Bill Farmer: 40 Years of Goofy, A Goofy Movie, Disney Legends & the Voice That Changed Lives

Disney Legend Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy and Pluto for nearly 40 years, joins Nancy Cartwright for a funny, nostalgic, and surprisingly moving conversation about A Goofy Movie, Disney history, voice acting, and the extraordinary journey that took him from small-town Kansas to becoming one of the most recognizable voices in animation.

Bill shares how he started out studying broadcast journalism and electronics, worked in small-town radio, became a stand-up comedian, and eventually took a chance on Hollywood. Just months after arriving, he was asked if he could do any Disney characters. He chose his childhood favorite, Goofy, studied the original performance by Pinto Colvig, and walked into an audition without knowing that roughly 1,100 other actors had tried out. Nearly four decades and thousands of performances later, he's still Goofy.

The conversation dives deep into A Goofy Movie and the unexpected emotional legacy it has built across generations. Bill reveals how Disney originally experimented with changing Goofy's voice to make him a more conventional father before ultimately finding the balance between the classic character and the emotional performance the story needed. He also shares the touching memory of watching an early pencil-test screening with his five-year-old son, Austin, who burst into tears when Goofy went over the waterfall because he thought it was actually his dad.

Bill and Nancy reminisce about their early years together in animation, including Goof Troop and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, while Bill shares memories of Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor, working with celebrities like Alice Cooper, and performing as Goofy before 17,500 people at the Hollywood Bowl.

The episode also explores the craft behind the characters. Bill credits legendary voice acting teacher Daws Butler with teaching him one of the most important lessons of his career: voice acting is acting. He and Nancy discuss performance, emotion, confidence, improvisation, and why aspiring voice actors need more than the ability to imitate a voice.

But some of the most powerful moments come from Bill's encounters with fans. He recalls meeting Muhammad Ali, who called Bill his hero after learning about his work with children, and tells the emotional story of a fan who said A Goofy Movie helped him through an extremely dark period and ultimately gave him hope to keep going. Those experiences changed how Bill views his work: it's not simply about performing a character—it's about what that character can mean to someone else.

Of course, there are plenty of laughs along the way, including Goofy and Bart swapping famous lines, Pluto impressions, wild Disney recording stories, fan questions, and a strawberry cronut so good that the usual 1-to-10 donut rating system completely falls apart.

Whether you're a fan of Goofy, Pluto, A Goofy Movie, Disney, The Simpsons, or the art of voice acting, this episode is packed with animation history, laughter, heart, and unforgettable stories from a true Disney legend.