Kicking off his career with various television roles in the early 1960s,Alan Oppenheimerwould go on to have a prolific career over six decades, still working to this day, though his output as an actor has slowed down considerably over the years. Oppenheimer’s career really took off in the ’70s, and his notable credits includeWestworldin 1973andThe Six Million Dollar Man, which premiered in the same year.
Although Oppenheimer has several credits in live-action shows and movies, it was his prolific voice-acting career that helped cement him as one of the best animated actors of all time. Oppenheimer has lent his talents to a variety of projects over the years, including voicing iconic characters in some of the most influential animated shows of all time. His work asSkeletor is a particular standout, but only the tip of the iceberg that is Alan Oppenheimer’s monumental career.
109 (2009)
Alan Oppenheimer as The Scientist
Released cleverly on 02-08-2025,9is an animated science fiction film that features a little rag doll named “9” who wakes up shortly after the fall of humankind following the events of an uprising of machines. Directed by Shane Acker and produced by Tim Burton,9is a beautifully realized animated film that seems to get better the more it ages, as it was originally viewed as just okay when it was first released. It looks beautiful and its cast of characters is fantastic.
Every 9 Movie Poster Explained
Produced by Tim Burton, 9 is an overlooked 2009 animated film, and each 9 movie poster artfully showcases the creatively designed main characters.
Alan Oppenheimer plays The Scientist in9, the inventor of the Fabrication Machine, and eventually the nine stitchpunksto fight against it after the Fabrication Machine gets corrupted. It’s a relatively small role in terms of screen time, but massively important for the film as a whole, and Oppenheimer displays his full talents as a legendary voice actor, instilling the character with a strong sense of gravitas.
The Smurfs
Cast
The Smurfs is an animated television series that follows the adventures of the small blue creatures living in a medieval forest village. Created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo, the series debuted in 1981 and features characters such as Papa Smurf, Smurfette, and Gargamel, a wizard intent on capturing the Smurfs. They navigate various challenges while emphasizing themes of community, friendship, and problem-solving.
The Smurfswas one of the most iconic animated series of the ’80s. Premiering in 1981,The Smurfsconsisted of 257 episodes that ran for nine seasons. Based on the Belgian comic of the same name,The Smurfs’popularity grew immensely during the show’s run, eventually becoming a pop culture staple that is still recognized to this day, including multiple modern-day movie reboots that have had varying degrees of success.
A brand-newSmurfsmusical film is set to be released in 2025.
Alan Oppenheimer played two different characters inThe Smurfs, Vanity Smurf and Father Time, appearing in 162 episodes during the show’s run. It’s one of the longest-running roles of his career and a perfect introduction to his talents as a voice actor, especially with his work as Vanity Smurf, a kind-hearted but self-absorbed character who enjoys his physical appearance and staring at himself in the mirror.
Home Free
This sitcom follows freelance journalist Matt Bailey as his carefree life is upended when his recently divorced sister, Vanessa, along with her two children, moves into their mother’s home. The series explores the comedic dynamics of family life and the challenges of unexpected cohabitation.
Just one year prior toFriends, Matthew Perry had another sitcom premiere, though it was quickly canceled, only running for 13 episodes, two of which never aired.Home Freerevolves around a young journalist named Matt Bailey (Perry), who still lives with his mother, and his life is upended when his recently divorced sister moves back in with her two kids. Perry is quite excellent inHome Free, showing glimpses of comedic chops that would go on to make Chandler Bing such a beloved character.
His gruff exterior and performance contrast with Perry’s and the other employees at the newspaper, leading to some hilarious moments.
Alan Oppenheimer was another standout inHome Free, playing Ben Brookstone, the editor of the newspaper that Matt Bailey works for. His gruff exterior and performance contrast with Perry’s and the other employees at the newspaper, leading to some hilarious moments throughout the show’s short runtime. It’s a shame thatHome Freewas canceled so quickly, as it could have climbed even higher among Oppenheimer’s best roles.
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man is a Science Fiction television series starring Lee Majors as USAF Colonel Steve Austin. After Austin is involved in an accident, he is “rebuilt” with bionic implants that give him an array of superhuman abilities.
The Six Million Dollar Manis a science fiction and action-adventure series that premiered in 1973 and ran for five seasons, as well as six TV movies. The series features USAF Colonel Steve Austin (Lee Majors), who is seriously injured during a test flight crash. Austin is rebuilt with a number of bionic parts that give him superhuman strength and speed, becoming a secret agent in the process. Meanwhile, Steve Austin also became a cultural icon in the 1970s.
Alan Oppenheimer played Dr. Rudy Wells, who was the doctor who oversaw the bionic implants of Steve Austin. Oppenheimer wasn’t actually the first actor to play Dr. Rudy Wells, as during the first pilot episode, Martin Balsam played the character. Oppenheimer came in for the second and third episodes, as well as the first two seasons of the show. He was replaced in season 3 by Martin E. Brooks due to a scheduling conflict with another series.
The Transformers
The Transformers is an animated TV series that follows the battle between the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, and the Decepticons, led by Megatron, on Earth and Cybertron. Debuting in 1984, the show blends science fiction and action as both factions of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron vie for supremacy and the future of humankind. It spawned a massive franchise including toys, comics, and movies.
The Transformerswas the first series in the long-runningTransformersfranchise, based on the Hasbro toy line of the same name. It ran from 1984 until 1987, spanning four seasons and even a film, asThe Transformers: The Moviewas released in 1986 between the second and third seasons. The series, the movie, and the franchise were a staple of the ’80s and the franchise remains highly successful today with multiple iterations on both TV and film.Alan Oppenheimer played a significant role throughout seasons 2 and 3 ofThe Transformers, during which he voiced multiple characters.He portrayed Warpath, Seaspray, Breakdown, and Beachcomber, with Breakdown being the only Decepticon of the bunch, while the other three are Autobots. Oppenheimer’s playing multiple characters exemplifies his talent as a voice actor, as he infuses each of them with their own distinct personality and voice.
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies follows superheroes Superman and Batman as they join forces against United States President Lex Luthor, who uses the threat of a Kryptonite meteor to frame them. With a $1 billion bounty on their heads, they must thwart a relentless pursuit while attempting to stop the impending disaster.
Released in 2009,Superman/Batman: Public Enemieswas another stellar entry intoDC’s animated Superman filmography. This time, the movie featured a terrific team-up between the company’s most iconic heroes, with Lex Luthor being an amazing villain as the President of the United States. Seeing Batman and Superman join forces is always a pleasure, andSuperman/Batman: Public Enemiesdoes it better than basically any other film that featured the duo working together.
Superman/Batman: Apocalypseis the standalone sequel toSuperman/Batman: Public Enemies.
Alan Oppenheimer plays Alfred Pennyworth, the butler of Batman inSuperman/Batman: Public Enemies.Alfred Pennyworth is the perfect character for Oppenheimer to play, with his voice lending itself well to the dignified manner in which Alfred carries himself. He has a fun role in the film, helping to nurse both Superman and Batman back to health, even telling Superman that he washed his suit while he was recovering.
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4 is part of Pixar’s animated franchise, where Woody, voiced by Tom Hanks, embarks on a road trip with old and new friends. As Bonnie introduces Forky, an unconventional toy, Woody navigates the challenges of his evolving role while exploring the wider world beyond Andy and Bonnie.
Even theweakest mainlineToy Storymovie(not countingLightyear) is still great, andToy Story 4pushed the franchise in new directions, setting the stage for the upcomingToy Story 5. The film revolves around Woody, Buzz, and other toys going on a road trip with Bonnie, and Woody is eventually reunited with Bo Peep.
Toy Story 5: Release Date, Cast, Story & Everything We Know
Despite Toy Story 4’s perfect ending between Buzz and Woody, Disney has announced Toy Story 5, and here’s everything we know so far.
Though he doesn’t have the biggest role inToy Story 4,Alan Oppenheimer lends his iconic voice talents by playing Old Timer, an old-school toy alarm clock. Old Timer is featured briefly during the beginning of the movie, as he was one of Bonnie’s old toys. He tells Woody that he has been keeping track of how many times he hasn’t been played with. Although it is a small role, it is nice to hear Oppenheimer in aToy Storyfilm, given his long and storied voice-acting career.
Westworld
Westworld, released in 1973, is a science fiction film about a futuristic adult-themed amusement park where robots entertain guests. The narrative unfolds as a system malfunction leads to chaos, placing vacationers in grave danger. Directed by Michael Crichton, the film delves into themes of technology and human interaction.
Released in 1973,Westworldrevolves around a theme park that contains androids that look essentially identical to human beings, down to their mannerisms. Things begin to go awry, though, as the androids begin to malfunction during their day-to-day narratives.Westworldwas written and directed by prolific science-fiction author Michael Crichton, with the movie adaptation being his directorial debut. Crichton is most popular for writing theJurassic Parknovel as well as helping adapt it to film.
Westworld Deemed “Realistic” As Expert Reveals What’s Already Outdated About HBO Show
Artificial Intelligence Researcher Sasha Luccioni analyzes HBO’s Westworld for its depictions on AI and shares why its realistic, if already outdated.
Alan Oppenheimer played a significant role inWestworld, portraying the Chief Supervisor, whose actual name is never stated throughout the film. The Chief Supervisor oversees everything at the Delos theme park, making sure that the robots are sticking to the narrative and not deviating in any meaningful way.Westworldgives Oppenheimer’s character a memorable death scene, as he sacrifices himself to try and shut the robots down and minimize casualties. The source material also received an HBO show adaptation.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is an animated series that was a result of Mattel’s popular toy line of 5.5-inch action figures. The series helped the Masters of the Universe franchise expand in popularity and ran for a total of two seasons between 1983 and 1985. The TV show was followed by She-Ra: Princess of Power in 1985.
Based on Mattel’s Masters of the Universe toy line,He-Man and the Masters of the Universewas one of themost popular animated series in the 1980s, running for only two seasons, but consisting of 130 episodes. The series centers on the adventures of Prince Adam, who turns into He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe, whenever he holds the Sword of Power and says the iconic line,“By the Power of Grayskull! I have the power!”He-Man has continued over the decades, with several series, including reboots, remaining popular all these years later.
Oppenheimer’s talent really shines through with Skeletor, giving him a unique-sounding voice that has endured in the decades since the series was first released.
LikeThe Transformersand various other voice-acting projects in Alan Oppenheimer’s career, he portrayed several characters throughout He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.His most significant part, though, is easily Skeletor,the main antagonist of He-Man and one of the most popular animated villains of all time. Oppenheimer’s talent really shines through with Skeletor, giving him a unique-sounding voice that has endured in the decades since the series was first released.
The Neverending Story
Based on the German novel of the same name, The NeverEnding Story centers on Bastian Bux, a young boy who finds a book about a fantasy world called Fantasia, and becomes inexplicably connected to the book’s plot as he begins to read it. Barret Oliver stars as Bastian, with Noah Hathaway, Tami Stronach, and Alan Oppenheimer as part of the main cast.
Based on the novel by Michael Ende,The NeverEnding Storyis an iconic 1984 fantasy film that follows a young boy finding a magical book that tells the story of a young warrior tasked with stopping a dark force from engulfing Fantasia. The movie was a box office success, and eventually became a staple of ’80s fantasy films.The NeverEnding Story’s popularity led to multiple sequels with aNeverEnding Storyremake currently in the works.
Alan Oppenheimer once again lends his voice to a number of characters inThe NeverEnding Story, including Falkor, Gmork, and Rockbiter.Falkor is the obvious standout for Alan Oppenheimer’s characters inThe NeverEnding story, as he is one of the main characters, with a lot of the film’s enduring success a result of Falkor’s popularity. He is also one of thecoolest-looking fantasy creatures in any movie.
