Phillip "Phil" LaMarr (born January 24, 1967) is an
American actor,
comedian and
voice actor. One of the original cast members on the
sketch comedy series
MADtv, he is also known for his voice acting on the animated series
Futurama,
Static Shock,
Samurai Jack,
Justice League,
Justice League Unlimited,
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords,
Star Wars: The Clone Wars,
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, and
inFAMOUS.
Early life
LaMarr was born in
Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of
Harvard High School in
North Hollywood and
Yale University, where he helped found the
improv comedy group
Purple Crayon. One of his biggest roles at Yale was the title character in the
British comedy
Trevor. After graduating in 1989, LaMarr became a member of the award-winning sketch and improv comedy group
The Groundlings. He also studied improv at
The Second City and at the
ImprovOlympic in
Chicago with
Del Close. He has also improvised with
Cold Tofu and
Off the Wall.
His early film jobs arose from connections from his improv and college years. For example, LaMarr appeared in the film
It's Pat (1994), written by friends from the Groundlings, and he appeared in
Bio-Dome because the director was a friend from college. However, his big break came in a small but memorable role in
Pulp Fiction as Marvin. (He would later reprise the role in a
MADtv sketch parodying the film.)
Career
MADtv
LaMarr, unlike most of the other original nine cast members of
MADtv, had extensive television and film jobs experience when he joined the show. Even before college, he had voiced a character on the
Mister T cartoon show.
Some of the recurring characters LaMarr performed on
MADtv were Desperation Lee ("Funky Walker Dirty Talker"), Jaq the UBS Guy, "sexy player" Rick, talentless
R&B singer Savante and Rocket Revengers star Lieutenant Abraham Jefferson (a.k.a. Lincoln Willis).
LaMarr has done "impressions" of celebrities such as
Sammy Davis, Jr.,
Tommy Davidson,
Louis Farrakhan,
Michael Jackson,
Vernon Jordan,
Martin Lawrence,
Spike Lee,
Sidney Poitier,
Colin Powell,
Prince,
Bill Maher,
Ben Vereen,
Chris Tucker,
Michael Winslow,
Rick James,
Billy Crystal,
Bobby Brown,
Bernard Shaw,
Sinbad,
Kanye West,
Don King,
Johnnie Cochran,
Nat King Cole,
Sherman Hemsley,
Chris Rock,
Ice-T, and
Ray Charles. He has done impressions of
Moe Howard from
The Three Stooges while playing an African-American version of the character.
LaMarr left
MADtv at the end of the fifth season (2000).
Samurai Jack
LaMarr gave voice to the title character in the
Cartoon Network animated series
Samurai Jack, which started in 2001 and was canceled in 2004. The show was about a time-displaced
samurai living in a
dystopian future.
Other television projects
LaMarr's television credits include a starring role on
Justice League and
Justice League Unlimited as
Green Lantern, a major role as
Hermes Conrad and various other characters on
Futurama, the title roles on
Static Shock, and guest starring roles on
Cold Case,
Eve,
Reno 911!, the British version of
Whose Line Is It Anyway?,
Without a Trace,
Invader Zim,
The Bernie Mac Show,
NYPD Blue,
Living Single,
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,
Murphy Brown, and
Family Guy. In season three of
Mind of Mencia, he played the ghost of
Johnnie Cochran. LaMarr reprised his role as Hermes Conrad in the
Futurama movies
Bender's Big Score,
The Beast with a Billion Backs,
Bender's Game, and
Into the Wild Green Yonder. He also voices
Wilt and other recurring characters in
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Carver Descartes on
The Weekenders, and several characters in the critically acclaimed
Afro Samurai. He additionally voices
Jazz,
Omega Supreme, Oil Slick, and
Jetstorm on
Transformers Animated. LaMarr's newest role will be voicing Gambit and Trask in the new animated TV show,
Wolverine and the X-Men. Recently LaMarr provided the voice for
Nautolan Jedi Master
Kit Fisto in
Star Wars : The Clone Wars on Cartoon Network; he also played Amit Noloff, a one time character, and a Tactical Droid. He also had a major role in
Class of 3000 as Philly Phil.
Film and theatre projects
LaMarr's stage credits include
The Tempest,
As You Like It,
Guys and Dolls,
,
South Coast Repertory's
Make the Break and Sacred Fools Theater's inaugural production of
The Fatty Arbuckle Spookhouse Revue.
On the big screen, LaMarr has appeared in the comedies
Kill the Man,
Free Enterprise,
Cherish,
Pulp Fiction, and
Manna from Heaven. He appeared in
Speaking of Sex with
Bill Murray and
Catherine O'Hara, and
Back by Midnight with
Kirstie Alley,
Rodney Dangerfield, and
Randy Quaid.
LaMarr's recent film appearances include
Fronterz (2004) and
Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman (2005). As of April 2006, LaMarr is filming
Cook-Off!, in which he will appear as Rev. Thaddeus Briggs, Esq.
LaMarr made a cameo appearance in the
Will Ferrell film
Step Brothers in which he is viewing a house for sale with his wife.
LaMarr also was in the Yum Corp Sexual Harassment training videos.
Video game voiceover work
LaMarr did the
English voice over work for
Vamp, a villain of
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Additionally, LaMarr did the voice over work for the character Reddas from
Square Enix's
Final Fantasy XII. He also did several voices, including Skelter, for
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines.
He also did the English voice acting for the part of Sig in the
Jak and Daxter video game series as well as voicing several characters in the game
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, as well as the voice of Gadon Thek in
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
As well as a featuring in the Sega CD game
Make My Video C+C Music Factory. He also was the voice of Chris Jacobs in both
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction and its sequel,
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames. He plays the character John in the PS3 title
Infamous. Also he plays the character Dr. Ragland in the game
Prototype.
Selected works
