Jess Harnell (born December 23, 1963) is an American voice actor, (Named by Variety Magazine as one of the Top Ten in the business) and singer, best known for voicing Wakko Warner on Animaniacs and Ironhide in the Transformers film series. Harnell has also been the announcer for America's Funniest Home Videos since 1998.
Music Career[]
As a musician, Harnell released his only solo album in 1995 called The Sound Of Your Voice. He is the lead vocalist in the highly acclaimed world's first Pop/Metal mashup rock band, Rock Sugar, which evolved from his previous band, Loud & Clear. With Loud & Clear or Rock Sugar, Harnell released four albums: 2003's Disc-Connected, 2007's self-titled demo album, 2008's Festival Of Fire, and 2010's Reimaginator. Rock Sugar has played on some of the biggest bills in the world, opening for such rock luminaries as AC/DC, Def Leppard, Linkin Park and Aerosmith.
Voice Acting Career[]
Harnell started his career with minimal experience and has gone on to become one of the top voice actors in the industry, in addition to a successful career as a rock and session singer. A small sampling of his credits: In 1989, he provided the voices of Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox in the then-new Splash Mountain attraction at Disneyland Park, reviving the roles last played in 1946 by Johnny Lee and James Baskett, respectively, in the film Song of the South. Harnell also recorded some new character dialogue for the subsequent Walt Disney World version of the attraction. He was later called in to reprise these roles once again for the 2011 video game Kinect Disneyland Adventures.
In 1992, he went on to voice two of his most popular roles, Wakko Warner on Animaniacs and Secret Squirrel on 2 Stupid Dogs. From 1994 to 1996, he supplied the voices of Sewer Urchin, The Human Bullet and Chief Louder in the animated series The Tick.
Also in 1996, he was Hunter on Road Rovers. One of Harnell's next appearances was as the principal stormtrooper in the 1997 Star Wars fan film Troops, a parody of the Cops TV series set in the Star Wars universe. Harnell voiced Joe Tabootie on the Nickelodeon show ChalkZone, Tug on Firehouse Tales, Crash Bandicoot in Crash Tag Team Racing, Crash of the Titans, and Crash: Mind over Mutant, Lo-Lo in Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, Spyro the Dragon in Spyro: A Hero's Tail and Spyro: Shadow Legacy, Marlin in Finding Nemo (video game) Jerry in Totally Spies, Linguni in Pucca, and Doctor Finklestein in The Nightmare Before Christmas video game spin-offs, as well as in the Kingdom Hearts series replacing the late William Hickey who voiced him in the film. In 2005 he voiced Buzz Blister in Tom & Jerry: Blast off to Mars and numerous other characters in subsequent Tom & Jerry features. He also voiced wild and energetic Cro Magnon Doubledome from the Longhair and Doubledome cartoon shorts for Cartoon Network's Big Pick (also starring Daniel Davis as Longhair).
In 2001, he was the singing voice of Buster on Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure. He also voiced Captain Hero on Comedy Central's animated comedy Drawn Together and he also does the voices of Wooton Bassett, and Bennett Charles on the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey, as well as playing the lead role of Finnian Jones for the Lamplighter Theatre Radio Drama. He also made appearances on Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad. His voice also made an appearance in NASCAR Rumble, and is credited for in-game commentary in the follow-up game Rumble Racing. Jess also replaced Brad Garrett as the voice of Fatso during season 3 of The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper. He also played a role in Samurai Jack as he voiced Ringo and a waitress in the episode "Jack Under the Sea". In 2007 he replaced Neil Flynn as the voice of The Plumber in Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. He also voiced the Smuggler in that popular series.
In that same year, he voiced the characters of Ironhide and Barricade in the Michael Bay-directed Transformers, making him the only voice actor to play both an Autobot (Ironhide) and a Decepticon (Barricade) in that film. He returned to voice Ironhide once again in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
He voiced a character in the popular animated film Up;; and replaced Brad Garrett as the voice of Professor Buffo in Special Agent Oso.
Film[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | Boulevard of Broken Dreams | Benny Dimase | ||
1994 | Yakko's World: An Animaniacs Singalong | Wakko Warner (voice) | (Direct-to-video) | |
Pom Poko | Gyobu (voice) | (1995 English dubb) | ||
1995 | Felidae | Additional Voices | (1996 English version) Uncredited | |
Aladdin and the King of Thieves | (Direct-to-video) | |||
1997 | Casper: A Spirited Beginning | Fatso (voice) | (Direct-to-video) | |
1998 | Quest for Camelot | Additional Voices | ||
Casper Meets Wendy | Fatso (voice) | (Direct-to-video) | ||
1998 | A Bug's Life | Bus Beetle (voice) | ||
1999 | We Wish You a Merry Christmas | Santa Man #1 Man #2 |
(Direct-to-video) | |
Our Friend, Martin | Reporter #1 Demonstrator | |||
O' Christmas Tree | Man in House Skunk Santa | |||
Wakko's Wish | Wakko Warner (voice) | |||
Toy Story 2 | Additional Voices | |||
2000 | Lion of Oz | Singer (voice) | ||
Joseph: King of Dreams | Issachar Lead Trader |
(Direct-to-video) | ||
The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus | Wagif Knook Giant Additional Voices | |||
Little Nicky | Gary the Monster (voice) | |||
The Emperor's New Groove | Additional Voices | |||
2002 | Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring | |||
Scooby-Doo | Creatures (voice) | |||
Lilo & Stitch | Additional Voices | |||
The Country Bears | Long-Haired Dude | |||
2004 | Comic Book: The Movie | Ricky | (Direct-to-video) Also producer | |
Clifford's Really Big Movie | Dirk (voice) | |||
Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers | Major General (voice) | (Direct-to-video) | ||
Kangaroo Jack: G'Day U.S.A.! | Dude #2 (voice) | |||
2005 | Racing Stripes | Additional Voices | ||
Tom and Jerry: Blast Off to Mars | Major Buzz Blister Martian General Worker #3 (voice) |
(Direct-to-video) | ||
Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry | Buzz Blister Film Director | |||
2006 | Ice Age: The Meltdown | Additional Voices | ||
Cars | Sven 'The Governator' (voice) | |||
Asterix and the Vikings | Cacofonix (voice) | (English version) | ||
The Wild | Additional Voices | |||
Tales from Earthsea | Hazia Dealer | (English version) | ||
2007 | TMNT | Additional Voices | ||
Surf's Up | ||||
Transformers | Ironhide Barricade (voice) |
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Underdog | Astronaut (voice) | |||
Jekyll | Guy #1 | |||
2008 | Horton Hears a Who! | Another Who Additional Voices |
||
Dragon Hunters | Gildas (voice) | (English version) | ||
WALL·E | Additional Voices | |||
Space Chimps | ||||
Ponyo | (English version) | |||
2009 | Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends | Bloo superdude theme song Singer | Episode "The Bloo Superdude and the Great Creator of Everything's Awesome Ceremony of Fun That He's Not Invited To" | |
Igor | Announcer Royal Guard #2 |
|||
Up | Nurse AJ | |||
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Ironhide | Nominated - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screen Couple Shared with Shia LaBeouf and either Megan Fox or any "Transformer" | ||
The Haunted World of El Superbeasto | Uncle Carl | |||
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs | Additional Voices | |||
2010 | Toy Story 3 | Army Man (voice) | ||
The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie! | Captain Hero | |||
Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes | Pan Brett Jeremy |
(Direct-to-video) | ||
2011 | Cars 2 | Additional Voices | ||
Transformers: Dark of the Moon | Ironhide (voice) | Nominated - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screen Ensemble Shared with the entire cast | ||
2012 | The Lorax | Additional Voices | ||
Wreck-It Ralph | Don (voice) | |||
2013 | Monsters University | Additional Voices | ||
Despicable Me 2 | Additional Voices |
Television[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes/Awards |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | Throb | Member of The Playthings | Episode: "The Spa" |
1990 | Wake, Rattle & Roll | Droop-A-Long Coyote Hardy Har Har |
|
1991 | Darkwing Duck | Additional Voices | |
1992 | Camp Candy | Episode: "When It Rains... It Snows" | |
Goof Troop | Episode: "E=MC Goof" | ||
1993 | The Pink Panther | Episode: "Pilgrim Panther / That Old Pink Magic" | |
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Captain Zorax Wolf Jaxon |
Episode: "Night of the Dark Turtle" | |
Problem Child | Additional Voices | ||
Bonkers | Toon Bomb Charlie the Toon Pig Heckler Additional Voices |
Episodes: "Color Me Piquel" "Tune Pig" "Fall Apart Bomb Squad" "Going Bonkers" "When the Spirit Moves You" | |
2 Stupid Dogs | Secret Squirrel Scirocco Mole |
||
1993-1995 | Biker Mice from Mars | Evil Eye Weevil Honka Lougie |
Episodes: "Garbage Wars" "Villain of the Year" "Motocross Trap" "Test of Friendship" "We Don't Need No Stinkin' City" |
1993-1998 | Animaniacs | Wakko Warner Walter Wolf Alvey Humphrey Bogart Cabby Additional Voices |
All 99 Episodes |
1994 | Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? | Additional Voices | |
Red Planet | |||
The Legend of Prince Valiant | Episode: "The Gathering Storm" | ||
Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad | Man on Street Radio Nerd Rock n' Roll Virus |
Episodes: "Loose Lips Sink Microchips" "The Taunt Heard Round the World" "Rock n' Roll Virucide" | |
Tiny Toon Spring Break Special | Michael Molten-Lava Rank Additional Voices |
Television special | |
1995 | Empty Nest | Vince | Episode: "Harry Weston: Man's Best Friend" |
The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat | Additional Voices | ||
Timon & Pumbaa | Bugs | Episodes: "Rocky Mountain Lie/Amazon Quiver" | |
1995-1998 | Pinky and the Brain | Additional Voices | |
1996 | Fantastic Four | Impossible Man Super-Skrull |
Episode: "Hopelessly Impossible |
Road Rovers | Hunter | Episodes: "Where Rovers Dare" "A Hair of the Dog That Bit You" "Let's Hit the Road" | |
Quack Pack | Additional Voice | Episode: "Recipe for Adventure" | |
1996-1998 | The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper | Fatso | |
1997 | Rugrats | Guide Singer Voice |
Episode: "Vacation" |
Extreme Ghostbusters | Additional Voices | ||
I Am Weasel | French Prime Minister Workman |
Episode: "This Bridge, Not Weasel Bridge" | |
The Weird Al Show | Dr. Legume | Episode: "One for the Record Books" | |
Jungle Cubs | Toucan | Episode: "Old Green Teeth/The Elephant Who Couldn't Say No" | |
Kyûketsuki Miyu | Takashi Kashiwabara | Episode: "The Red Shoe's" | |
1997-1998 | Life with Louie | Additional Voices | Episodes: "Louie's Gate" "Do It or Donut" |
Recess | Micky McCloud | Episode: "Swing on Thru to the Other Side" "Parents' Night" "Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave: Part 1" | |
1998 | Histeria! | Additional Voices | |
The Wild Thornberrys | Marsh Deer Tortoise |
Episode: "Vacant Lot" | |
1998-1999 | The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs | William Big Jim Jones Frank Sir |
Episodes: "Bone / Time" "Escape / Exposed" "DNA / Santa" "Charlie / Automutt" |
Mad Jack the Pirate | Snuck Additional Voices |
||
1999 | The New Woody Woodpecker Show | Additional Voices | |
2000 | Buzz Lightyear of Star Command | Bartender Heads Clay |
|
2001 | The Simpsons | Pancho | Episode: "The Parent Rap" |
The Drew Carey Show | Elvis Performer | Episode: "Drew and the King" | |
2001-2002 | Horrible Histories | Darren Dongle | |
House of Mouse | Additional Voices | ||
2001-2004 | Totally Spies! | Jerry Frankie Dude Coach |
|
2002-2004 | ChalkZone | Joe Tabootie Lars Announcer Additional Voices |
|
2001-2007 | The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy | Additional Voices | |
2002-2006 | Codename: Kids Next Door | Ice Cream Man Chef Pierre Dr. Julious B. Sharp Additional Voices |
Episode: "Operation: I.-S.C.R.E.A.M./Operation: C.A.N.N.O.N." "Operation B.R.E.A.K-U.P./Operation S.A.F.A.R.I." "Operation C.A.N.Y.O.N./Operation H.O.L.I.D.A.Y." "Operation C.A.K.E.D.-F.I.V.E." "Operation C.L.O.W.N./Operation S.P.A.N.K.E.N.S.T.I.N.E." |
2003 | Clifford the Big Red Dog | Rexxington Singing Dog |
Episode: "Food for Thought/Friends Forever" |
The Powerpuff Girls | Gnomey | Episode: "See Me, Feel Me, Gnomey" | |
2003-2005 | Duck Dodgers | Tosh Gopher Captain Peters Puerco |
|
Clifford's Puppy Days | Jorge Jorje Mr. Sidarsky |
||
2004 | What's New, Scooby-Doo? | Constable Flute Player Shane Flinty |
Episode: "Large Dragon at Large" |
The Fairly OddParents | Singer | Episode: "Shelf Life" | |
Higglytown Heroes | Higglyhune Chief | Episode: "Higgly Islands" | |
Evil Con Carne | Harv Policeman Radio Singer |
Episode: "Gridlocked and Loaded/Fool's Paradise" | |
My Life as a Teenage Robot | Singer Todd's Dad |
Episode: "A Robot for All Seasons" | |
2004-2008 | Drawn Together | Captain Hero Additional Voices |
|
2005 | The Buzz on Maggie | Eugene Wendell |
Episodes: "The Science Whatchamacallit" "King Flear" "The Usual Insects" |
Tripping the Rift | Captain Kirk | Episode: "Chode & Bobo's High School Reunion" | |
2006 | Pet Alien | Gumpers Swanky |
Nominated - Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program |
My Gym Partner's a Monkey | Bear Kid Crocodile |
Episode: "Shark Attack/Me Adam, You Jake" | |
Catscratch | Mitchell the Mammoth | Episode: "A Woolly Adventure/Evil!" | |
2006-2007 | Biker Mice from Mars | Ronaldo Rump Dr. Catorkian Bangers Camembert |
|
2006-2009 | The Replacements | Donny Rottweiler Additional Voices |
|
2007 | Random! Cartoons | Crank The Mall Security Guard | Episode: "Ratzafratz!" |
The Land Before Time | Swooper | Episode: "The Hermit of Black Rock" | |
Kim Possible | The Mayor | Episodes: "Cap'n Drakken" "Mathter and Fervent" | |
2007-2008 | Chowder | Additional Voices | Episodes: "The Sing Beans/Certifrycation Class" "The Broken Part/The Meach Harvest" "The Fire Breather/The Flying Flinger Lingons" |
2008-2010 | Phineas and Ferb | Episodes: "Bowl-R-Ama Drama" "Phineas and Ferb Hawaiian Vacation" | |
2008-2009 | The Secret Saturdays | Piecemeal Newscaster |
Episodes: "Guess Who's Going to Be Dinner" "Target: Fiskerton" |
2009-2011 | The Super Hero Squad Show | Odin Hercules Computer Additional Voices |
|
2009–2012 | Jungle Junction | Taxicrab | |
2010 | Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil | Additional Voices | |
2010-2012 | Special Agent Oso | Professor Buffo | |
2011–2013 | The Cleveland Show | Tim | |
The Looney Tunes Show | Tosh Gopher Additional Voices |
||
2012 | Doc McStuffins | Chilly, Buddy, and The Wicked King | |
Pound Puppies | Additional Voices | Episodes: "Lucky Gets Adopted" "Zipper the Zoomit Dog" | |
Motorcity | Texas | ||
2013-present | Sofia the First | Cedric the Sorcerer Sir Gilliam Woodsman Additional Voices |
|
Rick and Morty | Terry Additional Voices |
Episodes: "Lawnmower Dog" "Anatomy Park" | |
2014 | Gravity Falls | Additional Voices | |
2015-present | Crash Bandicoot | Crash Bandicoot |
Video Games[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | The Secret of Monkey Island | Bill Fettuccini Estervan - the SCUMM Bar Pirate Pirate Leader I Store Keeper Sword-Head Ghost |
|
1994 | Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness | Franz | |
1997 | Clayfighter 63 1/3 | Kung Pow | |
1999 | Bugs Bunny: Lost in Time | Merlin 'Moyle' Munroe | |
2000 | Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles | Jedi Knight Ki-Adi-Mundi | |
102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue | Additional Voices | ||
Star Wars: Demolition | Darth Maul Malakili |
||
2001 | Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | Darth Maul Gungan Bolo Trooper Hannoon Soldier |
|
Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex | Lo-Lo, the Elemental mask of wind | ||
Star Wars: Starfighter Special Edition | Ric Olié Pirate Ground Forces |
||
Rumble Racing | In-Game Commentator | ||
2002 | Star Wars: Racer Revenge | Darth Maul | |
Star Wars: Obi-Wan | Gran Thug Ki-Adi-Mundi Wounded Naboo Soldier |
||
Kingdom Hearts | Dr. Finkelstein Lock |
(Engish version) | |
Star Wars: Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast | Mon Calomari Rogue Leader | ||
Star Trek: Starfleet Command III | Additional Voices | ||
2003 | Finding Nemo | Marlin Bruce |
|
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic | Republic Soldier | ||
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy | Gran Trandoshan |
||
2004 | Hot Shots Golf Fore! | Allan Regis |
(English version) |
Spyro: A Hero's Tail | Spyro the Dragon Hunter the Cheetah Moneybags the Bear Sgt. Byrd the Penguin Red Astor Magnus Titan Tomas Additional Voices |
||
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge | Dr. Finkelstein | ||
2005 | Robots | Rodney Copperbottom Additional Voices |
|
Crash Tag Team Racing | Crash Bandicoot | ||
Kingdom Hearts II | Dr. Finkelstein Lock |
(Engish version) | |
2006 | Ice Age 2: The Meltdown | Additional Voices | |
Over the Hedge | Vincent King Rat Police Chief |
||
2007 | Shrek the Third | Pirate Captain Peasant Actor Evil Knight 3 |
|
Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ | Dr. Finkelstein Lock |
(Engish version) | |
Biker Mice from Mars | Ronaldo Rump Narrator Goon |
||
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction | Smuggler Plumber Parrot |
||
2008 | Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty | ||
Crash: Mind Over Mutant | Crash Bandicoot | ||
2009 | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Ironhide | |
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time | Smuggler Plumber Battery Bot |
||
2010 | Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet | Hercules | |
2011 | Transformers: Dark of the Moon | Ironhide | |
Kinect Disneyland Adventures | Br'er Fox Br'er Rabbit |
||
2013 | Skylanders: Swap Force | Blast Zone |