10 Most Iconic Characters Voiced by Jeff Bennett
Jeffrey Bennett was born in Huston, Texas, but moved to California in 1990. His voice acting career began with James Bond Jr. in 1991 before getting roles in more successful cartoons like Animaniacs, Gargoyles, and Batman: The Animated Series. He is now held among the likes of Tara Strong,John DiMaggio, and Rob Paulsen as one of the biggest names in voiceover.
Bennett's versatility is on a lever all his own, and even if audiences don't know his name, chances are they are familiar with one character he has voiced. He can slip seamlessly into any role, do very accurate impressions of big named celebrities, and voice multiple characters in a single scene.
10 Ace - 'Power Puff Girls'
The city of Townsville is plagued by several villains, including the Gangreen Gang. Their leader, Ace, is the brains of these teenage delinquents. Under his leadership, the gang spends their time goofing off and harassing folks through bullying and crank calls, only to be stopped by the Powerpuff Girls.
Ace serves as the gang's face, using his charisma to manipulate folks to let them get away with their bad habits. His attitude is what you'd expect from a delinquent: rude, disrespectful, and both frustrated and loyal to his gang. Though they cause quite a bit of mischief and need to be stopped, several episodes show that the boys aren't evil, just lost.
9 Twinkle the Marvel Horse - 'Dave the Barbarian'
Whenever Princess Candy (Erica Luttrell) needs to travel, she uses her flying mount, Twinkle the Marvel Horse. Unfortunately, she has a habit of forgetting about him and leaving him alone in his stable. Left with nothing but his thoughts, Twinkle spirals into a dark depression.
Twinkle's colorful design makes the juxtaposition with his depressing personality even better. He always tries to share his disturbing dreams with others, only to be brushed off and reinforce his belief that nobody cares for him. The best part is that Bennett uses his on-point Christopher Walken impression for the character.
8 Petrie - 'Land Before Time'
When an earthquake separated Petri from his pteranodon family, he joined up with a lost herd of young dinosaurs to find the Great Valley. Their respective families also arrived, meaning that Petrie and his friends could go on future adventures together. Though the most nervous of his friends, Petrie's ability to fly is invaluable when they get into trouble.
Bennett took over voicing Petrie from Will Ryan after the first Land Before Time film and does a good job bringing to life the neurotic flyer. He captures Petrie's constant worrying and makes his unique style of broken English as bearable as possible. The fact that Bennett can sing while voicing the character is another example of his talent.
7 Dr. Jacques von Hamsterviel - 'Lilo & Stitch"
After graduating from Evil Genius University, Dr. Hamsterviel partnered with fellow graduate, Dr. Jumba Jookiba (David Ogden Stiers). Together, they created over six-hundred illegal experiments designed to cause chaos and destruction. Hamsterviel eventually double-crossed Jumba to claim the experiments for galactic domination.
Hamsterviel is a fun, comedic villain who still manages to be intimidating when needed. Though his small, fluffy design is not too dangerous, his cunning mind has allowed him to plot and plan even when in prison. His exaggerated accent also adds to the comedy, such as when he gets indignant over being called a gerbil instead of a hamster.
6 Merlin - 'Kingdom Hearts II'
Thanks to his mastery of magic, Merlin can look into the future and learn science and technology. He uses this knowledge to educate a young Arthur (Rickie Sorensen and Richard Reitherman) in The Sword in the Stone, so he can become the king he needs to be. Afterward, Merlin pops up several times in Disney's expanded universe, willing to share his knowledge with those who need it.
Hamilton Camp first inherited the role from Karl Swenson in The House of Mouse, but Bennett took over starting with the Kingdom Hearts games. He does a great job making Merlin sound like a smart and excited professor eager to share his knowledge, with an edge in his voice that becomes more pronounced when annoyed. He also nails Merlin's playful side as well, which makes him a good choice for younger programs like Sophia the First.
5 Kowalski - 'Penguins of Madagascar'
Living in the New York City Zoo is a quartet of penguins trained to be secret agents. Whenever something threatens the zoo or their friends, they turn to the brains of the group, Kowalski, for advice. This genius-level penguin can McGuiver together all sorts of inventions that can warp time and space but can't seem to master reading.
Chris Miller originally voiced Kowalski in the Madagascar films and played him as a more serious spy parody. For The Penguins of Madagascar, Bennett leaned more into comedy and eccentrics. He makes Kowalski sound more like an eccentric scientist who delights in coming up with new gadgets and speaking in techno-babble.
4 The Joker - 'Batman: The Brave and the Bold'
Among all of Batman's (Diedrich Bader) rogues, none give him more trouble than the Joker. Done up in the style of Dick Sprang from the 1950s, this Harlequin of Hate prides himself on committing crimes that always end with a punch line. Sometimes his acts of villainy are so grand that Batman needs to seek help from his fellow superheroes like Aquaman (John DiMaggio) Blue Beatle (Will Friedle), and Plastic Man (Tom Kenny).
While not the best actor to have played the character, Bennett's portrayal has its own charm. He adds a certain level of class and sophistication to his lines, making the Joker sound almost professional in his villainy. Of course, he's still capable of delivering the maniacal laugh we expect to hear from the Clown Prince of Crime.
3 Brooklyn - 'Gargoyles'
After surviving the massacre of their clan, a handful of gargoyles are trapped in a stone sleep for a thousand years, only to wake up in New York City in 1994. One of them, who takes the name Brooklyn, explores this new world with his rookery brothers, Lexington (Thom Adcox-Hernandez) and Broadway (Bill Fagerbakke). He also makes sure to stick to his duties of protecting the rest of the clan, which leads to him being chosen as second in command.
Brooklyn starts as the cynical wisecracker but grows into a mature, logical, and tactical leader. This is due to some choice moments of failure, such as being manipulated by Demona (Marina Sirtis), or his never-ending failure in romance. Bennett does a great job of capturing his youthful excitement in the early episodes and transitioning it into a more mature and contemplative tone.
2 Dexter's Dad - 'Dexter's Lab'
If audiences ever wondered why Dee Dee (Allison Moore and Kat Cressida) acts the way she does to Dexter (Christine Cavanaugh and Candi Milo), look no further than their father. The hardworking breadwinner of the family, Dad also possesses a playful and childish side that can go too far. Sometimes his immaturity can lead to him acting even more childish than his children.
While he loves his family, Dad can be crafty when he wants to be, especially if competition is on the line. He has also had fits of rage and madness brought on by a lack of coffee or his wife's muffins. Bennett's voice perfectly captures this wide range of emotions, and it's easy to imagine him smiling and laughing in the recording booth.
1 Johnny Bravo - 'Johnny Bravo'
In Aron City lives the Bravo family, consisting of Bunny (Brenda Vaccaro) and her adult son, Johnny. A self-proclaimed ladies' man, Johnny spends his days chasing after women to go out with him. Due to his chauvinism and boorish personality, his attempts result in rejection at best and getting beaten up at worst.
Johnny Bravo has become one of the most recognizable characters from Cartoon Network. There are many reasons for this, ranging from his larger-than-life personality, his endless confidence despite constant rejection, and the hilarious timing of the slapstick he is subjected to. Finally, there is Bennett's performance, which is a hilarious tribute and spoof of Elvis Presley, which adds another over-the-top layer to his dialogue.
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