Since the beginning, voice-overs have been heard on radio dramas, TV shows, commercials, documentaries, video games, electronic books and board games, toys, GPS sat navs, you name it!
There have been many wonderful voice talents going back as to the mid to late 1920s-30s onwards. Those who have appeared on radio and Broadway would rise to bigger fame by lending a voice or more to the animation department. Mel Blanc was a big example and an influence on to many upcoming comedians and voice artists such as Bob Bergen, Billy West, Maurice LaMarche, Jim Cummings, Jeff Bergman, Dee Bradley Baker, the late Joe Alaskey and even Frank Welker. As generation upon generation went on, new voice actors would take over and thus, voice acting has grown more iconic since the decades begun. The 1980s to the 1990s and beyond is where it really kicked off for so many up and coming new stars. Many men would lend their voice to an animated project and make a living out of it.
Voice acting is pretty much a form of art that is overlooked by so many and is often overshadowed and only moved to video games and animated shows, with talents such as Jess Harnell, Jeff Bennet, Cam Clarke, Charlie Adler, Dan Castanaletta, Rob Paulsen, Kevin Michael Richardson, Eric Bauza, April Stewart, Carlos Alazraqui, Jodi Bensen, Cree Summer, April Winchell and Bill Farmer to name a few more or less.
Sadly, voice-overs in huge blockbuster movies today no longer cast the likes of our beloved voice artists often now, since Hollywood chooses to bring in none other than actors such as Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet and even various pop artists to fill the roles. As wonderful the animations and story-lines are, I just don't understand why Hollywood always turns down all the TRUE vocal talent behind the mic.With that being said, voice acting is a gift that we should all treasure to the fullest and never give up on what we love. If you can act and sing, then chances are you may just get lucky.
Then we have the many living lovely ladies (say that few times fast) or voice acting (or as Knuckles from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and the hit animated show Sonic Boom puts it: The laaaaaiiiideeez!),Voice artists such as June Foray, Debi Derryberry, Kath Soucie, Katie Leigh, E.G Daily, Nancy Cartwright, Pamela Hayden, Tara Strong, Russi Taylor, Kathleen Barr, Veronica Taylor, Rachael Lillis, Grey Griffin, Kate Higgins, Tress Macneille and of course the late Norma MacMillan, Christine Cavanaugh and Dana Hill, all of these voice artists have and had something in common and that is that they have all provided voices for MALE characters. That's right! Next time you sit down with your kids, your friends, your relatives or have a get together to watch some nostalgic cartoons with your friends, listen to some of these voices you hear.
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| Colleen O'Shaughnessey |
One voice actress whom I have had the honor in talking to recently is no exception. It is amazing how after all these years, I found out just how many times she had been called in to do voice-work. She has voiced awkward girls in school, to teenagers, to kids in Anime and even video game characters. I am talking about Colleen O'Shaughnessey Villard and this blog, I would like to pay my little homage to such a splendid beautiful woman. Colleen Ann O'Shaughnessey was born in Michigan She is the sister of stage acress Katie O'Shaughnessey and daughter of opera singer Peggy O'Shaughnessey. Colleen is also an improv member and comedienne of the "Social Extortion" improv group. From her early childhood, O'Shaughnessey loved watching cartoons during the era at the time including Scooby Doo, The Flintstones and Hong Kong Phooey, as well as things like The Wonderful World of Disney and Super Friends. She attended Boulan Park Middle School in Troy, Michigan, for grade 6-8. She grew up in Troy, Michigan and spent summers at her family home in Ireland. Colleen is a 1989 graduate at Marion Catholic High School in Birmingham, Michigan. As of 2016, O'Shaughnessey has been nominated for seven awards.Don't worry gal, you will join Frank Welker, Maurice LaMarche and the likes one day and win an Emmy. Just you wait..
Colleen O'Shaughnessey began her voice acting as the role of Skipper in a sound book called Reporter Barbie. But her career in animation begun in 1999 on The Kids From Room 402 where she as "teacher's pet": Polly McShane. A socially awkward irritable but smart preteen who often annoyed the likes of Nancy Francis. I haven't really seen the show so I can't really say more but from what I have heard, Colleen's performance as Polly was terrific and really does sound like what you can imagine from such a character.
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| Polly McShane |
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| Sora |
After auditioning for several roles, O'Shaughnessey' ended up landing the part for Sora Takenouchi in the hit show Digimon. This was her first time ever doing voice-overs for a Japanese Anime and I think looking back, this was her first breakout role of the Saturday morning cartoons genre or renaissance, whatever you like to call it, haha!
She would use her sarcasm when playing the role and she even loved her sense of humor and spunky personality, a trait that Colleen continued to play Sora in the second series as well as other various brief minor roles in the Digimon series. Digimon's English dub did have some rather cringy voice work for some fans, but O'Shaughnessey is an exception. This wouldn't be the last time she would do voice work for anime. O'Shaughnessey went on to dub voices in other Anime series including additional voices and various roles for Bleach, Tenkai, Glitter Force, Naruto, the list just goes on and on. I could be here all night.
In all my honesty, Digimon wasn't really a show I got into much at the time (I was more into Pokemon), but for an English dubbed Anime, Colleen did a wonderful job providing the voice of Sora. She is kind, responsible and always willing to help those in need. This goes to show that Colleen is pretty capable at doing the voice of tomboyish preteens.
Through the years, Colleen went on to voice Jazz Fenton in Danny Phantom, Paula Pickney in Gormiti and EVEN ended up into the adult orientated genre with her role of Karen McCormick in the off-colored, rude and crude, satirical yet hysterical masterpiece that is one of my favorite shows: South Park. O'Shaughnessey reprised her role for Karen in the hit RPG video game tie in with the Black Friday trilogy: South Park: The Stick of Truth as well as providing the voice of the game player's mother.
Colleen also had done a fair share of additional voices in animated movies including Digimon: The Movie (reprising her role as Sora), Spirited Away, Cars, Toy Story 3 Monsters University and even Ponyo.
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| Charmy Bee |
She has also done a fair share of voice work for other various video games. For many, this is where most of the underrated magic really breaks out for most voiceover artists. Voice roles for titles such as Dishonored, Fallout 4, Rogue Galaxy, Tales of Symphonia and even the Sonic The Hedgehog series where she was cast as Charmy Bee replacing 4Kids voice artists: Amy Birnbaum.
O'Shaughnessey continued to play Charmy in the games but her absolute breakout role in all of her voice acting career would be none other than Miles "Tails" Prower. Replacing Kate Higgins in 2014, Colleen ended up auditioning for Tails for the fifth animated installment in the Sonic franchise Sonic Boom.
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| Tails |
But as the show goes, it's beautifully animated in all it's CG glory, the voice cast are a lot of fun and even if the story lines are a little silly, whether a hit and miss, there are some fun neat little homages to other classic Sonic media. The parodies and cultural references are fun but sometimes I think that's what the show is aiming for more most of the time, presumably something that the 80s and 90s kids would get that others wouldn't. I guess for many though, it's fun to see Sonic the Hedgehog go back to being a show that makes everyone giggle with glee with all it's pop culture and word play, it may not be groundbreaking as Tiny Toons or Animaniacs, but come on now, that was two decades ago, cartoons will still attract an audience no matter where or when.
While Higgins -a ridiculously talented voice artist- put on a wonderful performance for Tails in Sonic Colours and Generations, making him sound more like an actual male pre-teen boy, it was Colleen O'Shaughnessey who perfected the role by a mile. She has the right energy, wit and spiritual pizzazz put into the role. In my honest opinion, she was the perfect choice to play as Tails, Colleen always seems to have fun playing the role, especially when she's in the studio with the rest of the cast all cracking jokes and singing and just acting like kids in school again.
As an aspiring voice artist myself, I can say that you can learn a lot if you listen to voice artists and Colleen is one of those lovely and talented people you can look up to. With Tails cast on her card, I hope she continues to stay in his spot for many years to come.
Being a long time fan of Tails, I had the pleasure of contacting Colleen and arranging a interview with her last Friday. This has been an experience I will never forget.
Voice actors are hands down some of the loveliest and most pleasant people you could ever talk to. They are always so supportive, loving and supporting you in every way and will cheer you up no matter what.
Interviewing O'Shaughnessey has boosted my confidence more to follow my dream of being a voice-over artist and while I may NEVER land the part for Tails myself one day, I will always have a little part of him in my life with the love, devotion and support I have been given from one amazing voice actress.
My interview with Colleen can be heard on the link to your left.
Never have I heard a rendition of Tails' voice done so perfectly. Colleen poured her heart into auditioning and landing a part into Sonic Boom, while she lost out to auditioning for Sticks the Badger, it was pure destiny for her to play Tails.
In my opinion, this is the role that really brought out the iconic vibe in Colleen's voice acting career. What makes it really special is that she's working with the right cast on a show that continues a legacy of an iconic video-game icon since 1991.
In conclusion, Colleen O'Shaughnessey is a fantastic role-model for aspiring voice actors everywhere and I hope she continues to do what she lives in the near future. Generations upon generations and I am happy to have shared my experience with learning so much with her to you.
Colleen, if you are reading this, I have never been so happy in all my life, after a rough start this year and many more to come, you have brought something that has given me the strength to believe in myself and many others.
With that being said: "Catch you on the flip flop!" -Tails
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