The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) has announced that award-winning voice actor Peter Cullen will be the Lifetime Achievement Honoree at the 2nd Annual Children's & Family Emmy Awards.
- Cullen’s prestigious honor will be presented during the gala celebration on Sunday, December 17.
- Cullen is being recognized for his enduring contributions as a voice actor in television and film over his expansive career.
- Peter Cullen is known throughout the world as the voice of the wise and heroic leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, on the popular 1980s cartoon series The Transformers, and as the voice of various other robots, including Ironhide, Slugslinger, Streetwise, Wingspan, and Nightstick.
- In 1986, he reprised the voices of Optimus Prime and Ironhide in the animated film, The Transformers: The Movie.
- He voiced Optimus Prime in the blockbuster live-action motion picture franchise Transformers, and in all the subsequent installments, including Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as well as for Bumblebee and last summer's Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
- Cullen was nominated for an Emmy Award for his voice-over performance as Optimus Prime in the animated series, Transformers Prime.
- As for his Disney credits, Cullen also lent his talents to the sad but sincere voice of Eeyore, the eternally pessimistic donkey from Winnie the Pooh who views the world through morose-colored glasses.
- Cullen's voice has been heard in everything from cartoons and television commercials to theatrical promotions, beginning with the popular T.V. series, The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, to the House of Mouse.
- In addition, he is featured on "Disney's Duck Tales'' and plays Monterey Jack on "Chip 'n' Dale's Rescue Rangers."
- Earlier in the 80s, Cullen was the voice of K.A.R.R., the evil incarnation of K.I.T.T., the talking Pontiac Trans-Am, in the David Hasselhoff series, Knight Rider.
- He was also the voice of:
- Mantus in The Pirates of Dark Water
- Hägar in Hägar the Horrible
- Cindarr in Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light
- Venger in Dungeons and Dragons
- The narrator in the Voltron series, in which he also played Commander Hawkins.
- Other television credits include:
- Johnny Quest
- Spider-Man
- G.I. Joe
- My Little Pony and Friends
- Rainbow Brite
- Scooby and Scrappy-Doo
- The Jetsons
What they’re saying:
- Adam Sharp, President and CEO, NATAS: “We are thrilled to recognize Peter Cullen, who has voiced so many iconic characters over a lifetime of true achievement. His remarkable career in many genres of television and film make him an exemplary honoree.”
- Peter Cullen: “Are you sure they have the right Cullen? I spell it C-u-l-l-E-n. Seriously though, I am humbled to be recognized by the Academy with this great honor.”