Townsend Coleman
Encyclopedia
Townsend Coleman is an American voice actor who performed in many animated series and TV commercials beginning in the early 1980s. Among his most notable roles are Michaelangelo
from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
, Wayne Gretzky
on ProStars
, the title character
of Where's Waldo?
, and the title character of The Tick.
for WGCL
in Cleveland, Ohio
in the late 1970s. This included the weekend of July 7–8, 1979, when that radio station presented his own take on American Top 40
upon the station's refusal to air the "Top 40 Disco Songs" special for that weekend.
In the that same period, Coleman appeared in several plays through Jerry Leonard's Heights Youth Theater ensemble. The plays were staged at Wiley Junior High School in University Heights
, Ohio — just down the road from John Carroll University
. Other famous performers who appeared in Jerry Leonard's plays include actress Carol Kane
.
, he auditioned for the role of Corporal Capeman on Inspector Gadget
. An addition to the aforementioned roles, he also portrayed Riot on Jem
, Gobo in the animated version of Jim Henson
's Fraggle Rock
, Scott Howard on the animated Teen Wolf
, and many others. In TV commercials, he was the 7-Up "Spot
," Keebler Elves, and Raid Bugs
. Coleman has also been the voice of NBC
commercials for programs such as "Must See TV
" and The Tonight Show
since the early 1990s. Coleman has also provided the voice for Jason Whittaker on the Focus on the Family
radio drama
Adventures in Odyssey
since 1994. He also voiced the Autobot Mini-Cassette Rewind on the Transformers
cartoon series (1986) and provided the voice of 'Colt' in Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs
.
Coleman performed a wide range of voices in King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
, including Vizier Abdul Alhazred, Shamir Shamazel, Lord Azure, Ferryman, Beast, and the Minotaur.
More recently, Townsend is the voice of Sentinel Prime
in the Transformers Animated series. The character was designed to look like The Tick, as confirmed by the writers of the show at Botcon
2008. Townsend provided the voice for the title character of The Tick in the 1994 cartoon series.
Michelangelo (TMNT)
Michelangelo is a fictional character, one of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . His mask is typically portrayed as orange outside of the Mirage/Image comic series and his weapons are dual nunchaku, though he has also been portrayed using other weapons, such as a grappling hook, tonfa, and a...
from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. The pilot was shown during the week of December 28, 1987 in syndication as a five part miniseries and began its official run on October 1, 1988...
, Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
on ProStars
ProStars
ProStars was a Saturday morning cartoon show produced by DiC that aired on NBC from September 14 to December 7, 1991.-Synopsis:Originally intended to air on ESPN, the show centers on Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson and Wayne Gretzky fighting crime and helping children, often protecting the environment...
, the title character
Where's Wally?
Where's Wally?, published in the United States and Canada as Where's Waldo?, is a series of children's books created by British illustrator Martin Handford. The books consist of a series of detailed double-page spread illustrations depicting dozens or more people doing a variety of amusing things...
of Where's Waldo?
Where's Waldo? (TV series)
Where's Wally?: The Animated Series was a joint venture between American/Canadian/British animated television series productions, distributed by DiC Entertainment and The Waldo Film Company...
, and the title character of The Tick.
Early work
Townsend Coleman was a disc jockeyDisc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
for WGCL
WNCX
WNCX — branded 98.5 WNCX — is commercial radio station in Cleveland, Ohio, broadcasting a classic rock format. The station's studios are currently located in Cleveland's historic Halle Building, in the Playhouse Square District...
in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
in the late 1970s. This included the weekend of July 7–8, 1979, when that radio station presented his own take on American Top 40
American Top 40
American Top 40 is an internationally syndicated, independent radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs. Originally a production of Watermark Inc...
upon the station's refusal to air the "Top 40 Disco Songs" special for that weekend.
In the that same period, Coleman appeared in several plays through Jerry Leonard's Heights Youth Theater ensemble. The plays were staged at Wiley Junior High School in University Heights
University Heights, Ohio
University Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It borders Beachwood to the east, Cleveland Heights to the west, South Euclid to the north and Shaker Heights to the south. The population was 13,539 as of the 2010 Census...
, Ohio — just down the road from John Carroll University
John Carroll University
John Carroll University is a private, co-educational Jesuit Catholic university in University Heights, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus as Saint Ignatius College.The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, as...
. Other famous performers who appeared in Jerry Leonard's plays include actress Carol Kane
Carol Kane
Carolyn Laurie "Carol" Kane is an American actress. Kane has worked on the stage, on the screen and in television. She appeared on the television series Taxi in the early 1980s, as the wife of the character played by Andy Kaufman. She received two Emmy Awards for her work...
.
Voice acting
Coleman's career as a voice actor took off in the 1980s when, having recently moved to 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...
, he auditioned for the role of Corporal Capeman on Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget is an animated television series that revolves around the adventures of a clumsy, simple-witted cyborg detective named Inspector Gadget – a human being with various bionic gadgets built into his body. Gadget's arch-nemesis is Dr...
. An addition to the aforementioned roles, he also portrayed Riot on Jem
Jem (TV series)
Jem, also known as Jem and the Holograms, is an American animated television series that ran from 1985 to 1988 in U.S. first-run syndication...
, Gobo in the animated version of Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
's Fraggle Rock
Fraggle Rock
Fraggle Rock is a children's live action puppet television program series created by Jim Henson. The central characters were a set of "Muppet" creatures called Fraggles. The show ran from January 10, 1983, to March 30, 1987, on CBC Television in Canada, ITV in the UK, HBO in the United States,...
, Scott Howard on the animated Teen Wolf
Teen Wolf (cartoon)
Teen Wolf, known as The Cartoon Adventures of Teen Wolf in the United Kingdom, is an animated American television series broadcast from 1986 to 1987 that was produced by Southern Star Productions in association with Clubhouse Pictures...
, and many others. In TV commercials, he was the 7-Up "Spot
Cool Spot
Cool Spot was a mascot for 7 Up beginning in the late 80s. During this time, the red spot in the 7 Up logo was anthropomorphized: given arms, legs, a mouth, and sunglasses....
," Keebler Elves, and Raid Bugs
Raid (insecticide)
Raid is the brand name of a line of insecticides produced by SC Johnson, first launched in 1956.The initial active ingredient was the first synthetic pyrethroid, allethrin...
. Coleman has also been the voice of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
commercials for programs such as "Must See TV
Must See TV
"Must See TV" is an advertising slogan used by the NBC television network to brand its prime time blocks of sitcoms during the 1990s, and most often applied to the network's Thursday night lineup, which featured such popular sitcoms as The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers, Night Court, A Different...
" and The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
since the early 1990s. Coleman has also provided the voice for Jason Whittaker on the Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
radio drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
Adventures in Odyssey
Adventures in Odyssey
Adventures in Odyssey , or simply Odyssey, is an Evangelical Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series created by Focus on the Family in 1987. The show's daily audience averages around 1.2 million within North America. The Odyssey series also includes several spin-off items, including a home-video...
since 1994. He also voiced the Autobot Mini-Cassette Rewind on 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...
cartoon series (1986) and provided the voice of 'Colt' in Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs
Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs
Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs is a 1987 animated space western following a similar theme as Galaxy Rangers and Bravestarr. Originally a 1984 anime series known as created by Studio Pierrot, it achieved moderate success in Japan...
.
Coleman performed a wide range of voices in King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow is the sixth installment in the King's Quest series of adventure games produced by Sierra Entertainment...
, including Vizier Abdul Alhazred, Shamir Shamazel, Lord Azure, Ferryman, Beast, and the Minotaur.
More recently, Townsend is the voice of Sentinel Prime
Sentinel Prime
Sentinel Prime is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers series. First mention of Sentinel Prime was in issue #65 of the US Marvel Comics Transformers series, where he was mentioned to hold the Autobot Matrix of Leadership before Optimus Prime. Sentinel Prime has since...
in the Transformers Animated series. The character was designed to look like The Tick, as confirmed by the writers of the show at Botcon
BotCon
BotCon, briefly known as "The Official Transformers Collectors' Convention" , is an annual convention for Transformers fans and collectors. BotCon has been held annually since 1994...
2008. Townsend provided the voice for the title character of The Tick in the 1994 cartoon series.
Select filmography
- Alice Through the Looking Glass - Tom Fool
- Inspector GadgetInspector GadgetInspector Gadget is an animated television series that revolves around the adventures of a clumsy, simple-witted cyborg detective named Inspector Gadget – a human being with various bionic gadgets built into his body. Gadget's arch-nemesis is Dr...
- Corporal Capeman - Jem and the Holograms- Rory "Riot" Lewellyn
- NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
advertising - Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. The pilot was shown during the week of December 28, 1987 in syndication as a five part miniseries and began its official run on October 1, 1988...
- MichaelangeloMichelangelo (TMNT)Michelangelo is a fictional character, one of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . His mask is typically portrayed as orange outside of the Mirage/Image comic series and his weapons are dual nunchaku, though he has also been portrayed using other weapons, such as a grappling hook, tonfa, and a...
, Rat KingRat KingThe Rat King is a fictional character from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles multimedia franchise. The character was created by Jim Lawson and first appeared in the comic Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4 written by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird and has made various appearances since, in...
, KrangKrangKrang is a fictional supervillain who appears in the Sonic The Hedgehog TV shows and most frequently in the 1987 STH cartoon and its associated media, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comic book and most of the classic TMNT video games....
(1989 Alternate) and ShredderShredder (TMNT)The Shredder is a fictional character and primary antagonist from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. At one point or another in every incarnation of the TMNT stories, he has been the archenemy of Splinter and the Turtles...
(1993 Alternate) (7 episodes only), Usagi YojimboUsagi Yojimbois a comic book series created by Stan Sakai in 1987. In 2011 IGN ranked Miyamoto Usagi 92nd in the top 100 comic books heroes.-Concept:Set primarily at the beginning of Edo period of Japan , with anthropomorphic animals replacing humans, the series features a rabbit ronin, Miyamoto Usagi, whom...
, RahzarTokka and RahzarTokka and Rahzar are two fictional mutant villains in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe. They first appeared in the 1991 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. Rahzar was played by Mark Ginther and Tokka was played by Kurt Bryant...
, Screwloose, SplinterSplinter (TMNT)Master Splinter, or simply Splinter is a fictional character in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe. -Origin Story:Splinter has two origin stories, and which one is used depends on the medium...
(Season 5 Alternate), Burne Thompson (Season 3 Alternate), Jerry Spiegel, Electrozapper, Dalton Dumpsky, Fritz - The Tick - The Tick
- Transformers Animated - Sentinel Prime
- Where's Waldo?Where's Waldo? (TV series)Where's Wally?: The Animated Series was a joint venture between American/Canadian/British animated television series productions, distributed by DiC Entertainment and The Waldo Film Company...
- Wally