Early life

William Richard West was born in Detroit and raised in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston. He played in several bands in the late 1960s and 1970s and began a radio career in 1980. He has been sober since the age of 35 and is a vegan.

Career

West worked at WBCN in Boston performing daily on the air on The Big Mattress show, then moved to New York City in 1988, working at K-Rock Radio (92.3 FM WXRK). West became a regular on The Howard Stern Show at that time until leaving in 1995. West moved to Los Angeles, where he found success as a voice actor and performer.

Television

West launched his career in the early 1980s performing daily comedic routines on Boston's WBCN. He left the radio station in 1988 to work on the short-lived revival of Beany and Cecil, which was his first role in television. He was also a cast member and impressionist on The Howard Stern Show during the 1990s, where he gained notice for his impersonations of Three Stooges middleman Larry Fine, Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott, and Stern's head writer Jackie Martling. West's most notable film work was in Space Jam (1996), providing the voice of both Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. He has provided the same voices for other Looney Tunes films and video games.

West's first two high-profile roles came almost simultaneously: Doug and Ren & Stimpy, which were two of the first original three Nicktoons (the other being Rugrats). Over his career West has been the voice talent for close to 120 different characters including some of the most iconic animated figures in television history. He has become one of few voice actors who can impersonate Mel Blanc in his prime, including characterizations of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, the voice Arthur Q. Bryan used for Elmer Fudd, as well as other characters from Warner Bros. cartoons. In 1998, Entertainment Weekly described West as "the new Mel Blanc" and noted his ability to mimic well-known voices, though he would rather develop original voices. West's favorite characters are Philip J. Fry and Stimpy, both of which he originated. West has been very outspoken over his displeasure about the influx of movie star actors providing voice-over for films and major shows. West has stated that he did not like the Disney version of Doug, and that he "couldn't watch" the show. West was the voice of the show's namesake, Geeker, throughout Project Geeker's 13 episode run. West was the voice of Zim in the original pilot for Nickelodeon's Invader Zim. Richard Horvitz was chosen for the series role because West's voice was too recognizable, according to Invader Zim creator Jhonen Vasquez during DVD commentary. West is also the voice of "Red" in numerous M&M commercials as well as the 3-D movie "I Lost my M in Vegas", currently playing at M&M's World in Las Vegas, NV. West also voices a number of characters in the series Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World. He does not play a regular character in that series, but appears in almost every episode of the show voicing various minor and one-off characters. West voiced the character Moobeard in Moobeard the Cow Pirate, a short animation featured on Random! Cartoons, and reprises his role as Elmer Fudd in Cartoon Network's series The Looney Tunes Show. West also provides the voice for the lovable elephant/van Ellievan in the popular Disney kids show "Jungle Junction".

The Ren & Stimpy Show

West provided the voice of Stimpy in Nickelodeon's The Ren & Stimpy Show from 1991 until 1996, and he provided the voice of Ren Höek from 1993-1996 (after Ren's original voice and series creator John Kricfalusi was fired by Nickelodeon for delivering un-airable episodes). West performed other characters on the series as well, such as Mr. Horse (another role that West was issued after Kricfalusi's departure) and the "Announcer/Salesman" of such shorts as the "Log" ads (a voice West would years later use as the Narrator for The Weird Al Show).

According to West, he was originally supposed to do the voice of both Ren and Stimpy (and performed both characters on the tape that was used to sell the show to Nickelodeon), but then Kricfalusi decided to do the voice of Ren himself once the show was sold and he had West on board as part of the selling point. However, West provided Ren's maniacal laughter when John Kricfalusi was the voice of Ren.

Futurama

West's roles in Futurama include Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg and Zapp Brannigan, as well as various other incidental characters. As he and other Futurama cast and crew point out in DVD commentaries, West voiced so many characters throughout the series that conversations are often held entirely between characters he is voicing.

West went into the Futurama auditions and was asked to try out for, as he says, "just about every part"; eventually landing the professor, Zoidberg, and Zapp Brannigan. West later got the role of Fry, which originally had gone to Charlie Schlatter. While West is known for doing many different and unique voices, the voice he does for Philip J. Fry is often considered to be closer to his natural voice than any other character he has done (in an audio commentary, he states Fry is just himself at age 25). This similarity, West acknowledges, was done purposefully in order to make it harder to replace him in the part along with placing more of himself personally into the role (DVD commentary).

The role of Zapp Brannigan was created for Phil Hartman, but he died before the show started and West was given the role. West has described his interpretation of Zapp Brannigan's voice as an imitation of Hartman, but described the actual vocalizations of the character as being based on "a couple of big dumb announcers I knew."

Futurama was renewed by Comedy Central as four direct-to-DVD films broken into 16 television episodes. West reprised his roles for these films, and was signed on for two new 26-episode production seasons (four 13-episode air seasons) of Futurama which aired summers of 2010-2013.

Commercial television

West was the announcer of the program Screen Gems Network which ran from 1999-2001. He was also the promotional announcer for The Comedy Channel before it merged with HA! to become Comedy Central. Over his career, Billy West has voiced multiple characters in television commercials. These include (but are not limited to):

• Red, the plain/milk chocolate M&M (1996-present) (after Jon Lovitz's departure from the role in 1996)
• Buzz, the honey nut bee for Honey Nut Cheerios
• An alien for Pentium 4
• Popeye for Minute Maid
• Babe Ruth, Mickey Goldmill, and Bruce Lee for Brisk Iced Tea

West voiced the Speed Racer character in a late-1990s advertisement for Volkswagen, because the commercial's producers could not locate Peter Fernandez, the original voice of Speed. However, the producers did locate Corinne Orr, the original voice for the characters Trixie and Spritle.

Internet entertainment

He also provided voices for the Eric Kaplan-created webtoon Zombie College as well as voicing two characters in Tofu the Vegan Zombie.

In addition Billy appeared on Ken Reid's TV Guidance Counselor Podcast on January 30, 2015. The episode was recorded live at The Smell in Downtown Los Angeles during the 3rd annual Riot LA Comedy Festival.

After many requests for West to do a podcast, he began his own podcast show in July 2015. It features West doing numerous characters per episode, reoccurring segments such as "Song Demolition" and "Billy Bastard - Amateur Human Being", and special guest Jim Gomez.

Films

Perhaps West's most notable film work came in the 1996 film Space Jam, where he provided the voice of both Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. West reprised the roles of Bugs and Fudd in subsequent Looney Tunes feature-length films and returned as Fudd in the theatrically released Looney Tunes: Back in Action. In 1998, West starred in the direct-to-video film Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island as Shaggy Rogers, becoming the second person to portray the character (the first being Casey Kasem). He was one of the top contenders to replace Kasem after his retirement in 2009, but lost the role to Matthew Lillard. In 2000, he provided additional voices in Disney's Dinosaur. In 2004, West voiced the classic character Popeye in the 75th anniversary film Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy, and made his live-action film debut in Mark Hamill's Comic Book: The Movie. He also appeared in a cameo in Garfield: The Movie. Other films featuring West's vocal talents include Joe's Apartment, Cats & Dogs, Olive, the Other Reindeer, TMNT, The Proud Family Movie, and three Tom and Jerry direct-to-video movies.

Music

West is also a guitarist and singer-songwriter with a band called Billy West and The Grief Counselors. They have released their first album, Me-Pod. West has toured as a guitarist for Roy Orbison and Brian Wilson.

In 1982, West sang lead, doing an impersonation of Mike Love, on a Beach Boys-inspired tune, "Another Cape Cod Summer This Year," by studio band ROUTE 28, written and produced by Erik Lindgren on his Arf! Arf! Records label.

West has collaborated with Deborah Harry, Lou Reed, and Los Lobos, and he has played live on several occasions with Brian Wilson, including the guitar solo on the Beach Boys tune "Do it Again" on Late Show with David Letterman, in the mid-1990s.

The Futurama episode "Proposition Infinity" features the track "Shut up and Love Me" which was written and played by Billy West and Greg Leon, under the name Wailing Fungus.

Radio

Throughout the 1980s, Billy West provided character voices on Charles Laquidara's Big Mattress radio show on Boston's WBCN. West was also one half of the award winning WBCN Production team from 1980-1986. From 1989 through 1995, West provided The Howard Stern Show with character voices such as Jim Backus, Lucille Ball, Raymond Burr, Johnny Carson, Johnnie Cochran, Connie Chung, Jane Curtin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Doris Day, Louis "Red" Deutsch, David Dinkins, Mia Farrow, Larry Fine, Pete Fornatale, Frank Gifford, Kathie Lee Gifford, Rudolph Giuliani, Mark Goddard, Bobcat Goldthwait, the Greaseman, Jonathan Harris (as Dr. Zachary Smith), Leona Helmsley, Evander Holyfield, Shemp Howard, Lance Ito, Elton John, Don Knotts, Jay Leno, Nelson Mandela, Jackie Martling (as the Jackie puppet), Ed McMahon, Al Michaels, Bill Mumy (as Will Robinson), Cardinal O'Connor, Maury Povich, Soon-Yi Previn, Marge Schott, Frank Sinatra, Rae Stern (Howard Stern's mother), George Takei, Joe Walsh, and Robin Williams until eventually leaving the show over money. West was an occasional contributor to The Adam Carolla Show, a syndicated morning radio show that replaced Stern's show on CBS in LA. On February 19 and 20, 2007, The Howard Stern Show ran a special two-part retrospective of West's work with the show. It marked his first work with the show since leaving after his last show on November 1, 1995. On June 9, 2009, West appeared on Jackie Martling's Jackie's Joke Hunt on Stern's satellite radio channel Howard 101.

Video games

West's talents have also extended into the realm of video games. Characters most notably voiced by West are perhaps Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in numerous Looney Tunes video games.

Other video game characters voiced by Billy West include:

• A police officer on the radio of Need for Speed: Undercover (2008)
• Stimpy in Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots (2007) and Nicktoons Racing (2000)
• Dr. Zoidberg in The Simpsons Game (2007)
• Additional voices in Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly (2002)
• Sparx in The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night (2007)
• Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, and Zapp Brannigan in Futurama (2003)
• Ninja in I-Ninja (2003).
• Nash and Zam in Crash Nitro Kart (2003)
• Murfy in Rayman 3 (2003).
• Murfy in Rayman Arena (2002).
• Muttley and L'il Gruesome in Wacky Races (2000, 2001, 2008)
• Some voices in Mad Dash Racing, for the Xbox
• Voice of Red, the red M&M in M&M's: The Lost Formulas (2000)
• Hamton J. Pig in Tiny Toon Adventures: Toonenstein
• Atomic Bomberman in Atomic Bomberman
• Emilio Baza in Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
• Bugs Bunny & Elmer Fudd in Bugs Bunny: Lost in Time
• The Yak in Nicktoons MLB (2011)
• Fire Kraken and Freeze Blade in Skylanders: Swap Force, Skylanders: Trap Team and Skylanders: SuperChargers
• Narrator in Minecraft: Story Mode (2015)

Selected filmography

Film and television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1988	The New Adventures of Beany and Cecil	Cecil	Voice role Animated series
1991-1994	Doug	Doug Funnie (1991-1994) Roger Klotz (1991-1994)	Voice role Animated series
1991-1996	The Ren & Stimpy Show	Stimpson J. "Stimpy" Cat Ren Höek (1993-1996) Mr. Horse (1993-1996)	Voice role Animated series
1994	The Shnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show	France Bug	Voice role Animated series
1996	Earthworm Jim	Additional voices	Voice role Animated series
1996	Joe's Apartment	Ralph Roach	Voice role Live action film
1996	Space Jam	Bugs Bunny Elmer Fudd	Voice role Live action/animated film
1997-1998	The Wacky World of Tex Avery	Tex Avery Freddy the Fly Sagebrush Sid	Voice role Animated series
1997	Cow and Chicken	Additional voices	Voice role Animated series
1997-2000	I Am Weasel	Additional voices	Voice role Animated series
1997	Project G.e.e.K.e.R.	GeeKeR	Voice role Animated series
1997	The Weird Al Show	Show announcer Harvey the Wonder Hamster	Voice role Television series
1997	Extreme Ghostbusters	Slimer Mayor McShane	Voice role Animated series
1997	Space Goofs	Additional voices	Voice role Animated series
1997	King of the Hill	Mr. Holloway	Voice role Animated series Episode: "The Company Man"
1998	Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island	Norville "Shaggy" Rogers	Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film
1998-1999	Mad Jack the Pirate	Snuk Jon LeFeet additional voices	Voice role Animated series
1998-1999	The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs		Voice role Animated series
1998-2000	Histeria!	Chit Chatterson Bugs Bunny Elmer Fudd Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
1998-2000	Voltron: The Third Dimension	Pidge	Voice role Animated show
1998-2005	The Powerpuff Girls	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
1998-2005	CatDog	Rancid Rabbit Mr Sunshine Randolph Grant	Voice role Animated series
1999	Queer Duck	Bi-Polar Bear Other characters	Voice role Animated series
1999	Detention	Emmitt Roswell Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
1999	Olive, the Other Reindeer	Mr. Eskimo	Voice role Animated television film
1999	Rayman: The Animated Series	Rayman	Voice role Animated series
1999	Dilbert	Marketing Guy Additional voices	Voice role Animated series
1999-2002	The New Woody Woodpecker Show	Woody Woodpecker Wally Walrus Smedley Doug Knutts Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
1999-2003, 2008-2013	Futurama	Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg Zapp Brannigan Richard Nixon Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2000	Baby Felix	Felix the Cat Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2000	Poochini's Yard	Poochini Walter White Mr. Garvey Lockjaw Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2001	Horrible Histories	Stitch Narrator various	Voice role Animated series
2001	The Oblongs	George Klimer Anita Bidet Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2001	Totally Spies!	Lester Crawley	Voice role Animated series
2001	Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius	Various characters	Voice role Animated film
2001	Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring	Freddie	Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film
2002	Jackie Chan Adventures	Monkey King	Voice role Animated series Episode: "Monkey a Go-Go"
2002	Crank Yankers	Confucious Moo Shu	Voice role
2002	Ozzy & Drix	Muscle Cell	Voice role Animated series Episode: "Reflex"
2002-2007	The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius	Sam Additional voices	Voice role Animated series
2003	Looney Tunes: Back in Action	Elmer Fudd Peter Lorre	Voice role Live action/animated film
2003	Duck Dodgers	Mother Fudd	Voice role Animated series
2003-2009	My Life as a Teenage Robot	Principal Razinski Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2004	Justice League Unlimited	Skeets	Voice role Animated series Episode: "The Greatest Story Never Told"
2004	Comic Book: The Movie	Leo Matuzik	Live action role Direct-to-video
2004	Garfield: The Movie	Dog	Voice role
2004	Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy	Popeye Pappy	Voice role Direct-to-video Computer-animated film
2004 2006	Codename: Kids Next Door	Numbuh 13	Voice role Animated series Episode: "Operation M.A.C.A.R.R.O.N.I." Episode: "Operation I.T."
2004-2006	Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2004-2009	Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2005	Tom and Jerry: Blast Off to Mars	Major Biff Buzzard King Thingg Gardener #2	Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film
2005	Proud Family Movie, TheThe Proud Family Movie	Board Member Cab Driver	Voice role Animated television film
2005	Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry	Biff Buzzard President of Hollywood Squirty	Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film
2005	Camp Lazlo	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2005	The Buzz on Maggie	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2005	The Life and Times of Juniper Lee	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2005-2007	Loonatics Unleashed	Electro J. Fudd Sagittarius Stomper	Voice role Animated series
2006	Curious George	Manager	Voice role Animated film
2006-2007	Drawn Together	Stimpy Popeye Mall Security Guard Denzel Washington The Lion in The Puddle	Voice role Animated series
2006	Queer Duck: The Movie	Bi-Polar Bear	Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film
2006	Zombie College	Skully Graham	Voice role Web series
2006	Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas	Bugs Bunny Elmer Fudd	Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film
2006-2007	Squirrel Boy	Kyle Finster	Voice role Animated series
2007	Chowder	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2007	El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2007	TMNT	Anchorman Jersey Devil Various characters	Voice role Animated film
2007	Futurama: Bender's Big Score	Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg Zapp Brannigan Richard Nixon Additional characters	Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film
2007-2009	Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World	Dr. Hunk Anderson Pooper George W. Bush Franz Nerdlinger Log Cabin Tom Various characters	Voice role Animated series
2008	The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2008	The Mighty B!	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2008	Random! Cartoons	Finster #1 Pilot #1 Johnny Space Guy Space Thug Moobeard	Voice role Animated series
2008	Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs	Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg Zapp Brannigan Richard Nixon Additional characters	Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film
2008	Futurama: Bender's Game	Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg Additional characters	Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film
2009	Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder	Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg Zapp Brannigan Leo Wong Richard Nixon Additional characters	Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film
2009-2012	Jungle Junction	Ellyvan	Voice role Animated series
2010	Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes	Tom	Direct-to-video Animated film
2010	Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2010	T.U.F.F. Puppy	Additional characters	Voice role Animated series
2010	Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated	Gunther Gator	Voice role Animated series
2010	Glenn Martin, DDS	Mr. Vernon	Voice role Animated series Episode: "Camp"
2011	Mongo Wrestling Alliance	Various	Voice role Animated series
2011	Eric Kaplan's Sketch World	Additional voices	Voice role Web series
2011	Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz	Tom (uncredited)	Voice role Direct-to-video Animated film
2011-2014	The Looney Tunes Show	Elmer Fudd	Voice role Animated series
2012	Daffy's Rhapsody	Elmer Fudd	Voice role Theatrical Short
2012	The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange	Cranberry	Voice role Animated series
2013	Ultimate Spider-Man	Rocket Raccoon	Voice role Animated series
2013	I Know That Voice	Himself	Documentary
2014	The Simpsons	Philip J. Fry Professor Farnsworth Dr. Zoidberg	Voice role Animated series Episode: "Simpsorama"
	Mixels	Lunk, Gobba, Balk	Voice role Animated series
	Adventure Time	Goose, Dr. Erik Adamkinson, Mayor	Voice role Animated series Episode: "Everything's Jake"
	Turbo FAST	Fleagor, Mosquito, Adolfo, Waterbug	Voice role Animated series
	TripTank	Sextus Scribonus	Voice role Animated series Episode: "Ahhh, Serenity"
2014-present	The 7D	Bashful	Voice role Animated series
2015	The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water	Seagull	Voice role Animated film
	Pixels	Additional video game characters	Voice role Live-action film

Preceded by Casey Kasem

Norville "Shaggy" Rogers Voice 1998

Succeeded by Scott Innes

[ Source: Wikipedia ]