The actor who gave his dubbing death that lent his voice to iconic figures of cinema and animation.
formula TV
By Ricardo Cardona
June 24, 2025
Voice actor Javier Franquelo has died at the age of 91, according to the Madrid Dubbing Artists Union (Adoma). Franquelo, recognized for his extensive career in dubbing, provided the voice and life of some of the most iconic characters in the history of film and animation, such as Mr. Burns in 'The Simpsons,' Professor Charles Xavier in the 'X-Men' saga, and Professor Hubert Farnsworth in 'Futurama.'
Franquelo began voicing Mr. Burns beginning with the twelfth episode of "The Simpsons," taking over from Pedro Sempson after his death in 2009. His voice became the character's most distinctive and recognized in Spain for nearly two decades. Furthermore, in the same series, Franquelo regularly voiced other supporting characters. The actor was also responsible for voicing Professor Farnsworth in "Futurama" from the series' inception.
The actor has also lent his voice numerous times outside of animation. Among other roles, he voiced the character of Bernard Nadler in the series "Lost" and was the regular voice of actor Patrick Stewart in Spain, voicing Professor Xavier in all installments of the "X-Men" saga, including his most recent role in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness."
Franquelo also appeared in films such as 'Frozen' and 'Frozen 2', where he played the character Grandpa, and in 'The Smurfs' and 'The Smurfs 2', where he played Papa Smurf. His career was also marked by the world of video games, where he gave life and voice to characters such as George Krieger in 'Far Cry', Emperor Palpatine in 'Star Wars: Battlefront II', and also participated in titles such as 'Kingdom Hearts 2' and the 'Harry Potter' video games.
The Legacy of an Unforgettable Voice
Javier Franquelo was born in Málaga in 1934. He officially retired from the world of dubbing in 2024. His passing has been mourned by colleagues in the dubbing industry, such as David García Vázquez, who worked alongside Franquelo on 'The Simpsons.' In an emotional statement posted on the social media platform X, Adoma noted that "the dubbing family has been orphaned" and highlighted his legacy as an important part of the history of the profession in a moving video that compiled some of the highlights of his career.
FRANQUELO, Javier (Javier Franquelo Briales)
Born: 2/14/1934, Malaga, Andalusia, Spain
Died: 6/24/2025, Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Javier Franquelo’s westerns – voice actor:
Red Harvest – 1976 [Spanish voice of Antonio Molino Rojo]
Pony Express – 1977 [Spanish voice of Henry Brandon]
Garden of Venus – 1979 [Spanish voice of Fernando Yapur]
Grizzly Adams – 1980 [Spanish voice of Royce D. Applegate]
Gunslinger – 1986 [Spanish voice of Aaron Saxon]
How the West Was Won – 1982 [Spanish voice of Richard Angarola]
Ride to Glory – 1984 [Spanish voice of Lee Van Cleef]
30 Winchesters for El Dablo – 1984 [Spanish voice of unknown actors]
Fury of the Apaches – 1985 [Spanish voice of Niksa Stefanini]
Lucky Luke – 1985 [Spanish voice of unknown characters]
Mr. Horn – 1985 [Spanish voice of Clay Tanner]
Viva Django! – 1985 [Spanish voice of George Eastman]
Texas John Slaughter (TV) – 1987 [Spanish voice of Mort Mills]
Wanted Johnny Texas – 1987 [Spanish voice of unknown actors]
Once Upon a Texas Train – 1988 [Spanish voice of Don Collier, Ken Curtis]
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (TV) – 1989 [Spanish voice of Ralph Moody]
Hawken’s Breed – 1989 [Spanish voice of Bill Thurman]
Oklahoma – 1989 [Spanish voice of unknown cowboys]
Welcome to Hard Times – 1989 [Spanish voice of John Anderson]
Texas – 1990 [Spanish voice of unknown actors]
Keoma – 1991 [Spanish voice of William Berger]
Ned Kelly – 1991 [Spanish voice of Ken Goodlet]
Silver City – 1991 [Spanish voice of unknown actor] Dutch Captain *
The Oklahoman (TV) – 1992 [Spanish voice of Michal Pate]
Posse – 1993 [Spanish voice of Woody Strode]
The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. – 1994 [Spanish voice of John Astin]
Walker, Texas Ranger (TV) – 1993, 1995 [Spanish voice of Robert Forester, Art Evans]
Billy the Kid – 1994 [Spanish voice of Gene Lockhart]
Streets of Laredo (TV) – 1996 [Spanish voice of Tony Frank, Nik Hagler]
The Magnificent Seven (TV) – 1998 [Spanish voice of Tim Thomerson]
Zorro (TV) – 1998 [Spanish voice of Pat Fraley, Vinton Hayworth]
Outlaw Justice (TV) – 1999 [Spanish voice of Aldo Sambrell]
Deadwood (TV) – 2007 [Spanish voice of Richard Gant, Michael David Lally]
No comments:
Post a Comment