Jess Harnell
The versatile voice actor whose energetic performances brought to life everything from anarchic cartoon Warners to the gruff Autobot Ironhide.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American voice actor and singer·Birthday: December 23·Baby Boomers
Biography
If you've watched animation or played a video game in the last three decades, you've almost certainly heard Jess Harnell. With a vocal range that stretches from manic to melodic, Harnell has become one of the most ubiquitous and beloved voices in the industry. He shot to fame in the 1990s as the voice of Wakko Warner, the cap-wearing, gag-pulling middle sibling on 'Animaniacs,' delivering rapid-fire jokes and the iconic 'Nations of the World' song. That role opened the floodgates to a staggering career. He is the announcer for 'America's Funniest Home Videos,' a role he's held since 1998, and has given voice to hundreds of characters, from the heroic Autobot Ironhide in the 'Transformers' films to the gentle Chilly in 'Doc McStuffins.' A trained rock singer, he often blends his musical talent with his voice work. Harnell’s career is a masterclass in versatility, his voice a familiar and joyful thread woven through the fabric of modern pop culture.
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.
Jess was born in 1963, 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 Jess Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Jess's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Has been the announcer for 'America's Funniest Home Videos' for over two decades, starting in 1998.
- Voiced Wakko Warner in the original 'Animaniacs' series and its 2020 revival.
- Provided the voice for the title character in the 'Crash Bandicoot' video game series.
Did You Know?
He is the lead singer of the rock band Rock Sugar, which creates mash-ups of classic rock and pop songs.
He voiced the character of 'The Mask' in the animated series based on the Jim Carrey film.
He performed backup vocals for musicians like Richard Marx and Rod Stewart before his voice acting career took off.
“I'm the voice that says 'beep beep' when the Road Runner runs by.”
