Neil Ross is a British actor. Noted for his Trans-Atlantic accent, he has provided voices in many American cartoons, most notably G.I. Joe, Spider-Man: The Animated Series, My Life as a Teenage Robot, Voltron, and Transformers, as well as video games. Ross has also provided voice roles (such as radio announcers) for many movies, including Back to the Future Part II, Babe, and Quiz Show. He served as announcer for ABC's prime time revival of the classic game show Press Your Luck from 2019 to 2023, as well as the voice of its villainous character The Whammy.
Ross was the co-announcer for the 75th Annual Academy Awards Telecast in 2003, and the announcer for the 56th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards Telecast in 2004. He has also narrated numerous episodes of A&E's Biography, and many editions of NOVA on PBS (including Mars – Dead or Alive, which was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2004).
Early life
Ross was born in London, England. He was subsequently raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His family relocated to California when he was 12 years old, eventually settling in San Diego.
Career
Radio
Ross started working in radio when he finished school. His first station was KMUR in Salt Lake City, Utah. Following this, he moved on to KORL, KGMB and KKUA in Honolulu, Hawaii, before moving to KCBQ in San Diego in 1969. He stayed in California, working on KYA San Francisco and KMPC Los Angeles. He made his last broadcast in 1985.
Voice acting
He began his voice-over work in 1978 when he moved to Los Angeles. His first role was as a salesman in an episode of Richie Rich for Hanna-Barbera. Ross has voiced radio and television commercials for companies including Wal-Mart, AT&T, Volkswagen, Coca-Cola, Mattel, Goodyear, Disney, Hoover, Anheuser-Busch, Southwest Airlines, and Kellogg's, and has done promo work for CBS, NBC, ABC, TBS and Fox Kids, using an American accent in all of his performances. For five years he was the promotional announcer for Game Show Network.
Ross voiced the Green Goblin/Norman Osborn in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Shipwreck, Buzzer, Monkeywrench, Dusty, Thunder, and Heavy Metal in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, and Commander Keith and Pidge in Voltron: Defender of the Universe. In The Transformers, he voiced Springer, Hook, Slag, and Bonecrusher, reprising these roles in The Transformers: The Movie (1986).
Announcing and narration
Ross served as co-announcer on the 75th Annual Academy Awards telecast in March 2003 and as announcer on the 56th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards telecast in September 2004. He narrated numerous episodes of A&E's Biography and many editions of NOVA for PBS.
In 2019, Ross became the announcer and voice of the Whammy character for the ABC primetime revival of Press Your Luck, hosted by Elizabeth Banks. He served in this role for four seasons until 2023.
Filmography
Animation YearTitleRoleNotesReferences1982–84Pac-Man Clyde 19 Episodes 1983–86G.I. Joe"Buzzer", "Dusty", "Heavy Metal", "Monkeywrench", "Shipwreck", "Thunder" Unknown episodes1984–85VoltronKeith / Jeff / Pidge / Chip / Prince Bandor1984–87The TransformersBonecrusher, Hook, Springer, Slag, Sixshot, Pointblank, Fracas1985–92Cap'n O. G. ReadmoreCap'n O. G. ReadmoreAnimated specials only1985–86JemHoward Sands, Hector RamirezUnknown episodesHulk Hogan's Rock 'n' WrestlingMean Gene Okerlund26 episodes1985–88KissyfurDuane the Pig1985–95RobotixJerrok / Flexor / Gaxon / SteggorUnknown episodes1986Galaxy HighRotten Roland13 episodesInhumanoidsHerc Armstrong, Tank, Ssslither, Sabre Jet, Ronald Reagan, Hector RamirezUnknown episodesRambo: The Force of FreedomJohn J. Rambo65 episodesThe CenturionsAce McCloudUnknown episodes1987Bionic SixF.L.U.F.F.I.The Little Troll PrincePrag No. 1Television specialVisionaries: Knights of the Magical LightLeoricUnknown episodesSpiral ZoneOverlord, Wolfgang 'Tank' Schmidt1988–94Garfield and FriendsJon's cousin, Paco, announcer 1989X-Men: Pryde of the X-MenNightcrawlerTelevision pilot1990–91Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: The Animated SeriesWhitley WhiteUnknown episodesZazoo ULogan Chomper1991–93The Legend of Prince ValiantDuncan Draconarius1991–99Little DraculaMaggot1991Yo Yogi!Baba Looey1991–2004RugratsProfessor, Western Union Man, Scientist, Santa Claus, Announcer, Clerk, Clown, Mr. Namby, Reporter, President, Dr. Ventnor, The Changeling, F. Lee Barnum, Judge, Press, Various TV Announcers, Fisherman, Policeman, Prince11 episodes1992–93Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo MesaBat BlastagunUnknown episodes1992–94Batman: The Animated SeriesDealer, Ratso, JakeThe Cat and the Claw: Part I, The Cat and the Claw: Part II, Pretty Poison, Harley and Ivy, Birds of a Feather, Read My Lips, Harlequinade1993Secret SquirrelMorocco MoleUnknown episodes1993–94SWAT Kats: The Radical SquadronMac Mange5 episodes1994Fantastic FourPuppet Master, Super-Skrull (Season 1)Unknown episodes1994–96Iron ManFin Fang Foom, Wellington Yinsen, BlizzardUnknown episodes1995–97The Mask: The Animated SeriesLt. Kellaway, Sly EasteneggerUnknown episodes1995Freakazoid!Board MemberEpisode: "The Chip: Part 1"1995–98Spider-Man: The Animated SeriesNorman Osborn/Green GoblinUnknown episodesPinky and the BrainMarvin the Martian1995–96The Adventures of HypermanNarrator13 episodes1996Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the RealmShang Tsung 2000Oh Yeah! CartoonsAl, PirateEp. Sick 'n' Tired in Bug Bite!2000–07Harvey Birdman, Attorney at LawVulturoUnknown episodes2003–09My Life as a Teenage RobotDr. Phineas Mogg, Redneck, Barber, Monitor Voice, Special Agent #1Unknown episodes2003–05Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley WinksMr. McGandry, Mr. O'HopperUnknown episodes2004The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy GeniusAnnouncerEpisode: "The Junkman Cometh"2007Ben 10Wainwright, Guard #2, Radio Chatter #1Ep. "Ben 4 Good Buddy"2010–13Planet SheenHelmb 2012The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest HeroesWilliam Cross / Crossfire, Thug 1, Security GuardEp. "To Steal an Ant-Man"2012–13Kung Fu Panda: Legends of AwesomenessConstable Hu7 episodes2017Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!Scrooge, Symposium HeadEp. "Scroogey Doo"
Live action Press Your Luck – Announcer / Whammy (voice) Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad – Skorn ("His Master's Voice", "An Un-Helping Hand", "Loose Lips Sink Microchips"), Stupid Virus ("Cheater, Cheater, Megabyte Eater") (voices)
Movies Lifepod (1981) – Main Cerebral (voice) The Transformers: The Movie (1986) – Bonecrusher / Hook / Springer / Slag (voice) An American Tail (1986) – Honest John (voice) G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987) – Buzzer / Dusty / Monkeywrench / Shipwreck (voice) Innerspace (1987) – Pod Computer (voice) Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989) – Oompa (voice) Back to the Future Part II (1989) – Biff Tannen Museum Narrator (voice) Dick Tracy (1990) – Radio Announcer #3 (voice) Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) – Announcer (voice) The Little Engine That Could (1991, Short) – Doc / Control Tower / Handy Pandy (voice) FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) – Elder (voice) The Town Santa Forgot (1993) – Pout the Elf (voice) Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) – (voice) Thumbelina (1994) – Mr. Bear / Mr. Fox (voice) A Troll in Central Park (1994) – Pansy (voice) Quiz Show (1994) – Twenty-One Announcer The Pebble and the Penguin (1995) – Scrawny (voice) Babe (1995) – (voice) The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue (1998) – Doctor Valentine's assistant Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost (1999) – Mayor Corey (voice) Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders (2000) – Sergio (voice) It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown (2000, TV Movie) – Interviewer (voice) The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004) – Cyclops Diver (voice) Son of the Mask (2005) – Deep Alvey Avery (voice) Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry (2005) – Dr. Professor (voice) The Ant Bully (2006) – Wasp #1 / Wasp #5 (voice) Codename: Kids Next Door - Operation Z.E.R.O. (2006) – Grandfather (voice) Garfield Gets Real (2007) – Wally / Charles (voice) Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight (2008) – Fizban / Paladine (voice) Garfield's Pet Force (2009) – Wally / Charles (voice) The Outback (2012) – Monty (voice) The Reef 2: High Tide (2012) – Schliemann (voice)
Video games Call of Duty – Announcer, NarratorIn-game credits Command & Conquer: Renegade – Additional VoicesCommand & Conquer: Renegade Game Manual Command & Conquer: Generals – Additional VoicesCommand & Conquer: Generals Game Manual Disney Universe – VIC Doom 3 – Sergeant Kelly Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem – Dr. Edwin Lindsey Final Fantasy VII Remake – Mayor Domino Legacy of Kain – Malek the Paladin, King Ottmar, Elzevir the Dollmaker, Rahab Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out! – Narrator Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail! – Narrator Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty – Navy SEAL Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – Colonel Volgin Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck's Revenge – Wally B. Feed The Curse of Monkey Island – Wally B. Feed Ninja Gaiden – Murai Onimusha 3 – Guildenstern Onimusha Blade Warriors – Guildenstern RAGE 2 – Dr. Kvasir, Wellspring Guard Return to Monkey Island – Wally B. Feed Revenant – Sardok, Verhoevan, Townsmen Rosewater – Doc Sedgwick, Oberlin, Quentin Ellis, Perry Cloud Smith, Buford, Roderick Nethersole Spyro: Year of the Dragon – Moneybags, Bentley Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly – Moneybags Spider-Man 3 – Luke Carlyle Star Wars: Rogue Squadron – Han Solo, General Rieekan Star Wars: Rebellion – Han Solo, Stormtrooper, Imperial Command Center Communications Officer Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance – Admiral Nammo, Concourse PA Announcer, Imperial Officer, Rebel Pilot The Bard's Tale – Additional voices Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines – Gary Golden
References
External links
Voice demos Neil Ross interview Neil Ross interview on Insomniac Mania