- 9 hours ago
He gave voice to legends, icons, and unforgettable underdogs. Join us as we count down the greatest performances from the one and only Eric Bauza! From his manic comedic energy to his surprisingly dramatic range, Bauza proved time and again that he was one of animation's true treasures. Which role do you think defined his incredible legacy? Let us know in the comments below!
Transcript
00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at the 10 greatest voice performances from the late Eric Bauza.
00:06I'm sure this nice homeowner won't mind sharing his pool with the local wildlife.
00:12Number 10. Badoose. Breadwinners.
00:15Kicking off our list is Nickelodeon's high-octane mallard Badoose.
00:19Playing second fiddle to Sway Sway could easily turn exhausting,
00:22but Bauza injected a boundless exuberance into the role that kept the absurd comedy afloat.
00:27No, no, he's probably just hiding under this slice of bread.
00:31He's not here!
00:32Badoose required pure vocal stamina, including rapid-fire beatboxing,
00:37slapstick groans, and high-pitched vocal acrobatics across every single frame.
00:42Bauza matched the show's manic meme-fueled tempo effortlessly,
00:45proving early on that he had the relentless energy demanded by modern animation.
00:50You did it, Badoose. You farted for two solid months.
00:53Yeah, boy! That beats my old record by five minutes!
00:57While the series divided critics with its unabashed silliness,
01:01Bauza's comedic agility turned an otherwise chaotic sidekick into an unforgettable sweetheart.
01:06It is a wild showcase of his rubbery vocal cords and comedic timing.
01:10I wish I had chest hair! The manliest chest hair in all of Pangea!
01:15Number 9. Foop. The Fairly Oddparents.
01:18Coming in late in a legendary cartoon's run is never easy,
01:21but Bauza made Anti-Cosmo and Anti-Wanda's Sinister Square Baby an instant classic.
01:26Serving as the evil counterpart to Baby Poof,
01:29Foop was conceived as an aristocratic British mastermind.
01:32I'm gonna call him Gator!
01:34I prefer the dark harbinger of the doom time!
01:37His theatrical, mustache-twirling monologues and velvety British cadence were always good for a laugh.
01:43Bauza delivered Shakespearean-level villain rants while dealing with bottles and rattles,
01:47demonstrating his innate talent for deadpan vocal irony.
01:50There's a new sheriff in town, and his name, unfortunately, is Foop!
01:56It was a role that proved Bauza didn't just mimic existing archetypes.
02:00He could craft entirely new, laugh-out-loud scene-stealers from scratch.
02:04We think you'll find it's a real blast!
02:10Number 8. Woody Woodpecker
02:12The Woody Woodpecker Franchise
02:13Few vocal signatures in animation are as intimidating to tackle as Walter Lance's mischievous woodpecker.
02:20What the heck are you?
02:22Now it's your turn! Come on, kid! Show me what you got!
02:26Originating with Mel Blanc, Woody's staccato cackle has defeated many seasoned vocal artists.
02:31Bauza, however, stepped into the feathers with total confidence for the modern web shorts and hybrid feature.
02:37He didn't just nail the notoriously difficult laugh.
02:40He faithfully channeled the frantic, unhinged spirit of Golden Age theatrical slapstick.
02:45You went all MMA on him!
02:46Nobody messes with my BFF!
02:49Bauza captured Woody's hyperactive menace without ever losing the feathered prankster's underlying boyish charm.
02:54Breathing fresh life into a heritage character while staying true to the vintage pitch and cadence
02:59showed the industry that Bauza was truly a Golden Age talent reborn in the 21st century.
03:05Can we rewind to the part about going fast and blowing stuff up?
03:09Number 7. Marvin the Martian
03:11The Looney Tunes Franchise
03:13While Bauza is celebrated for his loud, kinetic characters,
03:16his turn as Marvin the Martian demonstrated his unmatched command over quiet comic subtlety.
03:21Ooh, we've got this tournament in the bag!
03:24Bringing life to the iconic alien across TV shows, shorts, and video games,
03:28Bauza captured the nasal cadence that made the character an eccentric fan favorite.
03:32He perfected Marvin's polite demeanor,
03:34delivering apocalyptic threats with the mild irritation of someone delayed in line at the post office.
03:39Ha ha ha ha ha! I've got you! I've got you!
03:44It's a deceptively complex performance,
03:47requiring exact pitch control and deadpan comedic delivery where the slightest inflection carries the joke.
03:52Bauza paid flawless tribute to Mel Blanc's understated original,
03:56while making Marvin's cosmic frustrations feel as sharp and funny as ever.
04:01Huh?
04:03Oh dear.
04:05Number 6. Fozzie Bear
04:07Muppet Babies
04:08Stepping into the shoes of Fozzie Bear is an enormous responsibility,
04:11but Bauza handled baby Fozzie with remarkable warmth and affection.
04:16Dragons don't like art.
04:17But they're really into music because they have so many scales!
04:21Get it? Musical scales?
04:23Waka waka!
04:25In the 2018 reboot, Bauza captured the aspiring comedian's gentle, naive vulnerability,
04:30turning every corny joke and nervous hesitation into pure heart.
04:34While hitting the familiar rasp and the iconic waka waka catchphrase was essential,
04:39Bauza also elevated the role by finding the tender humanity behind the plush exterior.
04:44When Animal gets into his art, he really gets into his art!
04:49Waka waka!
04:50His performance earned him widespread critical praise and even an Emmy nod,
04:55proving that his range extended far beyond cynical slapstick into wholesome, heartfelt family entertainment.
05:00It's the Fozzie Bear Show!
05:03So, Kermit just asked me,
05:05Fozzie, did you take a bath today?
05:07I said, why?
05:08Is one missing?
05:09Waka waka!
05:10Number 5. Tiger Claw
05:12Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
05:14Think Eric Bauza only voiced goofy cartoon animals?
05:17Think again!
05:18In the acclaimed 2012 Nickelodeon series,
05:21Bauza debuted as Tiger Claw,
05:23a fearsome bounty hunter and one of Shredder's most lethal lieutenants.
05:27Dropping his pitch into a deep gravelly baritone,
05:29Bauza gave the eyepatch-wearing mutant an aura of cold and calculating menace.
05:34I ask only once, summon your rat master!
05:38He voiced the Tiger Assassin with chilling calm,
05:40delivering dialogue that felt gritty, grounded, and genuinely terrifying for a kid's show.
05:46To destroy warriors such as these, you don't strike at their limbs, you go for their heart.
05:52Bauza showcased exceptional dramatic chops,
05:55carrying fierce fight sequences with guttural battle cries and brooding villainy.
05:59It remains a striking departure from his comedic repertoire,
06:02proving that his dramatic range could rival the best voice talent in action animation.
06:07You will pay for what you did to me,
06:11the suffering you caused,
06:13the pain I endured!
06:15Number 4. Master Splinter
06:19This show radically reimagined Master Splinter,
06:23and the creators needed a voice actor who could reinvent an icon.
06:27Rather than the stoic, wise sensei of previous incarnations,
06:33this Splinter began as Lu-Jitsu,
06:36a washed-up, lazy action movie star transformed into a TV-obsessed rodent.
06:40Are you serious?
06:42This isn't training?
06:44This is absolutely training.
06:46You are not ready for more than this.
06:48Bauza brought sensational versatility to the part,
06:51swinging wildly between unhinged physical humor and sudden breathtaking martial arts fury.
06:56More importantly,
06:57beneath the silly jokes,
06:59Bauza infused Splinter with genuine paternal love,
07:01and even tragic grief.
07:04My sons.
07:05Group hug!
07:07Mmm!
07:08It was an audacious reinvention that honored the franchise's heart,
07:12while giving fans the freshest take on the character in 30 years.
07:16Just remember this.
07:17When making a sale,
07:19you are not selling the cookie.
07:21You are selling an idea.
07:23Number 3. Puss in Boots
07:25The Adventures of Puss in Boots
07:27Inheriting a cinematic character as iconic as Puss in Boots
07:30is a daunting task,
07:32but Bauza took the reins from Antonio Banderas
07:35across 78 sprawling episodes.
07:37Behold!
07:38The magical backwards forwards walk!
07:42Bauza captured the feline swashbuckler's
07:44velvety Spanish accent
07:45and grand romantic arrogance
07:46down to the syllable.
07:48Hmm.
07:49Has it really been my 1000 thief?
07:51Whether delivering poetic oaths of chivalry,
07:54engaging in breathless swordplay,
07:56or purring with exaggerated kittenish vanity,
07:59he made the character entirely his own
08:01without ever feeling like a cheap impression.
08:03His work earned him multiple daytime Emmy nominations,
08:06being the emotional anchor
08:07for an expansive lore-heavy fantasy series.
08:10With Puss in Boots,
08:11Bauza proved that he had the leading man charisma
08:14and vocal dexterity
08:15to carry a massive franchise on his shoulders.
08:18Nice try,
08:19but I'm the master of making that face.
08:22See?
08:27Number 2.
08:28Daffy Duck,
08:29The Looney Tunes Franchise
08:30Few characters require as much emotional volatility
08:34as Daffy Duck,
08:35and Bauza's take is nothing short
08:37of a comedic masterclass.
08:38Unless someone stops this thing,
08:41it'll crash straight into...
08:44An orphanage.
08:45Of course.
08:47Seamlessly bridging the gap
08:48between the frantic screwball duck of the 30s
08:51and Chuck Jones's vain egomaniac,
08:53Bauza breathed blazing life
08:54into the black duck's iconic lisp.
08:56I'm sure you'll find that our humble abode
08:58meets your specifications.
09:01His rapid-fire spit takes,
09:03sudden screeching meltdowns,
09:04and theatrical hubris
09:05reached a career peak
09:06in the feature film
09:07The Day the Earth Blew Up.
09:09Fire everywhere!
09:10Quick, turn out the lights!
09:11Close the curtains!
09:12And lower your buttons!
09:14Carrying a theatrical animated feature
09:16on pure slapstick dialogue
09:18is an Olympic feat,
09:20and Bauza delivered every punchline
09:22with manic perfection.
09:23It was an electrifying,
09:24award-winning turn
09:25that cemented him
09:26as one of the all-time great cartoon actors.
09:29Well, that's the end of that plan!
09:31How could we possibly chew the gum?
09:34Number 1.
09:35Bugs Bunny
09:36The Looney Tunes franchise
09:37There is no greater crown
09:40in voice acting
09:40than the face of Warner Bros. animation,
09:42and Bauza wore it like royalty.
09:45Taking the reins of Bugs Bunny,
09:47Bauza did the seemingly impossible.
09:48He matched Mel Blanc's
09:50brassy Brooklyn accent
09:51while instilling the rabbit
09:52with contemporary relevance.
09:54You are way out of style.
09:58But you're in luck, Mac!
10:00We got a brand new selection of kicks
10:02that just came in this week!
10:03Whether bantering with his fellow
10:04Looney Tunes characters on the big screen
10:06or outsmarting Elmer Fudd
10:07in short-form mayhem,
10:09Bauza captured the unflappable charisma
10:11that makes Bugs
10:12an immortal cultural icon.
10:14Oh, uh, hey Doc!
10:16Freshen my drink for me, will ya?
10:18His peerless performance
10:20earned him Emmy Awards
10:21and universal acclaim
10:22from cartoon purists.
10:23Bauza wasn't merely
10:25performing a legacy role.
10:26He was the beating heart
10:28of modern animation.
10:29Hey, Counselor,
10:30you put up a good fight at Congress,
10:32but nothing says guilty
10:33better than some cold, hard evidence.
10:36Did we forget
10:37one of your favorite performances?
10:38Let us know in the comments.
10:39Let us know in the comments.
10:45Transcription by CastingWords