Robert Matthew "Bob" West (born June 25, 1956 in Finleyville, Pennsylvania) is an American voice actor and graphic designer, who is best known as the original voice of Barney from 1988-2000 in the PBS children's television series, Barney & Friends, and he was later succeeded by many others in the role of the voice. Bob West, a native of Pennsylvania and he grew up in Baytown, Texas, is also known for voicing Pasqually and Jasper for Chuck E. Cheese, which he both voices them in 1986 until 1998.
Early Life
Education
Bob West went to Ross S. Sterling High School and studied art at Trinity University. After 3 years of study under Robert Tiemann, Robert West graduated from Trinity in 1978, then stayed for an additional year of post-graduate studies.[1]
During Bob West's time at Trinity University, he was a part of "The Serenaders", a group that sang under the windows of the girls' dorms at Trinity University, and he eventually became a bit of an institution on campus.[2]
Career
Bob West's first gig (not counting the singing telegram work) was serving as art director and camera operator for a commercial production company while simultaneously launching a parallel career in voice over. In 1995, he began providing web design services, building sites for clients in a variety of industries, including film and entertainment professionals and artists.[3]
Barney & Friends
Bob West signings autographs
Bob West auditioned for Barney back in 1987. As he recalls, "I didn't get the description until a few minutes before the first audition (and no drawings?), so I had to pretty much create it on the spot, which is common [for voice actors]. There was at least one callback audition, I think and the voice was adjusted a bit, as it was before and during early production. At the time, they were also considering using one person for both body and voice, but I was too tall for the costume they'd already started making." Since then, Bob West's voice for Barney has changed over the years. Bob West's voice was not only used in the Barney & The Backyard Gang videos and on the Barney & Friends television show, but also on a 70 market radio show, on Multi-Platinum and Multi-Gold albums, for a feature film, for CBS and NBC primetime specials, as a Daytime Emmy presenter, for toys, for educational games, and for live tours and "personal appearances." In addition, he provided Barney's voice for interviews on The Today Show, Live With Regis & Kathy Lee, Oprah, The Phil Donahue Show, John & Leeza, Marilu, and appearances around the world.[4] In 2000, Bob West retired from doing the voice of Barney and he was succeeded by Duncan Brannan, Tim Dever, and later, Dean Wendt.
After Barney & Friends
Bob West would later become a graphic designer for the shows, "Speechless" and "The Muppets", which both aired on ABC.
Achievements
Honors and accomplishments include various voice over awards; being asked by Congress to testify on the issue of email spam and the unauthorized sharing of personal information; selection for archiving by the Library of Congress of a self-produced, 9-11-related website; and setting an unofficial world altitude record for bungy jumping from a helicopter.[3]
Personal Life
Bob West currently resides in Los Angeles, California.[1]
Barney Projects
- Barney's Magical Musical Adventure
- Love to Read, with Barney
- Barney Live! In New York City
- Imagination Island
- Barney Songs
- Barney's Talent Show
- Barney's Fun & Games
- Barney's 1-2-3-4 Seasons
- Once Upon a Time
- Barney's Sense-Sational Day
- Barney's Musical Scrapbook
- Camp WannaRunnaRound
- Barney's Adventure Bus
- Barney's Good Day, Good Night
- It's Time For Counting
- Barney's Great Adventure
- Barney in Outer Space
- My Party with Barney (shared with Duncan Brannan)
- Barney's Big Surprise
- Barney's Halloween Party
- Sing and Dance with Barney
- What a World We Share
- Walk Around the Block with Barney
- Let's Play School
- Barney's Night Before Christmas
- More Barney Songs
- Barney's Rhyme Time Rhythm
- Barney's Musical Castle
- Barney in Concert
- Kids' Playfest (1993)
- Barney Live! In New York City
- A Day in the Park with Barney
- Barney's Big Surprise
- Barney's Musical Castle
- Barney's Greatest Hits - Live On Stage (Act 1 only, archival recording)
- Barney's Favorites, Volume 1
- Barney's Favorites, Volume 2
- Barney's Sleepytime Songs
- Run, Jump, Skip and Sing
- Barney's Big Surprise! Live on Stage
- Happy Holidays Love, Barney
- Barney's Great Adventure: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- Barney's Sing Along: Halloween Party
- Barney's Great Adventure Sing Along
- Songs in the Key of Purple
- I Love to Sing with Barney
- Barney's A Great Day for Learning
- Barney For Baby: Love and Lullabies
- Barney's Greatest Hits: The Early Years (archival recordings)
- The Today Show (February 1993)
- Barney & Friends Family Marathon (March 1993)
- 20th Daytime Emmy Awards (May 26, 1993)
- National Press Club on C-SPAN (November 17, 1993)
- Entertainment Tonight (1994)
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1994-1998)
- Kids for Character (1996)
- The Oprah Winfrey Show (November 19, 1998)
- PBS Kids Sprout Launch (2005)
Filmography
Commercials and Ads
- Pepsi - Narrator
- Bud Light - Various voices (English and Spanish)
- Coors Light
- Frito-Lay - Narrator
- KFC - Narrator
- Armour Meats
- Circuit City
- Texas Monthly Magazine
- Texas Lottery - Narrator
Production staff
| Year | Title | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Still Breathing | Art director | |
| 1999 | Thick as Thieves | Graphic designer | Uncredited |
| 2000 | Picking Up the Pieces | Uncredited | |
| 2000 | Thirteen Days | Uncredited | |
| 2001 | Jurassic Park III | Uncredited | |
| 2003 | Down with Love | Uncredited | |
| 2003 | The Italian Job | Uncredited | |
| 2004 | Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy | Uncredited | |
| 2005 | Be Cool | Uncredited | |
| 2005 | Herbie Fully Loaded | Uncredited | |
| 2005 | House of the Dead 2 | Uncredited | |
| 2006 | 10 Items or Less | Uncredited | |
| 2006 | Schools for Scoundrels | Uncredited | |
| 2007 | October Road | Episode: "Pilot"; uncredited | |
| 2007 | Hustle | 2 episodes; uncredited | |
| 2009 | Black Dynamite | Uncredited | |
| 2009–2015 | Community | 34 episodes | |
| 2009 | The Proposal | Uncredited | |
| 2011 | Hop | Uncredited | |
| 2012 | 90210 | 2 episodes; uncredited | |
| 2013 | Anatomy of Violence | Uncredited | |
| 2014 | Chef | Uncredited | |
| 2014–2015 | Castle | 4 episodes | |
| 2015–2016 | The Muppets | 8 episodes | |
| 2016 | The Sweet Life | ||
| 2016 | Aztec Warrior | ||
| 2016–2019 | Speechless | 62 episodes | |
| 2017 | Wish Upon | ||
| 2017 | Raised by Wolves | TV movie | |
| 2017–2018 | The Mick | 20 episodes | |
| 2018 | Three Rivers | TV movie | |
| 2018–2020 | Single Parents | 18 episodes | |
| 2020 | 9-1-1: Lone Star | Episode: "Yee-Haw" | |
| Swimming with Sharks[5][3] | 1 episode |
Trivia
- In "My Party with Barney", Bob West shared the role with Duncan Brannan. Bob West would sing and Duncan Brannan supplied the speaking voice.
- Bob West reprised his role as Barney at the PBS Kids Sprout Launch event in 2005, with Carey Stinson inside the costume as Dean Wendt, the voice of Barney during that time, was unavailable.
Videos
Interviews
