Tom McGrath (animator)

Last updated

Tom McGrath
Tom McGrath by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg
McGrath at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con
Born
Thomas McGrath

(1964-08-07) August 7, 1964 (age 60)
Occupations
  • Voice actor
  • animator
  • film director
  • screenwriter
Years active1988–present
Employer DreamWorks Animation (1994–present)
Notable work
Spouse
Brieanne Cameron
(m. 2017)

Thomas McGrath (born August 7, 1964) is an American voice actor, animator and filmmaker. He is known for the DreamWorks animated film Madagascar , which he co-wrote and directed with Eric Darnell while voicing the character of Skipper the Penguin. The film spawned two direct sequels, along with a spin-off animated series and film based on the penguins in which McGrath reprised his role as Skipper. [1] McGrath also directed the DreamWorks animated films Megamind (2010) and The Boss Baby (2017), the latter of which received an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nomination. McGrath returned as director for its 2021 sequel. [2]

Contents

Life and career

McGrath was born and raised in Lynnwood, Washington. He studied Industrial Design at the University of Washington and graduated from the Character Animation program at Cal Arts. [3] McGrath's experience in both television and feature animation includes work as an animator on Cool World and Space Jam , storyboard artist and director for seasons 3-5 of The Ren and Stimpy Show , and storyboard artist on the live action film Cats & Dogs .[ citation needed ] He worked as a storyboard artist, concept artist and prop and set designer for How the Grinch Stole Christmas .[ citation needed ] McGrath also stepped in on Flushed Away by Aardman, the creators of The Curse of the Were-Rabbit , to help make improvements prior to its release.[ citation needed ]

McGrath made his film directing debut as the co-director and co-writer of Madagascar [4] along with Eric Darnell, where he also voiced the leader of the squad of penguin characters, Skipper.[ citation needed ] He reprised his role as Skipper and co-directed and co-wrote the sequel, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa , and co-directed Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted .[ citation needed ] He worked on The Penguins of Madagascar , a spin-off TV series, as a creative consultant and as the voice of Skipper. He directed Megamind , released in November 2010.[ citation needed ]

In 2017, he directed The Boss Baby and the 2021 sequel The Boss Baby: Family Business .[ citation needed ]

Filmography

Feature films

YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerArt /
Animation
department
Voice
actor
Voice
role
Notes
1992 Cool World NoNoNoYesNoanimation designer
animator
layout artist
1996 Space Jam NoNoNoYesNoanimator
1998 Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus NoNoNoYesNokey animator
layout artist
2000 How the Grinch Stole Christmas NoNoNoYesNostoryboard artist
2001 Cats & Dogs NoNoNoYesNo
2005 Madagascar YesYesYesYesYes Skipper
Fossa
Panicky Man on Subway
co-directed with Eric Darnell
co-written with Mark Burton, Billy Frolick and Eric Darnell
2006 Flushed Away NoNoNoNoYesAction Figure
Artist
2007 Shrek the Third NoNoNoNoYesGary
2008 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa YesYesYesYesYesSkipper
Lemur
co-directed with Eric Darnell
co-written with Etan Cohen and Eric Darnell
2009 Monsters vs. Aliens NoYesNoNoYesWilson
2010 Megamind YesNoYesNoYesLord Scott
Prison Guard
2011 Puss in Boots NoNoNoNoYesBar Thief
2012 Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted YesNoNoNoYesSkipper
First Policeman
co-directed with Eric Darnell & Conrad Vernon
2014 Mr. Peabody & Sherman NoYesNoNoYesOdysseus
2014 Penguins of Madagascar NoNoYesNoYesSkipperexecutive producer [5]
2017 The Boss Baby YesNoNoNoYesTV Chef [6] [7]
2021 The Boss Baby: Family Business YesYesYesNoYesDr. Tiffany Hamiltonexecutive producer
Story co-written with Michael McCullers [8] Writer of Global Warming Song
co-written by Hans Zimmer, Steve Mazzaro and Nelson Yokota
2022 Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank NoNoNoNoYesAdditional Voices
2024 Kung Fu Panda 4 NoNoNoNoYesCroc Crime Boss [9]

Short films

YearTitleDirectorWriterArt /
Animation
department
ActorRoleNotes
1988The Thing What Lurked in the TubNoNoYesNomonster animator
1988Lea Press on LimbsNoNoNoYes(voice)
1993The D.A.R.E. Report: The Land of Decisions and ChoicesNoNoYesNocharacter layout
1995The Louie N' Louie ShowYesNoYesNostoryboard artist
1999HerdNoNoNoYesFed No. 5live-action role
2001Imp, Inc.NoNoYesNoanimation layout
2005 The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper NoNoNoYes Skipper (voice)
2009 Merry Madagascar NoYesNoYesSkipper (voice)
Additional voices
2013 Madly Madagascar NoNoNoYesSkipper (voice)
2014 Almost Home NoNoNoYesJeff (voice)

Television series

YearTitleDirectorArt /
Animation
department
Creative
consultant
ActorRoleNotes
1993–1996 The Ren & Stimpy Show YesYesNoNodirector (1 episode "I Was a Teenage Stimpy")
layout artist (21 episodes)
background designer (14 episodes)
storyboard artist (10 episodes)
1996 KaBlam! YesYesNoNodirector & storyboard artist (segment "The Louie and Louie Show")
1998 Oh Yeah! Cartoons NoYesNoNobackground designer (segment "A Cop and His Donut")
2008–2015 The Penguins of Madagascar NoNoYesYes Skipper (voice)88 episodes
2014 All Hail King Julien NoNoYesNo

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005 Madagascar Skipper (voice)Uncredited
2005Madagascar: Animal Trivia DVD Game [9]
2007 Shrek the Third [9]
2008 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
2009 Madagascar Kartz
2011 The Penguins of Madagascar: Dr. Blowhole Returns – Again!
2011 Super Star Kartz [9]
2012 Madagascar 3: The Video Game

References

  1. Moore, Roger. "'Penguins' has plenty for kids and parents". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  2. Giardina, Carolyn (July 3, 2021). "Director Tom McGrath on Family Dynamics in 'The Boss Baby' Sequel". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  3. DreamWorks Animation. "Madagascar 3 Europe's Most Wanted – Production Information" (PDF). Festival Cannes. p. 17. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  4. Keeping Control of the Zoo Tom McGrath Directs Madagascar to Laughs by Sara Michelle Fetters. Archived March 28, 2006, at the Wayback Machine MovieFreak.com. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  5. Vary, Adam B. (July 12, 2012). "DreamWorks Animation Comic-Con panel: Caveman families and penguin movies!". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  6. Rechtshaffen, Michael (March 12, 2017). "'The Boss Baby': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  7. "Dates Set for Madagascar 4, The Croods 2, Puss in Boots 2, Captain Underpants, and Hitman". ComingSoon.net. June 12, 2014. Archived from the original on June 16, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  8. "Tom McGrath is Back to Direct 'Boss Baby 2', Jeff Hermann to Produce for DreamWorks Animation". May 16, 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Tom McGrath (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors (A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information).