Mark Dindal came with the idea of Chicken Little in 2001 with its title character envisioned as a female protagonist who went to summer camp to reduce her anxiety as well as repair the relationship with her father. At the summer camp, she’d uncover a nefarious plot that her camp counselor was planning against her hometown. When Dindal pitched this idea to Michael Eisner, the latter suggested that Chicken Little be changed to a male because Dindal recalled, “if you’re a boy and you’re short, you get picked on.” Yet, popular market research wisdom at the time lives by the idea that girls would see movies with boy protagonists but boys won’t see one with a girl protagonist. Although I could argue otherwise with movies like Cinderella, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Little Mermaid, Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, Gone with the Wind, Titanic, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, and several more. In 2003, when David Stainton became Disney’s new president of Walt Disney Feature Animation, he decided that the story needed a different approach. Thus, it was rewritten as a boy trying to save his town from space aliens. To visualize the story, Disney selected 50% of its 2D animation staff to put them in a CGI animation team and placed them through a rigorous 18-month training program with George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic, which included an introduction to Alias’ Maya that would serve as the main 3D animation software used on the project. This was due to Eisner’s announcing that the studio would move to computer animation as a response to a downturn caused by rising competition from Pixar and Dreamworks as well as unsatisfactory box office performances during the early 2000s with the exception of Lilo & Stitch and Brother Bear. As some of the animators had worked on Dinosaur, the animators took inspiration for its staging, coloring, and theatrical lighting from Mary Blair’s background designs in Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. For aesthetics in background designs, the background layouts sparingly used digitally matte paintings to render out the naturalistic elements but they were retouched with Adobe Photoshop as background cards featured in the film. For characters’ designs and animation style, Disney sought to capture the “roundness” as seen in Disney animated works from the 1940s and 1950s. Chicken Little would be Disney’s first fully computer-animated film. Upon its 2005 release, it received mixed reviews from critics and $314 million at the box office. It also won the 2005 Stinkers Bad Movie Award for Worst Animated Film. Today it holds a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 37%.

              Development for Cars began in 1998 after Pixar finished production with A Bug’s Life. At the time, Jorgen Klubien began writing a new script called The Yellow Car, a story about an electric car living in a gas-guzzling world inspired by The Ugly Duckling, an idea triggered by poor reception his countrymen gave to the Mini-El car. Although it was originally supposed to be the next Pixar film after A Bug’s Life, that idea was scrapped in favor of Toy Story 2. Later, production resumed with major script changes like giving Mater, Doc, and a few other characters bigger parts. John Lasseter said that inspiration for the film’s story came after he took a cross-country road trip with his wife and 5 sons in 2000. When he returned to the studio after his vacation, he contacted Route 66 historian Michael Wallis who led 11 Pixar animators in rented Cadillacs on 2 different roads across the route to research the film. For the cars, Lasseter visited the design studios of the Big 3 Detroit automakers, particularly J Mays of Ford Motor Company. There, he learned how real cars were designed. Unlike most anthropomorphic cars, the cars’ eyes were placed on the windshield rather than within the headlights. Upon its 2006 release, Cars opened to positive reviews and grossing $462 million at the box office. In this post, you’ll meet filmmakers Brad Lewis and Mark Dindal, actors Steve Zahn, Fred Willard, and Jenifer Lewis, as well as the voices behind Mama Heffalump, Foxy Loxy, Mater, Sheriff, and Sarge.

331. Brad Lewis

Dates: 1958-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Sacramento, California and raised in San Mateo. Moved to nearby San Carlos in 1991. Graduated from Fresno State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. Worked at Pacific Data Images for over 13 years where he served as executive Producer, Vice President of Production, and lead the expansion of the partnership with DreamWorks/SKG. Joined Pixar in 2001.

Movies and Cartoons: The Incredibles (2004), Ratatouille (2007), and Cars 2 (2011)

Characters: Tubbs Pacer

Also Known For: Producer, director, writer, and politician. Has worked behind the scenes of The Incredibles (2004), Ratatouille (2007), and Cars 2 (2011) as well as the short Your Friend the Rat. Non-Disney work includes Bushwhacked, Broken Arrow, The Arrival, A Simple Wish, The Peacemaker, Antz, Shrek, Forces of Nature, Ponyo, Storks, The Lego Batman Movie, and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. TV work includes The Last Halloween and The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror VI.

Personal Life: Married to Andrea McCarthy. They have a son named Jackson and a daughter named Ellen Dale.

Later Life: Served 5 years on the San Carlos Parks & Recreation Commission before being elected to the city’s council in 2005. Was elected vice-mayor in 2006 and mayor in 2007. Also served on the San Carlos City Council in 2010. Joined Digital Domain in 2011 at their Tradition Studios division in Florida where he was to direct animated features. After Digital Domain’s bankruptcy filing as well as and the shutdown and layoffs at Tradition Studios, Lewis joined Warner Bros. as a producer. Has recently returned to Dreamworks. Lives in Durham, North Carolina.

Trivia: Has won 2 Emmys.

332. Brenda Blethyn

Dates: 1946-present

Early Life and Career: Born Brenda Bottle in Ramsgate, Kent in England as the youngest of 9 children in a working-class Roman Catholic family. Parents met while servants in the same great house. Mother was a former maid. Father was a shepherd, Royal Field Artillery soldier stationed in India for 6 years, chauffer, and car factory mechanic. By the time she was born, her 3 eldest siblings had already left home. Parents introduced Blethyn to film with weekly outings to the movies. Trained at a technical college to work as a stenographer and bookkeeper for a bank as a young adult. However, towards the end of her first marriage, Blethlyn opted to turn her hobby of amateur dramatics to her professional advantage. After studying at the Guildford School of Acting, Blethlyn went onto the London stage in 1976, performing several seasons with the Royal National Theatre. After winning the London Critics’ Circle Theatre Award in 1980, Blethlyn made her screen debut. Made her film debut in 1990.

Movies and Cartoons: Pooh’s Heffalump Movie (2005) and the direct-to-video Tigger & Pooh and a Musical Too.

Characters: Mama Heffalump

Also Known For: British actress known for her character work and versatility. Film appearances include The Witches, A River Runs Through It, Secrets & Lies, Girls’ Night, Music From Another Room, Night Train, Saving Grace, Sonny, Plots with a View, The Wild Thornberrys Movie, The Sleeping Dictionary, Blizzard, Piccadilly Jim, Beyond the Sea, Way of Life, Belonging, On a Clear Day, Pride & Prejudice (2005), Clubland, Atonement, The Calling, Dead Man Running, My Angel, Two Men in Town, and Ethel & Ernest. TV appearances include Grown-Ups, Play for Today, Yes, Minister, King Lear, Death of an Expert Witness, Rumpole at the Bailey, The Fist Part of Henry the Sixth, Weekend Playhouse, Chance in a Million, That Uncertain Feeling, The Play on One, The Labours of Erica, All Good Things, The Buddha of Suburbia, Outside Edge, Anne Frank: The Whole Story, Between the Sheets, War and Peace, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Vera, Playhouse Presents, and Kate & Koji. Stage appearances include Tamburlaine, Bedroom Farce, Steaming, Crimes of the Heart, Benefactors, Dalliance, A Doll’s House, Born Yesterday, Absent Friends, An Ideal Husband, Habeas Corpus, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, and The Glass Menagerie.

Personal Life: Married twice. First husband was graphic designer Alan James Blethyn from 1964 to their divorce in 1973. Second and current husband is art director Michael Mayhew whom she’s been with since 1975 but they’ve only been married since 2010.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Has won a BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Cannes Film Festival Award. Has received 2 Academy Award and 2 Primetime Emmy nominations. Was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2003.

333. Steve Zahn

Dates: 1967-present

Early Life and Career: Born Steven James Zahn in Marshall, Minnesota. Father was a Lutheran minister. Mother was a bookstore clerk and YMCA administrator. Spent part of his childhood in Mankato, where he attended Kennedy Elementary School but moved to the suburbs of Minneapolis for high school. Graduated from Robinsondale Cooper High School in New Hope in 1986, planning to eventually join the US Marine Corps. Attended Gustavus Adolphus College but dropped out after seeing the original West End production of Les Miserables. Later enrolled in the Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard, earning a Master of Fine Arts. Made his professional debut in a Minnesota production of Biloxi Blues after falsely claiming membership of the Actors’ Equity. After Zahn’s fellow actors suggested he study acting, he enrolled in the American Repertory Theater’s 2-year training program. In 1991, Zahn formed the Malaparte theater company with fellow actors Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard, Made his film debut in 1994.

Movies and Cartoons: Chicken Little (2005) and The Good Dinosaur (2015) as well as the Chicken Little video game and the series Phineas and Ferb.

Characters: Runt of the Litter and Thnderclap

Also Known For: Actor best known as Davis McAlary in Treme, Cobi in Mad Dogs, Jude Ellis in The Crossing, and Mark Mossbacher in The White Lotus. Film appearances include That Thing You Do!, Happy, Texas, Joy Ride, National Security, A Perfect Getaway, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Reality Bites, Out of Sight, Forces of Nature, Employee of the Month, Riding in Cars with Boys, Sahara (2005), Rescue Dawn, Dallas Buyers Club, Captain Fantastic, War for the Planet of the Apes, Rain Without Thunder, Crimson Tide, The Object of My Affection, Out of Sight, You’ve Got Mail, Forces of Nature, Stuart Little, Hamlet (2000), Dr. Doolittle 2, Saving Silverman, Daddy Day Care, Shattered Glass, Speak, The Great Buck Howard, Strange Wilderness, Sunshine Cleaning, Night Train, Escape from Planet Earth, The Ridiculous 6, Where’d You Go, Bernardette, Tall Girl, Uncle Frank, 8-Bit Christmas, Night at the Museum: Kuhmunrah Rises Again, Your Place or Mine, LeRoy, Texas, and Wildcat. TV appearances include All My Children, Friends, Liberty! The American Revolution, From the Earth to the Moon, Comanche Moon, Monk, WWII in HD, Mind Games, Modern Family, Valley of the Boom, The Healing Powers of Dude, The Good Lord Bird, The Last Movie Stars, George & Tammy, The Righteous Gemstones, and Silo.

Personal Life: Son-in-law of clothier J. Peterman. Married to author and theater artist Robyn Peterman since 1994. Have 2 children. Has a 36-acre farm outside Lexington, Kentucky where he gardens and raises horses, goats, and sheep. He and his wife also run a local community theater where Zahn occasionally performs. In addition, he has a cabin near Pine City, Minnesota where he enjoys tubing and fishing with his kids.

Later Life: Is still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Is a major military history buff whose biggest regret was turning down a role in Band of Brothers. Was awarded an honorary Ph.D. from Northern Kentucky University in 2007.

334. Amy Sedaris

Dates: 1961-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Endicott, New York as the fourth of 6 children. Father was an IBM engineer and the son of Greek immigrants. Paternal grandmother spoke no English and had a shoe shining store in New York. Family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina when she was 4. During her childhood, Sedaris liked playing dress-up and putting on plays for her family. She’d also often assume characters to play pranks on them as well. During her first job at the local Winn-Dixie supermarket, she’d fake announcements over the loudspeaker as well as worked at a local women’s prison. Attended Jesse O. Sanderson High School and was a Girl Scout until she graduated. At 20, Sedaris and her mother worked together making and selling spanakopita. During that time, she dated a man from Greece whom she found unconscious on her kitchen floor from a brain aneurysm after she returned home. She spent the next 3 years caring for him until they eventually broke up. Later, she moved to Chicago with her brother David as well as took classes at Second City and Annoyance Theatre while working as a waitress at the Zanies Comedy Club. In the late 1980s, Sedaris was hired to perform with Second City’s touring company where she met Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert. She then left Second City in 1993 and moved to New York where she made her TV debut in the sketch series Exit 57.

Movies and Cartoons: Chicken Little (2005) as well as the live-action version of The Lion King, the Chicken Little video game, and the series Duck Tales and Doc McStuffins.

Characters: Foxy Loxy

Also Known For: Actress, comedian, and writer best known as Jerri Blank in Strangers with Candy, Hurshe Heartshe in The Heart, She Holler, Princess Carolyn in BoJack Horseman, Mimi Kanasis in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Peli Motto in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Film appearances include Maid in Manhattan, School of Rock, Elf, Bewitched, Shrek the Third, Jennifer’s Body, Puss in Boots, Chef, Ghost Team, Handsome, The Boss Baby: Family Business, Commandments, Jump Tomorrow, My Baby’s Daddy, Romance & Cigarettes, Stay, Full Grown Men, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, Snow Angels, Dedication, Dance Flick, Old Dogs, Beware the Gonzo, The Best and the Brightest, Ping Pong Summer, Goodbye to All That, Hits, Save Yourselves, Clerks III, Theater Camp, Somebody I Used to Know, Ghosted, and No Time to Spy: A Loud House Movie. TV appearances include Exit 57, Just Shoot Me!, Late Show with David Letterman, Sex and the City, Monk, Ed, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Wonder Showzen, Sesame Street, My Name Is Earl, The Colbert Report, Rescue Me, You Gabba Gabba!, The Closer, The New Adventures of Old Christine, American Dad!, The Middle, The Problem Solverz, Royal Pains, Raising Hope, The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Fun Time Hour, Bob’s Burgers, SpongeBob SquarePants, Hot in Cleveland, The Good Wife, 30 Rock, Alpha House, Mr. Pickles, Broad City, Kevin from Work, Horace and Pete, Adventure Time, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Steven Universe, Match Game, At Home with Amy Sedaris, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, You’re Not a Monster, Bubble Guppies, F Is for Family, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Robot Chicken, Dicktown, Girls5eva, Harley Quinn, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Life & Beth, Fantasmas, Grimsburg, Mulligan, The Tiny Chef, The Simpsons, Frasier, and Doctor Odyssey. Stage appearances include The Country Club, Wonder of the World, Wigfield, and Gutenberg! The Musical!.

Personal Life: Younger sister of author David Sedaris and a lot of the details Wikipedia lists of her early life are mostly according to him. Her younger sister Tiffany committed suicide in 2013. Was in a relationship with Paul Dinello from 1987 to 1994. Yet, they have remained friends after their breakup and is godfather to 2 of Dinello’s kids.

Later Life: Has run a cupcake and cheeseball business called Dusty Food Cupcakes out of her home kitchen, which she named after her pet rabbit. Currently lives in Greenwich Village in New York City. Co-authored a text-and-picture book with Dinello and Colbert called Wigfield. Has contributed articles to The Believer magazine since 2005. Has also written a couple books about entertaining and crafts as well as co-authored several plays with her brother David.

Trivia: Has won a Writers Guild of America Award for her variety sketch series. Was nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Appeared in an anti-fur ad for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that read, “When you wear fur, people laugh at you, not with you.” Was emcee at Microsoft’s annual employee meeting in Seattle in 2010.

335. Fred Willard

Dates: 1933-2020

Early Life and Career: Born Frederick Charles Willard Jr. in Cleveland, Ohio. Raised in Shaker Heights. Father died when he was 12. Graduated from the Kentucky Military Institute in 1951 and the Virginia Military Institute in 1955. Was stationed in Germany while serving in the US Army. Stage career began when Willard moved to New York City during the late 1950s with initial work included a production of The Desperate Hours at the local YMCA where he worked with future comedy partner Vic Grecco. Under the name Willard & Grecco, the pair performed in the Greenwich Village area, found some success touring, and appeared on The Dean Martin Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and The Tonight Show.  They were offered roles on Get Smart and The Carol Burnett Show but the offers fell through due to poor management. Willard and Grecco later parted ways in 1968. Made film debut in 1967 with Teenage Mother. One of Willard’s earliest stage performances was with Second City in Chicago with Robert Klein and David Steinberg. Was also a founding member of the improvisational group Ace Trucking Company who performed on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson over 50 times.

Movies and Cartoons: Chicken Little (2005), WALL-E (2008), and Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014) as well as various series.

Characters: Melvin, Shelby Forthright, and the Secretary of the Interior

Also Known For: Actor and comedian best known for his performances in Christopher Guest films. Film appearances include This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, Best in Show, For Your Consideration, Mascots, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, American Wedding, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Teenage Mother, Model Shop, Jenny, Dynamite Summer, The Harrad Experiment, Hustle, Silver Streak, Fun with Dick and Jane (1977), Cracking Up, First Family, National Lampoon’s Movie Madness, Roxanne, Moving Violations, High Strung, Permanent Midnight, Can’t Stop Dancing, Idle Hands, Chump Change, The Wedding Planner, Teddy Bears’ Picnic, How High, Killer Diller, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, Love Wrecked, Date Movie, Church Ball, Monster House, Ira & Abby, Epic Movie, Harold, Youth in Revolt, The Magic of Belle Isle, Max Rose, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, The Yank, and Fifty Shades of Black. TV appearances include Everybody Loves Raymond, Modern Family, Get Smart, Premiere, The Bob Newhart Show, Laverne & Shirley, Sirota’s Court, Fernwood 2 Night, Saturday Night Live, Salem’s Lot, Real People, The Love Boat, SCTV Network, Mama’s Family, Trapper John M.D., The History of White People in America, Getting the Last Laugh, George Burns Comedy Week, Faerie Tale Theatre, Fast Times, The Golden Girls, Married…with Children, Dream On, Family Matters, Dave’s World, Murphy Brown, Roseanne, Friends, Clueless, Sister, Sister, The Spootacular New Adventures of Casper, Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Muppets Tonight, Diagnosis: Murder, The Weird Al Show, The Wayans Bros., Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Two Guys and a Girl, Mad About You, The Simpsons, Just Shoot Me!, Love & Money, The Hughleys, Ally McBeal, Undeclared, Girlfriends, King of the Hill, Hey Arnold!, Dexter’s Laboratory, Family Guy, Teamo Supremo, That ‘70s Show, Mad TV, The Drew Carey Show, The Batman, The Grim Adventures of Bill & Mandy, Re-Animated, Squirrel Boy, Come on Over, Stargate SG-1, Odd Job Jack, Back to You, Betsy’s Kindergarten Adventures, Pushing Daisies, Transformers Animated, Worst Week, The Boondocks, Free Radio, Everybody Hates Chris, Castle, Important Things with Demetri Martin, Chuck, Funny or Die Presents, The Closer, G. I. Joe: Renegades, Raising Hope, Market Warriors, Hot in Cleveland, The Cleveland Show, Community, Family Tree, Drunk History, Black Jesus, The Birthday Boys, Review, The Bold and the Beautiful, TripTank, Hell’s Kitchen, Celebrity Family Feud, The Loud House, The $100,000 Pyramid, The Odd Couple, New Girl, Tim & Eric’s Bedtime Stories, Milo Murphy’s Law, Corporate, Skylanders Academy, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Historical Roasts, The Bachelorette, The Bachelor, and Space Force.

Personal Life: Married to Mary Lovell from 1947 to her death in 2018. Has a daughter and a grandson.

Later Life: In 2012, Willard was arrested to what I refer to as pulling a Pee-Wee Herman at a porn theater on Santa Monica Boulevard and brought to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Hollywood station. Of course, given what porn movies are supposed to encourage when one watches them, there was no proof of any misconduct and no charges were filed. Still, it was enough for PBS to fire him from Market Warriors following Willard’s arrest and replace him with Antiques Roadshow host Mark L. Wahlberg. While Willard was required to take a sex education diversion program. Died at his Los Angeles home in 2020 at 86. Cause of death was reported as cardiac arrest, with coronary artery disease and myelodysplastic syndrome as contributing factors. Buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

Trivia: Has received several Emmy Award nominations.

336. Mark Dindal

Dates: 1960-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Columbus, Ohio. Growing up, Dindal was influenced by Disney movies and Warner Bros. Saturday cartoons. Cites one of his influences as The Sword in the Stone (1963) which his grandmother took him to see when he was 3. His father also took art as a hobby and taught Dindal to draw while growing up in Syracuse, New York. Attended Jamesville-DeWitt High School where he attended most of the art classes the school had to offer as well as made comic strips and short films. Learned animation at CalArts and began working at Disney in 1980.

Movies and Cartoons: Chicken Little (2005)

Characters: Morkubine Porcupine and The Coach

Also Known For: Filmmaker, animator, and voice actor best known for his work at Disney. Has worked behind the scenes of The Fox and the Hound (1981), The Black Cauldron (1985), The Great Mouse Detective (1986), Oliver and Company (1988), The Little Mermaid (1989), The Rescuers Down Under (1990), Aladdin (1992), The Emperor’s New Groove (2000), and Chicken Little (2005) as well as the direct-to-video Kronk’s New Groove along with several series and specials. Was involved in non-Disney projects such as The Brave Little Toaster, Pinocchio and the Emperor of Night, The Rocketeer, Tom and Jerry: The Movie, Happily Ever After, Cats Don’t Dance, Wonder Park, and The Garfield Movie.

Personal Life: Married to Samie Maeda since 1981. Has 2 children.

Later Life: Left Disney for good in 2006 since he was tired of dealing with then-WDFA head David Stainton. Has now worked for other studios lately such as Dream Works and Sony Pictures.

Trivia: Has won an Annie for Cats Don’t Dance.

337. Larry the Cable Guy

Dates: 1963-present

Early Life and Career: Born Daniel Lawrence Whitney in Pawnee City, Nebraska. Father was a non-denominational Christian minister. Family moved to West Palm Beach, Florida when he was 16. Attended high school at The King’s Academy where his father was the elementary school principal from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. But he graduated from Berean Christian School in 1982 where he played football. Whitney went to college at Baptist University of America in Georgia and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, where he majored in drama and speech. Credits his roommates from Texas and Georgia for inspiring his Southern accent impression. However, Whitney dropped out during his junior year after trying his hand at comedy. Started his career in the early 1990s when he made appearances on the nationally syndicated radio program The Ron and Ron Show as well as others such as The Bob and Tom Show on WPDH, The Todd and Tyler Radio Empire on KEZO in Omaha, Nebraska, and The Johnny Dare Morning Show on KQRC in Kansas City, Missouri. Initially performing stand up under his real name with limited success, Whitney became famous after developing the Larry the Cable Guy, a personality he now maintains throughout his stage act. This character has a stereotypical redneck appearance and thick Southern accent who recounts stories about his “family” and uses among other common expressions, his own catchphrase “Git-R-Done.” Often turns his accent on and off stage because he may forget it if he kept his normal accent intact.

Movies and Cartoons: Cars (2006), Cars 2 (2011), and Cars 3 (2017) as well as a few series of short films, the short Mater and the Ghostlight, a few theme park attractions, and several video games.

Characters: Mater

Also Known For: Stand-up comedian, actor, and radio personality who was one of the members of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. Has also released 7 comedy albums, 2 of which been certified platinum and one of which has been certified gold by the RIAA. Film appearances include Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector, Delta Farce, Witless Protection, Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie, Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again, Tooth Fairy 2, and A Madea Christmas. TV appearances include Blue Collar TV, Are You Smarter Than a 5^th Grader?, The Comedy Central Roast of Larry the Cabel Guy, Bounty Hunters, The Masked Singer, and Yellowstone. Albums include Lord, I Apologize, A Very Larry Christmas, The Right to Bare Arms, Morning Constitutions, Christmastime in Larryland, and Tailgate Party.

Personal Life: Has been married to his wife Cara since 2005. They have a son named Wyatt and a daughter named Reagan,

Later Life: Currently resides in Lincoln, Nebraska on a 180-acre farm. Established the Git-R-Done Foundation in 2009 to provide assistance to those that have experienced hardships beyond their control. Donated $5 million to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida. The gift was for further development of the International Hip Dysplasia Institute at the Orlando Hospital, where Dr. Chad Price cured his son Wyatt of the condition when he was a baby. Currently works as a radio personality for Sirius XM’s Jeff & Larry’s Comedy Roundup channel.

Trivia: Pawnee City, Nebraska has a street named after him. Has been nominated for 2 Grammys and several Razzie Awards.

338. Michael Wallis

Dates: 1945-present

Early Life and Career: Born in St. Louis, Missouri. Graduated from Western Military Academy in Alton, Illinois. Attended the University of Missouri in Columbia and later moved to Miami, Florida in 1978 where he worked for Time’s Caribbean Bureau.

Movies and Cartoons: Cars (2006), Cars 2 (2011), and Cars 3 (2017) as well as the short Mater and the Ghostlight, the Cars Toons series, several video games, and the Radiator Springs Racers theme park attraction.

Characters: Sheriff

Also Known For: Journalist, popular historian, author, and speaker who’s written 17 books, including Route 66: The Mother Road. Work has been published extensively in magazines and newspapers such as Time, Life, People, Smithsonian, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. Books include The Best Land Under Heaven: The Donner Party in the Age of Manifest Destiny, David Crockett: The Lion of the West, The Wild West: 365 Days, Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride, The Lincoln Highway: Coast to Coast from Times Square to the Golden Gate, Way Down Yonder in the Indian Nation, Oil Man: The Story Of Frank Phillips & The Birth Of Phillips Petroleum, Mankiller: A Chief and Her People, and Pretty Boy: The Life and Times of Charles Arthur Floyd.

Personal Life: Currently lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with his wife Suzanne Fitzgerald.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Has received the John Steinbeck Award and the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book. Has received the Will Rogers Spirit Award and the Western Heritage Award from the National Cowboy Hall & Western Heritage Museum. Has been inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and the Writers Hall of Fame. Was the first inductee to the Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame.

339. Paul Dooley

Dates: 1928-present

Early Life and Career: Born Paul Brown in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Father was a factory worker. Said that Parkersburg had few attractions that interested him since there weren’t many cultural opportunities. Enjoyed listening to comedians on the radio, particularly Jimmy Durante. In high school, he often performed at fairs as a clown named Dooley and would legally change his surname in the mid-1950s to match his clown persona. Since there already was a Broadway actor named Paul Brown. Dooley was also a cartoonist in his youth and drew a strip for a local Parkersburg newspaper. Joined the US Navy in 1946 and served for 2 years before returning home and graduating from West Viriginia University in 1952. Afterwards, Dooley moved to New York City to try his luck in the entertainment industry. Initially found work as a clown at children’s birthday parties before his stage debut got him discovered by director Mike Nichols who casted him in The Odd Couple on Broadway. Although Dooley initially appeared as one of Oscar Madison’s poker friends, he’d later take over the role of Felix Unger after Art Carney left the show. Walter Matthau also referred Dooley to the William Morris Agency during this time as well. In addition to working on Broadway, Dooley was a stand-up comedian for 5 years, eventually landing on The Tonight Show as well as a member of the Compass Players and The Second City troupe in New York alongside Alan Arkin and Alan Alda. Later on, Dooley would be one of the head writers of The Electric Company on recommendation by Carl Reiner where he created Easy Reader, a role that launched Morgan Freeman’s career. He also helped form a company called All Over Creation to create commercials for radio and TV, which produced about 500 commercials and 1,000 radio spots. A character named Paul the Gorilla that appeared in their commercials was named after him.

Movies and Cartoons: Cars (2006), Cars 2 (2011), and Cars 3 (2017) as well as several video games and the Radiator Springs Racer theme park attraction.

Characters: Sarge

Also Known For: Character actor best known for co-creating The Electric Company as well as for his roles in various Christopher Guest mockumentaries. Film appearances include Breaking Away, Popeye, Strange Brew, Sixteen Candles, The Out-of-Towners (1970), Up the Sandbox, Death Wish, Slap Shot, Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure, A Wedding, A Perfect Couple, Kiss Me Goodbye, O. C. and Stiggs, Going Berserk, Monster in the Closet, Big Trouble, Last Rites, Lip Service, Flashback, White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd, Shakes the Clown, The Player, A Dangerous Woman, Waiting for Guffman, Clockwatchers, Telling Lies in America, Guinevere, Runaway Bride, Insomnia, A Mighty Wind, Employee of the Month, Madison, Come Away Home, For Your Consideration, Hairspray (2007), Sunshine Cleaning, Bedtime Stories, Turbo, Other People, and Selfie Dad. TV appearances include Get Smart, Bewitched, The Night the Animals Talked, Sesame Street, Captain Kangaroo, American Playhouse, Faerie Tale Theatre, CBS Schoolbreak Special, Tales from the Darkside, The Golden Girls, ALF, The Murder of Mary Phagan, Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North, When He’s Not a Stranger, Thirtysomething, The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson, Coach, Sunday Dinner, Square One Television, The Wonder Years, Batman: The Animated Series, Perry Mason: The Case of the Heartbroken Bride, Mad About You, Dream On, Tales of the City, Tales from the Crypt, L.A. Law, Chicago Hope, My So-Called Life, Grace Under Fire, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, ER, Ellen, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Tracey Takes On…, Dharma & Greg, The Practice, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Ally McBeal, Providence, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Becker, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Desperate Housewives, 7^th Heaven, Boston Legal, Grey’s Anatomy, Scrubs, Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union, Private Practice, Hot in Cleveland, Criminal Minds, Major Crimes, Parenthood, Childrens Hospital, Workaholics, The Good Doctor, Shameless, The Kids Are Alright, Life in Pieces, and Modern Family.

Personal Life: Married twice. First wife was Donna Lee Wasser from 1958 until their divorce. They had 3 children. Second and current wife is playwright, actress, screenwriter, and producer Winnie Holzman since 1984. They have a daughter named Savannah who’s a screenwriter and TV producer.

Later Life: Lives in Toluca Lake in Los Angeles. Published his memoir Movie Dad: Finding Myself and My Family, On Screen and Off in 2022.

Trivia: None.

340. Jenifer Lewis

Dates: 1957-present

Early Life and Career: Born in the St. Louis suburb of Kinloch, Missouri as the youngest of 7 children. Mother was a nurse’s aide. Father was a factory worker. Sang in the church choir at 5. Attended Kinloch High School and Webster University in Webster Groves, Missouri. Moved to New York after college. Soon after arriving, Lewis debuted on Broadway in 1979. After being passed over for the role of Effie White in the Broadway version of Dreamgirls, Lewis became a Harlette, one of Bette Midler’s backup singers. Moved to Los Angeles during the early 1990s.

Movies and Cartoons: Cars (2006), The Princess and the Frog (2008), Cars 2 (2011), and Cars 3 (2017) as well as various series, a few video games, and a few theme park attractions.

Characters: Flo and Mama Odie

Also Known For: Actress known unofficially as “The Mother of Black Hollywood” due to playing mothers in many of her film and television appearances. Best known roles are Lana Hawkins in Strong Medicine and Ruby Johnson in Black-ish. Film appearances include Beaches, Sister Act, What’s Love Got to Do with It, Poetic Justice, The Preacher’s Wife, The Brothers, The Cookout, Think Like a Man, Think Like a Man Too, Baggage Claim, The Wedding Ringer, Dead Presidents, Cast Away, Hereafter, Red Heat, Frozen Assets, The Meteor Man, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Renaissance Man, Girl 6, The Mighty, Blast from the Past, Mystery Men, Get Bruce, Dancing in September, Nora’s Hair Salon, Shark Tale, Dirty Laundry, Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns, Not Easily Broken, Zambezia, Secrets of the Magic City, The Addams Family, and Spellbound (2024). TV appearances include The Temptations, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Girlfriends, A Different World, Murphy Brown, Dream On, In Living Color, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Friends, Living Single, Cosby, Touched by an Angel, Promised Land, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, The Parent ‘Hood, For Your Love, The Jamie Foxx Show, Moesha, Grown Ups, Time of Your Life, Boston Legal, Meet the Browns, The Cleveland Show, American Dad!, Five, The Boondocks, Young Justice, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Rugrats, Grown-ish, Central Park, The Upshaws, Princess Power, Night Court, So Help Me Todd, The Masked Singer, and Not Dead Yet.

Personal Life: Has been engaged 4 times but never married. Adopted a daughter named Charmaine. Was defrauded by a romance-scheme con man in 2015. Was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1990, which she initially felt ashamed about but eventually came to embrace it after 17 years of therapy and 10 years of medication.

Later Life: In 2022, Lewis sustained life-threatening injuries after falling 10 feet from her hotel balcony in Serengeti. Fortunately, she was airlifted to Nairobi where she underwent a 9-hour surgery followed by a 6-day ICU stay.

Trivia: Has had 2 Critics’ Choice Award nominations. Received an honorary degree from Webster University in 2015. Was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022. Received a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 2024.