Animation aficionados might be able to recognize Welker’s voice. He had a very specific growl, a very specific wail, and a very specific monkey noise. Those who grew up watching the 1984 animated series “Transformers” likely recall his raspy performance as Megatron, the evil robot. Welker has spoken in the past of achieving his unique growl by employing what he called his Cave Voice. His Cave Voice seemingly unlocked vocal chords he didn’t know he had, allowing him to produce what sounded like multiple voices simultaneously.
The nickname “Cave Voice” was certainly apt for “Aladdin,” as he literally played a cave. In that 1992 film, seekers of magic and treasure could, with the right key, open up a living cave that appeared in the shape of a tiger’s head. The cave would eat those who weren’t morally worthy of entrance. Also in “Aladdin,” Welker provided the chittering monkey noises for the fez-wearing primate Abu, as well as the growls and roars for Raja, a normal-sized tiger.
Welker’s first high-profile film job for Disney came in 1988 with the release of “Oliver & Company.” In that film, Welker played a hot dog vendor who gets splattered with mustard. It was the first step in a long wave of Disney films that would pull the company up out of a decade-long animation slump. In 1989, Welker was brought on board “The Little Mermaid” to provide the barking and slobbering noises for the dog Max. No one can slobber better than Welker.
In 1990, Welker turned up in “DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp,” playing a stuffed tiger, as well as various background vocals. One needs to listen closely to hear him in “DuckTales.”