Currently airing for free on YoutTube, classic cartoon The Real Ghostbusters features new and different actors voicing the iconic characters from the original Ghostbusters film. Peter Venkman, Egon Spengler, Ray Stantz, and Winston Zeddemore are up to their old tricks in the spin-off series which follows the team of paranormal investigators, their secretary Janine Melnitz, and mascot ghost Slimer as they chase and capture rogue spirits in New York City and beyond.
The original Ghostbusters movie quickly became a cultural phenomenon upon release in 1984 and subsequently launched a multi-billion dollar multimedia franchise that includes the animated television series The Real Ghostbusters, which ran from 1986-1991. "The Real" was added to the franchise name as a result of a rights dispute with Filmation’s simultaneous cartoon revamp of their 1970s live-action series The Ghost Busters. In 1988, the Ghostbusters spin-off/sequel was renamed Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters and began featuring an additional half-hour sub-series focusing on the ghost mascot added to the regular thirty-minute episode. An animated follow-up series released in 1997 called Extreme Ghostbusters in which Egon Spengler returns to lead a team of younger, college-level ghostbusters.
The Real Ghostbusters features a star-studded cast of voice actors from the world of film and television, two of whom reprise their roles for the follow-up series, Extreme Ghostbusters. Both animated series are being made available to stream for free on the Ghostbusters YouTube channel with an episode of each releasing per week.
Lorenzo Music as Dr. Peter Venkman (seasons 1 & 2)
Lorenzo Music was the original voice of Jim Davis’ comic strip character Garfield, a role Music played in twelve animated specials in the 1980s and later cartoons, video games, and commercials. Music also voiced Super-Pac in the 1983 Pac-Man television series and Sgt. Dunder in TaleSpin. In live-action television, Music wrote episodes for The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off series Rhoda, the latter of which provided Music’s first major voiceover role as the often-heard but never-seen Carlton the Doorman. Lorenzo Music voices Dr. Peter Venkman in seasons 1 & 2 of The Real Ghostbusters. As the leader of the crew, Venkman receives the lion’s share of attention.
Dave Coulier as Dr. Peter Venkman (seasons 3-7)
David Coulier famously played Joey Gladstone in the ABC sitcom Full House from 1987-1995, where he displayed his talent for doing voices and impersonations. He reprised his Full House role in the Netflix sequel series Fuller House from 2016-2020. Coulier’s voice-over work includes the Animal and Bunsen infants in Muppet Babies, Firkin in Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose, Jason in American Dad!, and a series of characters in Robot Chicken, as well as voicing Felix the Cat on occasion. Coulier also served as co-host of America’s Funniest People in the early 1990s. Dave Coulier voices Dr. Peter Venkman in seasons 3-7 of The Real Ghostbusters.
Maurice LaMarche as Dr. Egon Spengler
In 1993, former stand-up comedian Maurice LaMarche landed, perhaps, his most recognizable role as The Brain, a genetically enhanced laboratory mouse first appearing on beloved animated series Animaniacs and later headlining its spin-off show Pinky and the Brain. Orson Welles appears in one episode of Pinky and the Brain, and it's been said the titular mouse looks and sounds a bit like the legendary Citizen Kane filmmaker. LaMarche has grown accustomed to parodying Welles, doing so on The Simpsons and The Critic. His other voice-over roles include Big Bob in Hey Arnold! and a variety of characters in Futurama. Maurice LaMarche voices Dr. Egon Spengler in The Real Ghostbusters and the follow-up series, Extreme Ghostbusters.
Frank Welker as Dr. Ray Stantz and Slimer
Frank Welker is one of the most famous voice actors of all time with a career spanning seven decades that earned him an Emmy Award for lifetime achievement in 2016. He’s been voicing Fred Jones in the Scooby-Doo franchise since its inception in 1969 in addition to voicing Scooby-Doo himself since 2002. He reprised his role as the eponymous Great Dane for the 2020 CGI-animated feature film Scoob!, making him the only actor from the original series to star in the film. Welker’s other memorable roles include Megatron, Galvatron, and Soundwave in the Transformers franchise, Curious George in the Curious George franchise, Nibbler on Futurama, and even Garfield on The Garfield Show, a character Welker’s The Real Ghostbusters co-star Lorenzo Music originally brought to life. Frank Welker voices Dr. Ray Stantz and the team’s ghost mascot, Slimer, in The Real Ghostbusters.
Arsenio Hall as Winston Zeddemore (seasons 1-3)
After co-starring alongside Eddie Murphy in Coming to America and Harlem Nights, Arsenio Hall rose to national prominence as the host of The Arsenio Hall Show from 1989-1994. The success of his syndicated late-night talk show spawned a second incarnation from 2013-2014. Hall has played himself in a number of feature films and will reprise his role as Semmi in Coming 2 America. Arsenio Hall voices Winston Zeddemore in seasons 1-3 of The Real Ghostbusters.
Buster Jones as Winston Zeddemore (seasons 4-7)
Among Buster Jones’ most memorable roles is the superhero Black Vulcan in Super Friends, an animated television series based on the Justice League of America that ran on ABC from 1973-1985. Jones also voiced Blaster in The Transformers and Doc in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. In addition to his voice-acting roles, Jones served as the host of Dick Clark’s short-lived dance program Soul Unlimited, created as an answer to Soul Train. Buster Jones voices Winston Zeddemore in seasons 4-7 of The Real Ghostbusters and reprises his role in the follow-up series, Extreme Ghostbusters.
Laura Summer as Janine Melnitz (seasons 1 & 2)
Laura Summer’s voice-over roles include Mimi in Hello Kitty’s Paradise, Heather Hogwarsh in Super Pig, and Patamon in the Digimon Adventure series. She’s also joined her co-star Frank Welker in voicing characters for The Garfield Show. Laura Summer voices Janine Melnitz in seasons 1 & 2 of The Real Ghostbusters. She was reportedly replaced after season 2 due to complaints that her characterization of the Ghostbusters secretary was too edgy for younger audiences.
Kath Soucie as Janine Melnitz (seasons 3-7)
Kath Soucie has provided voices for many animated film and television characters, most notably Lola Bunny in the live-action/animation hybrid Space Jam. Soucie’s film debut came five years earlier voicing the Bimbettes in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the first animated film to receive an Academy Awards nomination for Best Picture. Her television roles include Phil, Lil, and their mother, Betty Deville, in Rugrats, Dexter’s Mom in Dexter’s Laboratory, and Mira Bridger and Minister Maketh Tua in Star Wars Rebels. Kath Soucie voices Janine Melnitz in seasons 3-7 of The Real Ghostbusters.
