Money-lovin' Mr. Krabs is voiced by Clancy Brown, who found that working with the animation community was like attending one big fun family party. SpongeBob SquarePants image courtesy of Nickelodeon.

Clancy Brown
Crossing over effortlessly from on-screen work to voice over acting, Clancy Brown is identifiable to viewers as the crusty Mr. Krabs from SpongeBob SquarePants. On the big screen, he's known as Rawhide in the cult classic The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai and Captain Hadley in The Shawshank Redemption.

Well actually, I took a workshop once. It was very illuminating and not easy. Our teacher told me I had a speech impediment that would limit my future in the VO world and she may yet be right. The difference for me was I was already acting. In fact she forgot all about my speech impediment after she saw me in something. Before that moment I was learning a lot. After that I could do no wrong and the class became useless to me.

What surprised me about voice over work in animation was how welcome I was made to feel. I had always been a big cartoon fan so I was awestruck when Jim Cummings, Frank Welker, Tress MacNeille, Rob Paulson, Jeff Bennett or Jess Harnell would be in the same room. I probably should have been intimidated but I was too busy laughing to get too self-conscious. It is a terrific environment — a party really. I am just glad to be invited every now and then.

I don't think I can over-emphasize how talented these people are. Charlie Adler, Jennifer Hale, Phil Lamar, EG Daily, Rodger Bumpass, Tom Kane, Tara Strong, Tom Kenny and of course, My Man — Kevin Michael Richardson can turn any over-paid on-camera superstar into a quivering puddle of flop-sweat. There's nothing malicious about it. On the contrary the directors and talent that I have worked with (with one ridiculous exception) are supportive and patient and immensely generous. It's just that worlds are brought to life by these people and, with the exception of perhaps Robin Williams, there isn't a movie star out there that could keep up. I sure can't. But I have such a good time hanging on by my fingernails that I've developed a craving for it.

I'm an animation-session junkie. Some actors dream of dying onstage in the final scene of King Lear. My hope is that I am in the room with Rob, Tom, Jeff, Kevin, Tress, Tara, Jess and Jennifer laughing so hard I can't breathe and Charlie sticks his head in the door and delivers the knife-edge-of-tasteless coup-de-gras.

I am 100% sincere. Getting into animation is the best chance I've ever taken with my career.

Darlene Chan is managing editor of Animation World Magazine. After receiving a bachelor's degree from UCLA, Darlene happened into the motion picture business and stayed for 14 years. She served as a production executive for Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, Davis Entertainment and Motown. She produced Grumpy Old Men (1993) for Warner Bros. In 2001, she joined Animation World Magazine.