Paul Kevin Rugg is an American screenwriter, producer, voice actor, and puppeteer. He is best known for his starring roles in shows like Freakazoid!, Pig Goat Banana Cricket, and Earth to Ned.
Biography Rugg has worked extensively in the field of animation. His list of credits include writing for, producing, and voice acting in several cartoons, first as the Jerry Lewis-esque Mr. Director in Animaniacs. Afterwards, he voiced the title character in Freakazoid! and Nostradamus in Histeria!, as well as the main recurring villain, Dark Lord Chuckles the Silly Piggy in the Disney series Dave the Barbarian. He also voiced Gweelok for Cartoon Network's Secret Mountain Fort Awesome.
Rugg also appeared live as the eccentric character Manny in the Manny the Uncanny short segments as part of Disney's One Saturday Morning for ABC.
Rugg created and directed The Sam Plenty Cavalcade of Action Show Plus Singing! with Mitch Schauer, on behalf of The Jim Henson Company. He also played the voice of Principal Rotwood in the Disney Channel series American Dragon Jake Long.
Alongside Adam Carolla and John P. McCann, Rugg was an improvisational actor at the ACME Comedy Theatre in Los Angeles, where he created the character Manny the Uncanny.
Rugg was recruited to the Warner Bros. Animation team led by Jean MacCurdy and Tom Ruegger, and was a key contributor to their various series in the 1990s. In 2008, Rugg attended San Diego Comic-Con alongside Paul Dini, Jean MacCurdy, John P. McCann, and Andrea Romano.
Rugg later worked with Brian Henson on Puppet Up! and other projects of The Jim Henson Company under its "Henson Alternative" banner. He reunited with Henson as protagonist Ned in Earth to Ned.
Rugg has been nominated for several Emmy Awards, and has received three. He previously lived up the coast from Los Angeles with his wife Maria and daughter Jillian. In July 2023, Jillian got married, after which Rugg moved to Virginia to live closer to her family.
Rugg has two dogs: Chihuahua Lucky (2006–2020), who was the subject of a viral video; and Marge.
Filmography
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1993–1995AnimaniacsMr. Director, Albert Einstein, Sy Sykman, Mr. Clown, Mrs. Mumphead, Goyt Ferman, Lon Borax, FreakazoidVoice, 11 episodes A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.1995–1997Freakazoid!Freakazoid, Paul Harvey, Henry Kissinger, JockoVoice, main role (24 episodes)1996–1998Pinky and the BrainSultana Sultana, Dr. Belvedere, Mr. DirectorVoice, 4 episodes1997One Saturday MorningManny the Uncanny, Alistair Flyndiggery, Vanessa1998–2000Histeria!Nostradamus, Meriwether Lewis, Montezuma, Merlin, Sergei Eisenstein, DragonVoice, 15 episodes2000Buzz Lightyear of Star CommandCosmo, Ed the Courier, Inspector, Brain Pod #1, BystanderVoice, 8 episodes2004–2005Dave the BarbarianDark Lord Chuckles the Silly Piggy, various voicesVoice, 13 episodes2005–2007American Dragon: Jake LongProfessor RotwoodVoice, 23 episodes2007The ModifyersKatz, Baron VainVoice, short2010Scooby-Doo! Mystery IncorporatedDr. Portillo, Male Parent #1, Kelsepsian, Jingle Singer, Hairy SasquatchVoice, 2 episodes2011–2012Secret Mountain Fort AwesomeGweelokVoice, 13 episodes2011–2014Kung Fu Panda: Legends of AwesomenessMaster Yao, Festival-Goer #1, Oogway Look-Alike, Attendant #2, TeacherVoice, 4 episodes2013My Science Fiction ProjectChancellor ManiacVoice, short2014–2016The 7DLord StarchbottomVoice, 43 episodes2015–2017DreamWorks DragonsSavageVoice, 9 episodes2015The Fairly OddParentsGrim ReaperVoice, episode: "Man's Worst Friend"2015–2016The Mr. Peabody & Sherman ShowNapoleonVoice, 2 episodes2015–2018The Adventures of Puss in BootsArtephius, various voicesVoice, 57 episodes2015–2017Pig Goat Banana CricketCricket, various voicesVoice, main role (40 episodes)2018We Bare BearsMr. HowardVoice, episode: "Paperboyz"2019The Epic Tales of Captain UnderpantsVert Ladderfeller, Altitooth, Bivouac LadderfellerVoice, episode: "Captain Underpants and the Abysmal Altercation of the Abominable Altitooth"2019OK K.O.! Let's Be HeroesPresident of the Universe, Cantalop, Ted Viking, Teardrop, Hero #2, UBC AnnouncerVoice, 2 episodes2020–2021Cleopatra in SpaceDr. QueedVoice, 6 episodes2020Teen Titans Go!FreakazoidVoice, episode: "Huggbees"2020–2021Earth to NedNedMain voice role2022OddballsDr. Bolster, Hardware Store Clerk, OrderlyVoice, 4 episodes2023AnimaniacsMr. ClownVoice, episode: "The Stickening"
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1999Wakko's WishMr. DirectorVoice, direct-to-video2002The Country BearsTV Reporter2006The Ant BullyAnt #5Voice2013Scooby-Doo! Stage FrightSteve TrilbyVoice, direct-to-video
Video games YearTitleRoleNotes2004EverQuest IICalig Shauwls, Captain Ganwail, Dailin Blainin, Drammer Quickblade, Haunt of Solusek Mines, Lord Fannos Stormhelm2006Hitman: Blood MoneyAdditional voices2006Xiaolin ShowdownDojo Kanojo Cho
Web series YearTitleRoleNotes2006Puppet Up!Himself, Various2009Alt/RealityVarious2010, 2018Nostalgia CriticHimself2 episodes2011Puppet for PresidentMarvin Quasniki2012Simian Undercover Detective SquadCaptain Marion Futz2019Too Loud!Dr. Lewis
Crew work YearTitleRoleNotes1993–1996AnimaniacsWriter, story editor76 episodes1995Tiny Toon AdventuresWriterEpisode: "Tiny Toons' Night Ghoulery"1995Pinky and the BrainWriterEpisode: "Cheese Role Call"1995–1997Freakazoid!Producer, writer, story editor24 episodes1999Histeria!WriterEpisode: "Presidential People"2004Dave the BarbarianWriterEpisode: "A Pig's Story"2008The Sam Plenty Cavalcade of Action Show Plus Singing!Creator, director2009The Penguins of MadagascarWriterEpisode: "Popcorn Panic"2010–2012Scooby-Doo! Mystery IncorporatedWriter3 episodes2011–2013Kung Fu Panda: Legends of AwesomenessWriter6 episodes2013The Looney Tunes ShowWriterEpisode: "Ridiculous Journey"2013Pac-Man and the Ghostly AdventuresProducer, writer18 episodes2014–2016The 7DWriter10 episodes2015The Mr. Peabody & Sherman ShowWriterEpisode: "The Perfect Show"
References
External links Paul Rugg's blog