John Stephenson (actor)
Encyclopedia
John Stephenson is an American
actor
and voice actor
. He has also been credited as John Stevenson. Stephenson has never given any interviews and has rarely been seen in public.
Stephenson had a small part as a man from the State Department in John Wayne
's Hellfighters
.
featuring character actor Jesse White
. For several decades, Stephenson worked for Hanna-Barbera Productions
, doing voice acting
for many of its 1960s and 1970s animated television series, including Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
, Top Cat
, Scooby-Doo
, The Jetsons
, Wait Till Your Father Gets Home
, Jonny Quest
and Luke and Blubber Bear in the Wacky Races
, among many others. Stephenson's most notable role for Hanna-Barbera was as the voice of Mr. Slate, Fred Flintstone
's hard-edged boss at Slate Rock and Gravel Company, from the original The Flintstones
series up through to the present, although he provided the voices of the majority of the show's guest characters, making him one of the main cast members of the show. He is now the only living cast member of the show. He also did voices on Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!, Arabian Knights
, and Inch High, Private Eye
.
Stephenson was most often called upon to voice curmudgeon and irascible characters. His range was limited but served him well in the roles he brought to prominence. In total, Stephenson had about five or six 'voices' he would apply to characters. There is his most-used voice, which he gave to Mr. Slate on The Flintstones series. Another character given that same vocal delivery was Chief Wiggins on the series Dynomutt, Dog Wonder
, Sheriff Bagley on Clue Club
, and countless others. Another voice Stephenson liked to use was the high nasal Joe Flynn
inspired voice. This voice was usually given to the characters that were either rude, or smart-alecks, or flat out mean. Also, these characters were prone to short tempers; examples include Mr. Peevly from Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch! and Schnooker from the litte seen series Inspector Mumbly which aired as part of the The New Tom and Jerry/Grape Ape
/Mumbly Show. Stephenson was cast most often in the Scooby-Doo
cartoons as the villains or the red herring
scientist. In "High Rise Hair Raiser", one episode of Scooby-Doo, Stephenson was the voices of Mr. Daugherty, Mr. Speck, and the villain of that episode, The Specter. Still, another voice Stephenson was noted for, was his take on Boris Karloff
. A lot of the Karloff-sounding villains in early episodes of Scooby-Doo were provided by Stephenson. He voiced Hairy Scary on Casper and the Angels
along with Casper's Halloween Special
and Casper's First Christmas
.
Stephenson borrowed the vocal traits of Joe Flynn
for several characters as mentioned earlier, Boris Karloff
for several more, and did a pretty good Jimmy Durante
for the 1970s and 1980s version of Doggie Daddy. Also, if needed, Stephenson has been known to do a take-off on Paul Lynde
as heard on the 1977 series Scooby's All-Star Laff-a-Lympics
as the character Mildew Wolf
. Originally, Paul Lynde voiced the character as part of a segment shown on a series called Cattanooga Cats
but was not interested in reprising the role on Laff-a-Lympics
. Stephenson also gave voice to the re-designed Dick Dastardly
character on that series whose name was Dread Baron. A further Stephenson voice was used for the magician The Great Fondoo, inspired perhaps by Bela Lugosi
.
For the Adventures of Gulliver series, he voiced both the villain Captain Leech and the Lilliputian monarch, King Pomp; in the first episode of the series he also voiced Gulliver's father. Stephenson reached back for the Paul Lynde voice when he was cast as Wilfred Wolf in the early 1980s series, Kwicky Koala.
Stephenson reprised his role of Luke from Wacky Races
in the Wacky Races video game.
His recent voice work includes doing voices for What's New, Scooby Doo?, as Ganthet
on Duck Dodgers
, and he voiced Grandpa Squirrel on Squirrel Boy
.
In 2004, Stephenson narrated the featurette "Space Age Gadgets" for the Jetsons First Season DVD box set. He also narrated the featurette "Wacky Inventions" for the Flintstones Complete Series DVD box set. Recently in 2010, the voice actor played Sheriff on Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo
, marking the first time, he voiced a character on a direct to DVD Scooby-Doo movie.
, Galaxy High
and G.I. Joe. John also voiced Huffer
, Windcharger
, Thundercracker
, and Alpha Trion
from the 1980s mega-hit The Transformers
and took over the role of Kup
for the show's third season (the character was voiced by Lionel Stander
in The Transformers: The Movie
). In 1987, he reprised his role of Fancy-Fancy in Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats
. He provided the voice of Professor X
in Pryde of the X-Men
(which is interesting as he previously provided the voice for X-Men nemesis Magneto
during the character's appearance in the 1970s Fantastic Four
cartoon).
.)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and voice actor
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
. He has also been credited as John Stevenson. Stephenson has never given any interviews and has rarely been seen in public.
Early guest starring roles
He started his acting career in numerous television shows in the 1950s and into the 1970s, usually in small guest star roles on such shows as:- The Johnny Carson ShowThe Johnny Carson ShowThe Johnny Carson Show is a 1955-56 half hour prime time television variety show starring Johnny Carson.While working as a staff writer on The Red Skelton Show , local Los Angeles television comedian Johnny Carson filled in as host when Skelton was injured during a show rehearsal...
where Stephenson played himself but acted as a super serious news-break announcer on several episodes while Carson played the roving reporter in the sketches; On screen Stephenson wore a suit and a fedora, typical attire for the hard-boiled character often played up on early television; Carson's series ran during 1955-1956. - BonanzaBonanzaBonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
in one episode as John Henry in the episode "The Sisters" (12 December 1959). - Perry MasonPerry Mason (TV series)Perry Mason is an American legal drama produced by Paisano Productions that ran from September 1957 to May 1966 on CBS. The title character, portrayed by Raymond Burr, is a fictional Los Angeles defense attorney who originally appeared in detective fiction by Erle Stanley Gardner...
in three episodes; as Ed Davenport in "The Case of the Runaway Corpse" (23 November 1957), as Grant Reynolds in "The Case of the Borrowed Brunette" (10 January 1959), and as Frank Avery in "The Case of the Gallant Grafter" (6 February 1960). - The Beverly HillbilliesThe Beverly HillbilliesThe Beverly Hillbillies is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS from 1962 to 1971, starring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer, Jr....
, in three episodes; as Mr. Landman in "Jed Pays His Income Tax" (3 April 1963), and as Professor Robert Graham in "Cabin in Beverly Hills" (27 May 1964) and in "Jed Foils a Home Wrecker" (3 June 1964). - F TroopF TroopF Troop is a satirical American television sitcom that originally aired for two seasons on ABC-TV. It debuted in the United States on September 14, 1965 and concluded its run on April 6, 1967 with a total of 65 episodes. The first season of 34 episodes was filmed in black-and-white, but the show...
, in one episode, "Old Ironpants", as General George Armstrong CusterGeorge Armstrong CusterGeorge Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
(2 November 1965). - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.The show renders the title as Gomer Pyle - USMC. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spinoff of The Andy Griffith Show, and the pilot was aired as the finale of the fourth season of The Andy...
, in two episodes; Major Stone in "They Shall Not Pass" (4 December 1964) and as Mr. Clark in "Sue The Pants Off 'Em" (1 February 1967). - Hogan's HeroesHogan's HeroesHogan's Heroes is an American television sitcom that ran for 168 episodes from September 17, 1965, to March 28, 1971, on the CBS network. The show was set in a German prisoner of war camp during the Second World War. Bob Crane had the starring role as Colonel Robert E...
as Captain Muller in "Go Light on the Heavy Water" (12 November 1965), Professor Bauer in "The Dropouts" (27 December 1970), Major Rudel in "The Softer They Fall" (23 January 1970), Decker in "Bad Day in BerlinBad Day in BerlinBad Day in Berlin was an episode of "Hogan's Heroes" , in Season 4, Episode 11. It was one of the 8 Episodes to include John Stephenson ....
" (7 December 1968), Karl in "The Collector General" (9 March 1968), Felix in "One in Every Crowd" (11 November 1967), Major Kohler in "Information Please" (23 December 1966) and as an Inspector General in "Colonel Klink's Secret Weapon" (24 March 1967). - The Millionaire in two episodes; as Doctor Cartwright in "The Irene Marshall Story" (21 January 1959), and as Chet in "The Candy Caldwell Story" (29 February 1956).
- Treasury Men in ActionTreasury Men in ActionTreasury Men in Action, a.k.a. Federal Men, is the title of a TV crime drama series broadcast live and which aired from 1950 through 1955 on ABC and starred Walter Greaza, Ross Martin, and Tom McKee. It was directed by William Beaudine, Leigh Jason, and Will Jason among others.The series centers on...
as Agent Warwick in "The Case of the Frightened Man" (24 June 1955), as Agent Jennings in "The Case of the Perfect Gentleman" (2 June 1955), as Agent Weston in "The Case of the Man Next Door" (5 May 1955), as Agent Grant in "The Case of the Steady Hand" (21 April 1955), and as Agent Trumbull in "The Case of the Princely Pauper" (17 February 1955). - The Lone RangerThe Lone RangerThe Lone Ranger is a fictional masked Texas Ranger who, with his Native American companion Tonto, fights injustice in the American Old West. The character has become an enduring icon of American culture....
in one episode as Ranger Roy Barnett in "Dan Reid's Fight for Life (18 November 1954). - The Man from U.N.C.L.E.The Man from U.N.C.L.E.The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an American television series that was broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1964, to January 15, 1968. It follows the exploits of two secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a fictitious secret international espionage and law-enforcement...
as Varner in "The Never-Never Affair" (22 March 1965)
Stephenson had a small part as a man from the State Department in John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
's Hellfighters
Hellfighters (film)
Hellfighters is a 1968 American film starring John Wayne, Katharine Ross, Bruce Cabot, Jim Hutton, Jay C. Flippen and Vera Miles. The movie, directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, is about a group of oil well firefighters, based loosely on the life of Red Adair...
.
Voice acting
Stephenson provided the voice for commercials of the era, including spots for Peter Pan Peanut ButterPeter Pan (peanut butter)
Peter Pan is a brand of peanut butter produced by ConAgra Foods and named after the J.M. Barrie character. The product was introduced by Swift & Company in 1920 under the name "E. K. Pond". The product was renamed in 1928...
featuring character actor Jesse White
Jesse White (actor)
Jesse White was an American television, film, and stage character actor. He is best remembered for portraying the Maytag repairman in television commercials, a role he played from 1967 to 1988.-Life and career:...
. For several decades, Stephenson worked for Hanna-Barbera Productions
Cartoon Network Studios
Cartoon Network Studios is an American animation studio. A subsidiary of the Turner Broadcasting System , Cartoon Network Studios focuses on producing and developing animated programs only for and related to Cartoon Network...
, doing voice acting
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
for many of its 1960s and 1970s animated television series, including Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy are Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters who debuted on The Quick Draw McGraw Show and appeared in their own segment of that show.-Summary:The segments centered around the misadventures of a dachshund father-and-son team...
, Top Cat
Top Cat
Top Cat is a Hanna-Barbera prime time animated television series which ran from September 27, 1961 to April 18, 1962 for a run of 30 episodes on the ABC network. Reruns are played on Cartoon Network's classic animation network Boomerang.-History:...
, Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
, The Jetsons
The Jetsons
The Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
, Wait Till Your Father Gets Home
Wait Till Your Father Gets Home
Wait Till Your Father Gets Home was an animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera that aired in first-run syndication in the United States from 1972 to 1974...
, Jonny Quest
Jonny Quest (TV series)
Jonny Quest – often casually referred to as The Adventures of Jonny Quest – is an American science fiction/adventure animated television series about a boy who accompanies his father on extraordinary adventures...
and Luke and Blubber Bear in the Wacky Races
Wacky Races
Wacky Races is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera. The series features 11 different cars racing against each other in various road rallies throughout North America, with each driver hoping to win the title of the "World's Wackiest Racer." Wacky Races ran on CBS from September...
, among many others. Stephenson's most notable role for Hanna-Barbera was as the voice of Mr. Slate, Fred Flintstone
Fred Flintstone
Frederick Joseph “Fred” Flintstone, also known as Fred W. Flintstone or Frederick J. Flintstone, is the protagonist of the animated sitcom The Flintstones, which aired during prime-time on ABC during the original series' run from 1960-66. He is the husband of Wilma Flintstone and father of Pebbles...
's hard-edged boss at Slate Rock and Gravel Company, from the original The Flintstones
The Flintstones
The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
series up through to the present, although he provided the voices of the majority of the show's guest characters, making him one of the main cast members of the show. He is now the only living cast member of the show. He also did voices on Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!, Arabian Knights
Arabian Knights
Arabian Knights is an animated segment of The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The series is based on Arabian Nights, a classic work of Middle Eastern literature.-Plot :...
, and Inch High, Private Eye
Inch High, Private Eye
Inch High, Private Eye was a 1973 Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show originally ran from September 8, 1973 to August 31, 1974 on NBC Saturday morning for 13 episodes...
.
Stephenson was most often called upon to voice curmudgeon and irascible characters. His range was limited but served him well in the roles he brought to prominence. In total, Stephenson had about five or six 'voices' he would apply to characters. There is his most-used voice, which he gave to Mr. Slate on The Flintstones series. Another character given that same vocal delivery was Chief Wiggins on the series Dynomutt, Dog Wonder
Dynomutt, Dog Wonder
Dynomutt, Dog Wonder is an American animated television series produced for Saturday mornings by Hanna-Barbera about a Batman-esque super hero, the Blue Falcon and his assistant, a bumbling yet generally effective robot dog Dynomutt, who could produce a seemingly infinite number of mechanical...
, Sheriff Bagley on Clue Club
Clue Club
Clue Club is a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from August 14, 1976 to September 3, 1977 on CBS....
, and countless others. Another voice Stephenson liked to use was the high nasal Joe Flynn
Joe Flynn (US actor)
Joseph A. Flynn was an American character actor. He was best known for his role in the 1960s ABC television situation comedy, McHale's Navy. He was also a frequent guest star on 1960s TV shows such as Batman and appeared in several Walt Disney film comedies...
inspired voice. This voice was usually given to the characters that were either rude, or smart-alecks, or flat out mean. Also, these characters were prone to short tempers; examples include Mr. Peevly from Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch! and Schnooker from the litte seen series Inspector Mumbly which aired as part of the The New Tom and Jerry/Grape Ape
The Great Grape Ape Show
The Great Grape Ape Show is a Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that was broadcast on ABC from 1975 to 1978.-Summary:...
/Mumbly Show. Stephenson was cast most often in the Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
cartoons as the villains or the red herring
Red herring
A red herring is a deliberate attempt to divert attention.Red herring may refer to:* Red herring , the informal fallacy of presenting an argument that may in itself be valid, but does not address the issue in question....
scientist. In "High Rise Hair Raiser", one episode of Scooby-Doo, Stephenson was the voices of Mr. Daugherty, Mr. Speck, and the villain of that episode, The Specter. Still, another voice Stephenson was noted for, was his take on Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
. A lot of the Karloff-sounding villains in early episodes of Scooby-Doo were provided by Stephenson. He voiced Hairy Scary on Casper and the Angels
Casper and the Angels
Casper and the Angels was a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and aired for one season on NBC. Casper the Friendly Ghost was a guardian angel for two female motorcycle space cops named Minnie and Maxie in the year 2179...
along with Casper's Halloween Special
Casper's Halloween Special
Casper's Halloween Special is a Halloween television special...
and Casper's First Christmas
Casper's First Christmas
Casper's First Christmas is a 30-minute Christmas Television special and crossover produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that featured Casper the Friendly Ghost and his friend Hairy Scary from the show Casper and the Angels with guest stars Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Quick...
.
Stephenson borrowed the vocal traits of Joe Flynn
Joe Flynn (US actor)
Joseph A. Flynn was an American character actor. He was best known for his role in the 1960s ABC television situation comedy, McHale's Navy. He was also a frequent guest star on 1960s TV shows such as Batman and appeared in several Walt Disney film comedies...
for several characters as mentioned earlier, Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
for several more, and did a pretty good Jimmy Durante
Jimmy Durante
James Francis "Jimmy" Durante was an American singer, pianist, comedian and actor. His distinctive clipped gravelly speech, comic language butchery, jazz-influenced songs, and large nose helped make him one of America's most familiar and popular personalities of the 1920s through the 1970s...
for the 1970s and 1980s version of Doggie Daddy. Also, if needed, Stephenson has been known to do a take-off on Paul Lynde
Paul Lynde
Paul Edward Lynde was an American comedian and actor. A noted character actor, Lynde was well known for his roles as Uncle Arthur on Bewitched and Harry MacAfee, the befuddled father in Bye Bye Birdie...
as heard on the 1977 series Scooby's All-Star Laff-a-Lympics
Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics
-DVD release:On January 19, 2010, Warner Home Video released Scooby's All-Star Laff-A Lympics - Volume 1 on DVD in Region 1. The single disc release features the first four episodes of the Laff-a-Lympics segment of the package. Target released an exclusive second volume with the next four episodes...
as the character Mildew Wolf
Mildew Wolf
Mildew Wolf is a fictional anthropomorphic wolf, main antagonist, and titular character of the Cattanooga Cats segment It's the Wolf!. He is the most popular character of the series, and he was voiced by an uncredited Paul Lynde. Mildew's main goal in the segments was to catch a little sheep named...
. Originally, Paul Lynde voiced the character as part of a segment shown on a series called Cattanooga Cats
Cattanooga Cats
Cattanooga Cats is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera for ABC. It aired from September 6, 1969 until September 4, 1971.-Segments:...
but was not interested in reprising the role on Laff-a-Lympics
Laff-A-Lympics
Laff-A-Lympics was the co-headlining segment, with Scooby-Doo, of the package Saturday morning cartoon series Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show was a spoof of the Olympics and the ABC television series Battle of the Network Stars, which debuted one...
. Stephenson also gave voice to the re-designed Dick Dastardly
Dick Dastardly
Dick Dastardly is a fictional character and antagonist who appeared in various animated series by Hanna-Barbera Productions. Dastardly's most famous appearances are main character in the series Wacky Races and its spin-off Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines...
character on that series whose name was Dread Baron. A further Stephenson voice was used for the magician The Great Fondoo, inspired perhaps by Bela Lugosi
Béla Lugosi
Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó , commonly known as Bela Lugosi, was a Hungarian actor of stage and screen. He was best known for having played Count Dracula in the Broadway play and subsequent film version, as well as having starred in several of Ed Wood's low budget films in the last years of his...
.
For the Adventures of Gulliver series, he voiced both the villain Captain Leech and the Lilliputian monarch, King Pomp; in the first episode of the series he also voiced Gulliver's father. Stephenson reached back for the Paul Lynde voice when he was cast as Wilfred Wolf in the early 1980s series, Kwicky Koala.
Stephenson reprised his role of Luke from Wacky Races
Wacky Races
Wacky Races is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera. The series features 11 different cars racing against each other in various road rallies throughout North America, with each driver hoping to win the title of the "World's Wackiest Racer." Wacky Races ran on CBS from September...
in the Wacky Races video game.
His recent voice work includes doing voices for What's New, Scooby Doo?, as Ganthet
Ganthet
Ganthet is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in the 1992 graphic novel Green Lantern: Ganthet's Tale , by Larry Niven and John Byrne.- Background :Ganthet is one of the Guardians of the Universe...
on Duck Dodgers
Duck Dodgers (TV series)
Duck Dodgers is an American animated television series, based on the classic cartoon short Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century, produced by Warner Bros. Animation from 2003 to 2005. The series aired on Cartoon Network and starred Daffy Duck as the titular character...
, and he voiced Grandpa Squirrel on Squirrel Boy
Squirrel Boy
Squirrel Boy is an American animated television series produced by Cartoon Network Studios. The series, created and executive-produced by Everett Peck, who was also the creator of the more adult-humored Duckman, ran from May 27, 2006 until September 27, 2007 on Cartoon Network...
.
In 2004, Stephenson narrated the featurette "Space Age Gadgets" for the Jetsons First Season DVD box set. He also narrated the featurette "Wacky Inventions" for the Flintstones Complete Series DVD box set. Recently in 2010, the voice actor played Sheriff on Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo
Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo
Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo is the fourteenth of a series of direct-to-video animated films based upon the Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. It was produced in 2009 by Warner Bros. Animation and it was released on February 16, 2010. It made its television debut on July 10, 2010 on Cartoon...
, marking the first time, he voiced a character on a direct to DVD Scooby-Doo movie.
1980s
During the 1980s, he contributed to various cartoons of the period such as The SmurfsThe Smurfs (1981 TV series)
The Smurfs is an American animated television series that aired on NBC from September 12, 1981 to August 25, 1990...
, Galaxy High
Galaxy High
Galaxy High is an American science fiction animated series that premiered on September 13, 1986 on CBS and ran for 13 episodes until December 6, 1986. The series was created by movie director Matthew Noakes and featured music and a theme song composed by Eagles member Don Felder...
and G.I. Joe. John also voiced Huffer
Huffer (Transformers)
Huffer is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All are Autobots who turn into trucks. Huffer was first introduced in 1984, and was voiced by John Stephenson in the animated series The Transformers....
, Windcharger
Windcharger
Windcharger is a fictional character and was one of the original toys in the Transformers line when Hasbro started producing them in 1984.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
, Thundercracker
Thundercracker
Thundercracker is the name given to multiple fictional characters in the Transformers universes. Thundercracker is almost always depicted as a blue color Decepticon who turns into a jet fighter.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
, and Alpha Trion
Alpha Trion
Alpha Trion is a fictional character in the various Transformers universes. Alpha Trion is one of the Thirteen Primes, thus all his portrayals are considered to be the same individual. He is generally depicted as an ancient mechanoid with a link to Optimus Prime...
from the 1980s mega-hit The Transformers
The Transformers (TV series)
The Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war among giant robots who could transform into vehicles, other objects and animal-like forms. Written and recorded in America, the series was animated in Japan and South Korea...
and took over the role of Kup
Kup
Kup is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universe. All are older Autobots who are members of the Elite Guard. Wired Magazine once nominated him as one 12 most ridiculous Transformers of all time...
for the show's third season (the character was voiced by Lionel Stander
Lionel Stander
Lionel Jay Stander was an American actor in films, radio, theater and television.-Early life and career:Lionel Stander was born in The Bronx, New York, to Russian Jewish immigrants, the first of three children...
in The Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie is a 1986 animated feature film based on the animated series of the same name. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986 and in the UK on December 5, 1986....
). In 1987, he reprised his role of Fancy-Fancy in Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats
Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats
Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats is a 1987 animated movie for television and it is part of the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10 series. The TV film's plot is essentially an extended remake of the original show's episode, "The Missing Heir".- Plot :...
. He provided the voice of Professor X
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
in Pryde of the X-Men
Pryde of the X-Men
X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men is an animated television pilot originally broadcast in 1989 on the Marvel Action Universe television block, featuring Marvel Comics’ mutant superheroes the X-Men. The pilot aired infrequently in syndication, and was later released on video...
(which is interesting as he previously provided the voice for X-Men nemesis Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
during the character's appearance in the 1970s Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four (1978 TV series)
Fantastic Four is an animated series produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and Marvel Comics Animation in the late 1970s.-Premise:It is the second animated series based on Marvel's comic book series Fantastic Four. The 1978 series replaced the character of the Human Torch with a robot named...
cartoon).
Dragnet
Stephenson is perhaps best known, however, as the narrator in the classic television series Dragnet (1967–1970), recapping the fate of the perpetrators at the end of every episode. (The opening narration at this time was performed by George FennemanGeorge Fenneman
George Watt Fenneman was an American radio and television announcer.Fenneman was born in Beijing, China, the only child of American parents in the import-export business. He was nine months old when his parents moved to San Francisco, California, United States, where he grew up...
.)