Voice
Zapp Brannigan is voiced by Billy West, though he was originally intended to be voiced by Phil Hartman. Hartman insisted on auditioning for the role, and "of course, just nailed it" according to creator Matt Groening. However, due to Hartman's murder, West was given the role. On the Futurama DVD commentary, Groening reveals that Zapp's character and mannerisms were established in Billy West's original audition for the character, and any similarity to Phil Hartman or his other well known cartoon characters (Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure) is simply coincidence. On the other hand, in an interview for the web site TV Squad, Billy West states that his Zapp Brannigan is an imitation of Hartman and also "modeled after a couple of big dumb announcers I knew."
Read more about this topic: Zapp Brannigan, Character
Famous quotes containing the word voice:
“Listen not merely to what is said but to the tone of voice in which it is said.”
—Chinese proverb.
“Serene stands the little captain,
He is not hurried, his voice is neither high nor low,
His eyes give more light to us than our battle-lanterns.
Toward twelve there in the beams of the moon they surrender to us.”
—Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
“One forgets too easily the difference between a man and his image, and that there is none between the sound of his voice on the screen and in real life.”
—Robert Bresson (b. 1907)