Legendary voice actor Peter Cullen - who has recently lent his talents to Activision's upcoming Transformers title War for Cybertron (also known as the slightly less threatening Cybertron Adventures on Wii) was interviewed by Wired.com the other day and revealed some interesting insights into providing Nintendo's most famous mascot with a voice.
Cullen - who is an incredible 65 years of age now - played Mario in the cartoon series Saturday Supercade, which aired in 1983. Based on several different video game properties from the era - including Pitfall, Frogger and Space Ace - the show also featured segments for Nintendo's Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr.
Interestingly, the voice actor who played Donkey Kong Jr. is none other than Frank Welker, who is more famous for being Optimus Prime's arch nemesis Megatron in the original Generation One Transformers cartoon show and movie.
You can listen to the entire audio interview over at Wired.com, but in the meantime here's a taster of Optimus Prime "being" Mario. Enjoy.
[source wired.com]
Comments 18
Scary...lol. I'm used to the Super Mario Bros. Show Mario. XD
Strange, but I like it. It is more cartoony sounding, mainly because it's a Hanna-Barbera cartoon, but it goes well with the style in which they drew Mario.
Frank Welker is also more famous for voicing every single animal in every single cartoon ever made in the history of man.
This was before Mario was Italian, right?
@3 Maybe back then, but isn't Dee Bradley Baker the current cartoon animal voice acting expert (when they don't speak like people)?
Peter Cullen and Frank Welker... voice actor LEGENDS.
LOL
That is all.
@5 I know Welker's still very active (or was, as of a year or so ago) doing work for The Simpsons, Futurama and other top-tier cartoons, but yeah, Dee Bradley Baker is a darned talented potential usurper to that throne.
Also, Dee Bradley Baker is an animal voice acting expect even when they DO speak like people, thanks to American Dad.
That's really bizarre. Like, a lot.
Mario: Autobots lets'a Go!! and Rrrolll out!! "Yahoooo"
I was pleased.
Oh . . . my . . .
I remember Peter Cullen did the voice of the K.A.R.R. back in 80's version of Knight Rider as well.
Frank Welker is also the voice of Nibbler in Futurama
What did I just watch?
Well thats just prime! Autobots transform and roll out.
wow, the cartoon was pretty good, ey?
reminds me of scooby doo
D:
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