Franklin Wendell Welker, born on March 12, 1946, is a renowned American voice actor whose remarkable career has spanned nearly sixty years. By 2021, he amassed over 860 credits across film, television, and video games, solidifying his status as one of the most prolific voice artists in history. His work has contributed to a staggering global box-office total of $17.4 billion, ranking him as the third highest-grossing voice actor in the film industry.
Welker is perhaps best recognized for his iconic role as Fred Jones in the beloved Scooby-Doo franchise, a character he has voiced since its debut in 1969. In 2002, he took on the additional role of Scooby-Doo himself, becoming the sole original cast member to reprise his role in the 2020 CGI film, *Scoob!*. His extensive portfolio also includes voicing notable characters such as Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in the *Epic Mickey* series, Megatron, Galvatron, and Soundwave in the *Transformers* universe, and Curious George in the *Curious George* series. Furthermore, he lent his voice to memorable characters like Garfield in *The Garfield Show*, Nibbler in *Futurama*, and Astro from *The Jetsons*.
In recognition of his significant contributions to the field, Welker received an Emmy Award in 2016 for lifetime achievement, underscoring his lasting impact on the world of animation and voice acting.
