Rodney Saulsberry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rodney Saulsberry
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Saulsberry in Glendale, California
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| Occupation | Voice-over artist, actor, vocalist, announcer, author |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Spouse(s) | Helen Montgomery (m. 1980) |
| Children | 1 |
Rodney Saulsberry is an American voice-over artist, actor, singer, and author. He is famous for using his voice in many ways, like in commercials for brands such as Twix and Zatarain's. He has also written three books about voice work: You Can Bank on Your Voice, Step Up to the Mic, and Rodney Saulsberry's Tongue Twisters and Vocal Warm-Ups. Rodney also hosts a popular podcast called Success Talks With Rodney Saulsberry. Many people know his voice as Robbie Robertson from the 1994 animated TV series Spider-Man: The Animated Series.
Rodney Saulsberry also released an R&B music album called Rodney Saulsberry. This album featured two songs that became popular on the Billboard music charts: "I Wonder" and "Look Whatcha Done Now".
Contents
Rodney Saulsberry's Career Highlights
Rodney Saulsberry has had a long and exciting career in entertainment. He has worked as an actor, a voice artist, and even a musician.
Acting in Movies and TV Shows
As an actor, Rodney has appeared in several movies. These include The Philadelphia Experiment (1984) and Tango & Cash (1989). He also lent his voice to the animated movie The Invincible Iron Man (2007).
On television, Rodney has played guest roles in many popular shows. You might have seen him in M*A*S*H, Taxi, The A-Team, and Monk. He also had a regular role as Jeff Johnson on the TV series Capitol.
Voice Work and Narration
Rodney Saulsberry is well-known for his voice-over work. He has narrated many audiobooks and film trailers, including those for movies like How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Finding Forrester.
He has also narrated documentaries, such as Ax Handle Saturday: 50 Years Later (2010) and Michael Jackson: Life of a Superstar (2009). Rodney was also the radio announcer for the New Orleans Pelicans Basketball Team during their 2012 season.
Upscale Magazine once called Rodney Saulsberry "a voice to be reckoned with." Black Enterprise magazine described him as "the voice of choice for behind-the-scenes-narration." This shows how respected his voice work is in the industry.
Music and Other Projects
Besides acting and voice-overs, Rodney Saulsberry also composes music. He has created original music for various productions. In 2011, he launched Tomdor Music, a website that helps place film, television, and commercial music.
Filmography: Movies, TV, and Games
Rodney Saulsberry has lent his voice and acting talents to many different projects.
Film Roles
Here are some of the films Rodney Saulsberry has been a part of:
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Look Who's Talking Now! | Dogs (voice) | |
| 2003 | The Animatrix | Chyron (voice) | Segment: "Matriculated" |
| 2006 | The Invincible Iron Man | Jim Rhodes (voice) | Direct-to-video |
| 2011 | The Little Engine That Could | Freight Train, Bud (voice) | Direct-to-video |
Television Appearances
Rodney has voiced characters and appeared in many TV shows:
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Skeleton Warriors | Additional voices | 11 episodes |
| 1994–1997 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Ufwapo, Galoth, Hal, Stagehand (voice) | 5 episodes |
| 1994–1998 | Spider-Man: The Animated Series | Robbie Robertson, additional voices | 31 episodes |
| 1999–2007 | Xyber 9: New Dawn | Willy (voice) | 5 episodes |
| 2002 | Rugrats | Security Guard, Harry Halibut (voice) | Episode: "The Age of Aquarium" |
| 2003 | Static Shock | Philip Rollins / Sparky (voice) | Episode: "Blast from the Past" |
| 2003 | The Electric Piper | Mr. Jones (voice) | Television film |
| 2006 | Avatar: The Last Airbender | Additional voices | Episode: "The Drill" |
| 2006 | Minoriteam | Fasto (voice) | 7 episodes |
| 2024 | Dee & Friends in Oz | Ozzie (voice) | 8 episodes |
Video Game Voices
Rodney Saulsberry has also lent his voice to several video games:
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Star Trek: Starfleet Command III | Klingon Officer | |
| 2006 | Driver: Parallel Lines | Bishop | |
| 2007 | CSI: Hard Evidence | Everett Bower, Eddie Tillis | |
| 2009 | G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra | Heavy Duty | |
| 2009 | Grey's Anatomy: The Video Game | Richard Webber | |
| 2011 | SOCOM 4 U.S. Navy SEALs | Wells | |
| 2013 | Grand Theft Auto V | The Local Population | |
| 2022 | The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution | Sonny |
Public Appearances and Teaching
Rodney Saulsberry has performed on the TV show Soul Train. He was also the announcer for the 34th NAACP Image Awards and the 2003 Essence Awards. He has been a guest speaker and panelist at many events, including Voice 2007 in Las Vegas.
He teaches voice-over workshops in cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. He has also given lectures at universities and the Black Theatre Festival. Rodney often appears at book-signing events and is a regular instructor for the SAG Foundation's Don LaFontaine Voice-Over Lab. He was also a guest on the web series VO Buzz Weekly, where he performed his song "Miracles."
Discography: Music Contributions
Rodney Saulsberry has contributed to the music of various films and projects:
- Midnight Crossing (1988) - "Alone" (writer, performer)
- Night and the City (1992) - "Love Doesn’t Matter" (performer)
- I'll Do Anything (1994) - "I'll Do Anything" (background vocals)
- The Lion King (1994) - "Hakuna Matata", "Circle of Life" (background vocals)
- Sprung (1997) - "We Are Love" (Writer, performer)
- The Prince of Egypt (1998) - "Playing with the Big Boys" (background vocals)
- Michael Jordan: An American Hero (1999) - "I'm So Glad You're Mine" (Writer, performer)
- Adventureland (2009) - "I Need to Know" (writer, performer)
- The Bold and the Beautiful (2010) - "Miracles", "I Like It Girl", "I Gotta Lot of Friends", "Love In Your Heart" (writer, performer)
- Just Another Day (2010) - "Better Than Before" (Writer, performer)
- Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) - "Who Do You Love" (writer, performer)
Awards and Recognition
Rodney Saulsberry has received nominations and awards for his work.
- In 2011, he was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. This was in the category of Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series for his role as Anthony on The Bold and the Beautiful.
- In 2012, he received a second nomination for the same NAACP Image Award. This was also for his role as Anthony on "The Bold and the Beautiful".
- Rodney Saulsberry played the main role in the short film Violet (1981), which won an Academy Award.
