David Kaye (voice actor)

David Kaye (voice actor)
David Kaye is a Canadian-American voice actor. He is best known for animation roles such as Megatron in five of the Transformers series (Beast Wars, Beast Machines, Armada, Energon, and Cybertron), Optimus Prime in Transformers: Animated, Professor X in X-Men: Evolution, Cronus in Class of the Titans, Khyber in Ben 10: Omniverse, several characters in Avengers Assemble, and Duckworth in the reboot of DuckTales. He is also known for anime roles including Sesshōmaru in Inuyasha and Treize Khushrenada in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, and video game roles such as Clank in the Ratchet & Clank series and Nathan Hale in the Resistance series. He is also the announcer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on HBO and voiced the Celestial Arishem in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Eternals. He did voice work for various other studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for many years while occasionally doing voice work in Los Angeles, California, US, before fully relocating there in 2007.
Early life
During the 1980s, Kaye moved to Vancouver to work in radio. He also did theater, playing George in a production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Elwood P. Dowd in a production of Harvey.
Career
Kaye's voice acting career began in 1989 with General Hawk in the DiC animated series G.I. Joe. Working as an on-air talent for radio station CKLG (LG73), he quickly became less interested as both on-camera and voice roles started taking up more of his time. On-camera opportunities came in the form of guest roles on TV series and movies such as The X-Files, Battlestar Galactica, and Happy Gilmore. During this time, he was cast in several animation shows and video games, including a role as Megatron in Beast Wars. This began a decades-long relationship with the Transformers franchise. In 2007, Kaye become the first and (as of 2021) only actor in the franchise to play both Megatron and Optimus Prime in regular roles, voicing the latter for Cartoon Network's Transformers: Animated. He also lent his voice to the later series Transformers: Prime and Transformers: Robots in Disguise.
In anime, Kaye has been the voice behind Sesshomaru in the English dubbed InuYasha series, Treize Khushrenada in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Recoome in Dragon Ball Z (1996–98) and as Soun Tendo in Ranma ½. His involvement in anime has led to several appearances at conventions. Kaye later moved to Los Angeles and has since worked on Ben 10: Omniverse as the villain Khyber, on Regular Show as Reginald, and on Xiaolin Chronicles as Clay Bailey, F-Bot, and Chase Young. He has voiced several characters on the Avengers Assemble animated series and Max Tennyson in the reboot of Ben 10. He shared the role of the Stretch Monster with Miguel Ferrer in Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters, and also took over in the late actor's role of Vandal Savage in Young Justice: Outsiders.
Kaye also narrates film trailers and network promos for ABC, Fox, The CW, National Geographic, TLC, FX, and others.
Personal life
Kaye and his wife, Maria Hope, have a daughter named Tianna.
Filmography
Animation
Avengers Assemble – Vision, J.A.R.V.I.S., Helmut Zemo / Citizen V, Space Phantom, Blood Brother #1, Ultron, Roxxon Guard, Corvus Glaive, Heinrich Zemo, Guardsman, Additional voices
The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes – Supreme Intelligence
Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! – Headless Count, Bradwick
Beast Machines: Transformers – Megatron
Beast Wars: Transformers – Megatron
Being Ian – Jousting Tournament Announcer, Chopin
Ben 10 – Max Tennyson, Shock Rock, Humungousaur, Fisherman, Steve, Trucker, Spider, Shock-O, Boxer, Clown #2, Lester, Guard, Mr, Billions, Tour Guide (2nd Time), Melvin, Lagrange, Lord Decibel, Karl, Azmuth
Ben 10/Generator Rex: Heroes United – Shocksquatch
Ben 10: Omniverse – Khyber, Cannonbolt, Shocksquatch, Gravattack, Heatblast, Sunder, Frankenstrike, Mallice, Warlord Gar, Ultimate Gravattack, Thumbskull, Forever King, Joseph Chadwick (2nd Time), Lord Transyl, Deefus Veeblepister, Unitaur, Slapstrike, Exo-Skull, Skurd
Class of the Titans – Cronus
Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island – Bunga Berry, Additional Voices
D'Myna Leagues – Barry
Dan Vs. – Various characters
DC Nation Shorts: Shazam – Shazam, Ibac
DC Nation Shorts: Tales of Metropolis – Bizarro
DuckTales – Duckworth, Rhutt Betlam
Electric City – Dr. Loman
Exosquad – General Draconis, Lt. Hallas
Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes – Iron Man (Ep. "Shell Games")
Fat Dog Mendoza – Cry Baby Cry Announcer, Superboots Spokesperson, Pterodactyl, Big Al
Generation O! – Fred Topple
G.I. Joe – General Hawk (season 2)
G.I. Joe: Renegades – Narrator (uncredited), Patrick O'Hara
Gadget and the Gadgetinis – Additional Voices (uncredited)
GeoTrax – Tex/Sir John
Geronimo Stilton – Chippy P. Crunchrat
Green Eggs and Ham – Various characters
Guardians of the Galaxy – Corvus Glaive
Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 – Kromulax
Hurricanes – Narrator
Jackie Chan Adventures – Elvin Elf, Santa Claus
Kleo the Misfit Unicorn – Slim, Various
Kong: The Animated Series – Professor Ramon De la Porta, News Anchor (in "The Giant Robberies") & Lex (in "Dragon Fire").
Mummies Alive! – Talos
NASCAR Racers – Various characters
ReBoot – Head Spectral (Ep. "Where No Sprite Has Gone Before")
Regular Show – Various characters
Rescue Heroes – Rock Miner
RoboCop: Alpha Commando – Various characters
Robot Chicken – Megatron, Invisible Man, 8-bit Blacksmith
Roswell Conspiracies: Aliens, Myths and Legends – Various characters
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated – Argus Fentonpoof, Dr. Phobos, Bill Buntman
Skysurfer Strike Force – Jack Hollister / Skysurfer One (season 2)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - General Tandin, Citizen and Rebel
The Story of Christmas - Joseph
Street Fighter - Akuma
Street Sharks - Dr. Robert Bolton
Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters - Stretch Monster and Epsilon Interviewer
Stroker and Hoop - Ansel, Announcer
Teen Titans Go! - Death, Ferryman, Whimsy Robin, Whimsy Cyborg, Buster and Dragon
The Cramp Twins - News Anchor and Man (Ep. "News Whale/Twisted Ending")
The Wacky World of Tex Avery – Narrator
Tom and Jerry Tales - Mauricio (Ep. "Tiger Cat/Feeding Time/Polar Peril")
Transformers: Animated - Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Lugnut, Cliffjumper, Warpath, Highbrow, Sparkplug Witwicky
Transformers: Prime – Hardshell, Vehicon Trooper #1
Transformers: Robots in Disguise – Hammerstrike, Slashmark, Race Announcer (Ep. 55)
The Twisted Whiskers Show – Dander, Claude, Dash, Fishmonger
Ultimate Spider-Man – J.A.R.V.I.S.
Walter Melon – Alien Father and NASA Reporter
We Bare Bears – Various characters
Xiaolin Chronicles - Clay Bailey, Chase Young and F-Bot
X-Men: Evolution - Charles Xavier / Professor X and En Sabah Nur / Apocalypse
Yakkity Yak – Additional Voices
Young Justice – Vandal Savage, Elongated Man, Steve Lombard, Arion and Kirby Jacobs
Yvon of the Yukon - Several other characters
Anime dubbing
Dragon Ball Z – Recoome (Ocean dub)
Eat-Man '98 – Bolt Crank
Fatal Fury 2: The New Battle – Kim Kaphwan
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex OVAs – Batou
Hello Carbot — Hawk
Inuyasha – Sesshōmaru (1st voice, also movies), Unnamed samurai (oni women), Gakusanjin, O-Yakata's guard, Mimisenri, Unnamed elderly village (Suikotsu's village)
Key the Metal Idol – Tomoyo Wakagi
Maison Ikkoku – Soichiro Otonashi
MegaMan NT Warrior – ProtoMan.EXE
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing – Treize Khushrenada
Monster Rancher – Monol, Captain Clay, Celius, End Bringer, Moo
Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge – Pyron
Ranma ½ – Soun Tendo, The Gambling King, Daisuke, Additional Voices
Ronin Warriors – The Ancient One, Narrator
Tico of the Seven Seas – James
Tokyo Underground – Pairon, Narrator
Transformers: Armada – Megatron / Galvatron
Transformers: Energon – Megatron / Galvatron
Transformers: Cybertron – Megatron / Galvatron
Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon - Sesshōmaru (Episodes 15, 18, 21-25, 27-31, 35-40, 45-48)
Film
Adventures of Mowgli – Akela (English dub)
Barbie and the Three Musketeers – Alexander
Barbie as Rapunzel – Hugo
Barbie in Princess Power – Wes Rivers
Barbie: Mariposa – Royal Guard
Broken Saints – Lear Dunham
Casper's Haunted Christmas – Narrator
DC Showcase: Blue Beetle – Question
Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture – Kim Kaphwan
Hot Wheels AcceleRacers – Deezel "Porkchop" Riggs
Iron Man & Captain America: Heroes United – J.A.R.V.I.S., Computer Voice #1
Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United – J.A.R.V.I.S.
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade – Additional Voices
Inuyasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time – Sesshōmaru
Inuyasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler – Sesshōmaru
Inuyasha the Movie: Fire on the Mystic Island – Sesshōmaru
Night of the Living Carrots – The Missing Link
Planet Hulk – Additional Voices
Ratchet & Clank – Clank
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie – Cupid
Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie – Grafton Brownstone
Scooby-Doo! and the Gourmet Ghost – Henry Metcalf, Chef Edward DuFlay
Teen Titans: The Judas Contract – Additional Voices
The Ant Bully – Sleeping Ant #2, Wrangler Ant, Guard Ant #3
The Hero of Color City – Black, King Scrawl
Up – Newsreel Announcer
Doraemon: Nobita and the New Steel Troops—Winged Angels – Pippo
Video games
Assassin's Creed II – Additional Voices
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood – Salai (Da Vinci's Disappearance DLC)
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II
Batman: Arkham City – James Gordon
Beetle Adventure Racing – Game Announcer
Ben 10: Omniverse – Cannonbolt, Gravattack, Heatblast, Khyber, Shocksquatch, Arachdroid
Ben 10: Omniverse 2 – Cannonbolt, Gravattack, Incursean Frog Commando, Swampfire
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Additional Cast
Dead Island – Logan Carter
Dead Island: Riptide – Logan Carter
Dragalia Lost – Sha Wujing
Disney Infinity 3.0 – J.A.R.V.I.S., Mysterio
Doom 3 – Additional VO
Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil – Additional VO
Hot Shots Golf Fore! – Clank
Fuse – Oculus
Impossible Creatures – Upton Julius
Inuyasha: Feudal Combat – Sesshomaru (English version)
Kessen – Narrator (English version)
Kingdom Hearts III – Olympus Narrator (English version)
Lost: Via Domus – John Locke
Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects – Iron Man
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 – Captain America, Colonel Nick Fury
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order – Corvus Glaive, Mysterio, Vision
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite – Jedah Dohma (English version)
Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond – Matt Hazard
Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space – Random Pilots
Monsters vs. Aliens – Additional Voices
Need for Speed series – Game Announcer
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl – Powdered Toast Man (voiceover added in the June 2022 update)
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway - Powdered Toast Man
Overstrike – Dalton Brooks (Trailer)
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale – Clank
PlayStation Move Heroes – Clank
Psychonauts – Ford Cruller
Psychonauts 2 – Ford Cruller
Ratchet & Clank series – Clank, Klunk, Additional Performers
Resistance series – Nathan Hale
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe – Electro
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions – Mysterio
Star Ocean: The Divine Force – Remington Kurtzman
Star Wars: The Old Republic – Additional Voices
Super Bomberman R – Clank (PlayStation 4 version)
The Cave – Magician, Weight Guesser, Roulette Barker
The Wolf Among Us – Dr. Swineheart
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow – Suhadi Sadono
Transformers – Megatron
Transformers Animated: The Game – Optimus Prime, Lugnut
Other
BBC Radio 1 – Announcer for coverage of the 2007 Miami Winter Music Conference
I Know That Voice – Himself
Live-action
Battlestar Galactica – James McManus
Carpool – Scott Lewis
Death Note – Koreyoshi Kitamura (voice, English dub)
Edge of Tomorrow – UDF Commercial (voice)
Eternals – Arishem (voice)
Happy Gilmore – Reporter
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver – Announcer (voice)
Martian Child – Andy
The Quest – Narrator (voice)
The X-Files – (2 episodes)
X2: X-Men United – TV Host (uncredited)
Susie Q - Don Tanner
References
External links
Interview with David Kaye – Jan 2004
20th-century Canadian male actors
21st-century Canadian male actors
Living people
Audiobook narrators
Canadian expatriates in the United States
Canadian male film actors
Canadian male radio actors
Canadian male stage actors
Canadian male television actors
Canadian male video game actors
Canadian male voice actors
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Year of birth missing (living people)