Joshua Swanson
Encyclopedia
Joshua Swanson is an American theater actor, film actor and television actor, voice over talent and a prolific, award-winning narrator of audiobooks with over 50 titles to his name, including This Book Is Not Good for You
, all three novels of The Longlight Legacy
, Peeps (novel)
, and Hairstyles of the Damned
. He has narrated works for a number of young adult authors including Joe Meno
, Pseudonymous Bosch
, Suzy Kline
, Jon Scieszka
, and the The Lost Hero
by Rick Riordan
.
for training in the theater arts under John H. Cochran, a former department chair and professor at the Yale School of Drama
, and John Blondell, full professor and founder of Lit Moon Theatre Company of Santa Barbara. After four successful and award winning years at Westmont (Swanson was the first Westmont student to win an "Indie" award for best actor from the Santa Barbara Independent
), he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his film, television, and voice over career.
the roles began to come in such television
shows as The New Dragnet, City Guys
, General Hospital
, Strong Medicine
, and Providence
. His film roles have included National Lampoon's Van Wilder
and "Baggage".
Two years after moving to Los Angeles Swanson married his college sweetheart Rachael Dayne, and they have been married ever since.
While a resident of his home town of Chicago and traveling back and forth to Los Angeles, Swanson began studying at the acclaimed improvisation
theater The Second City
and excelling at the art of voice over. Some of the major companies that hired him as a voice actor are McDonald's
, Hallmark
, Midas, Lincoln Mercury, Baskin-Robbins
, and Honda
.
Earphone Awards for Split (novel) by Swati Avashti, This Book Is Not Good for You
by Pseudonymous Bosch
where it was said "Like an audio ringmaster, Joshua Swanson expertly juggles both parts, introducing other characters, directly asking the listener questions, whispering helpful asides, and encouraging our heroine..." and Testimony (novel) by Anita Shreve
where Swanson played several roles. He is quickly becoming sought out by major authors and publishers of children's, teen, and young adult novels, having just completed The Lost Hero
for Disney Hyperion and "Draw The Dark" by Ilsa J. Bick
, both to be released in the fall of 2010.
, WE: Women's Entertainment
and Starz!
. Recently, he played the Bible
character of Titus
in The Word of Promise Audio Bible, which starred James Caviezel
and Stacy Keach
. His voice work includes Stan in the 2007 video game Obscure II
, Maurice in Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai, and the narrator in the popular Animal Planet
television series SuperFetch (TV series).
This Book Is Not Good for You
This Book is Not Good for You is a book by anonymous author Pseudonymous Bosch. It is part of the "Secret Series, a pentalogy of books written by Bosch, and is the sequel to The Name of This Book is Secret and If You're Reading This, It's Too Late...
, all three novels of The Longlight Legacy
The Longlight Legacy
The Longlight Legacy is a trilogy of fantasy/science fiction books by Dennis Foon, which consists of The Dirt Eaters, Freewalker, and The Keeper's Shadow.- Plot :...
, Peeps (novel)
Peeps (novel)
Peeps is a 2005 novel by Scott Westerfeld revolving around a parasite which causes people to become cannibalistic and repelled by that which they once loved. It follows the protagonist, Cal Thompson, as he lives with this parasite and tries to uncover a possible threat to the whole population of...
, and Hairstyles of the Damned
Hairstyles of the Damned
Hairstyles of the Damned is the third novel by Chicago author Joe Meno. Released by Punk Planet Books in 2004, it has sold over 80,000 copies in ten printings. It has been optioned for film by Focus Features.-Plot summary:...
. He has narrated works for a number of young adult authors including Joe Meno
Joe Meno
Joe Meno is a novelist, writer of short fiction, playwright, and music journalist based in Chicago.-Biography:After attending Columbia College Chicago, Meno spent time working as a flower delivery truck driver and art therapy teacher at a juvenile detention center...
, Pseudonymous Bosch
Pseudonymous Bosch
Pseudonymous Bosch is the pen name of Raphael Simon, author of the Secret Series children's books. The name plays off that of the artist Hieronymus Bosch, with the first name a combination of the words pseudonym and anonymous. The Secret Series is a pentalogy of novels based on the five senses:...
, Suzy Kline
Suzy Kline
Suzy Kline is the author of the Horrible Harry book series as well as the Herbie Jones books.-Early life and career:...
, Jon Scieszka
Jon Scieszka
Jon Scieszka was born September 8, 1954 in Flint, Michigan is an American author of children's literature, best known for his collaborations with illustrator Lane Smith. He is also a nationally recognized reading advocate, and in early 2008 was named the National Ambassador for Young People's...
, and the The Lost Hero
The Lost Hero
The Lost Hero is a 2010 fantasy-adventure novel written by Rick Riordan and is based on Greek and Roman mythology. It is the first book in the series The Heroes of Olympus, the next series about Camp Half-Blood. It was preceded by the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, which focused solely on...
by Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan
Richard Russell "Rick" Riordan, Jr. is an American author best known for writing the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. He also wrote the Tres Navarre mystery series for adults and helped to edit Demigods and Monsters, a collection of essays on the topic of his Percy Jackson series...
.
American Theater
Swanson went to Westmont CollegeWestmont College
Westmont offers 26 majors, including: alternative major, art, biology, chemistry, communication studies, computer science, economics and business, education program, engineering physics, English, history, European studies, kinesiology, liberal studies, mathematics, modern languages , music,...
for training in the theater arts under John H. Cochran, a former department chair and professor at the Yale School of Drama
Yale School of Drama
The Yale School of Drama is a graduate professional school of Yale University providing training in every discipline of the theatre: acting, design , directing, dramaturgy and dramatic criticism, playwriting, stage management, sound design, technical design and production, and theater...
, and John Blondell, full professor and founder of Lit Moon Theatre Company of Santa Barbara. After four successful and award winning years at Westmont (Swanson was the first Westmont student to win an "Indie" award for best actor from the Santa Barbara Independent
Santa Barbara Independent
The Santa Barbara Independent is a news, arts, and entertainment newspaper published every Thursday in Santa Barbara, California.-History:The paper was founded in November 1986...
), he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his film, television, and voice over career.
In Film and Television
Once in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
the roles began to come in such television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
shows as The New Dragnet, City Guys
City Guys
City Guys is a United States television sitcom that aired from 1997 to December 2001. It lasted five seasons, and ended its airing time around the dissolution of TNBC.-Premise:...
, General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
, Strong Medicine
Strong Medicine
Strong Medicine is a medical drama with a focus on feminist politics, health issues and class conflict. The television series aired on the Lifetime network from 2000 to 2006. It is distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The series was created and produced in part by comedienne and...
, and Providence
Providence (TV series)
Providence is an American drama series that aired on NBC starring Melina Kanakaredes. The show ran for five seasons from January 8, 1999 until December 20, 2002.-Synopsis:The show revolves around Dr...
. His film roles have included National Lampoon's Van Wilder
National Lampoon's Van Wilder
National Lampoon's Van Wilder is a 2002 comedy film directed by Walt Becker that stars Ryan Reynolds as the main character. The film also stars Kal Penn, Tara Reid, and Daniel Cosgrove. It features Sophia Bush's acting debut...
and "Baggage".
Two years after moving to Los Angeles Swanson married his college sweetheart Rachael Dayne, and they have been married ever since.
While a resident of his home town of Chicago and traveling back and forth to Los Angeles, Swanson began studying at the acclaimed improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
theater The Second City
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
and excelling at the art of voice over. Some of the major companies that hired him as a voice actor are McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, Hallmark
Hallmark
A hallmark is an official mark or series of marks struck on items made of precious metals — platinum, gold, silver and in some nations, palladium...
, Midas, Lincoln Mercury, Baskin-Robbins
Baskin-Robbins
Baskin-Robbins is a global chain of ice cream parlors founded by Burt Baskin and Irvine Robbins in 1953, from the merging of their respective ice cream parlors, in Glendale, California. It claims to be the world's largest ice cream franchise, with more than 5,800 locations, 2,800 of which are...
, and Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
.
Audiobooks
Considered a rising star in the audiobook narration world, Swanson is making a name for himself in the young adult genre, winning three AudioFile (magazine)AudioFile (magazine)
-Launch:The publication was launched in 1992 as a twelve-page black & white newsletter with about 50 critical reviews of audiobooks, focused on new releases. In 1997, it switched to a 36-page colour magazine format with about 60 reviews per issue and interviews with authors, readers, and...
Earphone Awards for Split (novel) by Swati Avashti, This Book Is Not Good for You
This Book Is Not Good for You
This Book is Not Good for You is a book by anonymous author Pseudonymous Bosch. It is part of the "Secret Series, a pentalogy of books written by Bosch, and is the sequel to The Name of This Book is Secret and If You're Reading This, It's Too Late...
by Pseudonymous Bosch
Pseudonymous Bosch
Pseudonymous Bosch is the pen name of Raphael Simon, author of the Secret Series children's books. The name plays off that of the artist Hieronymus Bosch, with the first name a combination of the words pseudonym and anonymous. The Secret Series is a pentalogy of novels based on the five senses:...
where it was said "Like an audio ringmaster, Joshua Swanson expertly juggles both parts, introducing other characters, directly asking the listener questions, whispering helpful asides, and encouraging our heroine..." and Testimony (novel) by Anita Shreve
Anita Shreve
Anita Shreve is an American writer. The daughter of an airline pilot and a homemaker, she graduated from Dedham High School, attended Tufts University and began writing while working as a high school teacher in Reading MA. One of her first published stories, Past the Island, Drifting, was awarded...
where Swanson played several roles. He is quickly becoming sought out by major authors and publishers of children's, teen, and young adult novels, having just completed The Lost Hero
The Lost Hero
The Lost Hero is a 2010 fantasy-adventure novel written by Rick Riordan and is based on Greek and Roman mythology. It is the first book in the series The Heroes of Olympus, the next series about Camp Half-Blood. It was preceded by the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, which focused solely on...
for Disney Hyperion and "Draw The Dark" by Ilsa J. Bick
Ilsa J. Bick
Ilsa J. Bick is an award-winning, best-selling author of short stories, e-books and novels. She has written for several long-running science fiction series, most notably Star Trek, Battletech, and Mechwarrior:Dark Age...
, both to be released in the fall of 2010.
Voice Actor
Swanson continues his voice over career and acting career in Los Angeles and has done notable network promotion work for Cartoon NetworkCartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
, WE: Women's Entertainment
WE: Women's Entertainment
WE tv is an American cable television channel that is marketed towards women. It features some original programming, such as non-fiction talk shows, as well as made-for-TV movies, older feature films, and reruns of TV shows, it also shows art and fashion documentaries and reality series....
and Starz!
Starz!
Starz is an American premium subscription channel that features mainly first-run motion pictures, along with some original programming...
. Recently, he played the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
character of Titus
Epistle to Titus
The Epistle of Paul to Titus, usually referred to simply as Titus, is one of the three Pastoral Epistles , traditionally attributed to Saint Paul, and is part of the New Testament...
in The Word of Promise Audio Bible, which starred James Caviezel
James Caviezel
James Patrick Caviezel, Jr. is an American film actor, usually credited as Jim Caviezel. He is known for the roles of Jesus Christ in the 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, Bobby Jones in Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, Detective John Sullivan in Frequency, Edmond Dantès in The Count of Monte...
and Stacy Keach
Stacy Keach
Stacy Keach is an American actor and narrator. He is most famous for his dramatic roles; however, he has done narration work in educational programming on PBS and the Discovery Channel, as well as some comedy and musical...
. His voice work includes Stan in the 2007 video game Obscure II
ObsCure II
ObsCure II is a survival horror video game developed by Hydravision Entertainment and published by Playlogic Entertainment for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and Wii. It is the sequel to the video game ObsCure. The game was released on September 7, 2007 in Europe, March 25, 2008 under the name...
, Maurice in Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai, and the narrator in the popular Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
television series SuperFetch (TV series).