He’s been called Pixar’s “good-luck charm,” and that’s because to date, John Ratzenberger has done voice work for every Pixar film. The 71-year-old actor might forever be known to TV viewers as Cliff Clavin on “Cheers,” but to audiences who have grown up with these movies, he’s been a consistent voice for over 20 years. Ratzenberger returned to voice the villain The Underminer in the latest Pixar joint, “The Incredibles 2,” opening this Friday. And whether it’s a supporting part or a quick, Easter Egg cameo, Ratzenberger has always been there. Here’s a chronological list of each of those characters:
Hamm – “Toy Story,” “Toy Story 2,” “Toy Story 3”
By far Ratzenberger’s most well-known Pixar character, this porking piggy bank is chock-full of great one-liners and quips across the “Toy Story” trilogy, whether it’s trading jokes with Mr. Potato Head or making snide put downs about Andy’s neighbor Sid. My favorite though is his admiration of one Buzz Lightyear. “Ooh, impressive wingspan. Very good.”
P.T. Flea – “A Bug’s Life”
You may have forgotten about “A Bug’s Life” in the Pixar oeuvre, but Ratzenberger gives his most exuberant performance in it, playing a literal parasite in the circus industry. “There was a line of flies outside the tent, went on forever. It must’ve been a foot long!”
Yeti – “Monsters, Inc.,” “Monsters University”
Ratzenberger showed his lovable side as the banished, abominable snowman in “Monsters, Inc.” All he wants is to be liked, even if he does want to serve “lemon” snow cones.
Fish School – “Finding Nemo”
In “Finding Nemo,” Ratzenberger portrays a school of fish that loves doing impressions and mocking a sourpuss like Marlin.
The Underminer – “The Incredibles,” “The Incredibles 2”
It almost looked like Pixar went a whole movie without including Ratzenberger, but he shows up right at the end as a new villain for the superhero family, a mole man with a gigantic drill called The Underminer. The sequel picks up right where the original left off with The Incredibles doing battle with Ratzenberger’s Underminer villain.
Mack – “Cars,” “Cars 2,” “Cars 3”
Ratzenberger plays the traveling big-rig truck to Lightning McQueen named Mack. And in the first “Cars,” the movie ends with a credits sequence in which Mack goes to a drive-in theater and watches car-versions of every Pixar movie, which of course each feature his own voice. “They’re just using the same actor over and over,” he says. “What kind of cut-rate production is this?!”
Mustafa – “Ratatouille”
Ratzenberger gets to put on his best French accent to play the neurotic waiter in “Ratatouille,” Mustafa.
John – “Wall-E”
Ratzenberger makes a quick cameo as one of the bloated humans aboard the Axiom as Wall-E tries to track down EVE.
Construction Foreman Tom – “Up”
Ratzenberger’s character gets a face-full of leaf blower when he appears early on in “Up,” playing a construction foreman offering Carl Fredricksen a big haul to sell and demolish his precious house.
Gordon – “Brave”
Another blink and you’ll miss it cameo, Ratzenberger voices a castle guard named Gordon in 2012’s “Brave.”
Fritz – “Inside Out”
Ratzenberger plays a brain cell serving as a repairman for the board operated by young Riley’s feelings.
Earl – “The Good Dinosaur”
Ratzenberger’s cameo is the shortest yet in what also might be Pixar’s most disappointing film, but he plays a velociraptor that’s part of the main villain’s gang in “The Good Dinosaur.”
Husband Crab (Bill) – “Finding Dory”
Rather than reprise his role as the school of fish in the “Finding Nemo” sequel, Ratzenberger played a husband crab who snips grass just before Dory slips into some pipes to escape her new aquarium home.
Juan Ortodoncia – “Coco”
While “Coco” is mostly made up of a Latin cast, directors Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina still found a spot for Ratzenberger as one of the traveling souls on the Day of the Dean, Juan Ortodoncia, who can be seen getting his photo snapped crossing the border to the real world.
