New Jersey native Danny DeVito has a voice, all raspy and with an almost argumentative vocal delivery, that plays like a human Oscar the Grouch. While he became famous for his takes on The Penguin in Batman Returns, or his comedy in Taxi, or alongside the gigantic Arnold Schwarzenegger, DeVito meanwhile cottoned on to just how lucrative his vocal tones could be in the field of animation much earlier than most other stars of his caliber at the time.
Lending his voice to multiple villains, feisty and ready to brawl, or able to bring something softer while keeping a blue collar sensibility, has made DeVito one of the most beloved (and versatile) performers working today. Below, we rank some of his more notable performances from the recording booth.
7 Lorax — The Lorax (2012)
With previous success Dr. Seuss for the big screen, The Lorax took on the eco-themed message via Illumination Entertainment (Despicable Me), which came off as nothing more than posturing in this thinly veiled greenwashing excuse for a movie that will have you repeatedly groaning like a falling tree.
Musical numbers are littered throughout this uncanny valley of irksome animation that have crayola'd their way in to characters. DeVito's performance itself is fine, but this is no one's best work, and The Lorax himself feels like a side character as opposed to the person the movie is named after.
6 Satan — Little Demon (2022)
Playing the big cheese himself, Little Demon is a family affair, with Danny DeVito taking on the role of Satan and his real life daughter Lucy voicing his offsping. When Chrissy gets her first period, it acts as a homing beacon for the underworld, with the devil hot on the trail to find his daughter, connect, and utilize her for his nefarious plans. Despite super basic animation for 2023, Little Demon is sporadically very funny (with Rick & Morty's Dan Harmon on producer duties here), but probably not enough for a second series.
5 Whiskers — Last Action Hero (1993)
Albeit brief, Whiskers' addition to the Last Action Hero movie is such a fun reminder that young Danny knows that this place just cannot be real. As a cat who doubles up as a detective on the force, he's been off duty for the last month but is "one of the best men" the chief has.
In what feels like Schwarzenegger dropping DeVito a call and asking if he could do him a favor here, this is the third official time that the two would work together, but would reunite once more for Little Demon last year. Last Action Hero is a big budget meta take on big budget action movies, and it does not get anywhere near the love that it deserves.
4 Swackhammer — Space Jam (1996)
In another caricature of DeVito's actual look, Swackhammer is a stogey-smoking, minute alien from a planet called Moron Mountain in the film Space Jam. His malicious plan is to enslave the Looney Tunes to get them to perform in his theme park until the end of their days, but doesn't bet on them enlisting the help of one Michael Jordan for a high stakes game of basketball to decide it.
Swackhammer is naturally vile, and DeVito does the role with aplomb. His best line? A player down, none other than Bill Murray shows up to help the team out with Swackhammer shocked, stating "I didn't know Dan Aykroyd was in this picture!"
3 The Narrator — Matilda (1996)
Operating as a triple threat here, DeVito acted in Matilda, narrated the piece, and even directed the film (proving yet again that he's an incredibly underrated director, with great films like The War of the Roses, Throw Momma from the Train, and Hoffa). The result of DeVito's hard work is a film that's a coherently whimsical, a joyous kids movie based on the classic Roald Dahl book.
While DeVito's onscreen used car salesman Mr Wormwood is a horrifyingly poor excuse of a father for Matilda, DeVito's narration meanwhile is a guiding and delightful voice that helps Matilda on her way through life.
2 Herb Powell — The Simpsons
Appearing for the first time in the second series as one of The Simpsons' first legitimate guest stars, DeVito voiced the CEO of the Powell Motor Company, and more aptly Homer's half-brother. Quickly destroying the company when asked to coin a new car for the average man, Herb returned the season after we've a million dollar invention.
Vocally restrained and kind (and obviously funny), DeVito's addition to The Simpsons canon makes Herb one of the best minor characters to ever be included in the show. A brilliant moment of animation can be seen when Herb is finally revealed — via Homer's reflection in a car window. As the window descends, a slimmer and more handsome version of Homer appears on the other side of the glass, the two estranged brothers finally meeting for the first time and most definitely the same blood.
1 Phil — Hercules (1997)
As a solid entry in Disney's 90s renaissance, the visually lush Hercules took on the Greek legend and positioned it as a 2D adventure up there with the House of Mouse's greatest. Swords and sandals are front and center for DeVito's grumpy satyr Phil (drawn from the Greek myth of Philoctetes), who trains a young Hercules into the hero he is destined to be.
Once more acting as a caricature on DeVito's own distinctive look, the thought of having anyone else in the role just feels wrong. With great tunes and some incredible visuals (plus, a spectacular vocal performance from James Woods as a skiving and pure evil Hades), Hercules is a blast.