Billy West Biography

Fast Facts

• Was nominated for an Annie Award for best achievement in voice acting for "The Ren & Stimpy Show" in 1994
• Received greater exposure doing impersonation of Marge Schott, owner of the Cincinnati Reds, on "The Howard Stern Show․"
• Started out doing impersonations on Boston's WBNC FM morning show with Charles Laquidara in the 1980s
• Quote: "You watch people and study them the way an alien would ․․․ It's an ear a voice performer has, where they're able to hear things in real life, and they're able to grab hold of it and then amplify it through another character or a direct impression․"
• Best known as the voice actor behind Philip J․ Fry, Professor Farnsworth and Dr․ Zoidberg in "Futurama," and Ren Höek and Stimpson J․ Cat in "The Ren & Stimpy Show․"
• He is also a musician, playing guitar and singing in the bands The Shutdowns and Billy West and the Grief Counselors, who released their first album in 2004
• Played some live shows with Steven Tyler, lead singer of the then-separated band Aerosmith, in the 1980s
• Some of his other iconic voices are Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in the 1996 film "Space Jam," and the Red M&M
• His "Futurama" character Zapp Brannigan is based on the voices of the disc jockeys he worked with when he worked in radio