About this episodeBill Farmer shares the 40-year journey of voicing Goofy and Bart Simpson, highlighting how his background in e…AI summary
Bill Farmer shares the 40-year journey of voicing Goofy and Bart Simpson, highlighting how his background in engineering and stand-up comedy shaped his vocal acting style. He reveals behind-the-scenes details about the creation of 'A Goofy Movie,' including the pivotal shift from slapstick to emotional storytelling that resonated deeply with audiences. Farmer emphasizes the profound impact voice actors have on fans, citing stories of personal connections and life-changing moments at conventions.
Key takeaways 6
Career Origin: Farmer’s career began in radio engineering in Kansas/Texas, where he developed a 'first class FCC license' and worked as a chief engineer before transitioning to stand-up comedy in Dallas, which he credits as his best training ground for voice acting due to the need for immediate audience engagement.
Goofy Movie Evolution: The film was originally conceived as a 'Goof Troop' movie with slapstick humor, but Jeffrey Katzenberg changed the direction after a personal road trip with his child, insisting on a 'real father with real emotions' rather than Saturday morning antics. Farmer had to balance his natural Goofy voice with a nurturing father tone.
Bart Simpson Audition: Farmer auditioned for Lisa Simpson but switched to Bart because the character description (a 10-year-old school-hating underachiever) resonated more with him than Lisa (an 8-year-old middle child). He was hired on the spot by Matt Groening after one audition.
Voice Acting Philosophy: Farmer learned from mentor Daws Butler that voice acting is not just about imitation but about lifting words off the page and giving them life through emotion. He advises aspiring voice actors to take acting classes and use stage experience to 'goose' the character since microphones pick up subtle nuances.
Fan Impact: The emotional core of 'A Goofy Movie' allows it to serve as a bonding tool for fathers and sons, with many fans reporting that the movie helped repair or strengthen their relationships with their own fathers.
Unconventional Recognition: Farmer has experienced unique fan interactions, including taking a selfie with a fan being treated by paramedics at a hotel and having TSA recognize him from his headshot in his gear case.
Notable quotes 5AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“It's not voice acting, it is voice acting. There you go. That's what separates the great from the mundane. A lot of people can do the voice. And unless you can take words on a page, lift them off of that page and give them life, it doesn't matter.”
▶ 39:55Farmer discussing lessons learned from mentor Daws Butler about the importance of emotional delivery over mere imitation.
“When Goofy went over the waterfall, I thought that was you.”
▶ 0:19Farmer's 5-year-old son Austin's reaction during the first screening of 'A Goofy Movie' in Walt Disney's screening room, confirming the film's emotional impact.
“You can never ensure success in this endeavor. People want to get into voice over, but you can always ensure failure by not trying.”
▶ 22:32Farmer advising aspiring actors on the necessity of taking risks and auditioning, using his own casting as Bart Simpson as an example.
“It's not what I do and have accomplished, it's what I give back, what it means to the fans. And that's what I hear all the time at comic cons.”
▶ 15:23Farmer reflecting on the true value of his career after Muhammad Ali called him a hero for his work with children.
“The microphone takes off about 10 lbs or 10%. So, you have to kind of goose an animated character a little bit. Don't worry about going too far. Just as long as the emotion is pushing the words out. It'll work.”
Farmer explaining how stand-up comedy training helps voice actors project emotion effectively without visual cues.
Chapters & Sections (36)▼
0:00Early Life and Engineering Careerchapter3
1:46Fan Interactions and Voice Acting Longevity
2:45Working with Son and Engineering Background
3:58Childhood Science Experiments and Radio Career
6:08Journey from Standup to Voicing Goofychapter1
9:32Auditioning and Landing the Goofy Role
10:59Goofy Movie Evolution and Fan Impactchapter2
12:58Goofy Movie Family Themes and Impact
14:35Muhammad Ali Encounter and Fan Impact
16:07Bill Farmer's Voice Acting Memorieschapter2
17:50On-Set Anecdotes and Audition Stories
19:35Auditioning for Bart Simpson
22:51Goofy Movie Behind-the-Scenes and Simpsons Musical Ideachapter
27:36Goofy Voice Acting and Mousketeer Memorieschapter1
30:00Alice Cooper Voice Acting Anecdote
32:34Early Voice Acting Career and ADR Memorieschapter1
34:27First Goofy ADR and Celebrity Collaboration
37:21Donut Tasting and Voice Acting Advicechapter3
39:01Daws Butler's Voice Acting Philosophy
40:18Voice Acting Advice and Learning
41:50Standup Comedy as Voice Acting Training
43:23Goofy Voice Acting and Dog Jobschapter2
45:07Dogs Detecting Whale Poop for Orca Research
46:58Simpsons Predictions and Goof Troop Trivia
49:23Fan Interactions and Voice Acting Originschapter1
52:15Early Voice Acting Influences and Roles
55:13Goofy Voice Actor Career Storieschapter3
57:16Hollywood Bowl Live Performance Experience
58:39Voice Actor TSA and Security Stories
1:00:20Impact of Goofy on Fan's Life
1:02:40Famous Lines and Cronut Tastingchapter2
1:04:36Cronut Tasting and Review
1:06:02Chris Parnell's Impression Origins
1:07:35Goofy Voice Evolution and Childhood Memorieschapter2
38m
1h 18m
1h 0m
40m
1h 26m
49m
53m
53m
48m
1h 2m
49m
1h 12m
1h 20m⏭ 2
40m
1h 12m⏭ 1
2h 35m⏭ 2
1h 54m
1h 22m⏭ 1
2h 3m⏭ 1
1h 37m
1h 22m⏭ 3
1h 5m⏭ 1
1h 19m⏭ 2
1h 0m⏭ 1
33m
3h 54m⏭ 7
46m
6h 26m
9h 11m
54m⏭ 1
11h 54m
3h 59m⏭ 5
11h 54m⏭ 8
1h 16m⏭ 2
54m⏭ 2