Jim Cummings

Infobox actor voice
birthname = James Jonah Cummings
birth_date = birth date and age|1952|11|3
birth_place = flagicon|United States Youngstown, Ohio
place_of_death =
occupation = Voice actor
gender = Male|
spouse =
agent = International Creative Management

James Jonah "Jim" Cummings (born November 3, 1952 [State of California. Lists James J. Cummings on 3 November 1952. No James J. Cummings born in 1953.] in Youngstown, Ohio) is an American voice actor.

Early Years

Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Cummings relocated to New Orleans, where he worked on the assembly of Mardi Gras floats. He later moved to Anaheim, California, where he worked "odd jobs" until the early 1980s. Cummings' first opportunity as a voice actor came in 1983, when the failing health of longtime "Winnie the Pooh" voice actor Sterling Holloway prompted an open call for Holloway's replacement for the animated feature, "Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore". While Hal Smith (best known as "Otis" in "The Andy Griffith Show") took over for that particular project, Cummings proved to be an uncanny substitute for Holloway in the subsequent TV show, "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh". He also changed Pooh's voice by giving him more depth and an English accent.

Career

Cummings is among the most celebrated voice-over actors in movie history. He speaks in a deep, gravelly voice for most roles, but can do many variations of it. His skills as a mimic have earned him scores of opportunities at Walt Disney Productions, in particular. At Disney, Cummings not only replaced the ailing Holloway as the voice of both Winnie-the-Pooh and Kanga, but also took over as the voice of Tigger, when well-known ventriloquist and voice actor Paul Winchell retired. Then, when British actor Jeremy Irons experienced problems with his vocal cords during production of "The Lion King", Cummings was hired to imitate Irons's voice for the last few lines of the song, "Be Prepared". He also duplicated the voice of actor Christopher Lloyd for the song, "In the Dark of the Night" in the animated film, "Anastasia". While Cummings provided a rendition of Louis Prima's voice for King Louie in "TaleSpin", this provoked a controversy with Prima's widow.

Cummings is the only original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles voice actor to return for the 2007 movie. His first three TMNT appearances were "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue", and '. The 2007 movie was Cummings' sixth computer-animated movie appearance. His first five computer-animated movie appearances included "Antz", "The Nuttiest Nutcracker", "Shrek", ', and "Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas"; and his latest CG movie appearances are "Bee Movie" and "The Princess and the Frog.

In the course of two decades, Cummings' career as a voice actor has taken him from bit parts to leading roles in major series at various studios, including Nickelodeon, Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, Dreamworks, and 20th Century Fox studios. His most memorable roles, however, have been at Walt Disney Studios. There, he provided voices for a variety of television series, including leading roles in "Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears", (taking over the character of Zummi Gummi after Paul Winchell's departure from the role), "DuckTales", "Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers", "Darkwing Duck", "Goof Troop", "Bonkers", "Gargoyles", and "House of Mouse", and movies such as "Hercules", "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "Pocahontas" and the Disney special edition of "Alice in Wonderland" (as the Cheshire Cat singing "I'm Odd"). Cummings also voiced the non-speaking role of Ed the laughing hyena in 1994's "The Lion King".

Other notable roles include "Mr. Bumpy" in the cult Claymation show "Bump in the Night", Dr. Robotnik on "Sonic The Hedgehog", Mayor Manx on , Psy-Crow and Bob the Killer Goldfish on "Earthworm Jim" and Taz Tazmanian Devil on "Taz-Mania" and a number of other projects. In addition to Taz and Pooh, Cummings has over the years become the official voice for a number of legendary cartoon characters, including Tigger, Pete, Dick Dastardly, the Slag Brothers, Big Gruesome, Private Meekly, Clyde, and Morocco Mole . He also did some voices on "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" such as Leatherhead the mutant alligator and some additional characters. He also did the voice of Don Karnage in Disney's "TaleSpin". Cummings has also provided voices for video games, television commercials, and movie trailers, and is the current official announcer for Kids' WB!, as well as the official spokesperson for the current Cheez-It commercials. Recently, he returned to his role as Taz on "Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas.

In the world of video games, Cummings has done the voice of Minsc of "Baldur's Gate"/' and Drizzt Do'Urden in the first ' game. He is also prominently displayed in the credits of "Kingdom Hearts" as Pooh, Tigger, and Pete. Cummings provided the voices for "Bad Mr. Frosty", "Hougan", and "Sumo Santa" in "Clay Fighter 63 1/3". He also voices "Sarge" and the other soldiers in the "Army Men" games. In Ys Book I and II for the Turbografx -16 CD system, he is credited as voicing "Dalles", and he provided voices for minor characters in "Gabriel Knight": Sins of the Fathers. He played several characters in the little-known "Toonstruck."

In addition, Cummings narrates the current Epcot fireworks show, .

Cummings has a notable cameo in "" as an inebriated party-goer. This is his only live-action appearance. The movie stars many other voice actors, including Tom Kenny, Billy West and Mark Hamill.

Voice Work

* "" – Colonel, Mayor Ed Pig, Jasper
* "2 Stupid Dogs" – Super Secret Secret Squirrel's Morroco Mole
* "The Addams Family" (animated series) – Lurch
* "Adventures in Odyssey" – Larry Walker
* "Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears" – Zummi Gummi (Originally Paul Winchell), Chummi Gummi
* "" – Mayor Quadar, Ultra Lord, Cap'n Betty, Atilla The Hun
* "Aladdin" – Razoul, also in the TV Series
* "All Dogs Go to Heaven 2" – Jingles
* "Anastasia" – Rasputin (singing voice)
* "Animaniacs" – Narrator and several one-shot characters
* "" – Additional voices
* "The Batman" – Temblor
* "Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas" – Taz, Gossamer
* "Baldur's Gate Series" – Minsc, Firkraag, Gorion, Tazok, Abazigal, Gromnir Il-Khan, Demogorgon
* "Balto" – Steele
* "Bonkers" – Bonkers D. Bobcat, Lucky Piquel and other characters
* "The Book of Pooh" – Winnie the Pooh, Tigger
* "Bee Movie" - Title Narrator and Graduation Announcer
* "Brother Bear 2" – Nita's father, Lead Raccoon
* "Bump in the Night" – Mister Bumpy, Destructo, Closet Monster
* "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command"– Senator Aarrfvox
* "Cabin Boy" – Floating Cupcake
* "Captain Planet and the Planeteers" – Sly Sludge (Hanna-Barbera episodes)
* "Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue" – Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger
* "CatDog" – Cat
* "ChalkZone" – Skrawl
* "Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers" – Monterey Jack, Fat Cat, Professor Nimnul, Wart the Lizard
* "Clive Barker's Jericho" – Arnold Leach
* "" – Vin Moosk
* "Courage the Cowardly Dog" – The Great Fusilli, Cajun Fox
* "Cro" – Phil, Ogg, Murray
* "Curious George" – Chef Pisghetti; Jumpy Squirrel; Mister Quint
* "Darkwing Duck" – Drake Mallard/Darkwing Duck, DarkWarrior Duck, NegaDuck, Warden Waddlesworth, Herb Muddlefoot, Professor Moliarty
* "Dexter's Laboratory" - Red-Eye (in "Photo Finish")
* "Duckman" -- Big Jack Mcbastard
* "DuckTales - El Capitan
* "Earthworm Jim" – Psycrow, Bob the Killer Goldfish, and other various voices.
* "Fallout" – The Master, Set, Gizmo
* "Gargoyles" – Dingo and other characters
* "Goof Troop" – Pete
* "The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy" – Additional Voices
* "Hercules" – Nessus
* "The Hot Rod Dogs and Cool Car Cats" – Scarhood.
* "House of Mouse" – Pete, King Louie, Big Bad Wolf, Censor Monkeys, Ed the Hyena, Gorilla, Kaa, Razoul, Tiki Masks, Weasels, Zeke, Cheshire Cat, Roquefort, Mister Stork, Jasper, Colonel Hathi, Cyril Proudbottom, Otto, Shun Gun, Boomer, Porcupine, Sexton Mouse, Deacon Owl, Gideon
* "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" - Captain of the Knights
* "Icewind Dale" - Arundel, Hrothgar, additional voices
* "Invasion America" – Major Lomack
* "Iron Man" – MODOK, Whirlwind, Dreadknight, Backlash and President Bill Clinton.
* "Jackie Chan Adventures" – Hak Foo (Season 1)
* "The Jungle Book 2" - Kaa, Colonel Hathi, M.C. Monkey
* "Kingdom Hearts" and "Kingdom Hearts II" – Pete, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Ed
* "" – Sierra
* "" – General
* "The Legend of Tarzan" – Tantor
* "The Lion King" – Ed, Scar (singing voice in last part of "Be Prepared")
* "" – Scar, additional voices
* "The Lion King 1 1/2 – Ed
* "" - King Triton
* "Marsupilami" – Maurice, Norman
* "My Friends Tigger & Pooh" – Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Beaver
* "" – Doyle (Lieutenant Kellaway's partner), Kablamus, various one-shot characters
* "Mickey's Speedway USA" – Pete
* "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" – Winnie the Pooh, Tigger
* "Ozzy & Drix" – Chief Gluteus
* "Pepper Ann" – Mr. Carter (Pepper Ann's science teacher) and some one-shot characters
* "The Pirates of Dark Water" – Skorian, Ioz (season 2)
* "Pocahontas" – Chief Powhatan (singing vocals), Wise Man
* "" – King James
* "The Princess and the Frog" - Ray
* "Project G.e.e.K.e.R." - Mister Moloch and Will Dragonn
* "The Powerpuff Girls" – Fuzzy Lumpkins
* "" – Boris, Hans
* "The Replacements (Disney Channel series) – Various
* "The Road to El Dorado"– Hernán Cortés, additional voices
* "Road Rovers" – General Parvo
* "Rude Dog and the Dweebs" – Satch
* "The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs" – Bald Spokesperson, Flea Leader, Von Rabie, Catastrophe
* "Shrek" – Captain of the guards
* "Shrek the Third" - Shrek (ADR work)
* "" - Additional Voices
* "Small Soldiers" - Ocula
* "Sonic the Hedgehog (SATAM)" – Doctor Ivo Robotnik, SWATbots, Nasty Hyena member (Fed Up With Antoine)
* "" – Shocker, Chameleon
* "" – Mayor Manx, Feral's Sergeant
* "Tales from the Crypt" - Judge Vic "Leave 'Em Hanging" Johnson
* "TaleSpin" – Don Karnage, Louie, Trader Moe, Covinton
* "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" – Shredder (1991 and European Vacation Alternate), Leatherhead, Genghis Frog
* "TMNT" – Various voices
* "" – Leatherhead and Shredder (Arcade version only)
* "Teen Titans" – Master of Games, Wildebeest ("Winner Take All")
* "The Spectacular Spider-Man - Crusher Hogan
* "Taz-Mania" – Taz, Buddy Boar, Bushwhacker Bob, Wendell T. Wolf
* "The Tick" – Thrakkorzog, Barry Hubris, Stalingrad, Captain Decency, Mister Mental, Multiple Santa, Leonardo Da Vinci
* "Timon and Pumbaa" – Ed, Additional Voices
* "The Transformers" – Afterburner, Rippersnapper
* "Tweety's High-Flying Adventure" - Taz, Yosemite Sam
* "" – Witterquick & the Bearer of Knowledge
* "Wacky Races" – Dick Dastardly, Private Meekly, Clyde(Originally Paul Winchell), Big Gruesome, Rock Slag, Gravel Slag (Originally Daws Butler)
* "Where's Waldo? (TV series)" – Narrator
* "What's New, Scooby-Doo?" - Cyrus T. Buford, Crawdad Mike, Broderick Bosepheus
* "Widget the World Watcher" – Megabrain
* "Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa – Dakota Dude
* "W.I.T.C.H." – Tridart, Harold Hale, Zacharias
* "" – Dalles

Workplace

*DPN - Danis, Panaro & Nist

Notes

External links

* [http://www.cultofcummings.com/ The Cult of Cummings: The Jim Cummings Fan Portal] the largest and oldest fan site devoted to this voice actor
*voice actor|id=1002
*imdb name|id=0191906