10 Legendary Voice Actors Who Made Your Favorite Characters Iconic
Animation relies on color and movement, but the voices behind the characters are what stay glued to people’s memories. These voice actors created their own personalities from scratch. Their performances shaped franchises, raised generations, and left lasting impressions throughout pop culture. Here are 10 performers whose voices refuse to fade.
Mel Blanc
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Trying to describe Mel Blanc’s influence is like trying to explain oxygen: everything works differently without him. By voicing Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, he engineered the entire sound of classic American animation. Mel played so many characters that studio engineers once joked about giving him his own microphone room.
June Foray
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If animation had a secret backbone for half a century, it was June Foray. She could jump from the sweetness of Rocky the Flying Squirrel to the sharp sarcasm of Natasha Fatale without missing a beat. She even helped organize the animation community by pushing for awards and recognition that eventually reshaped Hollywood’s view of the craft.
Mark Hamill
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People know Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, but animation fans claim him for a completely different reason. His Joker in Batman: The Animated Series redefined the character. The performance carried into video games, films, and more than one generation of fans who now hear his Joker as the default.
Kevin Conroy
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Some actors portray Batman. Kevin Conroy was Batman. His deep, steady delivery gave the character a gravity that animation had never fully captured before 1992. With a background in classical theater, Kevin brought weight, empathy, and emotional nuance. The role followed him into movies and more than twenty video games.
Nancy Cartwright
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Nancy Cartwright once walked into an audition and left with the voice of a ten-year-old troublemaker. Bart Simpson became her signature role, but she didn’t stop there. Ralph Wiggum and Nelson Muntz came from the same vocal legend. She even worked in animation long before the show, guided by industry legend Daws Butler.
Tara Strong
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Audiences may not always recognize her face, but they instantly know the characters voiced by Tara Strong. Tara created memorable roles in The Powerpuff Girls, The Fairly OddParents, Teen Titans, and iconic video games.
Tom Kenny
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When Tom Kenny sounds like he’s having fun, it’s because he is. His voice as SpongeBob SquarePants made Saturday mornings charming. Before that, Tom’s voice bounced around shows like Rocko’s Modern Life and later lit up Adventure Time and The Powerpuff Girls. His background in stand-up comedy explains the timing that only he can pull off.
Cree Summer
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Before anyone knew her from Rugrats or Codename Kids Next Door, Cree Summer was already turning heads as Penny in Inspector Gadget. Cree’s voice carried a mix of attitude and heart that stood out across animation, music, and live action. Her early roles helped shape what many viewers now consider classic childhood television.
Jim Cummings
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When characters like Winnie the Pooh or Tigger needed a steady hand, Jim Cummings often stepped in with incredible vocals. Jim has voiced hundreds of roles across Disney, Nickelodeon, and Warner Bros. His ability to replicate original performances while bringing fresh energy made him a force behind major franchises.
Rob Paulsen
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If you grew up recognizing Yakko Warner’s rapid-fire delivery or Pinky’s confused charm, you were listening to Rob Paulsen. He stacked memorable characters across decades by jumping between goofy sidekicks, earnest heroes, and everything in between. Rob also became a fan-favorite performer at events, who would bring characters to life on stage.