Billy West

He suffered from chronic depression owing to a troubled childhood for which he resorted to drug and alcohol for a long period of time. However, he has given up drugs and is strictly a vegan.

On October 4, 2006, he revealed on ‘The Adam Carolla Show’ that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer for which he underwent a surgery.

Billy West was very young when his family moved to Boston, where he was raised in the neighborhood of Roslindale.

As a child he learned to play guitar and spent most of his high school days playing for several bands.

He began his career as a standup comedian, before lending his voice for different characters in ‘The Big Mattress show’ of the WBCN, Boston’s radio network.

In 1988, he moved to New York City where he worked at the K-Rock Radio and a little later in the puppet TV show, ‘Beany and Cecil’.

Soon, his talent caught the attention of the famous radio and TV personality Howard Stern who took him as his cast-member and performer for ‘The Howard Stern Show’.

From 1991 to 1996 he gave his voice to popular animated television series ‘The Ren & Stimpy Show’.

In 1996, he offered his voice to the animated sports comedy film ‘Space Jam’ and in 1998 he starred as ‘Shaggy Rogers’, the made-for-video film ‘Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island’.

He became famous for giving his voice to ‘Stimpy’ in the famous animated series ‘The Ren & Stimpy Show’ which was well received and developed a cult following.

His most acclaimed roles are in the animated science fiction sitcom ‘Futurama’ in which he offered his voice for the characters ‘Philip J. Fry’, ‘Professor Farnsworth’, ‘Doctor Zoidberg’ and ‘Zapp Brannigan’.