Over the last few years I’ve attended more conventions than I can count, from small local events with 50 or so people to the big sprawling bonanzas of the San Diego and Salt Lake Comic Cons. In my travels I’ve attended dozens of panels and contributed to a few, some of them hit and some of them miss. The Saturday Morning Cartoon panel at Salt Lake Comic Con Fan X was a major hit.
The panel was helmed by Rob Paulsen, Jim Cummings, and Jess Harnell, all talented voice actors and brilliant entertainers. Not only did they have insight into the industry but they were charming and friendly which always goes a long way.
The chemistry of the three panelists can’t be overstated; the trio have worked together on various projects for a number of years and were as excited to be there together as the attendees were to hear from them.
For a number of years I’ve been following voice actors, I’m enamored by the pure talent it takes to maintain that level of vocal control and to find the range necessary to portray the slew of characters they’re responsible for. It’s not at all uncommon for a single actor to provide the voices of multiple characters within the same episode.
Being a lifelong fan of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” franchise put Rob Paulsen on my radar a long time ago but I was wholly unfamiliar with Jim Cummings and Jess Harnell prior to the panel, though their work has influenced me for decades without my knowledge.
That is the wonderful and tragic thing about voice work, these people come into our homes and into our minds like any other actor, writer, or artist but because of the nature of their work we never get to see their faces or know the individual behind the voice.
Harnell, best known for giving voice to Wakko Warner on the beloved and enduring series “Animaniacs” and as Ironhide and Barricade in the “Transformers” film series, talked about his journey into career voice work. Beginning as a rock band vocalist (a talent he still maintains with his current band “Rock Sugar”) he later provided voices for Br’er Rabbit and Br’er Fox for Disneyland’s Splash Mountain Ride which led to the role on “Animaniacs.” Since then Harnell has worked on the Pixar film “Up” as well as “Mr. Peabody and Sherman,” “Rick and Morty,” and “Wreck-It Ralph” to name a few.
Cummings best known for voicing Darkwing Duck in the series of the same name and Disney villain and Goofy’s neighbor Pete. His resume is staggeringly long including credits for “Ducktales,” “Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers, “Adventures of the Gummi Bears,” and is the current voice of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger.
Paulsen is best known for Yakko Warner of “Animaniacs,” Max of “Mighty Max,” Pinky of “Pinky and the Brain” and is a veteran of two animated “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” series, first providing the voice of Raphael in the 1987 series and providing the current voice of Donatello on the current Nickelodeon run. When asked about why he had switched characters rather than reprising his previous role Paulsen quipped that it was a decision made by Nickelodeon and he is just glad to get to be a part of it again. We’re glad too Rob.
During the course of the panel Paulsen, Cummings, and Harnell fielded audience questions often in various voices including Eric Cartman, Christopher Walken, Winnie the Pooh, and Pinky. They also sang together. It was the kind of gathering you hope for at a convention, they were informative and entertaining when answering question, charming and gentle with the children in the audience, and left everyone feeling happier and lighter than when they arrived. Not a moment of time on stage was wasted and many of the attendees have marked their time with these three gentlemen as the highlight of their convention experience at this year’s Fan X.
The three of them expressed a desire to return in September for Salt Lake Comic Con proper and everyone in the audience seemed to be in agreement on that suggestion. I really hope they do, I’d love to spend more time with them.
If you didn’t get a chance to attend we’ve got a recording of the panel that you can listen to, give your ears a treat.