List of South Park cast members
South Park is an American adult animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone who also do the majority of the voices. Both Parker and Stone do most of the male characters on the show along with April Stewart and Mona Marshall, who do the female characters on the show. Guest stars have lent their voices to the show including Jay Leno, George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston, Bill Hader, Robert Smith and the comedy duo Cheech & Chong voiced characters representing their likenesses for the season four episode "Cherokee Hair Tampons", which was the duo's first collaborative effort in 20 years. The entirety of the Nu-Metal band Korn also provided their voices and likenesses in the season three episode "Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery".
Characters in the show, according to Parker and Stone, are inspired by people they met when they were kids. Stan Marsh is made based on Parker himself while Kyle Broflovski is based on Stone himself. Eric Cartman is partially named after and based on Matt Karpman, a high school classmate of Parker who remains a friend of both Parker and Stone. Cartman is also inspired by All in the Family patriarch Archie Bunker, of whom Parker and Stone are fans. They state that creating Cartman as a "little eight-year-old fat kid" made it easier for the two to portray a Bunker-like character after the introduction of political correctness to late-20th century television. Kenny McCormick was based on the creator's observation that most groups of childhood friends in small middle-class towns always included "the one poor kid" and decided to portray Kenny in this light. Butters Stotch is loosely based on South Park co-producer Eric Stough.
Some of the original voice actors left the show. Mary Kay Bergman voiced the majority of the female characters until her suicide on November 11, 1999. Mona Marshall and Eliza Schneider succeeded Bergman, with Schneider leaving the show after its seventh season. She was replaced by April Stewart, who, along with Marshall, continues to voice most of the female characters. Isaac Hayes, who voiced the character Chef, left the show after Parker and Stone's depiction of his religion Scientology in the episode Trapped in the Closet.
Current cast
Parker and Stone voice most of the male South Park characters. Mary Kay Bergman voiced the majority of the female characters until her suicide on November 11, 1999. Mona Marshall and Eliza Schneider succeeded Bergman in 2000, with Schneider leaving the show after its seventh season. She was replaced by April Stewart, who, along with Marshall, continues to voice most of the female characters. Bergman was originally listed in the credits under the alias Shannen Cassidy to protect her reputation as the voice of several Disney and other kid-friendly characters. Stewart was originally credited under the name Gracie Lazar, while Schneider was sometimes credited under her rock opera performance pseudonym Blue Girl.Other voice actors and members of South Park
When voicing child characters, the voice actors speak within their normal vocal range while adding a childlike inflection. The recorded audio is then edited with Pro Tools, and the pitch is altered to make the voice sound more like that of a fourth grader.
Isaac Hayes voiced the character of Chef, a black, soul-singing cafeteria worker who was one of the few adults the boys consistently trusted. Hayes agreed to voice the character after being among Parker and Stone's ideal candidates which also included Lou Rawls and Barry White. Hayes, who lived and hosted a radio show in New York during his tenure with South Park, would record his dialogue on a digital audio tape while a respective episode's director would give directions over the phone, then the tape would be shipped to the show's production studio in California. After Hayes left the show in early 2006, the character of Chef was killed off in the season 10 premiere "The Return of Chef".
Guest stars
Celebrities who appear on the show are usually impersonated, though some celebrities lend their voice to their characters. Celebrities who have voiced themselves include Michael Buffer, Brent Musburger, Jay Leno, Robert Smith, and the bands Radiohead and Korn.Comedy team Cheech & Chong voiced characters representing their likenesses for the season four episode "Cherokee Hair Tampons", which was the duo's first collaborative effort in 20 years. Malcolm McDowell appears in live-action sequences as the narrator of the season four episode "Pip".
Jennifer Aniston, Richard Belzer,
Natasha Henstridge, Norman Lear, and Peter Serafinowicz have guest starred as other speaking characters. During South Park
Trey Parker
voices four of the main characters: Stan Marsh, Eric Cartman, Randy Marsh and Mr. Garrison. He also provides the voices of several recurring characters, such as Clyde Donovan, Mr. Hankey, Mr. Mackey, Stephen Stotch, Jimmy Valmer, Timmy Burch, Tuong Lu Kim and Phillip.Matt Stone
voices three of the main characters: Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCormick and Butters Stotch. He also provides the voices of several recurring characters, such as Gerald Broflovski, Stuart McCormick, Craig Tucker, Jimbo Kern, Terrance, Saddam Hussein, Tweek Tweak, Mr. Adler and Jesus.Mona Marshall
voices Sheila Broflovski and Linda Stotch.April Stewart
voices Liane Cartman, Sharon Marsh, Carol McCormick, Shelly Marsh, Mayor McDaniels, Principal Victoria and Wendy Testaburger.List
Recurring guest voices
The recurring guest voices include John Hansen, Vernon Chatman, Adrien Beard and Jennifer Howell.Actor | Character | Notes |
John Hansen | Mr. Slave | Guest starred in several episodes during the series |
Vernon Chatman | Towelie | Guest starred as Towelie in "Towelie" and "Crippled Summer" |
Adrien Beard | Token Black | Guest starred in several episodes during the series |
Jennifer Howell | Bebe Stevens | Guest starred in several episodes during the series |
Jessica Makinson | Heidi Turner Strong Woman | Guest starred in several episodes during the series |
Casting changes
Mary Kay Bergman voiced the majority of the female characters until her death on November 11, 1999. Mona Marshall and Eliza Schneider succeeded Bergman in 2000, with Schneider leaving the show after its seventh season. She was replaced by April Stewart, who, along with Marshall, continues to voice most of the female characters. Isaac Hayes, who voiced the character Chef, left the show after Parker and Stone's depiction of his religion Scientology in the episode "Trapped in the Closet".Actor | Character | Notes |
Mary Kay Bergman | Liane Cartman, Sheila Broflovski, Shelly Marsh, Sharon Marsh, Mayor McDaniels, Mrs. McCormick, Wendy Testaburger, Principal Victoria and Ms. Crabtree | Replaced after her death in 1999. The last episode to feature her voice was Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics. |
Eliza Schneider | Liane Cartman, Shelly Marsh, Sharon Marsh, Mayor McDaniels, Mrs. McCormick, Wendy Testaburger, Principal Victoria and Ms. Crabtree | Schneider and Mona Marshall replaced Mary Kay Bergman after her suicide in 1999. Schneider left after the show's seventh season. |
Isaac Hayes | Chef | Left after the season 9 episode "Trapped in the Closet", which mocked his religion Scientology. The character appeared again in the first episode of season 10, but his voice consists entirely of older recordings spliced together for comical effect. |