Dee Bradley Baker
He is the unseen menagerie of modern animation, giving voice to everything from heroic amphibians to chattering squirrels.
Born 1962 (age 64)·American voice actor·Birthday: August 31·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dee Bradley Baker didn't just become a voice actor; he became the go-to vocal architect for the animal kingdom and beyond. Born in 1962, his career is a testament to the power of pure sound, built not on celebrity but on an astonishing range of guttural growls, chitters, and roars. While many actors lend their voices to characters, Baker's craft often involves creating the very language of non-human entities, from the playful chatter of Perry the Platypus in 'Phineas and Ferb' to the complex, layered performances of Appa and Momo in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender.' His work forms the sonic backbone of countless animated worlds, providing the creature comforts that make fantasy feel alive. He operates in a unique niche, where his face is unknown but his vocal cords are instantly recognizable to generations of viewers who have felt the emotion he imbues in creatures without words.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dee was born in 1962, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dee Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Dee's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created the iconic vocalizations for Appa and Momo in the beloved series 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' and its sequel.
- Voiced the silent but expressive secret agent Perry the Platypus in 'Phineas and Ferb' for the show's entire run.
- Provided the creature voices for major animated series like 'Gravity Falls,' 'Steven Universe,' and 'SpongeBob SquarePants.'
- Performed the vocal effects for the title character in 'The Clone Wars' and subsequent Star Wars animated projects.
Did You Know?
He holds a degree in philosophy from Colorado College.
He is an accomplished beatboxer and often uses that skill in his vocal performances.
He voiced all of the clone troopers in 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars,' creating distinct personalities through voice alone.
He and his wife have four children, all of whom have names beginning with the letter 'B.'
“The goal is not to be famous, but to be good. The goal is to be useful.”
