Famed, gravel-voiced comedian George Carlin did quite a bit of voice work, actually. Most notably, he narrated hours' worth of "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends" episodes and specials. He also played Mr. Conductor on screen in "Shining Time Station," which, of course, also featured the Thomas character.

He said in an interview with the Archive of American Television that he decided to work on "Thomas" and "Shining Time Station" because he wanted people to see another, perhaps less foul-mouthed and angry, side of him. The shows were "a complete departure from anything anyone was expecting from me, judging me by my persona on stage."

His only other major TV voice gig was also tied to a live-action role. He reprised the character of Rufus, which he played in the hit 1989 film "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," in the morning cartoon version of the show, aptly named "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures." It only lasted a year, though, from 1990 to 1991.

However, in the mid-2000s he tried his hand at the big-screen animation game. He did a voice in the direct-to-video "Tarzan 2" in 2005, and followed it up with roles in the fairy-tale themed film "Happily N'Ever After" and the Pixar smash-hit "Cars," both in 2006.

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