Dave Mallow
Dave Mallow (October 19, 1948 – March 11, 2025) was an American voice actor, ADR director, and former radio personality renowned for his versatile contributions to anime dubbing, video games, and live-action television series.[1][2] Born David J. Mallow in Park Ridge, Illinois, to a father who was a longtime radio and television veteran at Chicago's WGN, he initially pursued a career in broadcasting under the stage name Colin Phillips.[3][2] Mallow began his professional life in 1969 as a radio personality, enjoying a successful 12-year tenure across stations in the Midwest and New York City before relocating to Los Angeles in 1984 to focus on voice acting.[4][5] His career encompassed commercials, film dubbing, looping, narration, and character voices, with over 249 credited roles spanning anime, animation, and video games.[1] Among his most iconic performances were Baboo in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993), where he also provided daily intros for Saban Productions, and Angemon/MagnaAngemon in Digimon Adventure (1999–2000), roles that highlighted his ability to convey authority and emotion in ensemble casts.[6][2][1] In addition to acting, Mallow directed ADR for projects like The Adventures of Hutch the Honeybee and Eagle Riders, and contributed scripts to series such as Button Nose and Little Women.[2] His video game work included the menacing Akuma in Street Fighter IV (2008) and the narrator in SoulCalibur IV (2008), while anime credits featured Kensei Muguruma in Bleach (2004–2012), the Anti-Spiral in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007), and Hōki in Naruto (2002–2007).[1][2] Mallow worked on projects including Digimon Adventure tri. (2015–2018), after which he resided in Altadena, California, until his death at age 76 while in hospice care.[7][8]Early life
Family background
Dave Mallow was born on October 19, 1948, in Park Ridge, Illinois, a suburb near Chicago in the Midwest.[6] Growing up in this environment, he was immersed in a family deeply connected to the broadcasting industry, which profoundly shaped his early worldview and career path.[9] His father, John Leslie Mallow, was a veteran broadcaster who joined Chicago's WGN in 1943 and served for over three decades as an on-air personality in radio.[6][10] John hosted programs such as "Music Unlimited" on WGN Radio, providing young Dave with constant exposure to the world of media production and performance.[10] This family legacy in broadcasting created a nurturing atmosphere where discussions about radio scripts, on-air delivery, and audience engagement were commonplace, instilling in Mallow a fascination with the power of voice from an early age.[11] Mallow's childhood in the Midwest was marked by this pervasive influence, as he often observed his father's work and aspired to follow a similar path, viewing radio as an appealing profession that required no physical labor.[11] Surrounded by the sounds of radio broadcasts and television sets in his home, he developed an initial interest in voice modulation and storytelling, experimenting informally with mimicry and narration that foreshadowed his future pursuits.[9] The family's emphasis on performance-oriented skills also sparked his curiosity in theater, blending seamlessly with his vocal talents during his formative years.[9]Education
Dave Mallow graduated from Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Illinois.[6] He attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theater Arts in 1970.[12][13] Motivated by his family's longstanding involvement in radio broadcasting, he selected theater studies to channel his early exposure to media into structured performance training.[9] Through the BFA program, Mallow received comprehensive instruction in acting techniques and vocal expression, essential components of theater arts curricula at the time.[9] This academic focus built directly on his innate interest in voice modulation, fostering skills that proved instrumental in transitioning from student exercises to professional broadcasting roles.[9] Mallow's university education served as a critical bridge between his familial media influences and subsequent career paths, equipping him with the performative discipline needed for radio announcing and beyond.[9] The program's emphasis on practical application in stage and voice work laid the groundwork for his adaptability in entertainment industries.[9]Career beginnings
Radio broadcasting
Dave Mallow began his professional media career in radio, embarking on a 12-year tenure as an on-air personality across the Midwest and New York City.[4] His early roles involved broadcasting at stations such as KFMG-FM in Des Moines, Iowa, where he started in 1969, and KUDL-FM in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1973.[14] These positions focused on delivering music, news, and entertainment content in formats ranging from progressive rock to adult contemporary.[15] In the mid-1970s, Mallow relocated to New York City, continuing his radio work at WQIV-FM in 1974, WKTU-FM in 1975—where he contributed to the station's disco programming—and WTFM-FM in 1979, emphasizing mellow rock and narration elements.[14][15] He also collaborated with the Cutler Comedy Network, providing voice characterization for syndicated comedy segments.[14] Throughout these engagements, Mallow served as a disc jockey, music director, and program director, incorporating live commercials, weather updates, and audience interaction.[11] Mallow's theater background from Drake University laid the groundwork for his expressive delivery in radio.[16] In this era, he developed key skills in improvisation to adapt to dynamic formats, precise announcing for news and promotions, and engaging audiences through personalized on-air personas.[11] These experiences emphasized performance under time constraints and built his foundation in vocal versatility for media.[15]Move to Los Angeles
In 1984, following a 12-year career as a radio personality in the Midwestern United States and New York City, Dave Mallow relocated to Los Angeles to pursue opportunities in voice-over work.[11] This move marked a pivotal shift from live broadcasting to the burgeoning field of animation and media dubbing on the West Coast.[6] Upon arrival, Mallow immersed himself in the local industry by attending auditions and securing initial gigs in commercials, film dubbing, and looping for post-production.[6] His radio background, which emphasized vocal versatility and on-the-spot performance, proved invaluable in navigating these early opportunities, allowing him to adapt quickly to scripted studio sessions.[11] Through networking, including a key introduction from fellow voice actor Steve Kramer, he began contributing to anime dubbing projects at Intersound studios, starting with background "bits and walla" roles.[11] Mallow established important connections with Saban Productions, one of the early pioneers in acquiring and dubbing foreign animation for American audiences, leading to his first contracts in the field.[11] These initial assignments involved supporting roles in projects like the dubbed series Macron 1, building his presence in animation dubbing. However, the transition presented challenges, particularly the rigorous requirement for precise lip-sync matching in foreign-language dubs, which demanded meticulous timing and memorization far beyond his radio improvisation experience.[11] Despite the tedious nature of this work, Mallow's breakthrough came from leveraging his natural vocal range to meet these technical demands, gradually earning more prominent studio placements.[11]Voice acting roles
Anime
Dave Mallow contributed significantly to English-language dubs of Japanese anime, lending his distinctive baritone to a range of characters across series, OVAs, and films, often through collaborations with studios like ADV Films and Funimation.[2] His work highlighted a versatility in voicing authoritative villains, mystical beings, and narrators, bringing depth to both episodic narratives and standalone projects.[1] In the Digimon franchise, Mallow delivered iconic performances as the angelic Digimon Angemon and its evolutions, including MagnaAngemon, across Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure 02, and Digimon Adventure tri., as well as other characters like Upamon, Pegasusmon, and Shakkoumon.[17] He also served as the narrator for Digimon Adventure, providing a guiding, ominous tone that enhanced the series' themes of digital evolution and heroism in its episodic structure.[18] Mallow's role as Commander Amarao in the surreal OVA series FLCL captured the character's paranoid intensity as a bureaucrat hunting extraterrestrial threats, contributing to the production's cult status through ADV Films' dubbing efforts.[19] His portrayal of the demonic fighter Akuma in the Street Fighter II V anime adaptation emphasized the character's brooding ferocity and martial prowess in this episodic take on the fighting game universe.[1] A standout villainous performance was as the Anti-Spiral in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, where Mallow voiced the cosmic entity's chilling, multi-layered dialogue, underscoring its role as an existential antagonist in Funimation's dub of the mecha epic.[20] These roles exemplified Mallow's skill in elevating anime antagonists, from supernatural guardians to interdimensional oppressors, across both television series and OVAs.[2]Animation
Dave Mallow was a prominent voice actor in 1990s Western children's animation, particularly for Saban Entertainment productions, where he frequently portrayed comedic villains, monsters, and quirky creatures that added humor and menace to episodic adventures.[1][21] His versatile delivery, often blending exaggeration with whimsy, made him a go-to choice for "monsters-of-the-week" in action-oriented series aimed at young audiences.[2] In Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Mallow voiced numerous antagonistic monsters beyond his well-known role as Baboo, including the gluttonous Pudgy Pig, who schemed to fatten up Angel Grove residents; the buzzing Grumble Bee in its second appearance; the robotic Lizzinator; the musical Trumpet Top; and the blade-wielding Rhinoblaster in its second incarnation.[22][23] These roles highlighted his skill in bringing chaotic, short-lived foes to life, often under the pseudonym Colin Phillips to adhere to union regulations for non-union gigs.[21][24] Mallow continued his Saban collaborations in the Beetleborgs franchise, voicing the slimy Swamp Scumoid and the armored Borgslayer (shared with Bob Papenbrook) in Big Bad Beetleborgs, as well as the crustacean-like Shellator in Beetleborgs Metallix.[25][26][27] These characters exemplified his recurring typecasting as grotesque yet comical adversaries in tokusatsu-inspired animations.[2] Beyond monster roles, Mallow served as the narrator and appeared as himself in the documentary series Adventures in Voice Acting, offering insights into the profession through his extensive experience. His contributions to these Saban-era projects solidified his legacy in 1990s kids' TV animation, where his voices enhanced the playful peril of battling evil forces.[1]Live action and films
Dave Mallow's involvement in live-action projects was primarily through voice work, dubbing, and looping, reflecting his expertise in providing additional dialogue and character voices for films and television series. One of his notable roles was voicing Herzog, a key character in the alternate reality game I Love Bees (2004), an interactive audio drama tied to the promotion of Halo 2, where he contributed to the narrative through recorded phone messages and web-based storytelling. In film, Mallow performed uncredited looping and voice work, including the role of a newscaster in Oliver Stone's Nixon (1995), where he supplied dialogue for background scenes. He also provided the voice of an autopilot in the action thriller Turbulence (1997) and additional voices in Eraser (1996), showcasing his ability to enhance live-action sequences with seamless audio integration. These contributions were typical of his behind-the-scenes support in Hollywood productions during the 1990s. Mallow made a rare on-camera appearance as himself in the documentary Adventures in Voice Acting (2008), a Bang Zoom! Entertainment production that featured interviews with voice actors discussing their craft; he shared insights into his career transition from radio to animation and dubbing.[28] In television, Mallow's voice work extended to live-action series with fantastical elements, most prominently as Baboo, the bat-like minion of Rita Repulsa, in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993), where he voiced the character across multiple episodes and also served as the series announcer. His final credited role came posthumously in the revival series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Re-Ignition (2025), reprising Baboo for two episodes in a live-action format that blended practical effects with voice performance, recorded prior to his death earlier that year.Video games
Dave Mallow was renowned for his portrayal of the demonic warrior Akuma in several prominent fighting games during the late 2000s and early 2010s, bringing a gravelly, menacing intensity to the character that became synonymous with the role in English dubs.[29] His performance as Akuma debuted in Street Fighter IV (2008), where he captured the character's brooding rage and martial prowess through deep, echoing vocal delivery.[30] Mallow reprised the role in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2011) and its expanded edition Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011), as well as in the crossover title Street Fighter X Tekken (2012), solidifying Akuma's status as a recurring villainous antagonist across Capcom's interconnected franchises.[31][32] These appearances emphasized Mallow's ability to convey Akuma's philosophical darkness and explosive power, often in high-stakes crossover battles against heroes from multiple universes.[33] Beyond fighting games, Mallow contributed to various RPGs and action titles, frequently voicing additional characters or antagonists that added depth to ensemble casts. In Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (2006), he provided additional voices, enhancing the game's narrative of supernatural conflict within the Final Fantasy universe. Similarly, his work in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (2003) included additional voicing for the cooperative RPG's whimsical yet perilous world. In the shooter Resistance 3 (2011), Mallow lent his voice to additional characters amid humanity's fight against alien invaders, contributing to the game's tense, post-apocalyptic atmosphere. Other notable villainous turns included Wild Dog in Time Crisis 4 (2006), a sadistic terrorist leader whose erratic menace Mallow amplified through snarling taunts.[34] Mallow's experience in anime dubbing, particularly with action-oriented series, informed his approach to game adaptations like the Street Fighter series, allowing seamless transitions between scripted dialogue and dynamic combat scenarios.[6] Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, his recurring emphasis on villainous roles—such as authoritative figures and shadowy foes in franchises like Time Crisis and Bravely Default (2012, voicing the King of Caldisla and Sage Yulyana)—highlighted his versatility in portraying complex antagonists in interactive storytelling.[7]| Game Title | Year | Character(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Street Fighter IV | 2008 | Akuma | Iconic villain in fighting genre |
| Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds | 2011 | Akuma | Crossover antagonist |
| Street Fighter X Tekken | 2012 | Akuma | Recurring demonic warrior |
| Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII | 2006 | Additional Voices | RPG ensemble support |
| Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles | 2003 | Additional Voices | Cooperative RPG elements |
| Resistance 3 | 2011 | Additional Voices | Action-shooter contributions |
| Time Crisis 4 | 2006 | Wild Dog | Villainous terrorist leader |