Yesterday marked a sad day in the world of comedy. After a long nine-year battle with cancer, famed actor, writer, and comedian Norm Macdonald passed away at the age of 61. The comedian was well-known in the comedy world, but many don’t know that he also played a big part in animated entertainment and is responsible for some of the most iconic characters in pop culture. What characters has Macdonald voiced? The answer may shock you.
If you’ve ever heard the comedian speak, then you know that Macdonald had a unique, memorable voice. His smiling face and deadpan personality always stood out during his time as a comedian on Saturday Night Live. Likewise, his voice had a certain cadence to it that isn’t easily copied. Pairing it with an animated or CGI character made Macdonald’s voice even more unique and helped make the character a funny addition to every show and film he appeared in.
It didn’t take long for Macdonald to become one of the go-to voice actors for a vast array of characters over the last decade. Even if you don’t remember him from his time at SNL, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard him voice some of your favorite childhood and adult animated characters. Here are the characters he voiced over the course of his colorful career.
Lucky the Dog in Dr. Doolittle
Macdonald began his voiceover career as Lucky, the wise-cracking dog from Eddie Murphy’s Dr. Dolittle franchise in 1998. He would later return to reprise the role for Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), Dr. Dolittle 3 (2006), Dr. Dolittle: Tail To The Chief (2008), and Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts (2009).
Death in Family Guy
Anyone who followed the wacky and over-the-top comedy Family Guy remembers when Death came to claim Peter Griffin’s soul. The first actor to voice the hooded figure was none other than Macdonald, and the role would later be taken over by fellow comedian and friend Adam Carolla.
Norm The Genie in The Fairly OddParents
Most teenagers and young adults grew up on Nickelodeon’s The Fairly OddParents. Whether they know it or not, Macdonald had a small part to play in their childhood when he appeared as the trickster genie Norm, who tried to get rid of the show’s protagonist, Timmy Turner, in the special “Fairy Idol.”
Skipper in Treasure Hounds
Macdonald lent his voice to the main protagonist, Skipper, in the direct-to-home video movie Treasure Hounds in 2017. Though it was a low-budget kids film, it was Macdonald’s first leading role as a voiceover actor.
Julius in The Flight Before Christmas
Released during the holiday season, The Flight Before Christmas is another children’s film that focuses on a reindeer named Niko as he searches for his father in the hopes of joining Santa and helping him get ready for Christmas Eve. The film starred Macdonald as sarcastic squirrel sidekick Julius, whose voice didn’t match his small stature, making the character even funnier.
Quint in The Outback
Macdonald was also featured in the South Korean CGI animated film The Outback as Quint the Peg Leg Wombat. The character was the mentor and leader of the main antagonist, Koala Kid, and the rest of their animal community.
Pigeon in Mike Tyson Mysteries
Back in 2014, former boxer Mike Tyson decided he wanted to make an adult animated cartoon. Thanks to Adult Swim, the Mike Tyson Mysteries was created, and Macdonald was able to snag the role of one of the show’s most popular characters, Pigeon, a man cursed by a witch to live out his remaining days as a pigeon.
Glumshanks in Skylanders Academy
If you’re a fan of the video game Spyro and the Skylanders Academy CGI animated series on Netflix, then you may be surprised to know that it was Macdonald who played the role of Glumshanks in the main cast.
King Leo in The Adventures of Panda Warrior
Macdonald may not have been approached to appear in the popular Kung Fu Panda franchise, but he was at least able to snag a role in its generic counterpart, The Adventures Of Panda Warrior, as King Leo, the lion who trains the main character.
Mogens in Klaus
One of Macdonald’s most recent roles and one of the last before his death was that of Mogens, the sarcastic ferryman, in the Netflix holiday film Klaus. The CGI animated film⏤a reimagining of Santa Klaus’ origin⏤would later be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
For someone who was rarely seen on screen for the better part of the last decade, Macdonald sure had his fair share of roles as a voiceover actor. May his spirit live on through his many characters and his other creative endeavors. Rest in peace, good sir.
Published: Sep 15, 2021 03:51 pm