George Buza

Canadian actor

United States
Canada

OccupationActorYears active1975–present

George Buza is an American and Canadian actor who is best known for voicing Beast (Dr. Hank McCoy) in X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men '97.

Personal life

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he moved to Toronto, Ontario, as a young man and became a Canadian citizen in 1998.

Career

Buza played Turner Edison on Maniac Mansion for the entirety of its 1991–1993 run on YTV and The Family Channel. He also had a recurring role on the Red Green Show as Dwight Cardiff, the extremely lazy marina operator. He appeared as Chief Jake McKenna several times in the TV series Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show. In addition, he portrayed Doubar, the older brother of Sinbad, in The Adventures of Sinbad syndicated TV series, as well as a recurring role on the syndicated Mutant X. Buza was also in episode 11 of TVOntario's Read All About It!, and played Buck Norris on The Strain. He was one of the Kzamm tribe in Quest for Fire.

He also makes a small appearance as a trucker in 2000's X-Men movie, and a biker in George Romero's Diary of the Dead. He played Stuckmore in 2002's Men with Brooms. Buza also played Lenny "The Brain" Lepinski in the Quebec-Ontario TV show called "The Last Chapter". He also played Santa, the character that fought Krampus in the horror movie A Christmas Horror Story.^[1]^[2]

Voiceover work

Buza is probably best known for voicing Beast in the X-Men Animated Series. He was the only voice actor out of the main leads that was familiar with the comic prior to being cast.^[3] He also reprised the role in the video games X-Men: Children of the Atom and both X-Men: Mutant Academy games.

Buza has also provided character voices in many animated series.^[4] He voiced Grandpa Granger in the English dub of Beyblade, Chief Chirpa on Star Wars: Ewoks, and additional roles in Star Wars: Droids, The Busy World of Richard Scarry, Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend, The Neverending Story, Babar, Hammerman, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, Grossology, Iggy Arbuckle, Dog City, Pecola, Monster Force, Franny's Feet, Starlink: Battle for Atlas and Tales from the Cryptkeeper.

He also provided his voice in the English dubs of the Medabots and Power Stone video games.

Filmography

Film

High-Ballin' (1978) - Warehouseman
Fast Company (1979) - Meatball
The Amateur (1981) - Terrorist #4
Quest for Fire (1981) - The Kzamm Tribe
Highpoint (1982) - Alex
Martin's Day (1985) - Prison Guard 1
Meatballs III: Summer Job (1986) - Mean Gene
Busted Up (1986) - Captain Hook
The Last Season (1986) - Patterson
Oklahoma Smugglers (1987) - Hugo
Sticky Fingers (1988) - Policeman
The Brain (1988) - Varna
Destiny to Order (1989) - Burgundy Red
Snake Eater II: The Drug Buster (1989) - Rico
Stella (1990) - George
Straight Line (1990) - Big Boy
Open Season (1995) - Orly Travis
Pocahontas: The Legend (1995) - Jules
The Michelle Apts. (1995) - Burt
Henry & Verlin (1996) - Butch
Shoemaker (1996) - Jerry
The Arrangement (1999) - Willy Morton
X-Men (2000) - Trucker
Knockaround Guys (2001) - Earl at the Gun Shop
Men with Brooms (2002) - Stuckmore
Duct Tape Forever (2002) - Motel Manager
Cold Creek Manor (2003) - Antique Dealer
Still Small Voices (2007) - Wife Beater Terrance Reed
Diary of the Dead (2007) - Tattooed Biker
Production Office (2008) - Big John
Camille (2008) - Motel Manager
You Might as Well Live (2009) - Bartender
The Mountie (2011) - Kleus
A Little Bit Zombie (2012) - Capt'n Cletus
Fish N Chips: The Movie (2013) - Chipsus Barbotus / The Admiral (voice)^[4]
The Christmas Switch (2014) - Burly Man
A Christmas Horror Story (2015) - Santa Claus / Norman
Mean Dreams (2016) - Pawnshop Clerk
Elliot the Littlest Reindeer (2018) - Santa Claus (voice)^[4]

Television

Read All About It! (1980) – Barry
The Littlest Hobo (1984) – Security Guard, Charlie Demerest
Star Wars: Droids (1985) – (voice)
Star Wars: Ewoks (1985) – Chief Chirpa (voice)
Maniac Mansion (1990–1993) – Turner Edison
X-Men Animated Series (1992–1997) – Beast / Dr. Henry 'Hank' McCoy (voice)
Tales from the Cryptkeeper (1993–1994) – William / Mr. Armstrong (voice)^[4]
Dog City (1994) – Steven (voice)^[4]
Spider-Man (1995) – Beast (voice)
The Neverending Story (1995–1996) – Ogre / East Wind ^[4]
The Adventures of Sinbad (1996–1998) – Doubar
Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend (1998–1999) – King Minos / Gorgus (voice)^[4]
Power Stone (1999) – Kraken (voice, English Dub)
Monster by Mistake (1999) – Kragon (voice)
Noddy (2000) – Gus the Garbage Truck Driver
Beyblade (2001–2005) – Grandpa Granger (voice, English Dub)^[4]
Franny's Feet (2004–2005) – Grandpa (voice)^[4]
Grossology (2006–2007) – Sloppy Joe / Frankenbooger (voice)^[4]
Sidekick (2011) – Sheriff Marshall (voice)^[4]
The Case For Christmas (2011) – Kris Kringle (Santa Claus)
Elinor Wonders Why (2020) – Grandpa Rabbit / Baba (voice)
X-Men '97 (2024–present) – Beast / Dr. Henry 'Hank' McCoy (voice)

Video games

X-Men: Children of the Atom (1994) – Announcer / Colossus / Juggernaut / Omega Red / Magneto
Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000) – Colossus
X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 (2001) – Beast
Starlink: Battle for Atlas (2018) – Kharl Zeon ^[4]

Awards and nominations

In 1992, he was nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Comedy Program or Series (Individual or Ensemble) for Maniac Mansion. He was nominated again in 2001 for Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series for The Red Green Show.^[5]

References

^ Spiegel, Janel (October 15, 2015). "Interview: George Buza (A Christmas Horror Story)". Horrornews.net. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
^ "Interview with George Buza". The Action Elite. September 30, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
^ Cal Dodd Interview! Original Voice Of Wolverine In X-Men, And Slappy In Goosebumps! | Daniel Fee33. YouTube. Daniel Fee33. October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l "George Buza". Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
^ "16th Annual Gemini Awards: All Nominees". Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Archived from the original on September 19, 2001.