Christine Cavanaugh
Christine Josephine Cavanaugh (née Sandberg; August 16, 1963 – December 22, 2014) was an American voice, film, and television actress, who had a distinctive speaking style and provided the voice for a large range of cartoon characters. She starred as the original voice of Chuckie Finster in Nickelodeon's Rugrats and the voices of Gosalyn Mallard in Darkwing Duck, Bunnie Rabbot from the Sonic the Hedgehog Saturday-morning cartoon on ABC, Oblina in Aaahh!!! Real Monsters and the titular characters from Babe and Cartoon Network's Dexter's Laboratory.
Christine Cavanaugh | |
---|---|
Cavanaugh at the 68th Academy Awards in 1996 | |
Born | Christine Josephine Sandberg August 16, 1963 Layton, Utah, U.S. |
Died | December 22, 2014 51) (aged Cedar City, Utah, U.S. |
Alma mater | Utah State University University of Hawaii |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1988–2001 |
Spouse(s) | Kevin James Cavanaugh
(m. 1985; div. 1985) |
Early life and education
Christine Josephine Sandberg was born on August 16, 1963, in Layton, Utah, to Waldo Eugene Sandberg and Rheta Sandberg (née Mason).[1] She graduated from Layton High School in 1981. She first attended Utah State University, then the University of Hawaii, where she met her future husband, Kevin Cavanaugh. The couple married in 1985,[2] and divorced later in the same year. Cavanaugh was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[3]
Career
In 1991, Cavanaugh voiced Gosalyn Mallard, the title character's adopted daughter on Disney's Darkwing Duck as well as Chuckie Finster on the Nickelodeon cartoon Rugrats, and later in 1994, Oblina on Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.
Cavanaugh could also be heard on The Critic as the voice of Marty, Jay Sherman's son. Her voice credits also include the animated series Sonic the Hedgehog, 101 Dalmatians: The Series, Hercules: The Animated Series, The Powerpuff Girls, The Wild Thornberrys, and Recess, as well as the voice of Birdie in McDonald's commercials. In the early 1990s, Cavanaugh also served as an announcer for The Disney Channel for "coming up next" bumpers.
In 1995, Cavanaugh lent her voice to the live-action film Babe in the starring role of Babe the Gallant Pig.[4] She was offered to reprise her role for the sequel, Babe: Pig in the City, but decided against it when contract negotiations fell through,[5] so the role was instead played by her Rugrats co-star Elizabeth Daily.[6][7] Also in 1995, Cavanaugh started doing the voice of boy-genius Dexter on Dexter's Laboratory, which began as a short under Cartoon Network's What a Cartoon! show, and later became the first short to be adapted into its own series for Cartoon Network. She later won an Annie Award in 2000 for her voice performance as Dexter in the hour-long TV special Dexter's Laboratory: Ego Trip.[8]
Cavanaugh also guest starred on several TV shows including Salute Your Shorts, Cheers, Empty Nest, Wings, The X-Files, Everybody Loves Raymond, and ER, and had supporting roles in the feature films Soulmates and Jerry Maguire. Cavanaugh retired from voice acting in 2001.[9] After her retirement, she was replaced by Candi Milo as the voice of Dexter and by Nancy Cartwright, her co-star in The Critic, as the voice of Chuckie in Rugrats.
Death
On December 22, 2014, Cavanaugh died at her home in Cedar City, Utah of undisclosed causes. She was 51 years old.[10] She was cremated and her ashes scattered into the Great Salt Lake.[11]
Filmography
Voice roles
Year | Work | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1988 | David and the Magic Pearl | David | |
1991–1992 | Darkwing Duck | Gosalyn Mallard | |
1991–2002 | Rugrats | Chuckie Finster/Chuckie's Guardian Angel, additional voices | Played Chuckie for the first 7 seasons and a few early episodes of season 8. Nancy Cartwright replaced her for the rest of the series and the Rugrats spin-off, All Grown Up!. |
1992 | Raw Toonage | Gosalyn Mallard | |
1992 | Gramps | Alien Kid #2 | |
1993 | Recycle Rex | Additional voices | |
1993–1994 | Sonic the Hedgehog | Bunnie Rabbot | |
1993 | A Flintstone Family Christmas | Stony | |
1994–1997 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Oblina | |
1994–1995 | The Critic | Marty Sherman | |
1994 | Aladdin | Additional voices | |
1994 | Beethoven | Rosebud | 1 episode "Cynaro De Beethoven" |
1995 | Babe | Babe | She was offered to reprise her role for the sequel, Babe: Pig in the City, but decided against it due to personal matters, so the role was instead played by her Rugrats co-star Elizabeth Daily. |
1995 | Balto | Additional voices | Uncredited |
1995–2002 | Dexter's Laboratory | Dexter | Played in seasons 1, 2, and only a few early season 3 episodes, Candi Milo played the rest of the series. |
1995–1997 | Sing Me a Story with Belle | Carroll the Book Worm | |
1995–1997 | The New Adventures of Sheldon | Sheldon | |
1996 | P.J. Funnybunny: A Very Cool Easter | Ritchie Raccoon | credited as Chris Cavanaugh |
1996 | The Flintstones Christmas in Bedrock | Additional voices | |
1996 | Nickelodeon 3D Movie Maker | Oblina | CD-Rom |
1996–2000 | Adventures from the Book of Virtues | Frog Child | |
1996 | Cave Kids | Bamm-Bamm Rubble | |
1997 | 101 Dalmatians: The Series | Wizzer, Dumpling | |
1997 | Recess | Library Kid, Digger #2, Sue Bob Murphy | |
1997 | Unbeatable Harry | Additional voices | |
1998 | Hercules: The Animated Series | Alcides | |
1998 | The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald: Scared Silly | Birdie the Early Bird | Direct-to-video film |
1998 | Rugrats: Search for Reptar | Chuckie Finster | Video game |
1998 | The Powerpuff Girls | Bunny, Bud Smith | |
1998 | The Rugrats Movie | Chuckie Finster | |
1998 | The Wild Thornberrys | Short-tailed Macaque | |
1999 | Dexter's Laboratory: Ego Trip | Dexter, D22, Old Man Dexter | TV film |
1999 | The Brothers Flub | Valerina | |
1999 | The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald: The Legend of Grimace Island | Birdie | Direct-to-video film |
1999 | The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald: The Visitors from Outer Space | Birdie | Direct-to-video film |
1999 | Sing Me a Story with Belle | Carol the Book Worm | |
1999 | Rugrats: Studio Tour | Chuckie Finster | Video game |
2000 | Cartoon Cartoon Fridays | Dexter | |
2000 | Rugrats in Paris: The Movie | Chuckie Finster | |
2001 | Lloyd in Space | Charmaine | |
2001 | Rugrats: Still Babies After All These Years | Chuckie Finster | TV documentary |
2001 | The Rugrats: All Grown Up! | Chuckie Finster | TV film |
2001 | The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald: Birthday World | Birdie | Direct-to-video film |
2001 | The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald: Have Time, Will Travel | Birdie | Direct-to-video film |
2003 | The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald: The Monster O' McDonaldland Loch | Birdie | Direct-to-video film; final film role |
Live-action
Year | TV Series/Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | Cheers | Terry Gardner | Episode # 8.24: "Mr. Otis Regrets" |
1991 | Salute Your Shorts | Mona Tibbs | Episode # 1.12: "Mail Carrier Mona" |
1991 | Empty Nest | Kimberly | Episode # 4.7: "Country Weston" |
1992 | Salute Your Shorts | Mona Tibbs | Episode # 2.11: "Park Ranger Mona" |
1992 | Herman's Head | Martha Fitzer | Episode # 2.13: "A Charlie Brown Fitzer" |
1993 | Wings | Fan | Episode # 4.17: "I Love Brian" |
1993 | Frasier | Fast Food Worker (Uncredited) | Episode # 1.10: "Oops" |
1994 | Wild Oats | Kathee | |
1995 | Little Surprises | Pepper | Short |
1995 | Down, Out & Dangerous | Leslie McCoy | TV film |
1996 | Jerry Maguire | Mrs. Remo | Credited as Christina Cavanaugh |
1997 | Delivery | Bridgette | |
1997 | Soulmates | Anna Weisland | |
1997 | The X-Files | Amanda Nelligan | Episode # 4.20: "Small Potatoes" |
1997 | Everybody Loves Raymond | Erin | Episode # 2.12: "All I Want for Christmas" |
1998 | You Lucky Dog | Bernice | TV film |
2000 | ER | Gloria | Episode # 7.3: "Mars Attacks" |
References
- "Obituary: Waldo E. Sandberg". Deseret News. September 19, 1999. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
- "Christine Josephine Cavanaugh". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
- "Television Shows Made by Latter-day Saints". ldsfilm.com.
- Moret, Jim (August 7, 1995). "'Babe' the pig really sizzles". CNN Showbiz News. CNN. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- Hayward, Anthony (January 5, 2015). "Christine Cavanaugh: Voice actor behind the eponymous pig in 'Babe' and the worrisome toddler Chuckie in 'Rugrats'". The Independent.
- Lacher, Irene (December 18, 1998). "A Former Phantom, a Future Noah". The Los Angeles Times.
- Goldstein, Patrick (December 18, 2001). "A Voice Actor Speaks for Herself". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- "28th Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (2000)". AnnieAwards.org. ASIFA-Hollywood. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
- McNary, Dave. "Christine Cavanaugh, Voice of Chuckie from ‘Rugrats,’ ‘Babe,’ Dies at 51" Variety (December 30, 2014)
- "Christine Cavanaugh, Piglet's Voice In 'Babe,' Dies At 51". The New York Times. Associated Press. December 31, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
- Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3 ed.). McFarland. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-7864-7992-4 – via Google Books.