# Ernie Sabella

Ernest Sabella (born September 19, 1949) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Pumbaa from The Lion King franchise, voicing the character in all media except the 2019 and 2024 films. Sabella's TV roles include Mr. Donald "Twinkie" Twinkacetti in Perfect Strangers (1986-1987), George Shipman in A Fine Romance, and Leon Carosi in Saved by the Bell (1991). His work in Broadway theatre includes starring roles in Guys and Dolls, Chicago, Curtains, and Man of La Mancha.

## Life and career

Born in Westchester County, New York, Sabella graduated from the University of Miami, where he studied at the Department of Theatre Arts and performed at the university's Jerry Herman Ring Theatre.
His stage credits include The Robber Bridegroom (1976), Little Johnny Jones (1982), Guys and Dolls (1992) as Harry the Horse, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1996), Chicago as Amos Hart (replacement), Man of La Mancha (2002, as Sancho Panza) and Sweet Charity (2005).
Film credits include Quiz Show (1994) as the car salesman, In & Out (1997) as Aldo Hooper, Disney's The Lion King (1994) and multiple sequels and spin-offs as Pumbaa. He also has worked with Nathan Lane, who had voiced Timon, in Guys and Dolls, Mouse Hunt, The Producers (in a deleted scene) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. In the latter production, Sabella portrayed Marcus Lycus while Lane played Pseudolus. Sabella also joined Lane for his Saturday Night Live monologue, where they sang "Hakuna Matata".
On television, Sabella portrayed apartment manager Lou Donatelli in the Jason Bateman comedy It's Your Move (1984–85). He appeared in an episode of Cheers titled "Love Thy Neighbor" (Season Four Episode Eight air date November 21, 1985) in which he played the role of a private investigator named Santo Carbone, who was Carla Tortelli's cousin. He played store owner and landlord Donald Twinkacetti on Perfect Strangers (1986–1987). He played Leo in the short-lived sitcom Encore! Encore! starring Nathan Lane (2000). Sabella had a five-episode stint on Saved by the Bell in 1991 as Leon Carosi, an uptight resort manager and owner who employed the main cast's characters. Leah Remini was featured as his daughter. His other recurring roles include the lazy teacher Mr. Petrachelli on That's So Raven (2003), the floundering attorney Harland Bassett on The Practice (2000-2001), and characters on Newhart (1983).
In the Quantum Leap episode "Catch a Falling Star", he played the dual role of Manny, a stage actor, and Sancho Panza, Manny's character in a touring production of Man of La Mancha. Sabella had a brief appearance as a naked man on a subway train in a 1992 episode of Seinfeld titled "The Subway".
He starred in a series of television commercials for NyQuil cold medicine in 1994 and was seen in a MasterCard commercial (2007), as well as Lynx in 2008.
Sabella co-starred as Sidney Bernstein in the Broadway musical comedy Curtains, which opened officially on March 22, 2007 and ran until June 29, 2008.
He played the role of apartment building superintendent Leon in the 9th episode "Hold Outs" of the 6th season (2015) of the CBS police procedural drama Blue Bloods.
In 2015, Sabella reprised his voice role as Pumbaa in the TV pilot film The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar. He later became a recurring cast member in the full series, The Lion Guard.

## Personal life

Sabella met his wife Cheryl near the backstage door following a Broadway performance of Guys & Dolls in 1994; they married in 1999. His wife works as a computer programmer in their home town.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | City Heat | Ballistics Expert | |
| 1986 | Tough Guys | Hotel Clerk | |
| 1988 | Fright Night Part 2 | Dr. Harrison | |
| 1990 | Faith | Stanley | |
| 1990 | Going Under | The Mole | |
| 1994 | The Lion King | Pumbaa | Voice |
| 1994 | Quiz Show | Car Salesman | |
| 1995 | Roommates | Stash | |
| 1996 | Around the World with Timon & Pumbaa | Pumbaa | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 1997 | In & Out | Aldo Hopper | |
| 1997 | Mouse Hunt | Maury, the Cat Care Society Owner | |
| 1998 | The Lion King II: Simba's Pride | Pumbaa | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 1999 | The Out-of-Towners | Getaway Driver | |
| 2001 | Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse | Pumbaa | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2004 | The Lion King 1½ | Pumbaa | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2010 | Listen to Your Heart | Tony | |
| 2015 | The Challenger | Frankie | |
| 2016 | Bakery in Brooklyn | Dave | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1980 | Broadway on Showtime | Sing Song, Big Harp | 2 episodes |
| 1982 | St. Elsewhere | Patient | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1982–1984 | Cagney & Lacey | Cabbie | 2 episodes |
| 1983 | The New Odd Couple | Policeman | Episode: "My Strife in Court" |
| 1983 | 13 Thirteenth Avenue | Vlastock Spoltechzep | Television film |
| 1983 | Newhart | Ed Halstead, Police Officer | 3 episodes |
| 1983–1984 | Knots Landing | Frank Edmunds | 2 episodes |
| 1983–1987 | Hill Street Blues | Pauli, Paulie Shellcop, Paulie | 4 episodes |
| 1984 | Alice | Franklin | Episode: "Vera, the Horse Thief" |
| 1984 | Oh Madeline | Phelps | Episode: "Monday Night Madeline" |
| 1984 | The Facts of Life | Husband | Episode: "All by Herself" |
| 1984 | The New Mike Hammer | Salvatore Juno | 2 episodes |
| 1984 | Domestic Life | Ralph Pomeroy | Episode: "Showdown at Walla Walla" |
| 1984 | 100 Centre Street | Harry Pike | Television film |
| 1984 | Punky Brewster | Elroy Kramer | Episode: "Parents Night" |
| 1984–1985 | It's Your Move | Lou Donatelli | 18 episodes |
| 1985 | Diff'rent Strokes | Ben | Episode: "Sam's Missing" |
| 1985 | Hardcastle and McCormick | Clyde Whitley | Episode: "Strange Hold" |
| 1985 | Cheers | Santo Carbone, Stan | 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Copacabana | Sam Gropper | Television film |
| 1986 | It's a Living | Walter Cliff | Episode: "Gander Gap" |
| 1986 | Benson | Bo | Episode: "Parade Rest" |
| 1986–1987 | Perfect Strangers | Mr. Donald 'Twinkie' Twinkacetti | 22 episodes |
| 1987 | Roxie | Vito Carteri | 6 episodes |
| 1987 | Married... with Children | Mr. Pond | Episode: "Peggy Sue Got Work" |
| 1987 | Hunter | Earnie | Episode: "Turning Point" |
| 1988 | Sledge Hammer! | Al Fresco | Episode: "The Secret of My Excess" |
| 1988 | Mr. Belvedere | Mr. Plumer | Episode: "Roommates" |
| 1989 | A Fine Romance | George Shipman | 13 episodes |
| 1989 | Open House | | Episode: "Murder, He Wrote" |
| 1989 | My Two Dads | Officer Ringer | Episode: "Dad Patrol" |
| 1989 | Quantum Leap | Manny, Sancho Panza | Episode: "Catch a Falling Star - May 21, 1979" |
| 1990 | Coach | Ernie | Episode: "Men Don't Heal" |
| 1990–1991 | Good Grief | Tyrone, Flipper | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Babes | Mo | Episode: "The Last Temptation of Marlene" |
| 1991 | Murphy Brown | Julian | Episode: "Small" |
| 1991 | Saved by the Bell | Leon Carosi | 6 episodes |
| 1991 | Major Dad | Phil | Episode: "Lady in Waiting" |
| 1992 | Seinfeld | Naked Man | Episode: "The Subway" |
| 1992 | A Different World | Campus Security | Episode: "The Cat's in the Cradle" |
| 1992 | Davis Rules | Coach | Episode: "Strike Down the Band" |
| 1992 | Dangerous Curves | Jack Kilty | Episode: "Die Laughing" |
| 1992 | Just My Imagination | Arnold Mayer | Television film |
| 1994 | Mad About You | Maurice | Episode: "Till Death Do Us Part" |
| 1995 | Pins and Needles | Marvin | Television film |
| 1995 | Blame It on Ernie | Unknown role | Unknown episodes |
| 1995–1999 | Timon & Pumbaa | Pumbaa, Bampuu, Gopher | Voice, main role |
| 1997 | Disney's One Saturday Morning | Pumbaa | Voice |
| 1998–1999 | Encore! Encore! | Leo | 5 episodes |
| 1999–2001 | The Practice | Harland Bassett | 4 episodes |
| 1999 | Malcolm & Eddie | Mort Diamond | Episode: "The Tapawingo Witch Project" |
| 1999 | Annie | Mr. Bundles | Television film |
| 2000 | Find Out Why | Pumbaa | Voice, 8 episodes |
| 2000 | Providence | Lou Keppler | 3 episodes |
| 2001 | Ed | Gary Swirdlock | Episode: "Hook, Line and Sinker" |
| 2001–2002 | House of Mouse | Pumbaa | Voice, 14 episodes |
| 2003 | That's So Raven | Mr. Petrachelli | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Blue Bloods | Leon | Episode: "Holds Out" |
| 2015 | The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar | Pumbaa | Voice, television film |
| 2016–2019 | The Lion Guard | Pumbaa | Voice, 10 episodes |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1995 | Animated Storybook: The Lion King | Pumbaa |
| 1995 | Timon & Pumbaa's Jungle Pinball | Pumbaa |
| 1995 | The Lion King: Activity Center | Pumbaa |
| 1995 | Timon & Pumbaa's Jungle Games | Pumbaa |
| 1998 | Disney's Adventures in Typing with Timon and Pumbaa | Pumbaa |
| 1998 | The Lion King II: Simba's Pride Active Play | Pumbaa |
| 2000 | The Lion King: Simba's Mighty Adventure | Pumbaa |
| 2003 | Timon & Pumbaa Virtual Safari | Pumbaa |
| 2004 | Who Wants to be King of the Jungle | Pumbaa |
| 2005 | Kingdom Hearts II | Pumbaa |
| 2007 | Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix | Pumbaa |

### Theme park attractions

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1995–2018 | Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable | Pumbaa |
| 2008–2013 | Wild About Safety | Pumbaa |

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1976–1977 | The Robber Bridegroom | Big Harp, Little Harp | Broadway |
| 1982 | Little Johnny Jones | Whitney Wilson | Tour |
| 1983 | Merrily We Roll Along | Joseph Josephson | Dupree Studio Theatre |
| 1990 | A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum | Pseudolus | La Jolla Playhouse & Segerstrom Center for the Arts |
| 1992 | Guys and Dolls | Harry the Horse | Broadway |
| 1994 | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | Twimble / Wally Womper | La Jolla Playhouse |
| 1996 | A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum | Marcus Lycus | Broadway |
| 1997 | Chicago | Amos Hart | Broadway & Tour Replacement |
| 2002 | Man of La Mancha | Sancho Panza | Broadway |
| 2004–2005 | Sweet Charity | Herman | Broadway |
| 2007–2008 | Curtains | Sidney Bernstein | Broadway |

## Awards and nominations

* 1996 - Daytime Emmy Award - Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program - Nominated
* 2005 - DVDX Award for Best Animated Character Performance (Voice and Animation in a DVD Premiere Movie) - Nominated