Bob the Builder is a British children's animated television show created by Keith Chapman. In the original series, Bob appears in a stop motion animated program as a building contractor, specializing in masonry, along with his colleague Wendy, various neighbors and friends, and their gang of anthropomorphized work-vehicles and equipment. The show is broadcast in many countries, but originates from the United Kingdom where Bob is voiced by English actor Neil Morrissey. The show was later created using CGI animation starting with the spin-off series Ready, Steady, Build! (Seasons 17-18) and later revamped in 2015.
In each episode, Bob and his group help with renovations, construction, and repairs and with other projects as needed. The show emphasizes conflict resolution, co-operation, socialization and various learning skills. Bob's catchphrase is "Can we fix it?", to which the other characters respond with "Yes we can!" This phrase is also the title of the show's theme song, which was a million-selling number one hit in the UK.
Dubbing History
The North American version of the show uses the original British footage and script, but dubs the voices in American accents and slang; for example, the word "soccer" is used instead of "football" to avoid confusion with the gridiron forms of the game. The dub was recorded in London using a mix of Canadian and American expats and British actors imitating North American accents.
Voice cast
| Image | Character | Original Actor | US Dub | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bob | Neil Morrissey | William Dufris | 1-9 |
| Greg Proops | 10-16 | |||
| Marc Silk | 17-18 | |||
|
Wendy | Kate Harbour | Lorelei King | 1-18 |
|
Spud | Rob Rackstraw | Alan Marriott | 1-10 |
| Rob Rackstraw | 10-18 | |||
|
Roley | Neil Morrissey | Maria Darling | 1-18 |
|
Muck | Rob Rackstraw | Lachele Carl | 1-16 |
| Sophie Aldred | 17-18 | |||
|
Dizzy | Kate Harbour | Maria Darling | 1-9 |
| Emma Tate | 10-18 | |||
|
Lofty | Neil Morrissey | Sonya Leite | 1-9 |
| Emma Tate | 10-18 | |||
|
Scoop | Rob Rackstraw | Alan Marriott | 1-16 |
| David Menkin | 17-18 | |||
|
Travis | Alan Marriott | 1-16 | |
| David Menkin | 17-18 | |||
| Secondary Characters | ||||
|
Scrambler | Rupert Degas | 10-18 | |
|
Benny | Emma Tate | 10-18 | |
|
Farmer Pickles | Neil Morrissey | William Dufris | 1-9 |
| Vincent Marzello | 10-18 | |||
|
Mr. Dixon | Rob Rackstraw | Alan Marriott | 1-9 |
|
J. J. | Colin McFarlane | 6-9 | |
|
Molly | Llewella Gideon | Lorelei King | 6-9 |
|
Skip | Colin McFarlane | William Dufris | 6-9 |
| Greg Proops | 10 | |||
|
Trix | Llewella Gideon | Maria Darling | 6-9 |
|
Mr. Sabatini | Neil Morrissey | William Dufris | 6-9 |
| Greg Proops | 10-16 | |||
|
Mrs. Potts | Kate Harbour | Lorelei King | 1-10 |
|
Mrs. Percival | 2-10 | ||
|
Mr. Bernard Bentley | Rob Rackstraw | Alan Marriott | 3-9 |
| Rob Rackstraw | 10-18 | |||
Songs
- Theme Song (Can We Fix It?)
- Vocals: ¿William Dufris? (version 1), Neil Morrissey (version 2)
Notes
- For unknown reasons, Rob Rackstraw's voices for Spud and Mr. Bernard Bentley would be left undubbed during Seasons 10 and onwards.
See Also
- Bob the Builder: Project Build It
- Bob the Builder: Ready Steady Build
- List of Bob the Builder Films & Specials
- Bob the Builder (2015)
External Links
- Bob the Builder on the Internet Movie Database