005, he was nominated for his role in The Happy Elf. In 2023, he was nominated for an Emmy for his work in the Animaniacs revival.

Meeting Fans and Sharing Stories

Rob Paulsen at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con.

Rob Paulsen often attends events like San Diego Comic-Con. He is a regular guest and panelist. He also appears at animation events. He has been a guest at anime conventions like JACON and Anthrocon.

He started doing "Rob Paulsen Live" seminars across the U.S. He talks about his career and signs autographs. He also chats with fans. Sometimes, fans ask him to sing the famous Yakko's World song. He sings all the nations of the world in his Yakko voice. He does it very fast without practicing!

In May 2011, Rob Paulsen launched a new website, RobPaulsenLive.com. He also started a weekly podcast called Talkin' Toons with Rob Paulsen. Some episodes were recorded live in Hollywood.

Personal Life and Charity Work

Rob Paulsen married his first wife, Carol Anne Schnarr, in 1979. They divorced in 1982. He married his second wife, photographer Parrish Todd, in 1983. They have one son together. He lives in Agoura Hills, California with his family.

Rob Paulsen supports many charities. He raises money for cancer research. He has worked with GOALmodels, a program for teenagers. He also supports Camp Will-A-Way, a camp for children with special needs. He donates money from his autographs to the Wounded Warrior Project and Operation Smile.

In February 2016, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. He received treatment, and his cancer went into remission. After his fight with cancer, he wrote a book. It is called Voice Lessons: How a Couple of Ninja Turtles, Pinky, and an Animaniac Saved My Life.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Video Game Roles

Live-action Roles

Internet Roles

Theme Park Roles

Commercials

See also

In Spanish: Rob Paulsen para niños