Top 10 Most Underappreciated Voice Actors

With his long curly hair, Jess Harnell looks like he could front an 80s heavy metal band. While Harnell released an album with his band, Rock Sugar, in 1995, he has a knack for a different kind of showmanship: voice acting. Harnell has contributed his voice to both family entertainment as well as things not suitable for kids. His most notable roles include Wakko Warner on “Animaniacs,” Captain Hero on “Drawn Together,” and video game character Crash Bandicoot. He's also been the announcer for "America's Funniest Home Videos" since 1998. And his musical talents haven’t been diminished. Harnell has provided singing for “Lady and the Tramp II” as well as various TV series. Can you imagine being serenaded by Wakko Warner?

You might not know Daws Butler's name, but if you grew up watching Hanna-Barbera cartoons, you almost certainly know his voice. Butler gave life to some of the most famous characters in animated history, such as Elroy Jetson, Huckleberry Hound, and Yogi Bear. Getting his start as an impressionist, Butler became a key player in many cartoons from animation legend Tex Avery before joining William Hanna and Joseph Barbera’s fledgling production company. He kept his skills as an impressionist fresh. For instance, Yogi Bear was a riff on "Honeymooners" star Art Carney. He also mentored a new generation of voice talents, including Bart Simpson voice actress Nancy Cartwright. Daws Butler may be gone, but in the animation world, he is not forgotten.

Ms Milo dreamt of sharing her voice with the world. And that dream was fulfilled. However, it wasn’t as she originally intended. After singing at a nightclub, Milo was approached by the William Morris Agency. But they weren’t looking for her to record songs; they wanted her for voiceover work. Although she was initially upset, Milo soon embraced this new career path. She booked the role of Sweetie Pie on "Tiny Toon Adventures," and earned the professional admiration of Steven Spielberg. Milo has also voiced characters in shows like "Hey Arnold!" and "Codename: Kids Next Door," as well as movies like "Aladdin.” She also inherited the role of Dexter on "Dexter's Laboratory" and Granny on "Looney Tunes Cartoons." Sometimes, your perfect career catches you off-guard.

#7: Charlie Adler

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Another “Tiny Toon Adventures” star who previously appeared on stage. Adler received positive notice when he succeeded Harvey Fierstein as Arnold Beckoff in "Torch Song Trilogy" on Broadway. However, he soon became more interested in voice acting, landing roles on popular 80s cartoons like "The Smurfs," "My Little Pony," and "The Transformers." He also voiced the titular characters on “Cow and Chicken” as well as various characters on shows like “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Rocko’s Modern Life,” where he played angry neighbor Mr. Bighead. Adler is also an experienced voice director. It helps to learn from the best.

#6: David Kaye

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You might've seen David Kaye in minor roles in live-action media like "Happy Gilmore" and "The X-Files," but his contributions to the world of voice acting have been absolutely major. Kaye has remarkable range, voicing Megatron and Optimus Prime in various "Transformers" series, butler Duckworth on the "Ducktales" reboot, and Professor X and Apocalypse on "X-Men: Evolution." And if you love anime and video games, you've likely heard Kaye as Sesshomaru on "Inuyasha" and Clank in the "Ratchet & Clank" games. When it comes to voice acting, David Kaye is more than okay. Yes, we’re sticking with that pun.

Ms Knickerbocker doesn’t just have a great name; she’s also a terrific voice actress. She specializes in English dubs for anime, and has lent her talents to more than a few JRPGs in her time. Among her most notable roles are Rem from “Re Zero”, Kanao on “Demon Slayer,” and Sakura in the games “Fire Emblem Fates” and “Fire Emblem Heroes.” Knickerbocker has also been killing it in the electropop scene under the Starless banner. Even if you’ve already chosen your side in the “subs vs. dubs” debate, you have to admit that Brianna Knickerbocker is one talented performer. Hence why we couldn’t be happier to have her lend her talents to several of our own Top 10s!

#4: Dave Fennoy

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Fans of Telltale Games’ take on the Walking Dead IP will of course be familiar with the character of Lee Everett. But they should also be aware of the voice behind the survivor - the accomplished Dave Fennoy. A former DJ, Fennoy's resonant and versatile range has made him an asset in both video games and various animated properties. Whether he's playing Lucius Fox in the "Batman Arkham" games or Commander Kellogg on "Archer," Fennoy has our attention. He's also received industry recognition, with multiple nominations as well as two wins for his "Walking Dead" contributions. This is one actor who will make you glad you didn’t skip the cutscenes.

#3: Jeff Bennett

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Ready to have your childhood mind blown? Johnny Bravo and The Man with the Yellow Hat are voiced by the same person. Jeff Bennett’s voice-acting accomplishments don’t stop there. He’s also voiced Petrie in the “Land Before Time” movies, the Joker on “Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” as well as many other memorable characters. He's also won an Annie Award for "The Penguins of Madagascar" and a Daytime Emmy for "Transformers: Rescue Bots." He’s been going from strength to strength and shows no sign of stopping.

Which actor has played Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Lightning McQueen, and Batman? Answer: Keith Ferguson. While he didn't originate these roles, Ferguson excelled at playing them on shows like "Robot Chicken" and "DC Super Hero Girls," movies like "The Lego Movie," and plenty of video games. Ferguson started working in television production before building up his resume as a voice actor. His most iconic original role is arguably Bloo on “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends.” And his gaming credentials range from “Call of Duty” and “Mass Effect” games to “Neopets.” If there’s a voice out there, Keith Ferguson can probably pull it off.

#1: Bea Benaderet

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You might know of legendary voice actors like Mel Blanc and June Foray, but how about Bea Benaderet? If you heard a female character in a classic Warner Bros.' cartoon, odds are it was her voice. Already an accomplished radio actress, Benaderet's vocal skills were perfect for the zany world of "Looney Tunes." She originated the roles of Granny, Witch Hazel, and Miss Prissy. Since Benaderet wasn’t contracted with Warner Bros, she didn’t receive proper credit. Among her other most notable roles is Betty Rubble on “The Flintstones.” For helping to pave the way for other great voice actresses and crafting numerous animated icons, we have to pay our respects to Ms Benaderet.