South Park is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone who also do the majority of the voices. [1] [2] [3] Both Parker and Stone do most of the male characters on the show along with April Stewart and Mona Marshall, who do the female characters on the show. Guest stars have lent their voices to the show including Jay Leno, George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston, Bill Hader, Robert Smith and the comedy duo Cheech & Chong voiced characters representing their likenesses for the season four (2000) episode "Cherokee Hair Tampons", which was the duo's first collaborative effort in 20 years. [4] The entirety of the Nu-Metal band Korn also provided their voices and likenesses in the season three episode "Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery".
Characters in the show, according to Parker and Stone, are inspired by people they met when they were kids. Stan Marsh is made based on Parker himself while Kyle Broflovski is based on Stone himself. [5] [6] [7] Eric Cartman is partially named after and based on Matt Karpman, a high school classmate of Parker who remains a friend of both Parker and Stone. [8] Cartman is also inspired by All in the Family patriarch Archie Bunker, of whom Parker and Stone are fans. They state that creating Cartman as a "little eight-year-old fat kid" made it easier for the two to portray a Bunker-like character after the introduction of political correctness to late-20th century television. [9] [10] Kenny McCormick was based on the creator's observation that most groups of childhood friends in small middle-class towns always included "the one poor kid" and decided to portray Kenny in this light. [11] Butters Stotch is loosely based on South Park co-producer Eric Stough. [12]
Some of the original voice actors left the show. Mary Kay Bergman voiced the majority of the female characters until her suicide on November 11, 1999. Mona Marshall and Eliza Schneider succeeded Bergman, with Schneider leaving the show after its seventh season (2003). She was replaced by April Stewart, who, along with Marshall, continues to voice most of the female characters. Isaac Hayes, who voiced the character Chef, left the show after Parker and Stone's depiction of the Church of Scientology, to which Hayes belonged, in the episode Trapped in the Closet. [13]
Parker and Stone voice most of the male South Park characters. [2] [1] [3] Mary Kay Bergman voiced the majority of the female characters until her death on November 11, 1999. Mona Marshall and Eliza Schneider succeeded Bergman in 2000, with Schneider leaving the show after its seventh season (2003). She was replaced by April Stewart, who, along with Marshall, continues to voice most of the female characters. Bergman was originally listed in the credits under the alias Shannen Cassidy to protect her reputation as the voice of several Disney and other kid-friendly characters. [14] Stewart was originally credited under the name Gracie Lazar, [15] while Schneider was sometimes credited under her rock opera performance pseudonym Blue Girl. [16]
Other voice actors and members of South Park's production staff have voiced minor characters for various episodes, while a few staff members voice recurring characters; supervising producer Jennifer Howell voices student Bebe Stevens, [3] storyboard artist Adrien Beard voices the school's only black student, Tolkien Black, [17] producer Vernon Chatman voiced an anthropomorphic towel named Towelie, [3] and supervising producer John Hansen voices Mr. Slave, the former gay lover of Mr. Garrison. [18] Series developer Eric Stough also voices Kenny McCormick "un-muffled", in the few episodes where the character does not wear his trademark parka that normally muffles his voice. [19] Throughout the show's run, the voices for toddler and kindergarten characters have been provided by various small children of the show's production staff. [20]
When voicing child characters, the voice actors speak within their normal vocal range while adding a childlike inflection. The recorded audio is then edited with Pro Tools, and the pitch is altered to make the voice sound more like that of a fourth grader. [21] [22] [23]
Isaac Hayes voiced the character of Chef, a black, soul-singing cafeteria worker who was one of the few adults the boys consistently trusted. [24] [25] Hayes agreed to voice the character after being among Parker and Stone's ideal candidates which also included Lou Rawls and Barry White. [26] Hayes, who lived and hosted a radio show in New York during his tenure with South Park, would record his dialogue on a digital audio tape while a respective episode's director would give directions over the phone, then the tape would be shipped to the show's production studio in California. [27] After Hayes left the show in early 2006, the character of Chef was killed off in the season 10 (2006) premiere "The Return of Chef".
Celebrities who appear on the show are usually impersonated, though some celebrities lend their voice to their characters. Celebrities who have voiced themselves include Michael Buffer, [28] [29] Brent Musburger, [30] Jay Leno, [31] Robert Smith, [32] and the bands Radiohead and Korn. [33] [34] Comedy team Cheech & Chong voiced characters representing their likenesses for the season four (2000) episode "Cherokee Hair Tampons", which was the duo's first collaborative effort in 20 years. [4] Malcolm McDowell appears in live-action sequences as the narrator of the season four episode "Pip". [35]
Jennifer Aniston, [36] Richard Belzer, [37] Natasha Henstridge, [32] Norman Lear, [38] and Peter Serafinowicz [39] have guest starred as other speaking characters. During South Park's earliest seasons, several high-profile celebrities inquired about guest-starring on the show. As a joke, Parker and Stone responded by offering low-profile, non-speaking roles, most of which were accepted; George Clooney provided the barks for Stan's dog Sparky in the season one (1997) episode "Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride", [40] Leno provided the meows for Cartman's cat in the season one finale "Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut", [40] and Henry Winkler voiced the various growls and grunts of a kid-eating monster in the season two (1998) episode "City on the Edge of Forever". [41] Jerry Seinfeld offered to lend his voice for the Thanksgiving episode "Starvin' Marvin", but declined to appear when he was only offered a role as "Turkey #4". [42]
Trey Parker voices four of the main characters: Stan Marsh, Eric Cartman, Randy Marsh and Mr. Garrison. He also provides the voices of several recurring characters, such as Clyde Donovan, Mr. Hankey, Mr. Mackey, Stephen Stotch, Jimmy Valmer, Timmy Burch, Tuong Lu Kim and Phillip.
Matt Stone voices three of the main characters: Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCormick and Butters Stotch. He also provides the voices of several recurring characters, such as Gerald Broflovski, Stuart McCormick, Craig Tucker, Jimbo Kern, Terrance, Saddam Hussein, Tweek Tweak, Mr. Adler and Jesus.
Mona Marshall voices Sheila Broflovski, Linda Stotch, and Bart Simpson.
April Stewart voices Liane Cartman, Sharon Marsh, Carol McCormick, Shelly Marsh, Mayor McDaniels, Principal Victoria and Wendy Testaburger.
This section needs to be updated.(December 2022) |
Actor | Character(s) | |
---|---|---|
Trey Parker | Stan Marsh | Eric Cartman |
Randy Marsh | Mr. Garrison | |
Grampa Marsh | Clyde Donovan | |
Timmy Burch | Jimmy Valmer | |
Ned Gerblansky | Dr. Alphonse Mephesto and Kevin | |
Santa Claus | Mr. Hankey | |
Mr. Mackey | Stephen Stotch | |
Officer Barbrady | Richard Tweak | |
Tuong Lu Kim | Phillip | |
PC Principal | Skeeter | |
Satan (1997–2018) | Ms. Choksondik (2000–2002) | |
Matt Stone | Kyle Broflovski | Kenny McCormick |
Butters Stotch | Gerald Broflovski | |
Craig Tucker | Tweek Tweak | |
Stuart McCormick | Jimbo Kern | |
Terrance | Scott Malkinson | |
Kevin Stoley | Father Maxi | |
Jesus Christ | Mr. Adler | |
Pip Pirrip (1997–2010) | Saddam Hussein (1998–2003) | |
Victor Chaos | ||
Mona Marshall | Sheila Broflovski | Linda Stotch |
Yentl Cartman | ||
April Stewart | Sharon Marsh | Liane Cartman |
Carol McCormick | Shelly Marsh | |
Mayor McDaniels | Principal Victoria | |
Wendy Testaburger | Mrs. Tweak | |
Alpha Air Heather | Mrs. Ross |
The recurring guest voices include John Hansen, Vernon Chatman, Adrien Beard and Jennifer Howell.
Actor | Character(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|
Jennifer Howell | Bebe Stevens | Guest starred in several episodes since season 1 [3] |
Vernon Chatman | Towelie | Guest starred in several episodes since season 5 |
Adrien Beard | Tolkien Black [17] [43] | Guest starred in several episodes since season 4 |
John Hansen | Mr. Slave [18] | Guest starred in several episodes season 6 |
Jessica Makinson | Heidi Turner Strong Woman Henrietta Biggle | Guest starred in several episodes since season 6 [44] |
Kimberly Brooks | Nichole Daniels Linda Black Laura Tucker Margaret Nelson (2015–2021) Various characters | Guest starred in several episodes since season 12 |
Mary Kay Bergman voiced the majority of the female characters until her death on November 11, 1999. Mona Marshall and Eliza Schneider succeeded Bergman in 2000, with Schneider leaving the show after its seventh season (2003). She was replaced by April Stewart, who, along with Marshall, continues to voice most of the female characters. Isaac Hayes, who voiced the character Chef, left the show after Parker and Stone's depiction of his religion Scientology in the episode "Trapped in the Closet".
Actor | Character(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|
Mary Kay Bergman | Liane Cartman, Sheila Broflovski, Shelly Marsh, Sharon Marsh, Mayor McDaniels, Carol McCormick, Wendy Testaburger, Principal Victoria and Ms. Crabtree | Recast after her death in 1999. The last episode to feature her voice was Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics. |
Eliza Schneider | Liane Cartman, Shelly Marsh, Sharon Marsh, Mayor McDaniels, Carol McCormick, Wendy Testaburger, Principal Victoria and Ms. Crabtree | Schneider replaced Mary Kay Bergman after her death in 1999. Schneider left after the show's seventh season. [14] |
Isaac Hayes | Chef | Left after he suffered a stroke. [13] The character appeared again in the first episode of season 10, but his voice consists entirely of older recordings spliced together for comical effect, the character was killed off in the same episode. Hayes passed away in 2008. |
Due to the unusually small cast (majority of characters voiced by Parker and Stone) only Bergman, Schneider, and Hayes have left the cast as aforementioned in 1999, 2003, and 2008 respectively.
South Park is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boys—Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick—and their exploits in and around the titular Colorado town. South Park also features many recurring characters. The series became infamous for its profanity and dark, surreal humor that satirizes a large range of subject matter.
Eric Theodore Cartman, commonly referred to as just Cartman, is a fictional character in the adult animated sitcom South Park, created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. He is voiced by Parker, and is one of the series' four main characters, alongside Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick. He first appeared with the name Kenny in the short film The Spirit of Christmas (1992), and later appeared in the 1995 film of the same title before debuting in "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe", the first episode of the series, on August 13, 1997.
Kenneth "Kenny" McCormick is a fictional character and one of the four main protagonists in the adult animated sitcom South Park, alongside Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Eric Cartman. His often muffled and incomprehensible speech—the result of his parka hood covering his mouth—is provided by co-creator Matt Stone. After early appearances in The Spirit of Christmas shorts in 1992 and 1995, Kenny appeared in South Park television episodes beginning August 13, 1997, as well as the 1999 feature film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, where his uncovered face and voice were first revealed.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is a 1999 American adult animated musical comedy film based on the animated sitcom South Park. The film was directed by series creator Trey Parker from a screenplay co-written with series co-creator Matt Stone and Pam Brady. It stars Parker, Stone, Mary Kay Bergman, and Isaac Hayes, all of whom reprise their roles from the series, with George Clooney, Eric Idle, and Mike Judge in supporting roles. The plot follows Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick as they sneak into an R-rated film starring the Canadian comedy duo Terrance and Phillip, after which they begin swearing. When the consequent moral panic culminates in the United States declaring war on Canada, Stan, Kyle and Cartman take it upon themselves to save Terrance and Phillip from execution, while Kenny tries to prevent a prophecy involving Satan and Saddam Hussein's intent to conquer the world.
Kyle Broflovski is a fictional character in the adult animated sitcom South Park. He is voiced by and loosely based on series co-creator Matt Stone. Kyle is one of the series' four central characters, along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman. He debuted on television when South Park first aired on August 13, 1997, after having first appeared in The Spirit of Christmas shorts created by Stone and long-time collaborator Trey Parker in 1992 and 1995.
Stanley "Stan" Marsh is a fictional character in the adult animated television series South Park. He is voiced by and loosely based on series co-creator Trey Parker. Stan is one of the series' four central characters, along with Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick. He debuted on television when South Park first aired on August 13, 1997, after having first appeared in The Spirit of Christmas shorts created by Parker and long-time collaborator Matt Stone in 1992 and 1995.
Leopold "Butters" Stotch is a fictional character in the adult animated television series South Park. He is loosely based on co-producer Eric Stough and his voice is provided by co-creator Matt Stone. He is a student at South Park Elementary School.
"An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig" is the fifth episode of the first season of the American animated television series South Park. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on September 10, 1997. In the episode, the boys of South Park try to force Kyle Broflovski's pet elephant to crossbreed with Eric Cartman's pet pig for a class project on genetic engineering. Meanwhile, Stan Marsh tries to deal with his elder sister Shelley, who keeps beating him up.
Chef Jerome McElroy, often referred to as just "Chef", is a fictional character on the Comedy Central series South Park who was voiced by Isaac Hayes. A cafeteria worker at the local elementary school in the town of South Park, Colorado, Chef is generally portrayed as more intelligent than the other adult residents of the town, and understanding to the children. His advice is often sought by the show's core group of child protagonists —Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick — as he is the only adult they completely trust. He frequently gives completely honest advice without considering whether it is appropriate for children, usually in the non sequitur form of a lascivious soul song.
The first season of the animated television series South Park aired on Comedy Central from August 13, 1997 to February 25, 1998. The creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone wrote most of the season's episodes; Dan Sterling, Philip Stark and David Goodman were credited with writing five episodes. The narrative revolves around four children—Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman and Kenny McCormick—and their unusual experiences in the titular mountain town.
The second season of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on April 1, 1998. The second season concluded after 18 episodes on January 20, 1999; it remains the longest season of South Park to date. Almost all the episodes were directed by series co-creator Trey Parker, with the exception of two episodes directed by Eric Stough.
The third season of South Park, an American animated television comedy series, aired on Comedy Central from April 7, 1999, to January 12, 2000. The season was headed by series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who also served as executive producers along with Anne Garefino. The season continued to focus on the exploits of protagonists Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny in the fictional Colorado mountain town of South Park.
The fourth season of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on April 5, 2000. The fourth season concluded after airing 17 episodes on December 20, 2000.
The fifth season of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on June 20, 2001. The season concluded after 14 episodes on December 12, 2001. The 14-episode season length would become a standard for later years of the series, starting from the eighth season up until the sixteenth season.
The sixth season of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 6, 2002. The sixth season concluded after 17 episodes on December 11, 2002.
Gerald "Jerry" Broflovski and Sheila Broflovski are fictional characters in the animated television series South Park. The two are an upper middle-class married Ashkenazi Jewish couple who raise their ten-year-old son Kyle and three-year-old Canadian-born adopted son Ike in the fictional town of South Park, Colorado.
"Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics" is the fifteenth episode of the third season of the animated television series South Park and the 46th episode of the series overall. An album of the same name consisting of versions of songs from the show as well as a number of additional songs was released the week prior to the episode's original air date, December 1, 1999.
Wendy Testaburger is a fictional character in the adult animated television series South Park. She is the primary female character in the show, and has an on-again, off-again relationship with her boyfriend Stan Marsh. Being more intelligent and mature than most children her age, Wendy finds expression in her activism, environmentalism and feminism. Wendy debuted as a nameless background character in Trey Parker and Matt Stone's 1995 college short film The Spirit of Christmas, and made her first appearance on television when South Park initially premiered on Comedy Central on August 13, 1997, with the episode "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe". She is currently voiced by April Stewart, and has previously been voiced by three different voice actors in the show's run: Mary Kay Bergman, Eliza Schneider, and Mona Marshall.
Craig Tucker is a fictional character in the adult animated television series South Park. He is voiced by series co-creator Matt Stone. One of the main characters' fourth-grade classmates, he debuted in the season one episode "Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo" singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" with the rest of the third-grade class. His speaking debut was in "Rainforest Shmainforest". A pragmatist, Craig commonly strays from the plans of the main characters in favor of more practical, realistic approaches and solutions to main issue.