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Charles Fleischer (born August 27, 1950) is an American actor, stand-up comedian and voice artist.

Life and career

Fleischer was born in Washington, D.C.. As a child, he is reported to have spent several summers at Kamp Kewanee in La Plume, Pennsylvania, where he started practicing his stand-up routine at age nine. He attended Southampton College of Long Island University, and studied acting at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. He moved to Los Angeles in 1970 to pursue his comedy career.

His stand-up routines are known for their intelligent and unusual bent, discussing such obscure topics as merkins and his mathematical formula, "moleeds".^[1] He has a knack for voices and manic facial expressions reminiscent of a mad scientist.

He is best known as the voices of Roger Rabbit, Benny The Cab, Psycho and Greasy in Disney and Amblin Entertainment's 1988 live action/animated hybrid film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. After that film's success, Fleischer continued to perform the voice of Roger in several Disney television and theme park appearances at several Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and in three follow-up short subjects to the original film. Other voice roles for Fleischer include The Polar Express and We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story. On-screen roles include Back to the Future Part II and Gridlock'd.

Fleischer has had roles on TV shows: he has had a recurring role on the 1970s hit TV series Welcome Back, Kotter as Carvelli, as Chuck on the hit ABC series Laverne & Shirley, and on the popular Disney cartoon series House of Mouse as the voice of Benny The Cab. He guest starred in The Weird Al Show as a guy in a band. He also appeared on the short lived Saturday morning show Wacko.

He is also a musician and songwriter. He performed as a guest on harmonica with the group Blues Traveler at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles on November 22, 1995.

Fleischer is now the part-owner of a multi-media company in Southern California and a writer for TV and movies. He still does stand-up gigs occasionally. He is currently (March-April 2009) appearing at the The Menier Chocolate Factory in London.^[2]

Filmography

• Funny People (2009)
• Zodiac (2007)
• The Polar Express (2004) (voice) film and (VG)
• Balto III: Wings of Change (2004) (V) (voice)
• Big Kiss (2004)
• Balto II: Wolf Quest (2002) (V) (voice)
• Bel Air (2000)
• Rusty: A Dog's Tale (1998)
• Permanent Midnight (1998)
• Gridlock'd (1997)
• Demon Knight (1995)
• My Girl 2 (1994)
• We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (1993) (voice)
• Trail Mix-Up (1993) (voice)
• Carry On Columbus (1992)
• Straight Talk (1992)
• Dick Tracy (1990)
• Roller Coaster Rabbit (1990) (voice)
• Back to the Future Part II (1989)
• Tummy Trouble (1989) (voice)
• Gross Anatomy (1989)
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) (voice)
• Bad Dreams (1988)
• Deadly Friend (1986) (voice)
• A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
• Night Shift (1982)
• Die Laughing (1980)

References

External links

• Charles Fleischer at the Internet Movie Database
• Charles Fleischer's website, MonkeyDog