Rodger Bumpass

Template:Short description Template:Pp-pc Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Rodger Bumpass (born November 20, 1951)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is an American actor. He is a main cast member on the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, providing the voice of Squidward Tentacles and several other voices.

He also voiced The Chief in the animated series Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, Professor Membrane from Invader Zim and Mr. Besser, the school principal in the animated series The Kids from Room 402. Bumpass has amassed credits on other animated films, animated television series, and video games, and reprises the role of Squidward Tentacles in all SpongeBob SquarePants associated media.

Early life

Rodger Bumpass was born on November 20, 1951, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Carroll C. (1924–2009) and Virginia Cathey Bumpass (1921–2004).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="EAHC" /> He had two siblings, one of whom was stillborn. His parents ran a dry cleaning business. He described his mother as "the life of the family" and his father "a typical Southern male with Southern male disgust" but added that he was loving and giving.<ref name="EAHC"/> As a child, Bumpass idolized Mel Blanc and would do impressions of Looney Tunes characters as well as other cartoon characters. He memorized the comedy albums of Jonathan Winters and Bill Cosby and was inspired by Tim Conway's physical comedy.<ref name="w747">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bumpass attended Little Rock Central High School, where he received his first training in theatre. He then majored in radio–TV and minored in theatre at Arkansas State University. He worked at the campus radio station and also at Jonesboro's ABC affiliated television station, KAIT-TV, where he had multiple duties as announcer, film processor, cameraman, audio technician, and technical director.<ref name="EAHC">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> While at KAIT, Bumpass also wrote, produced, and performed in a late-night comedy program called Mid-Century Nonsense Festival Featuring Kumquat Theater.<ref name="KAIT">Template:Cite news</ref> He graduated from A-State in 1976, and when encouraged by an A-State professor to consider professional theatre, he moved to New York in June 1977.<ref name="EAHC"/>

Career

File:Rodger Bumpass - Standing at Panel - Cropped.jpg

Bumpass in 2009

In the late 1970s, Bumpass was involved with a number of National Lampoon productions. In 1977, he won a role in the National Lampoon music and comedy road show That's Not Funny, That's Sick and toured with them until 1978.<ref name=WaPo1977>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=NYT1977>Template:Cite news</ref> That same year, he appeared in the National Lampoon TV special Disco Beaver from Outer Space for HBO. In 1979, Bumpass was cast as the leading role in a National Lampoon film to be called Jaws 3, People 0, in which he would have a love scene with Bo Derek. However, the film was cancelled due to objections by the creators of the movie Jaws.<ref name="EAHC"/> In 1980, Bumpass created the character of 'Fartman' to appear on the National Lampoon LP The White Album, which later inspired the Howard Stern character of the same name.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="EAHC"/><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He also made in appearance appearances in movies such as Escape from New York and Bio-Dome; however, when the demand for voice actors became higher, he started doing background voices on shows such as Batman: The Animated Series, Bonkers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles until he got a more prominent role on Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?.

He has since lent his voice in multiple Pixar films such as A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc.,The Incredibles, Cars and Monsters University. He has done additional voices for shows such as Gravity Falls, Rugrats, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures, also voicing Foreman in the English dub of Spirited Away. He is also known for voicing The Chief from Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, Doctor Light on Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go along with Professor Membrane on Invader Zim.<ref name="EAHC"/>

SpongeBob SquarePants

Bumpass is best known to present-day viewers as the voice of Squidward Tentacles and various incidental characters on the Nickelodeon animated comedy series SpongeBob SquarePants.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> When he auditioned for the role in 1999, the character notes he received highlighted Squidward's prominent nose, which inspired him to give the character the iconic "nasally" sounding voice.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> He has also voiced provided the voice of other characters such as Squidward's mother. Bumpass has also voiced Squidward in the SpongeBob film series, spinoff shows and video games.

Many of the show's crew praise Bumpass for his performance and similitude to the character. Tom Kenny called Bumpass "brilliant" and has stated that "when he goes apoplectic as Squidward while recording, his head turns red, and you're afraid he's going to have an embolism."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2012, Bumpass received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for his role as Squidward.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The show had its 20th anniversary in 2019. In celebration, a television special was aired, titled "SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout". One scene includes each of the show's main characters' voice actors portraying live-action versions of their characters. While not the first SpongeBob SquarePants episode that blended animated sequences with live-action characters, this is the first time that the characters' voice actors have all been in a live-action scene together.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

On July 27, 2019, Bumpass married Angela VanZandt, with whom he attended high school 50 years prior.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bumpass is an avid collector of SpongeBob memorabilia and believes he has one of the biggest collections in the world.<ref name=":0" />

In February 2022, Bumpass received a special tribute at the Arkansas State Capitol. The Arkansas Senate passed Resolution 25, recognizing his accomplishments for his iconic voice work as Squidward. The moment was made even more memorable when he responded in character, delivering the University of Arkansas "Woo Pig Sooie!" cheer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In September of that same year, Bumpass was inducted into the Arkansas Walk of Fame in Hot Springs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Legal issues

On January 15, 2016, Bumpass was arrested for alleged DUI in Burbank, California. A police report of the incident alleged that officers of the Burbank Police Department found Bumpass in his car in the middle of the road. He was said to have been leaning against the vehicle, and when officers approached him for questioning, he attempted to walk away and lost his balance (nearly falling to the ground). Bumpass admitted to drinking and driving after leaving a Burbank bar before the police spotted him, and he was soon handcuffed after failing a sobriety test. His blood alcohol levels were said to be more than twice the legal limit. He was later released on a $15,000 bail shortly the next morning.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The incident was first reported by celebrity gossip website TMZ several days after it occurred, on January 19. A day later, Bumpass alleged to the website that the police had lied about the DUI report, claiming that he was not leaning against his car when officers spotted him, and that he was being tailed and pulled over by the officers before his arrest, though he did confess again to the DUI charge. Nickelodeon representatives were notified of the incident by Bumpass, but did not release any immediate comments or actions regarding the matter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On January 25, 2016, ten days after the incident, Nickelodeon representatives confirmed to TMZ that Bumpass would remain on SpongeBob SquarePants for the foreseeable future. The representatives alleged that the network did not consider DUI charges to be an immoral act, and thus Bumpass was not legally subject to termination.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Filmography

Live-action roles

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1981	Escape from New York	Dancer	Credited as Roger Bumpass
1986	National Lampoon's Class of '86		<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1987	The Running Man	Phil Hilton	Credited as Roger Bumpass
1996	Bio-Dome	Narrator
1999	Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure	Baby Huey (in-suit performer), Irv	Direct-to-video

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1978	Disco Beaver from Outer Space		Television film
1981	Two Reelers	Roger	Television film<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1983	Wizards and Warriors	Prisoner	Episode: "The Dungeon of Death"
1984	Footlight Frenzy	Benny the Stage Manager, Johnny Chicago	Television film
	Hot Flashes	Chuck Fodder	5 episodes<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1988	What Price Victory		Television film
1992	Silk Stalkings	Jack Fellman	Episode: "Shock Jock"
1994	Shadow of Obsession	Custodian	Television film
1995	Hart to Hart: Secrets of the Hart	Higgins
2002	Santa Jr.	Wally Fisk
2003	Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure	Lab Visitor, Plumber, Air Controller
2004	Just Desserts	Boz Roswell
	Murder Without Conviction	Patrick Talley Jr.
	A Boyfriend for Christmas	Russell Parker
2007	Marco Polo	Rustigielo

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1977–1978	That's Not Funny, That's Sick	Himself	<ref name=WaPo1977/><ref name=NYT1977/>

Voice-over roles

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1981	Heavy Metal	Hannover Fiste, Dr. Anrak<ref name="btva" />	Credited as Roger Bumpass
1984	Robo Force: The Revenge of Nazgar	Mark Fury
1992	Porco Rosso	Blond Pirate	English dub
1994	The Super Dave Superbowl of Knowledge	Additional voices	Television film
1995	Theodore Rex	Additional voices
1996	The Hunchback of Notre Dame	Frollo's Soldiers
1997	Hercules	Man pointing at Young Hercules
	Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas	Additional voices	Direct-to-video
1998	Quest for Camelot	Additional voices
	A Bug's Life	Harry Mosquito
	Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World	Additional voices	Direct-to-video
1999	Toy Story 2	Clerk
	The Iron Giant	Maine Man, Rick the Soldier
	Tarzan	Elephant #2, David	credited as Roger Bumpass
	Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost	Perkins	Direct-to-video
	The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man	Dr. Octopus
2000	Titan A.E	Additional voices
	The Emperor's New Groove	Male Villager #1 and Male Villager #8
2001	Atlantis: The Lost Empire	Mr. Hickenbottom, Chief of the Watch	ADR Group
	Spirited Away	Foreman	2002 English dub
	Monsters, Inc.	CDA, News Anchor
	Osmosis Jones	Announcer for Nerve News Network
2002	Cinderella II: Dreams Come True	King's Guards	Direct-to-video
	The Hunchback of Notre Dame II	Frollo's Soldiers	Direct-to-video Uncredited
	Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron	Colonel's Soldiers
	Treasure Planet	Turnbuckle, Police Robot #1
	Lilo & Stitch	Man
2003	Brother Bear	Male Bear #2
2004	The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie	Squidward Tentacles<ref name="btva" />
	The Incredibles	Mr. Incredible's Lawyer
2006	Curious George	Hunter #1
	Ice Age: The Meltdown	Various Mammals
	Cars	Claude Scruggs
2009	The Haunted World of El Superbeasto	Screaming Patron<ref name="btva" />	Direct-to-video (credited as Roger Bumpass)
2010	Kung-Fu Magoo	General Smith, Driver<ref name="btva" />
2013	Monsters University	Jerry Jablonski
2015	The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Squidward Tentacles
2019	Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus	Professor Membrane<ref name="btva" />	Netflix film
2020	The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run	Squidward Tentacles<ref name="btva" />
2021	Seal Team	Sharks<ref name="btva" />
2024	Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie	Squidward Tentacles, Butch, Police Loudspeaker, Bikini Bottomite<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="btva" />	Netflix film
2025	Plankton: The Movie	Squidward Tentacles, Fish Troop, Goofy Goober Employee<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Order Up	Squidward Tentacles<ref name="ColliderExclusive">Template:Cite web</ref>
	The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants	Squidward Tentacles<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1984	Alvin and the Chipmunks	Additional voices	13 episodes
1985	The Jetsons	Additional voices	Episode: "Elroy in Wonderland"
1987	Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures	Additional voices	17 episodes
1989	Ring Raiders	Scorch	5 episodes
1989–1991	The Real Ghostbusters	Louis Tully	12 episodes
1991	TaleSpin	Dr. Axolotl	Episode: "Bullethead Baloo"
	Tiny Toon Adventures	Ronald Grump	Episode: "Pollution Solution"<ref name="btva" />
	Toxic Crusaders	Toxie, Dr. Killemoff	13 episodes Credited as Roger Bumpass
1992	Petal to the Metal	Grumbles	Short
	Raw Toonage	Grumbles the Grizzly	13 episodes
1993	Batman: The Animated Series	Hoffman	Episode: "Paging the Crime Doctor"
	Problem Child	Additional voices	Television series short
1993–1994	Bonkers	Grumbles Grizzly	10 episodes
1994	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	Titanus	3 episodes
1994–1999	Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?	Chief	40 episodes<ref name="btva" />
1995	Timon & Pumbaa	Savage Lion	Episode: "You Ghana Join the Club"
1996	Quack Pack	Countdown Voice	Episode: "None Like It Hot"
1997	101 Dalmatians: The Series	Additional voices	Unknown episodes
1998	The Angry Beavers	Elephant, Sentry	Episode: "Zooing Time"
	CatDog	Pig, Man	Episode: "CatDogPig"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Oh Yeah! Cartoons	Ravenrant, Radio DJ, Announcer, Cyclops	2 episodes<ref name="btva" />
	Monster Farm	Rex, Frankenswine	<ref name="btva" />
1999	Rugrats	Uncle Freddy	Episode: "Brothers Are Monsters"<ref name="btva" />
1999–present	SpongeBob SquarePants	Squidward Tentacles, various characters	<ref name="btva" />
1999–2000	The Kids from Room 402	Principal Besser	13 episodes<ref name="btva" />
2000	Batman Beyond	Cop	Episode: "Betrayal"<ref name="btva" />
2001	Time Squad	Socrates	Episode: "Feud for Thought"
2001–2003	Invader Zim	Professor Membrane, others	18 episodes<ref name="btva" />
2002	The Zeta Project	Submarine Captain	Episode: "The Hologram Man"<ref name="btva" />
	3-South	Additional voices	Episode: "College Material"
2003–2005	Teen Titans	Doctor Light	3 episodes<ref name="btva" />
2003–2008	ChalkZone	Biclops / Man	10 episodes
2005	What's New, Scooby-Doo?	Steve	Episode: "Gentlemen, Start Your Monsters"
2007–2008	Yin Yang Yo!	The Lesson	2 episodes
2008	Random! Cartoons	Lemurman	Episode: "Mind the Kitty"<ref name="btva" />
2010	Chuggington	Additional voices
2012	Gravity Falls	Various characters
2013–present	Teen Titans Go!	Doctor Light	Recurring role<ref name="btva" />
2014–2020	Doc McStuffins	Army Al	10 episodes<ref name="btva" />
2015	We Bare Bears	Theater Manager	Episode: "Shush Ninjas"
2015–2016	Mixels	Flamzer, Naut, Major Nixel, Gate Keepe, Narrator, others<ref name="btva" />	2 episodes
2021–2024	Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years	Squidward Tentacles, Regigilled, various characters<ref name="btva" />
2021–present	The Patrick Star Show	Squidward Tentacles, Capt. Doug Quasar, Daddy Dartfish, various characters<ref name="btva" />

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1995	Carmen Sandiego: Junior Detective	Chief
2000	Sacrifice	Gammel
2001	SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Krabby Patty	Squidward Tentacles<ref name="btva">Template:Cite web</ref>
	SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge
2002	Blood Omen 2	Magnus<ref name="btva" />
	Command & Conquer: Renegade	Gen. Gideon Raveshaw<ref name="btva" />
	SpongeBob SquarePants: Employee of the Month	Squidward Tentacles<ref name="btva" />
	SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman
	Treasure Planet: Battle at Procyon	Zirrelian Crew, Zirrelian Mayor, Arcturian Commander<ref name="btva" />
2003	Nickelodeon Toon Twister 3-D	Squidward Tentacles<ref name="btva" />
	SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom
	Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando	The Unknown, Inventor<ref name="btva" />
2004	X-Men Legends	Sentinel, Scientist
	SpongeBob SquarePants: Typing	Squidward Tentacles<ref name="btva" />
2005	Teen Titans	Doctor Light<ref name="btva" />
	SpongeBob SquarePants: Lights, Camera, Pants!	Squidward Tentacles<ref name="btva" />	Credited as Roger Bumpass
	The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: The Video Game
2006	Nicktoons: Battle for Volcano Island
2007	SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis
	Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer	Additional voices
	Buzz!: The Mega Quiz	Greg<ref name="btva" />
2008	SpongeBob SquarePants Featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom	Squidward Tentacles, Professor Membrane<ref name="btva" />
2009	SpongeBob's Truth or Square<ref name="btva" />	Squidward Tentacles
2010	SpongeBob's Boating Bash
	Dead to Rights: Retribution	Redwater, Cops, Brawlers	<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref>
2013	SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge	Squidward Tentacles, Captain<ref name="btva" />
	SpongeBob Moves In!	Squidward Tentacles
2015	SpongeBob HeroPants<ref name="btva" />
2018	Lego DC Super-Villains	Doctor Arthur Light
2020	SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated	Squidward Tentacles	Archival recordings
2022	Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway<ref name="btva" />
2023	SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake	Squidward Tentacles, Anchovies, Kids	<ref name="btva" />
	Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2	Squidward Tentacles
2024	SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game		<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2025	SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide	Squidward Tentacles, Anchovies, Citizens	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="btva" />

Awards and nominations

• 2012 – Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program – Nominated
• 2013 — Behind the Voice Actors Awards Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series - Children's/Educational for SquarePants Sqaurepants — Nominated
• 2016 — Behind the Voice Actors Awards for Feature Film Voice Acting Award-Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film: for The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water — Nominated

External links

• Template:IMDb name