William Richard Werstine (born 1952), known professionally as Billy West, is an American voice actor, comedian, radio personality, impressionist and musician. His voice roles include Bugs Bunny in the 1996 film Space Jam, the title characters of Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show, and several subsequent projects. He also voiced Disney characters, including Ellyvan the Elephant in Jungle Junction, Bashful in The 7D, as well as the Futurama characters Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan, and many more. In commercials, he voices the Red M&M and formerly voiced Buzz for Honey Nut Cheerios. West also voices other established characters such as Elmer Fudd, Popeye, Shaggy Rogers, Rocket Raccoon, Muttley, and Woody Woodpecker. He was a cast member on The Howard Stern Show, during which time he was noted for his impressions of Larry Fine, Marge Schott, George Takei, and Jackie Martling.
West has stated that during the Vietnam War, he was subject to the draft lottery under the Nixon administration, receiving a low draft number which would have resulted in his being drafted in 1970. West was ultimately classified "4-F" and excluded from enlistment on medical grounds as he had hypertension and flat feet. West described his later recurring role as Richard Nixon on Futurama as his "revenge" against Nixon. In a 2019 video post, West opined that the "biggest joke" about his experience was the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum subsequently including images and footage of the Futurama Nixon character as part of its "Nixon in Popular Culture" exhibit.
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 laughter with Kricfalusi as Ren's speaking voice.
The role of Zapp Brannigan was written for the late Phil Hartman, who died before the show started; 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 to 2013.
In 2022, it was announced that Futurama would be returning in 2023 with the original cast, including West.
West began his own podcast show in July 2015. It features him doing numerous characters per episode, recurring segments such as "Song Demolition", "Billy Bastard – Amateur Human Being" and special guest Jim Gomez.
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.
Other video game characters West has voiced include:
West has spoken openly about the child abuse he experienced from his father. He says he developed his impressionist skills as a way to distract himself from his trauma.
West has been critical of Dick Cheney and the Republican Party, describing Republican senators as "old men with bad breath and dandruff." He has also mocked the Twitter of Donald Trump by reading them in character as Zapp Brannigan, drawing similarities between Trump and the Futurama antagonist.
West purchased a home in the Hollywood Hills West neighborhood of Los Angeles for $480,000 in 1998, and sold it for $1.18 million in March 2016.
West is a prostate cancer survivor. He has been open about his experiences with bouts of depression.
In 2019, West revealed on Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast that he is on the autism spectrum, having been diagnosed.
+ List of voice performances in feature and direct-to-video films ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes | ||
1996 | Joe's Apartment | Ralph Roach | |
Space Jam | Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd | Role of Elmer shared with an uncredited Greg Burson A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. | |
1998 | Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island | Shaggy Rogers | Direct-to-video |
2000 | Sumo Singers | ||
2001 | Cats & Dogs | Ninja Cat | |
Osmosis Jones | Collin | Uncredited | |
Various Voices | |||
Freddie | Direct-to-video | ||
2003 | Elmer Fudd, Peter Lorre | ||
2004 | Dog | ||
Popeye, Pappy | Direct-to-video | ||
2005 | Biff Buzzard, King Thingg, Gardener #2 | ||
Biff Buzzard, Hollywood President, Squirty | |||
2006 | Curious George | Manager | |
Bi-Polar Bear | Direct-to-video | ||
Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas | Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd | ||
Casper's Scare School | Fatso, Figurehead | ||
2007 | TMNT | Newscaster | |
Billy & Mandy's Big Boogey Adventure | Pirate #8, Miniature Cyclops, Spider Clown Mailman, Beast Master | ||
Philip J. Fry, Lars Fillmore, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan, Richard Nixon, additional voices | Direct-to-video | ||
2008 | Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan, Richard Nixon, additional voices | ||
Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, additional voices | |||
2009 | Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan, Leo Wong, Richard Nixon, additional voices | ||
2012 | Daffy's Rhapsody | Elmer Fudd | Short film |
Scooby-Doo! Mask of the Blue Falcon | Becker | Direct-to-video | |
2015 | Seagull | ||
Elmer Fudd | Direct-to-video | ||
Pixels | Additional voices | ||
2017 | Best Fiends: Boot Camp | General Slug | Short film |
2020 | Scoob! | Muttley | Scoob!: A Complete Cast List Cinemablend, May 13, 2020 |
+ List of voice performances in television shows ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes | ||
1988 | The New Adventures of Beany and Cecil | Cecil | |
1991–1994 | Doug | Doug Funnie, Roger Klotz, additional voices | |
1991–1996 | The Ren & Stimpy Show | Stimpson J. Cat, Ren Höek*, additional voices | *Replacing John Kricfalusi |
1994 | The Shnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show | France Bug | |
The Baby Huey Show | Fox | ||
1996 | Earthworm Jim | Morty | Episode: "Lounge Day's Journey Into Night" |
Project G.e.e.K.e.R. | GeeKeR | ||
1996–1999 | Timon & Pumbaa | Additional voices | |
1997–1998 | The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries | Various characters | 5 episodes |
Pinky and the Brain | Various characters | ||
1997–2000 | I Am Weasel | Additional voices | |
1997–2004 | Johnny Bravo | Various voices | 5 episodes |
1997 | Cow and Chicken | Bag Boy | Episode: "My Friend, the Smart Banana" |
The Weird Al Show | Show Announcer, Harvey the Wonder Hamster | ||
Extreme Ghostbusters | Slimer, Mayor McShane | ||
Space Goofs | Additional voices | ||
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Lombar, Construction Worker | Episode: "Laugh, Krumm, Laugh" | |
1997–1999 | King of the Hill | Cigarenders Leader, Mr. Holloway, Sergeant Barber | |
1998 | Mad Jack the Pirate | Snuk | |
Animaniacs | Codger Eggbert | Episode: "Hooray for North Hollywood" Pt. 2 | |
The New Batman Adventures | Mo, Lar, Cur | Episode: "Beware the Creeper" | |
Oh Yeah! Cartoons | Various characters | ||
1998–2000 | Histeria! | Chit Chatterson, Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, various voices | |
Pidge, various voices | |||
1998–2005 | The Powerpuff Girls | Additional voices | |
CatDog | Rancid Rabbit, Mr. Sunshine, Randolph Grant, Mean Bob, additional voices | ||
1999 | Queer Duck | Bi-Polar Bear, additional voices | |
Lexie #2 | Episode: "A Fish Story" | ||
Detention | Emmitt Roswell | ||
Olive, the Other Reindeer | Mr. Eskimo | Television film | |
Dilbert | Marketing Guy, additional voices | ||
1999–2000 | Rayman | ||
1999–2003, 2008–2013, 2023–present | Futurama | Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan, Richard Nixon, additional voices | |
1999–2002 | Screen Gems Network | Announcer | Syndicated program |
Hey Arnold! | Various voices | 2 episodes | |
The New Woody Woodpecker Show | Woody Woodpecker, Wally Walrus, Smedley, various voices | ||
2000 | Poochini | Poochini, Walter White, Mr. Garvey, Lockjaw | |
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command | Voice | Episode: "Lost in Time" | |
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law | Dr. Zin | Episode: "Bannon Custody Case" | |
2000–2001 | Zombie College | Julius, Graham | |
2001 | Horrible Histories | Stitch, Narrator, additional voices | |
The Oblongs | George Klimer, Anita Bidet, additional voices | ||
Lloyd in Space | Larvel | Episode: "Nerd From Beyond The Stars" | |
Totally Spies! | Lester Crawley | Episode: "The Eraser" | |
2002–2006 | My Life as a Teenage Robot | Principal Razinski, additional voices | |
2002 | Jackie Chan Adventures | Monkey King | Episode: "Monkey a Go-Go" |
Crank Yankers | Confucious, Moo Shu | ||
Ozzy & Drix | Muscle Cell | Episode: "Reflex" | |
2002, 2017 | Samurai Jack | Various characters | 2 episodes |
2002–2006 | Sam Melvick, additional voices | ||
2003 | Duck Dodgers | Mother Fudd, Zeke | |
2003 | As Told by Ginger | Cleetis Boregard, Mrs. Grimley | 2 episodes |
2003 | Teamo Supremo | Barney the Bungler | Episode: "Beware of the Bungler!" |
2004 | What's New, Scooby-Doo? | Jimmy Proudwolf | Episode: "New Mexico, Old Monster" |
Invader Zim | Zim | Episode: "Pilot" | |
Justice League Unlimited | Skeets | Episode: "The Greatest Story Never Told" | |
2004, 2006 | Numbuh 13 | ||
2005 | The Life and Times of Juniper Lee | Leprechaun | Episode: " It's Your Party and I'll Whine If I Want To" |
The Proud Family Movie | Board Member, Cab Driver | Television film | |
2006–2007 | Drawn Together | Stimpy, Popeye, Denzel Washington | |
2006 | The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour | Sam Melvick, Corky Shimatzu, Blix, British Official | Television film |
Catscratch | Bear Captain, Bear Guard | Episode: "The Secret Door" | |
Ben 10 | Kraab, Punk, Guard | 2 episodes | |
2006–2007 | Squirrel Boy | Kyle Finster | |
Loonatics Unleashed | Sagittarius Stomper, Electro J. Fudd | 2 episodes | |
2007 | Chowder | Additional voices | |
2007–2009 | Various voices | ||
Back at the Barnyard | |||
2008 | The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack | Additional voices | |
The Mighty B! | |||
Random! Cartoons | MooBeard, Value Guy, Finster, Johnny Space Guy, Space Pilot, Space Thugs | ||
2009–2010 | Skeets | 5 episodes | |
2009–2012 | Jungle Junction | Ellyvan | |
2010 | Additional voices | ||
T.U.F.F. Puppy | |||
2010, 2012 | Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated | Gunther Gator, Randy Warsaw, Butch Firbanks | |
2010 | Glenn Martin, DDS | Mr. Vernon | Episode: "Camp" |
2011 | Mongo Wrestling Alliance | Various | |
Eric Kaplan's Sketch World | Additional voices | Web series | |
2011–2014 | The Looney Tunes Show | Elmer Fudd, Waiter | |
2012 | The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange | Cranberry | |
2013 | Ultimate Spider-Man | Rocket Raccoon | Episode: "Guardians of the Galaxy" |
2014 | The Simpsons | Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg | Episode: "Simpsorama" |
Mixels | Lunk, Gobba, Balk | ||
Adventure Time | Goose, Dr. Erik Adamkinson, Mayor | Episode: "Everything's Jake" | |
Turbo Fast | Fleagor, Mosquito, Adolfo, Waterbug, Ritchie, Howie, Jack A. Lopez | ||
TripTank | Sextus Scribnous | Episode: "Ahhh, Serenity" | |
2014–2016 | The 7D | Bashful, various voices | |
2015–2019 | The Stinky & Dirty Show | Chill | |
2016 | Rolling with the Ronks! | Godzi | Replacing Dee Bradley Baker |
Star vs. the Forces of Evil | Hungry Larry | Episode: "Hungry Larry" | |
Bunnicula | Dracula, Friendless Sven the Destroyer | 3 episodes | |
Robot Chicken | Doug Funnie, Waffleface | Episode: "Yogurt in a Bag" | |
Mighty Magiswords | Herman, Pterodactyl, Spiffy the Sphinx | Episode: "Manlier Fish the Fishlier Man" | |
2016–2018 | The Adventures of Puss in Boots | Angus, Thieves | 3 episodes |
2017 | Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! | Sheriff Boon, Paco | Episode: "How to Train Your Coward" |
2017–2019 | Wacky Races | Muttley, Tiny, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Quick Draw McGraw, Touche Turtle, Jabberjaw | |
2018 | Happy! | Raspberry | Episode: "The Scrapyard of Childish Things" |
2018–2023 | Disenchantment | Sorcerio, The Jester, Mertz, Pops the Elf, King Rulo the Elf | Netflix series |
2019 | Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? | Various voices | 2 episodes |
Welcome to the Wayne | Baby Olly | Episode: "The Best Buddy I Never Had" | |
2020–present | Big City Greens | Nick Mulligan | Recurring role |
2020–2021 | Spitting Image | Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Vladimir Putin, Mark Zuckerberg, Rudy Giuliani, William Shatner | |
2025 | Theme Song Takeover | Nick Mulligan | Episode: "Grandpa Nick Takeover" |
+ List of voice performances in video games ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes | ||
1996 | Nickelodeon 3D Movie Maker | Ren, Stimpy | |
1997 | Atomic Bomberman | Atomic Bomberman | |
1999 | Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd | ||
Emilio Baza, Vampire | |||
Hamton J. Pig | |||
2000 | Wacky Races | Muttley, Little Gruesome | |
M&M's: The Lost Formulas | Red | ||
Additional voices | |||
Nicktoons Racing | Stimpy | ||
Looney Tunes Racing | Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Pepé Le Pew | ||
Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd | |||
Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Pepé Le Pew | |||
2001 | Stupid Invaders | Bolok | |
Muttley, L'il Gruesome | |||
2002 | Additional voices | ||
2003 | Murfy | ||
Futurama | Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan | ||
Crash Nitro Kart | Nash, Zam | ||
I-Ninja | Ninja | ||
2006 | Open Season | Toothy O'Toole, Ricky Sr. | |
2007 | Sparx | ||
Stimpy | |||
The Simpsons Game | Dr. Zoidberg | ||
2008 | Elmer Fudd | ||
Muttley | |||
2011 | Nicktoons MLB | The Yak | |
2013 | Skylanders series | Fire Kraken, Freeze Blade, Food Fight, Chill Bill, Rocky Roll | |
2015 | Narrator, Siggie, Fanboy | ||
2021 | Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl | Ren, Stimpy | Voiceover added in the June 2022 update |
2022 | |||
2023 | Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 |
+ List of acting performances in feature films ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes | ||
2004 | Leo Matuzik | Direct-to-video | |
2011 | Demoted | Robert Reilly | |
2013 | I Know That Voice | Himself | Documentary |
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