Dee Bradley Baker

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Dee Bradley Baker (born August 31, 1962) is an American voice actor. Much of his work has consisted of vocalizations of animals and monsters. Baker's roles include animated series such as Adventure Time, American Dad!, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Ben 10, Codename: Kids Next Door, Gravity Falls, Milo Murphy's Law, Phineas and Ferb, SpongeBob SquarePants, Handy Manny, Jungle Junction, Steven Universe, The 7D, Miles from Tomorrowland, Muppet Babies, and The Legend of Korra. His voice work in live-action series includes Legends of the Hidden Temple and Shop 'til You Drop, as well as films such as Space Jam and The Boxtrolls.

Baker is especially known for his work on various Star Wars television series, mainly as the voice of Captain Rex and other clone troopers in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Star Wars: The Bad Batch. He has also voiced characters in video games such as Halo, Gears of War, Viewtiful Joe, Spore, Destiny, Overwatch, Portal 2, and Cars Mater-National Championship.

Early life

Baker was born in Bloomington, Indiana, on August 31, 1962,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="sentinel 1991">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and grew up in Greeley, Colorado.<ref name="greeley tribune">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="emmy"/> He started performing at the age of nine and steadily worked in musicals, operas, plays, and stand-up comedy. As a child, he was a fan of Star Trek, Star Wars, Planet of the Apes, and the music of Frank Zappa; he also had an interest in insects, arthropods, and dinosaurs.<ref name="VO studio interview">Template:Cite video</ref> He graduated from University High School in 1981 and received a Boettcher Scholarship.<ref name="greeley tribune"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Baker attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he studied philosophy, biology, fine arts, and German, the last of which he studied overseas for a year at the University of Göttingen.<ref name="emily interview">Template:Cite video – includes YouTube interview</ref> He was involved in local theater productions and singing groups. After graduating with a BA in philosophy in 1986, he was involved in many community theater projects, including a sketch comedy movie that aired on local public television.<ref name="honorary bio">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Career

Legends of the Hidden Temple

In 1989, Baker moved to Orlando, Florida, where he worked on an improv sketch comedy show titled The Anacomical Players at EPCOT Center's Wonders of Life pavilion and joined various projects for Disney and Universal Studios.<ref name="sentinel 1991"/><ref name="honorary bio"/><ref name="D23">Template:Cite videoTemplate:Cbignore – 4 minutes in for Pirates, 15 minutes in for Boba Fett </ref> His first major experience on national television was on the Nickelodeon game show Legends of the Hidden Temple from 1993 to 1995, where he was not only the announcer, but also the giant talking rock-god Olmec.<ref name="honorary bio"/><ref name="twitter legends">Template:Cite tweet</ref> He portrayed Olmec with a "big, booming, loud, god-like voice". During parts of the show, he would narrate a legend, and then ask the kid contestants related trivia questions. The show lasted three seasons and 120 episodes. When host Kirk Fogg moved to Los Angeles, he was encouraged to move there as well.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2016, he and Fogg reprised their roles for a live action television movie adaptation of the show.<ref name="variety legends 2016">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He reprised his role of Olmec again when Legends was revived in 2021 on The CW.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early voice acting career

Baker moved to Southern California about a year before the 1994 Northridge earthquake.<ref name="greeley tribune"/> He got involved in voice-over work; his first major character was Cow & Chicken's dad in the Cow & Chicken and I Am Weasel cartoons.<ref name="honorary bio"/> His first feature film voice-over was on the basketball-themed Looney Tunes film Space Jam where he voiced Daffy Duck, Taz and Toro.<ref name="honorary bio"/> He did voice work for various episodic and recurring cartoon characters in The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest,<ref name="jonny quest">Template:Cite episode</ref> Johnny Bravo, Dexter's Laboratory,<ref name="dexter3-1">Template:Cite episode</ref> SpongeBob SquarePants,<ref name="brooks-1285">Template:Harvnb</ref> and The Powerpuff Girls.<ref name="powerpuff 4-4">Template:Cite episode</ref> He voiced starring characters Og in Mike, Lu & Og<ref name="brooks-895">Template:Harvnb</ref> and Bagheera in the second season of Jungle Cubs.<ref name="terrace-549">Template:Harvnb</ref> In 2001, he added voice roles for Sanjay, Binky and other characters for The Fairly OddParents<ref name="terrace-322">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="btva"/> and co-starred as Mandy's father on Billy and Mandy.<ref name="terrace-418">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="btva"/> He had a lead role as Numbuh 4 in Codename: Kids Next Door.<ref name="brooks-268">Template:Harvnb</ref>

On the live-action front, he became the co-host and announcer for the game show Shop 'til You Drop which spanned several hundred episodes when it resumed broadcasting on the Family Channel (of which he was their announcer in 1999) and on the Pax television network, until a series retool in 2003; it was produced by Stone Stanley Entertainment, which had earlier co-produced Legends of the Hidden Temple.<ref name="brooks-1230">Template:Harvnb</ref> He also had an on-screen recurring role as Phil Berg in the Nickelodeon sitcom series The Journey of Allen Strange where he plays a crazed journalist who tries to expose Allen's identity as a space alien.<ref name="brooks-717">Template:Harvnb</ref>

Animal and creature characterizations

Starting with gigs on The Wild Thornberrys, he voiced an assortment of animal characters, which would become one of his specialties.<ref name="btva"/> He voiced Pig George in the live action animal film My Brother the Pig.<ref name="my brother the pig movie">Template:Cite AV media</ref> Baker has also been involved with television shows for younger children including: Dora the Explorer where he provided animal sounds;<ref name="dora">Template:Cite episode</ref> Mickey Mouse Clubhouse where he voices Boo Boo Chicken;<ref name="mmc 5-1">Template:Cite episode</ref> Curious George where he voices Gnocchi,<ref name="gnocchi">Template:Cite episode</ref> My Friends Tigger & Pooh where he voices Buster the dog<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Jake and the Neverland Pirates (airing on Disney Junior) where he voices Tick-Tock the crocodile.<ref name="btva"/> In Avatar: The Last Airbender where he voiced the creatures Appa and Momo<ref name="brooks-88">Template:Harvnb</ref> and would soon voice many other creatures in the series as well as its sequel, The Legend of Korra, where he voices Naga, Pabu and Oogi. He voiced in the American Dragon: Jake Long<ref name="jake long">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Ben 10 series, the latter of which he voiced many alien creatures such as Stinkfly and Wildmutt, as well as some of the transformations.<ref name="btva" /><ref name="brooks-123">Template:Harvnb</ref> He also voiced in the Ben 10 sequels such as Ben 10: Alien Force,<ref name="terrace-89">Template:Harvnb</ref> Ben 10: Ultimate Alien and Ben 10: Omniverse, as well as its live-action adaptations and the show's reboot.<ref name="btva"/><ref name="formspring">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="formspring2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Derrick J. Wyatt, who was the art director for Omniverse, noted that they had to allow other voice actors to do some of the aliens in the later series because Baker was doing almost all of them and some of the characters were putting a strain on his throat.<ref name="formspring2"/> Outside of television, he provided the voice of Captain Jack Sparrow's talking parrot in the refurbished Pirates of the Caribbean rides at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom.<ref name="D23"/><ref name="dis unplugged">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2007, Baker got the role of Perry the Platypus in the Disney series Phineas and Ferb. At the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con panel, Baker mentioned that when he auditioned, he was asked to provide three different creature sounds, regardless of whether it actually sounded like a platypus, of which one was selected as Perry's characteristic sound.<ref name="comic-con 2013 phineas and ferb">Template:Cite videoTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Perry has become a breakout character for the series,<ref name="star">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with Baker appearing at multiple Comic-Con panels for the show.<ref name="comic-con 2013 phineas and ferb"/> In 2014, Perry was nominated for a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Best Animal Sidekick. Coincidentally, another one of Baker's voiced characters, Waddles the pet pig in Gravity Falls, was nominated for the same category.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Further animation voice-over work

File:Dee Bradley Baker by Gage Skidmore 2009.jpg

Baker at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con

In 2005, Baker landed a role as Klaus Heisler, an Olympic ski jumper from Germany who was body-swapped into a goldfish, in the primetime cartoon sitcom American Dad!<ref name="ovguide1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="washingtonpost1">Template:Cite news</ref> The series has run for over 15 seasons on Fox and TBS. In an interview with Pop Break, Baker said that he liked playing Klaus because he loves the German language, the part was well written, and it is not stressful on his voice. He compared the rehearsals to being on The Carol Burnett Show.<ref name="pop break">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He participated in American Dad panels at San Diego Comic-Con in 2010,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 2012,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and 2014;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and the New York Comic Con in 2014.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2017, he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for Klaus in the episode "Fight or Flight".<ref name="emmy">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also voices other characters on the show, most notably Rogu, a homunculi tumor that came off of Roger.

His voicing of council member Tarrlok in Korra garnered a nomination for the Behind the Voice Actors (BTVA) Voice Acting Award in 2012.<ref name="about basile">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="btva korra">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In addition to television shows, Baker voiced characters in many animated and live action animation films, including some of the classic ghost monsters in Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed,<ref name="scooby movie 2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Maurice in Happy Feet.<ref name="btva"/> He also had roles in the Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated TV series and its direct-to-video releases.<ref name="btva"/>

Baker was involved in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars film released in 2008 and its television series afterwards which ran for seven seasons. He provided the voices for not only the characters Captain Rex and Commander Cody, but also all the supporting clone troopers,<ref name="awn clones">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="voicing an army">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="ign rex">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the last of which he received an Annie Award nomination for Voice Acting in a Television Production in 2012.<ref name="annie awards clones">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He has also reprised the role of Captain Rex in Star Wars Rebels, beginning with its second season. He also provided the voice of Boba Fett for Star Tours – The Adventures Continue.<ref name="D23"/> In the 2011 Family Guy episode "It's a Trap!", a parody of the Star Wars film Return of the Jedi, he voiced Klaus as Admiral Ackbar.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2021, he reprised the role of the clones in the Clone Wars spin-off The Bad Batch, including the titular group of experimental clones.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV mediaTemplate:Cbignore</ref> In 2023, he was announced as a voice actor in the Star Wars Outlaws video game, playing Nix, Kay Vess's loyal companion.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Video games, more voice acting, and other projects

In the video game world, Baker reprised his roles in Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon's multitude of show-related game releases. He provided the voice for Otto Von Fassenbottom, a German race car in the 2007 video game, Cars Mater-National Championship. He also voiced Gravemind in Halo 2 and Halo 3,<ref name="btva"/> and the title character Joe in the Viewtiful Joe series released from 2003 to 2005.<ref name="viewtiful joe">Template:Cite video game</ref> He provided the creature sounds for the Spore video game which allows players to create and evolve their own creatures.<ref name="mix online">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="shortchanged">Template:Cite news</ref> At the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con opening night, he was a featured performer at the Video Games Live concert, where he voiced characters from Gears of War and other series.<ref name="video games live">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He provided voices for two Blizzard Entertainment characters – Murky, a baby murloc in Heroes of the Storm, and Hammond, a genetically engineered hamster in Overwatch.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He voiced multiple characters from the De Blob series. He is also the voice of the Death in Dante's Inferno, released in 2010,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Atlas and P-body in Portal 2, released in 2011.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> He also voiced Reuben the pig in Minecraft: Story Mode in 2014.

In 2014, Baker continued participating in American Dad, Gravity Falls, and a fourth season of The Legend of Korra. He voiced Dopey in the Disney XD series The 7D;<ref name="disney examiner 7d">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Fish, Wheels and Bucket in The Boxtrolls film,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="boxtrolls dee blum">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="boxtrolls dee">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in which he was nominated for an Annie Award for voicing Fish.<ref name="annie award boxtrolls">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="focus features site">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} – Cast & Crew</ref> In the Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham video game, he voiced Brainiac.<ref name="game informer troy and dee">Template:Cite magazine</ref> He voiced George Clooney and his dog in "The Animated Episode" of the TV Land series Hot in Cleveland.<ref name="hot in cleveland">Template:Cite episode</ref> In 2020, he voiced the hero Leef in Rocket Arena.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref>

Baker has appeared on various panels at Comic-Con and other conventions where he talks about voice acting in general.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also created a website called IWantToBeAVoiceActor.com, where he answers frequently-asked questions about voice acting and gives advice.<ref name="boxtrolls dee blum"/> The site has been cited by fellow voice actors Steven Blum and Rob Paulsen as a valuable resource for getting into voice acting.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite podcast</ref>

Filmography

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Personal life

Baker met his wife when they were doing children's theatre at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.<ref name="sentinel 1991"/><ref name="greeley tribune"/><ref name="honorary bio"/> They married in 1990, and have two daughters.<ref name="greeley tribune"/><ref name="honorary bio"/> They live in Los Angeles.

Outside of voice acting, Baker enjoys photography, mostly taking pictures of small flowers and insects.<ref name="boxtrolls dee blum"/><ref name="great big story">Template:Cite AV mediaTemplate:Cbignore</ref> He is fluent in German.<ref name="emily interview" /><ref>Talkin' Toons with Rob Paulsen, episode "Dee Bradley Baker"</ref>

References

Book references

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External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:Official website – Baker's voice-over advice site.
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