Thomas McGrath is an American voice actor and animator. He is known for the DreamWorks animated film Madagascar, which he co-wrote and directed with Eric Darnell while voicing the character of Skipper the Penguin. The film spawned two direct sequels, along with a spin-off animated series and film based on the penguins, with McGrath reprising his role as Skipper in all cases. McGrath also directed the DreamWorks animated films Megamind (2010) and The Boss Baby (2017), the latter of which received an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nomination. McGrath returned as director for its 2021 sequel.
Life and career McGrath was born and raised in Lynnwood, Washington. He studied Industrial Design at the University of Washington and graduated from the Character Animation program at Cal Arts. McGrath's experience in both television and feature animation includes work as an animator on Cool World and Space Jam, storyboard artist and director for seasons 3-5 of The Ren & Stimpy Show.
McGrath made his film directing debut as the co-director and co-writer of MadagascarKeeping Control of the Zoo Tom McGrath Directs Madagascar to Laughs by Sara Michelle Fetters. MovieFreak.com. Retrieved June 21, 2011. along with Eric Darnell, where he also voiced the leader of the squad of penguin characters, Skipper. He reprised his role as Skipper and co-directed and co-wrote the sequel, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, and co-directed Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. He worked on The Penguins of Madagascar, a spin-off TV series, as a creative consultant and as the voice of Skipper. He directed Megamind, released in November 2010.
In 2017, he directed The Boss Baby and the 2021 sequel The Boss Baby: Family Business.
Filmography
Feature films +YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerArt /AnimationdepartmentVoiceactorVoiceroleNotes1992Cool Worldanimation designeranimatorlayout artist1996Space Jamanimator1998Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympuskey animatorlayout artist2000How the Grinch Stole Christmasstoryboard artist 2001Cats & Dogs2005MadagascarSkipperFossaPanicky Man on Subwayco-directed with Eric Darnellco-written with Mark Burton, Billy Frolick and Eric Darnell2006Flushed AwayAction FigureArtist2007Shrek the ThirdGary2008Madagascar: Escape 2 AfricaSkipperLemurco-directed with Eric Darnellco-written with Etan Cohen and Eric Darnell2009Monsters vs. AliensWilson2010MegamindLord ScottPrison Guard2011Puss in BootsBar Thief2012Madagascar 3: Europe's Most WantedSkipperFirst Policemanco-directed with Eric Darnell & Conrad Vernon2014Mr. Peabody & ShermanOdysseus2014Penguins of MadagascarSkipperexecutive producer2017The Boss BabyTV Chef2021The Boss Baby: Family BusinessDr. Tiffany Hamiltonexecutive producerStory co-written with Michael McCullers Writer of Global Warming Song co-written by Hans Zimmer, Steve Mazzaro and Nelson Yokota2022Paws of Fury: The Legend of HankAdditional Voices2024Kung Fu Panda 4Croc Crime Boss
Short films +YearTitleDirectorWriterArt /AnimationdepartmentActorRoleNotes1988The Thing What Lurked in the Tub monster animator1988Lea Press on Limbs(voice)1993The D.A.R.E. Report: The Land of Decisions and Choicescharacter layout1995The Louie N' Louie Show storyboard artist1999HerdFed No. 5live-action role2001Imp, Inc. animation layout2005The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas CaperSkipper (voice)2009Merry MadagascarSkipper (voice)Additional voices2013Madly MadagascarSkipper (voice)2014Almost HomeJeff (voice)
Television series +YearTitleDirectorArtAnimation departmentCreative consultantActorRoleNotes1993–1996The Ren & Stimpy ShowDirector (1 episode "I Was a Teenage Stimpy")Layout artist (21 episodes)Background designer (14 episodes)Storyboard artist (10 episodes)1996KaBlam!Directorstoryboard artist (segment "The Louie and Louie Show")1998Oh Yeah! CartoonsBackground designer (segment "A Cop and His Donut")2008–2015The Penguins of MadagascarSkipper (voice)88 episodes2014All Hail King Julien
Video games +YearTitleRoleNotes2005MadagascarSkipper (voice)UncreditedMadagascar: Animal Trivia DVD Game2007Shrek the Third2008Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa 2009Madagascar Kartz2011The Penguins of Madagascar: Dr. Blowhole Returns – Again!Super Star Kartz2012Madagascar 3: The Video Game
References
External links