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Robbie Rist
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Robert Anthony Rist (born April 4, 1964) is an American actor.[1] He is known for playing Cousin Oliver in The Brady Bunch, Martin in Grady and "Little John" in Big John, Little John. Rist is also known for voicing assorted characters in television shows, games and movies, most notably as the voice of Michelangelo in the films Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993), and Casey Jones (2011); his other voice roles include Stuffy in Doc McStuffins, Whiz in Kidd Video, Star in Balto, Maroda in Final Fantasy X, and Choji Akimichi in Naruto.[2] Additionally, he and director Anthony C. Ferrante provided music for the Sharknado film and the theme song for the Sharknado franchise. He played Ted and Georgette Baxter's adopted son David on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He was also the voice of the stick man from the Handi Snacks commercials.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Rist was born in La Mirada, California on April 4, 1964.[1]
Career
[edit]Acting
[edit]As a child, Rist played Cousin Oliver in the final six episodes of The Brady Bunch.[2] With the regular children all growing older, his inclusion was intended to reintroduce a cute, younger child to the series. However, the idea backfired as most viewers disliked the Oliver character and the plan became moot as ABC had opted to not renew the series even before his debut. This gave rise to the TV term "Cousin Oliver Syndrome".
After The Brady Bunch, he appeared as Glendon Farrell in Lucas Tanner starring David Hartman, "Little John" in the Saturday Morning series Big John, Little John, Tommy in the series premiere for the short-lived CBS drama series Bronk, and Martin in the short-lived Sanford and Son spin-off Grady. During 1975-77, Rist played David, son of Ted Baxter (Ted Knight) on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He also appeared in three episodes of The Bionic Woman. In 1980, Rist played "Dr. Zee" in the first three episodes of Galactica 1980.[3] He made four guest appearances on CHiPs and the short-lived CBS series Whiz Kids, and also played "Booger" in a failed Revenge of the Nerds TV pilot. In 1986, Rist had a supporting role as Milo in the action film, Iron Eagle, which was a box-office hit despite being critically panned.[4]
As of 2006, Rist was acting, working with music and also working in film production. Rist produced a horror/comedy film, Stump The Band, directed by William Holmes and JoJo Hendrickson.[5]
In 2013, he portrayed Robbie the Bus Driver in the camp horror film Sharknado.[6] Rist said in an interview that his friend Anthony C. Ferrante came upon the film's poster at the American Film Market and became enthusiastic about the concept. When Ferrante said that he had been approached to direct the film, Rist insisted that Ferrante take the job, and that if he did, that he should have a part in it. He also mentioned that Sharknado was his very first red carpet premiere.[2]
Voice-over work
[edit]As an adult, Rist has worked as a voice actor, such as in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film series (as the voice of Michaelangelo); from 1984 to 1986, he starred in the Saturday morning cartoon Kidd Video, playing the character Whiz both in live-action music videos and animated sequences. He was the voice of Star, a mauve-and-cream Siberian Husky, in the animated 1995 Universal Studios film Balto, and to date, this is his first and only role in a full-length animated film. He was also the voice of Aaron in the PC game Star Warped. An episode of Batman: The Animated Series titled "Baby Doll" contained a character called Cousin Spunky that was intended to boost sagging ratings of the fictional sitcom Love That Baby, a clear reference to Cousin Oliver (Rist lent his voice to the episode, but did not play Cousin Spunky; his character was an adult).
Rist also voices characters Choji Akimichi from Naruto, and Bud Bison from Mega Man Star Force.
Rist was the voice of Stuffy, Doc's overly proud stuffed dragon, in Disney Junior's hit animated series Doc McStuffins.[2][7]
In 2009, he voiced Griffin in Terminator Salvation. He also provided additional voices in Final Fantasy XIII, as well as reprising his role as Michelangelo in a fan-made movie about Casey Jones.[8]
Rist voiced the reincarnation of Mondo Gecko in TMNT 2012.
In 2014, he appeared as the voice of an alien in the James Rolfe film Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie.
Music
[edit]Rist is also a musician and producer; he sings, plays guitar, bass guitar and drums. Rist has worked with many Los Angeles rock bands, including Wonderboy, The Andersons, Cockeyed Ghost, Nice Guy Eddie, and Steve Barton and the Oblivion Click. The list of west coast pop bands Rist has performed with numbers in the hundreds. He divides his time between film and music production, performing with Los Angeles alt-country band KingsizeMaybe and rock band Jeff Caudill & The Goodtimes Band (with Jeff Caudill of Orange County punk band Gameface and Michael "Popeye" Vogelsang of Orange County punk band Farside). Rist has also produced a number of records for bands, including Suzy & Los Quattro, Backline, Ginger Britt and the Mighty, Jeff Caudill, Steve Barton and the Oblivion Click, Nice Guy Eddie, Kingsizemaybe and The Mockers. Rist produced the album Automatic Toaster for The Rubinoos[9] and played drums on that album.[10] He currently is the drummer for the rock formation Your Favorite Trainwreck.[11]
Rist and director Anthony C. Ferrante provided the music for the Sharknado film, initially writing about six songs for the first film. Rist and Ferrante would provide music for the sequel Sharknado 2 as the band Quint, and perform its theme song "(The Ballad of) Sharknado", which had originally appeared in the first film but few in the initial audience noticed it.[2][12] Quint was named after the character in Jaws and served as their band's name for future work on the franchise, including the song "Crash" in Sharknado 3.[13][14] They also released an EP called Great White Skies with several of the theme song's variants.[15]
Rist and Don Frankel's power-pop group Sundial Symphony recorded two of Paul Levinson's songs -- "Merri Goes Round" and "Looking for Sunsets (In the Early Morning)" -- which were released by Big Stir Records in 2019.[16]
Advertising
[edit]In October 2016 and April 2019, Rist was seen promoting The Brady Bunch television series on the MeTV television network.
Filmography
[edit]Animation
[edit]- Balto – Star
- Batman: The Animated Series – Brian Daly
- Doc McStuffins – Stuffy[2]
- Godzilla: The Series – Kevin
- Kidd Video – Whiz
- Mighty Magiswords – Frankie Jupiter
- Monster Farm – Jack Haylee
- Sonic Boom – Additional voices, Swifty the Shrew[17]
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Mondo Gecko
- The Adventures of Puss in Boots – Lamarr, Angry Villager
- The Weekenders – Thomson Oberman, various
- Transformers: Robots in Disguise – Swelter, Tricerashot[18]
- Boruto: Naruto Next Generations – Choji Akimichi[19] (English dub)
- Mega Man Star Force - Bud Bison[20] (English dub)
- Naruto – Choji Akimichi (English dub)
- Naruto: Shippuden – Choji Akimichi (English dub)
- The Last: Naruto the Movie – Choji Akimichi (English dub)
Live action
[edit]- Blending Christmas – Sheldon
- Little Lulu – Iggy
- The Big Hex of Little Lulu – Iggy
- Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie – Alien
- Big John, Little John – Little John
- Casey Jones – Michaelangelo
- Galactica 1980 – Dr. Zee
- Grady – Martin
- Iron Eagle – Milo
- Lucas Tanner – Glendon Farrell
- Petrocelli – Ray
- Sharknado– Robbie the Bus Driver
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Michelangelo
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze – Michelangelo
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III – Michelangelo
- The Brady Bunch – Cousin Oliver
- Bronk – Tommy
- The Bionic Woman – Andrew
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show – David Baxter
- Unseen Evil – Bob
- The Ransom of Red Chief -- by O. Henry -- Short Story Film -- 1975 – Johnny Dorset
Video games
[edit]- Final Fantasy X – Maroda (English dub)[21]
- Final Fantasy X-2 – Maroda (English dub)[22]
- Final Fantasy XIII – Cocoon Inhabitants[23]
- Star Warped – Aaron
- Terminator Salvation – Griffin
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War – orc captains
- Naruto series – Choji Akimichi (Ultimate Ninja series from Heroes to Storm)
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Zazz
References
[edit]- ^ a b Schnabel, Julian (June 22, 2012). "Robbie Rist". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 22, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Valcourt, Keith (September 7, 2013). "From Cousin Oliver to Sharknado Robbie Rist Rocks!". RockerZine.com. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ Rist, Robbie, Interview, Arts Talk with the Johnson Brothers. Host Duane Johnson and Dennis I. Johnson. BlogTalkRadio, February 13, 2011. Web.
- ^ Thomas, K. (July 18, 2002). "Iron Eagle: Middle-east Rescue Mission". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Kelly, Liz (August 2006). "Catching Up with Robbie Rist". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
- ^ Augenstein, Neal (July 15, 2013). "'Sharknado' actor Robbie Rist talks about SyFy film's 'fintastic' buzz". WTOP News. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ "Riding the Sharknado With Ian Ziering". July 12, 2013. Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- ^ Lamar, Cyriaque (August 23, 2011). "Texas filmmaker self-funds fan flick about TMNT sidekick Casey Jones". Gizmodo. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
- ^ Borack, John M. (February 9, 2011). "John M. Borack's Top 10 CD's of 2010". Goldmine. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ Borack, John M. (March 22, 2011). "Something Old, Something New..." Goldmine. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ "Your Favorite Trainwreck". Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
- ^ Bacle, Ariana (July 31, 2014). "'Sharknado 2' director on creating the movie's 'silly' theme song". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
- ^ Ragogna, Mike (July 22, 2015). "Oh Hell No!: Chats with Sharknado 3's Anthony C. Ferrante & David Lowery, Plus Hemming, Marta Pacek Exclusives and Introducing Dagmar". HuffPost. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
- ^ "'Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!' Soundtrack Details". Film Music Reporter. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
- ^ Carra, Mallory (July 22, 2016). "Rock Out To The 'Sharknado' Theme Song". Bustle. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ "I Do Hear A Single". I Don't Hear a Single. August 29, 2019.
- ^ "Sole Power". Sonic Boom. Season 1. Episode 19. March 12, 2015. Cartoon Network.
- ^ "Cover Me". Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Season 2. Episode 5. March 19, 2016. Cartoon Network.
- ^ "Twitter". February 17, 2019. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
- ^ "Robbie Rist - Interview with The Mortal Vampire (podcast)". Listen Notes. May 19, 2010. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ "Robbie Rist (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- ^ "Final Fantasy X-2 (2003 Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- ^ "Final Fantasy XIII (2010 Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Robbie Rist at IMDb
- Robbie Rist at Behind The Voice Actors
- Robbie Rist's page on ReverbNation
Robbie Rist
View on GrokipediaEarly life and education
Family and childhood
Robert Anthony Rist was born on April 4, 1964, in La Mirada, California.[10] He was raised in Southern California, primarily in the San Fernando Valley, where he spent his formative years.[8] Rist's parents were German immigrants who emigrated during or after World War II, bringing with them a strong small-town work ethic rooted in European traditions.[11] They were described by Rist as old-school and protective, particularly as he entered the entertainment industry at a young age, emphasizing discipline and resilience in the face of criticism.[12] Despite their caution, his parents were supportive of his early ambitions, allowing him to pursue acting on the condition that he maintained focus on his education and personal development.[13] Growing up in a household influenced by his parents' immigrant background, Rist developed an early interest in performance and music, activities that his family encouraged as long as they did not compromise his studies.[8] This nurturing environment, combined with the cultural values of hard work instilled by his parents, shaped his childhood and laid the foundation for his future career in entertainment.[11]Schooling and early interests
Rist attended William Howard Taft High School in Woodland Hills, California, where he was part of the class that popularized "surf speak" slang in the early 1980s. He graduated in 1982.[14][15] After high school, Rist enrolled at California State University, Northridge, in Los Angeles, though details about his major or duration of study remain unspecified.[16] From a young age, Rist demonstrated a strong interest in music, starting violin lessons at age three and later pursuing piano instruction as a child. He also beat rhythms on his knees like many young musicians, fostering an early creative outlet. His passion for acting emerged during childhood, leading to his debut in a student film produced at UCLA, followed by a national television commercial for Nestle's Crunch before he was cast in The Brady Bunch at age nine.[17]Professional career
Breakthrough roles in television
Robbie Rist's entry into television acting began with guest appearances in the early 1970s, but his breakthrough came with recurring roles that showcased his youthful energy and comedic timing. In 1974, at age 10, he joined the cast of the popular ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch as Cousin Oliver Tyler, the orphaned relative of the Brady children, appearing in the final six episodes of the show's fifth and last season. This role, though controversial for signaling the series' decline in some viewers' eyes, provided Rist with national exposure on a family-oriented program that had been a staple since 1969.[18] Building on that visibility, Rist landed a regular role in 1975 as Martin, the grandson of the title character, in Grady, a short-lived NBC spin-off from Sanford and Son starring Redd Foxx's co-star Whitman Mayo. The series, which ran for one season with 19 episodes, focused on the relocation of the Evans family to Los Angeles and highlighted Rist's portrayal of a mischievous young boy navigating urban life. His performance in Grady demonstrated his ability to handle ensemble comedy and contributed to his growing reputation as a child actor in sitcoms. In 1976, Rist starred as Little John in the NBC children's fantasy sitcom Big John, Little John, created by the producers of The Brady Bunch. In this role, he played the 12-year-old son of a high school principal who gains the ability to transform into a young boy after drinking from a Fountain of Youth, leading to humorous age-related mishaps. The show aired for one season, blending live-action adventure with lighthearted family themes, and marked Rist's first lead in a series, further solidifying his presence in 1970s television.Voice acting and animation
Rist entered the field of voice acting in the 1980s, notably providing the voice for Whiz, the keyboardist in the animated musical adventure series Kidd Video, which aired from 1984 to 1986.[19] His work in this period established him as a versatile performer capable of handling energetic, youthful characters in ensemble casts. During the 1990s, Rist achieved significant recognition for voicing Michelangelo in the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993), where he supplied the character's laid-back, pizza-loving personality through voice-over performances.[1] He also contributed to animated projects of the era, such as voicing Brian Daily in the episode "Baby-Doll" of Batman: The Animated Series (1994)[20] and Star, the wisecracking mukluk dog, in the feature film Balto (1995).[21] Later in the decade, Rist voiced Kevin, brother of Meg, in the episode "Shafted" of Godzilla: The Series (2000).[22] In the 2000s, Rist expanded into anime dubbing, most prominently as Choji Akimichi, the kind-hearted but gluttonous ninja, in the English version of Naruto, a role he performed across the series from 2002 to 2007.[3] His video game credits during this time included voicing Maroda, a Ronso warrior, in Final Fantasy X (2001) and its sequel Final Fantasy X-2 (2003).[23] Rist's voice work continued into the 2010s and beyond with family-oriented animation, including the recurring role of Stuffy, the enthusiastic but clumsy dragon toy, in the Disney Junior series Doc McStuffins starting in 2012.[24] Overall, he has amassed over 80 credited roles in animation, anime, and video games, often portraying comic relief characters with a distinctive, affable tone.[3]Music and production work
Rist began his musical pursuits at a young age, taking piano lessons starting at age three and later expanding to guitar, bass, drums, and mandolin.[25] His early interest in music was influenced by co-star Susan Olsen from The Brady Bunch, who introduced him to obscure recordings that shaped his tastes.[26] Over the decades, Rist has balanced acting with extensive work as a musician and producer, contributing to power pop, punk, alt-country, and rock genres. As a producer and recording engineer, Rist has overseen albums for several bands and artists, emphasizing hands-on involvement in studio sessions. He produced Automatic Toaster (2007) for power pop group The Rubinoos, on which he also played drums.[27] Other production credits include records for The Masticators, Spanish pop act Suzy & Los Quattro, Backline, Ginger Britt and the Mighty, Jeff Caudill, and Steve Barton and the Culprits.[27][8] In these roles, Rist often performs multiple instruments and provides backing vocals, particularly for singer-songwriter projects lacking full bands.[28] Rist's performance career spans numerous bands, where he primarily plays drums and guitar. He was the drummer for Wonderboy, releasing their self-titled debut album in 1993 on Racer Records, followed by Abbey Road to Ruin.[29] Other groups include The Andersons, Cockeyed Ghost, Nice Guy Eddie, and alt-country outfit Kingsize Maybe.[8][30] More recently, he has drummed for Jeff Caudill & The Goodtimes Band and rock group Your Favorite Trainwreck.[27] In 1995, Rist released his solo album Robbie Rist.[29] Beyond band work, Rist has composed music for film and television, including the theme song for the Sharknado franchise in collaboration with director Anthony C. Ferrante.[31] His latest solo release, The Weight of Illusion (2025), features over fifteen original songs written and recorded at home, showcasing his ongoing songwriting and production efforts.[32]Recent activities and other ventures
In recent years, Robbie Rist has continued his voice acting career with roles in animated and video game projects. In 2025, he provided voices for the video game Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. The previous year, 2024, saw him voicing the Clown Fish in the video game Barbie: Mermaid Adventure. Earlier, in 2023, Rist reprised his role as Choji Akimichi in the video game Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections and appeared in the live-action comedy horror film Attack of the Meth Gator.[1] Beyond acting, Rist remains active in music as a performer and producer. He serves as the drummer for the rock band Your Favorite Trainwreck, contributing to their ongoing performances and recordings. On October 7, 2025, Rist released his solo album The Weight of Illusion, a collection of over fifteen original songs written and recorded at home over the course of a year, showcasing his songwriting and multi-instrumental talents.[27][33] Rist co-hosts the podcast The Spoon, where he, alongside Chris Jackson and Thom Bowers, discusses a mix of nostalgic, pop culture, and personal topics in a humorous style. The show has maintained a consistent release schedule, with recent episodes including EP 598: "The Monsters Are Off The Screen" on October 31, 2025, and EP 595: "No Way To Steer An Elephant (The Patrick Labyorteaux Story)" on October 2, 2025, often featuring guest appearances from fellow entertainers.[34][35] Additionally, Rist frequently participates in fan conventions and comic expos, engaging with audiences through panels and signings. Notable appearances include the Fanboy Expo Orlando in September 2025, Dallas Fan Festival in October 2025, and Pensacon, where he discusses his career highlights from The Brady Bunch to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. These events highlight his enduring popularity among fans of 1970s and 1990s media.[36][27]Filmography
Live-action television
Rist made his television debut in the early 1970s. His breakthrough came in 1974 when he joined The Brady Bunch as Cousin Oliver, the orphaned relative adopted by the Brady family, appearing in the final 6 episodes of the series.[37] This role, though controversial among fans for signaling the show's decline, established Rist as a familiar child actor in family sitcoms.[17] Following The Brady Bunch, Rist appeared as Martin in 2 episodes of the short-lived spin-off Grady (1975–1976), which had 10 episodes total and played the son of the character from the original series. He then took the lead role of Little John in the fantasy sitcom Big John, Little John (1976–1977), portraying a teacher who transforms into a child after drinking from a Fountain of Youth.[38] In 1976, Rist appeared in three episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show as David Baxter, the adopted son of Ted and Georgette Baxter.[37] Rist continued with guest roles throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. He played Jeff in an episode of Emergency! in 1973, Bobby in The Bionic Woman (1977), and multiple characters across three episodes of CHiPs (1977–1982), including Jeff in "Cry Wolf," Brian in "Neighborhood Watch," and Russell in "This Year's Riot."[39][40] In 1980, he portrayed the young Cylon hybrid Dr. Zee in the pilot episodes of Galactica 1980. Additional guest spots included Jerry on The Love Boat (1981), Tommy on T.J. Hooker (1983), Chip on Whiz Kids (1983), and Bobby on Silver Spoons (1984).| Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972–1974 | The Brady Bunch | Oliver Tyler (Cousin Oliver) | Recurring role, 6 episodes |
| 1973 | Emergency! | Jeff | Guest, 1 episode ("Dinner Date")[39] |
| 1975–1976 | Grady | Martin | Guest, 2 episodes |
| 1976 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | David Baxter | Recurring, 3 episodes |
| 1976–1977 | Big John, Little John | Little John | Main role, 13 episodes[38] |
| 1977 | The Bionic Woman | Bobby | Guest, 1 episode ("The Dejon Caper") |
| 1977 | CHiPs | Jeff | Guest, 1 episode ("Cry Wolf") |
| 1978 | CHiPs | Brian | Guest, 1 episode ("Neighborhood Watch") |
| 1980 | Galactica 1980 | Dr. Zee | Recurring, 3 episodes |
| 1981 | The Love Boat | Jerry | Guest, 1 episode |
| 1982 | CHiPs | Russell | Guest, 1 episode ("This Year's Riot") |
| 1983 | T.J. Hooker | Tommy | Guest, 1 episode ("Partners in Death") |
| 1983 | Whiz Kids | Chip | Guest, 1 episode ("A Chip Off the Old Block") |
| 1984 | Silver Spoons | Bobby | Guest, 1 episode ("The Best Man") |
Live-action films
Rist began his live-action film career in the late 1970s with supporting roles in made-for-television movies, but gained wider recognition in theatrical releases during the 1980s. His role as Milo Bazen, the best friend of the protagonist in the action film Iron Eagle (1986), marked a significant early feature film appearance; the movie was a commercial success, grossing over $18 million domestically despite mixed reviews. In the comedy She's Out of Control (1989), he played a minor role as a friend's character in a story about teenage rebellion and family dynamics.[41] In the 2010s, Rist embraced cult and genre cinema, notably portraying Robbie the Bus Driver in the Syfy original movie Sharknado (2013), a low-budget horror-comedy that spawned a franchise and became a pop culture phenomenon through social media buzz. He reprised a small role as Quint Guitarist in the series finale The Last Sharknado: It's About Time (2018). More recently, he appeared in holiday-themed and independent films, including Sheldon in the family drama Blending Christmas (2021), which reunited him with several Brady Bunch co-stars, and supporting parts in sci-fi comedy Time Pirates (2022) as Elrod and horror mockbuster Attack of the Meth Gator (2023) as Trig.[42][43]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Iron Eagle | Milo Bazen |
| 1989 | She's Out of Control | Corvette Kid's Friend[41] |
| 2013 | Sharknado | Robbie the Bus Driver |
| 2018 | The Last Sharknado: It's About Time | Quint Guitarist[42] |
| 2021 | Blending Christmas | Sheldon |
| 2022 | Time Pirates | Elrod[43] |
| 2023 | Attack of the Meth Gator | Trig |
Animated projects
Rist began his voice acting career in animation during the early 1980s. He gained prominence in the mid-1980s with the role of Whiz in the musical adventure series Kidd Video (1984–1985).[3] His breakthrough in animation came with voicing additional characters in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, including Mondo Gecko and Jet McCann in episodes of the 1987–1996 animated series; he also voiced Michelangelo in the live-action films (1990-1993) and related projects. This performance became one of his most recognized contributions to the genre.[1] Throughout the 1990s, Rist contributed to several prominent animated series, including additional voices in Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995), Captain Planet and the Planeteers (1990–1996), and The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991–1996).[3] He voiced Jack in the short-lived Monster Farm (1998–1999) and provided voices for Godzilla: The Series as Kevin (1998–2000).[44] In the 2000s, Rist took on the role of Choji Akimichi in the English dub of Naruto (2002–2007) and its sequel Naruto: Shippuden (2007–2017), a character he reprised in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations (2017–present).[3] Other notable television roles include Stuffy the Dragon in Doc McStuffins (2012–2020) and additional voices in The Loud House (2016–present). As of 2024, he provided voices in Barbie: Mermaid Adventure. In animated films, Rist voiced Star, the boastful husky, in the 1995 feature Balto. He provided additional voices for The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure (1994 direct-to-video) and All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (1996).[3] Later credits include Itchy in the holiday special An All Dogs Christmas Carol (1998) and additional voices in Alpha and Omega (2010).[3] Rist's work in animation spans over four decades, encompassing more than 30 television series and a dozen films, often highlighting his versatile range in comedic and youthful characters.[3]Key Animated Projects
| Project | Role | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kidd Video | Whiz | 1984–1985 | TV Series |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 series) | Mondo Gecko / Additional Voices | 1987–1996 | TV Series |
| Batman: The Animated Series | Brian / Additional Voices | 1992–1995 | TV Series |
| Captain Planet and the Planeteers | Additional Voices | 1990–1996 | TV Series |
| The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure | Additional Voices | 1994 | Film |
| Balto | Star | 1995 | Film |
| All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 | Additional Voices | 1996 | Film |
| Monster Farm | Jack | 1998–1999 | TV Series |
| Naruto | Choji Akimichi | 2002–2007 | TV Series |
| Doc McStuffins | Stuffy | 2012–2020 | TV Series |
| Alpha and Omega | Additional Voices | 2010 | Film |
| Barbie: Mermaid Adventure | Additional Voices | 2024 | Film |