Voice Actors

[mish]

What voice actors have there been in the series and have you ever considered using Bill Farmer as Sam and Nick Jameson as Max?

[tabacco]

I think we're quite happy with David Nowlin as Sam and William Kasten as Max right now :)

[lerenwe]

I think we're quite happy with David Nowlin as Sam and William Kasten as Max right now :)

You MUST be happy with them, I think they did a great job!

[Haggis]

I'm quite happy with them too! :D

[MarkDarin]

After playing through Season One, I went back and played a bit of HTR and now those original voices sound really off! It was actually kinda weird. I had always thought those original voices were perfect, and although the new guys were good, it just wasn't the same. But now it seems my mind has played a switch-a-roo on me! I guess having played though six episodes, watching all the shorts, and listening to the blooper reel (And I guess there are all those hours of listening to the lines while working on the games) those voices are now burned into my head and the HTR voices just sound wrong. Any one else have this experience?

[tabacco]

Me :)

[Guybrush Threepwood]

Since I'd never played Hit the Road before, when I first played it I thought Sam's voice was really good, but I don't really prefer either - they're both great.

[ZeroStralem]

I think the ones who do Sam and Max currently are great, but I agree with you on those two. What happened to the Brooklyn accents? I always feel like something is slightly missing without the accents. I mean...Sam and Max are from New York.

[-=[The_Razgriz_Ace]=-]

After playing through Season One, I went back and played a bit of HTR and now those original voices sound really off! It was actually kinda weird. I had always thought those original voices were perfect, and although the new guys were good, it just wasn't the same. But now it seems my mind has played a switch-a-roo on me! I guess having played though six episodes, watching all the shorts, and listening to the blooper reel (And I guess there are all those hours of listening to the lines while working on the games) those voices are now burned into my head and the HTR voices just sound wrong. Any one else have this experience?

I totally agree...although there is still a bit of charm in the brooklyn accents...but I think the current voice actors are great and should stay! What Im really impressed with is how close they actually are though...I mean, aside from the accents the voices are pretty close...

[LuigiHann]

What voice actors have there been in the series

Sam & Max Hit the Road
Bill Farmer (Sam)
Nick Jameson (Max)

The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police (TV Series)
Harvey Atkin (Sam)
Robert Tinkler (Max)

Sam & Max: Season One
David Nowlin (Sam)
Andrew Chaikin (Max in Episode 1)
William Kasten (Max in all subsequent episodes)

Just because I was bored :rolleyes:
None of them sound "wrong" to me.

Edit: Wait, how did this get bumped up? It was on the top of the page before I posted, I swear... :eek:

[Maratanos]

I dunno, but the "Where are we going, Sam?" that William Kasten says just sounds really.... "off" to me.

I think it's because it's the most noticably different from episode 1.

[daltysmilth]

Any chance you could get Bill Farmer, Nick Jameson, Harvey Atkin, or Robert Tinkler (who ironically and unfortunately has a last name that would probably give Max a case of the giggles) to do some guest voices in future seasons? I know you got Terrence McGovern for Ice Station Santa and What's New Beelzebub, but any chance of getting some more old Lucasarts regulars in future Sam & Max installments? Like Denny Delk, for instance, or Dominic Armato?

[Harley Quinn]

Any vids of the actors doing the voices?

[LuigiHann]

There's a clip in one of the extras on the Season 1 DVD featuring Nowlin in the recording booth recording one of Sam's lines, something about encyclopedias. It's interesting to see.

[Harley Quinn]

Awesome, I must remember to rewatch that. Is the guy who plays Max short? I think cos Max is, I imagine the actor to be!

[Randulf]

There's a clip in one of the extras on the Season 1 DVD featuring Nowlin in the recording booth recording one of Sam's lines, something about encyclopedias. It's interesting to see.

Here it is (http://www.telltalegames.com/community/blogs/id-207)

[splash1]

William Kasten & David Nowlen are too me the best voices for Sam & Max ever...
i think some of Andrew Chaikin's lines sounded a bit better then Kasten's, after Telltale changed some of lines in the office and the rest of the world i got used to Kasten but still thought he was better

[Bad Asp]

Seriously, I think Bill Farmer and Nick Jameson should voice Sam and Max again, or at least voice characters in one of the upcoming episodes. That way, their voices can actually be heard in Sam and Max games that are legally allowed in the United States!

You know, because both of the games in which they voice Sam and Max still aren't allowed here, if you get what I'm saying...

[wisp]

there are forbidden sam & max games? cool...what are they called?

[Avel]

Somebody found a torrent apparently.

[wefeelgroove]

I think Waitohooru's just being a nut again.

But yes! David Nowlin and William Kasten are awesome! :D

[Ashton]

Though I do think the accents added a nice edge, I love the current VAs, (though, I'm glad you changed form the guy in epp 1 for max, that deep voice just didn't suit him, imo)

Idly curious what S+M would sound like with brittish VAs... lol

[Avel]

I think Waitohooru's just being a nut again.

But yes! David Nowlin and William Kasten are awesome! :D

Oh yeah...it is Waitohooru...*not even paying attention to who posts what*

As far as I can tell, Kasten is pretty much perfectly suited for Telltale's Max and I'm happy that he's starting to get some more variety injected into the delivery (though I dunno whether this is the writing, which has certainly gotten better, or if its just the greater experience). As for Nowlin, I like him for the most part, the deadpan suits Sam in some regards, but I like him better when it really feels like he's putting some emotion into it.

Though, if they ever get inside the lagomorph's skull, I'm hoping they dredge up some of the former VO's for the 'voices.'

[Bad Asp]

I think Waitohooru's just being a nut again.

Don't hate! Appreciate!

And by the way, I was telling the truth when I said those games weren't legally allowed in the United States. Do you see Sam and Max Hit The Road on American store shelves?

[Udvarnoky]

Err, I don't know where you get that they're not "legally allowed," but you're correct in that LucasArts has sadly never sold one of their adventure games in many years.

[Molokov]

Out of Print != Not Legally Allowed.

I'm sure if you already own "Hit the Road" the police aren't going to bust down your door and claim you've done something illegal. It's just not readily available any more, not even as a budget disc. Probably around second-hand on eBay if you look...

[Ashton]

Lots of them on ebay. Somone shoudl contact LA and ask if they'll release it into public domain (atleast allow downloads of it) but acctually after 60 years it enters public domain anyway (atleast that's how I understand it), so it's on it's way... but a long way off...

[Avel]

I believe that it would be (in the United States) 70 years after the author's death, at least as far as books are concerned, newer media are a whole different story. Though I'm sure a similar statute exists.

Edit: Nintendo's Corporate take: "U.S. copyright laws state that copyrights owned by corporations are valid for 75 years from the date of first publication. Because video games have been around for less than three decades, the copyrights of all video games will not expire for many decades to come."

[Ashton]

There are gray areas thugh that companies stop worring about. An intersting point being nintendo's NES and SNES Rom images - I know of 3 ROM sites that Nintendo contacted --- they were asked to remove, I beleive 3 roms, and that was all. nothing more.

You ahve to remember that logos build brand recognition and if the games are good enough to attract players, tehn the palyers will say "hey this is a good game, I bet the new games are good too!" and then go buy new ones.

Also taking into account that the games are nolonger turning a profit, there is no loss releasing them to the public, only gain, (see above)

I'm sure LA doesnt care much about their old games or they woudl fight releases of SCUMM VM which allows you not only to play the old games, but bypass copy-protection.

At the same time though, if they make a stance they cant openly allow ANY games to be downloaded or suddenly people will take that as a lisence to pirate EVERYTHING. ("give people an inch and they'll take a mile") Hense why any company rarely takes a stance at all on piracy of old games (aka "Abandonware" because they're not marketable and have been "abandoned" by the company and piracy is swept under the table because of the above benefiets of allowing the games to roam around for free)

Atleast that's what I've collected from around thenet over the years...

[MaxFan]

There are problems with copyright law, too. The owners of old copyrights keep getting them extended even though the constitution clearly says that indefinite copyrights aren't allowed...
And it hasn't been updated in a long time to deal with newer media.

[Avel]

they were asked to remove, I beleive 3 roms, and that was all. nothing more.

Did those show up on Nintendo's virtual console? If so, there's the reason (and perhaps those were the only one's that they were the sole owner of).

Also taking into account that the games are nolonger turning a profit, there is no loss releasing them to the public, only gain.

Not wholly true, given digital distribution, there's still the possibility that older games can be released given the right circumstance. (see: Gametap, Nintendo's Virtual Console, etc) Unfortunately, the need for an emulator probably kills a bit of the chance.

See, now I'm curious, could LucasArts even release the old Hit the Road ROM, or would Steve have to sign off as well since he own's the original property which it is based on?

Edit:

The owners of old copyrights keep getting them extended even though the constitution clearly says that indefinite copyrights aren't allowed.

Article 1, Section 8 U.S. Constitution

To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;

True dat. Although in all honesty, "limited time" is a rather interpretable term.

[Ashton]

I am unfamiliar with the "virtual console" I'm asuming that's the feature of the wii I heard about where you can play older games on it that you downlaod from nintendo's "wii website"? (and acctually I hadn't even considered that because I've only heard about it once or twice, dont have a wii so I dont know much about it...)

This was acctually long ago, like back in the n64 days... I've kinda dropepd out of the emulation field the last few years, not having the time to play many old games since I'm doing more online now, but, I digress, one was EARTHBOUND, one was Super Mario RPG, and I *think* one was Yoshi's Island... though it might have been Secret of Mana... it was one of those two...

Amusingly enough, if you visit, I believe the site is "abandonia" they have a lot of the old DOS adventure games, and a few acctually have copy-protection material and/or lisence keys given to the site BY THE COMPANY THAT MADE THEM (though I dont think these are major companies, I dont recall Siera, for instance, ever doing this, though I may be wrong)

And as for Steve signing off on HtR, it depends on the lisence agreement, it COULD give them rights to do ANYTHING with S+M and HtR, or on the other end it coudl say he has to approve ALL major changes including in marketing. All depends on what hte suits set up.

[OutlawJim]

....look what happened to the nice thread about voice actors! Heh.

I have to say my favourite Max voice has to be Nick Jameson, but David Nowlin is my favourite Sam. I guess with Max I just liked the accent in Hit the Road. William Kasten is definitely a close second though. Wasn't too fond of Andrew Chaikin for some reason.

[Bad Asp]

Any chance you could get Bill Farmer, Nick Jameson, Harvey Atkin, or Robert Tinkler (who ironically and unfortunately has a last name that would probably give Max a case of the giggles) to do some guest voices in future seasons? I know you got Terrence McGovern for Ice Station Santa and What's New Beelzebub, but any chance of getting some more old Lucasarts regulars in future Sam & Max installments? Like Denny Delk, for instance, or Dominic Armato?

Pleeeeeeeease?!?!:D

[Zootch]

Adam West!
I need more Adam West in my daily life.

He should have a character in an upcoming episode

[Teeth]

Idly curious what S+M would sound like with brittish VAs... lol

Norman Lovett as Sam and Marc Warren as Max? :p

[Bad Asp]

Okay, I'll try again: Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?

What is wrong with the original voices that no Sam and Max fan should be allowed to hear them anymore? :mad: This is making me angry!

[Badwolf]

What is wrong with the original voices that no Sam and Max fan should be allowed to hear them anymore?

I didn't realise there was a ban on playing Hit the Road now?

[dimomarg]

Wha-? There is a ban in S&M videogame debut? It is just not right. Of course I sign

[Bad Asp]

I didn't realise there was a ban on playing Hit the Road now?

Apparently, to Lucasarts, there is. In the United States.

In other countries, that game is still being sold. It's just not being sold in the very country where those two were born and raised.

[Badwolf]

In other countries, that game is still being sold.
Yup, picked it up in the supermarket the other day for a fiver. And The Dig. Might pick up some more and sell them for extortionate prices on ebay if you're interested?

But about the voice actors, I don't doubt for a second that if Nowlin and Kasten were the original VOs, that there'd be people would be complaining if they weren't doing the new games.

I think for the most part, it's just nostalgia kicking in.

[Zootch]

Wha-? There is a ban in S&M videogame debut? It is just not right. Of course I sign

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/ZHynkel/slowpoke-pokemon.gif

There seems to be a disconnect somewhere along the line...

[Bad Asp]

I certainly wish more fans of the original Hit the Road voices would post here and give me some support. I don't want to be the only person on this message board who actually wants them back!

[Jake]

I certainly wish more fans of the original Hit the Road voices would post here and give me some support. I don't want to be the only person on this message board who actually wants them back!

There are, I'm sure, plenty of people who would love to hear those two guys reprise their roles as Sam & Max. That said, there are now plenty of people who are big fans of the new guys as well. It's a perfectly acceptable matter of personal preference. Of couse, we all really like the guys we've cast for our Sam & Max games, and have no plans to re-cast again.

[Bad Asp]

There are, I'm sure, plenty of people who would love to hear those two guys reprise their roles as Sam & Max. That said, there are now plenty of people who are big fans of the new guys as well. It's a perfectly acceptable matter of personal preference. Of couse, we all really like the guys we've cast for our Sam & Max games, and have no plans to re-cast again.

Oh, you did not just say what I think you said.

How could anyone possibly like the current voices? I mean, have you people actually listened to them? Sam's current voice is dull, robotic, and completely lacking in emotion. I don't want to hear Microsoft Sam! I want to hear Sam Sam! And if I have to hear the whiny, abrasive, annoying, eardrum-bleeding shrieking that is Max's current voice one more time, I swear I will dip two Q-tips in burning acid and stick them in my ears for a long period of time. I won't be able to hear the original Hit the Road voices anymore, but it's a small price to pay just to avoid hearing the current ones. No offense, people who actually like them, but I don't trust you. I think you're evil, and I think you hate Sam and Max. I think you actually like the fact that Lucasarts is holding both of the games in which Bill Farmer and Nick Jameson voiced the duo hostage, and you purposely want the Freelance Police to be voiced by untalented amateurs just so you can rub it in our faces, and ruin the careers of two talented voice actors in the process by separating them from two characters that they put their hearts and souls into voicing. Bill Farmer and Nick Jameson spent two years perfecting the dialogue from Freelance Police and don't get either the right to see their game come to life or their original game on U.S. store shelves, while David Nowlin and William Kasten butcher the dialogue from the episodic series and, for some reason I still don't understand, get paid a lot of money for it and their games on store shelves. Does that seem fair?

I'm sorry if this post makes you think I'm some hateful idiot who won't give the current voices a chance, but that is my opinion of them.

[end ridiculously long rant]

[ShaggE]

Who's to say they can even still do the voices? Remember the final two seasons of Family Matters? (and if not, why? Family Matters makes the world go 'round.*) It was downright painful listening to Jaleel White try to hit his famous "Urkel pitch".


*Note to TellTale: "Family Matters: The Game" won't develop itself, y'know.


EDIT: While I fervently disagree, Asp, that "Microsoft Sam" line is pure gold. GOLD.

[Udvarnoky]

How could anyone possibly like the current voices? I mean, have you people actually listened to them? Sam's current voice is dull, robotic, and completely lacking in emotion. I don't want to hear Microsoft Sam! I want to hear Sam Sam! And if I have to hear the whiny, abrasive, annoying, eardrum-bleeding shrieking that is Max's current voice one more time, I swear I will dip two Q-tips in burning acid and stick them in my ears for a long period of time. I won't be able to hear the original Hit the Road voices anymore, but it's a small price to pay just to avoid hearing the current ones. No offense, people who actually like them, but I don't trust you. I think you're evil, and I think you hate Sam and Max. I think you actually like the fact that Lucasarts is holding both of the games in which Bill Farmer and Nick Jameson voiced the duo hostage, and you purposely want the Freelance Police to be voiced by untalented amateurs just so you can rub it in our faces, and ruin the careers of two talented voice actors in the process by separating them from two characters that they put their hearts and souls into voicing. Bill Farmer and Nick Jameson spent two years perfecting the dialogue from Freelance Police and don't get either the right to see their game come to life or their original game on U.S. store shelves, while David Nowlin and William Kasten butcher the dialogue from the episodic series and, for some reason I still don't understand, get paid a lot of money for it and their games on store shelves. Does that seem fair?

Otherwise though, you really like the voices.

[yoshimickster]

Joey Camen is one of the most versatile voice-actors I have ever heard.

[Bad Asp]

Otherwise though, you really like the voices.

No I don't! I don't like the current voices, okay?!

[Badwolf]

...and ruin the careers of two talented voice actors in the process by separating them from two characters that they put their hearts and souls into voicing

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0267724/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0417068/

Hardly going jobless.

[Udvarnoky]

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0267724/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0417068/

Hardly going jobless.

Yeah seriously, your conclusion is that their careers are ruined, Bad Asp? If anything I'd imagine their careers taking off is part of the reason Telltale can't get them.

I think you're just going to have to square with the fact that whether people prefer the new voices to the originals or not, very very few people share your seething hatred for them to the point where they won't play the games. Nowlin and Kasten are here to say and if you can't get over that, you may just have to play the games with the voices off.

[yoshimickster]

Come on, Goofy? HE HAS THE MOST ANNOYING VOICE EVER!

[Bad Asp]

Yeah seriously, your conclusion is that their careers are ruined, Bad Asp? If anything I'd imagine their careers taking off is part of the reason Telltale can't get them.

I think you're just going to have to square with the fact that whether people prefer the new voices to the originals or not, very very few people share your seething hatred for them to the point where they won't play the games. Nowlin and Kasten are here to say and if you can't get over that, you may just have to play the games with the voices off.

Fine! I'll do that if you people are going to continue to act the way you do toward me.

[Bad Asp]

Come on, Goofy? HE HAS THE MOST ANNOYING VOICE EVER!

Oh no you didn't.

[Udvarnoky]

Fine! I'll do that if you people are going to continue to act the way you do toward me.

That'll teach us.

[ig0rpwnwEd]

What voice actors have there been in the series and have you ever considered using Bill Farmer as Sam and Nick Jameson as Max?

Not a fan of the original voices. Sorry.

[Bad Asp]

I don't frickin' believe you people!

[Shauntron]

No offense, people who actually like them, but I don't trust you. I think you're evil, and I think you hate Sam and Max.


Fine! I'll do that if you people are going to continue to act the way you do toward me.

Ever think about the way you act towards other people? Just sayin'.

[Bad Asp]

Ever think about the way you act towards other people? Just sayin'.

Well, that's how I think they act toward me. I think I know exactly where I stand on this forum (somewhere on the bottom), and I feel that this is one of those situations where I need to stand up and fight for what I believe in. I don't want to be one of those wildebeests just standing there and waiting to be devoured by a hungry lion. Just sayin'.

Oh, and I still want the original voice actors back. If neither of them are an available option by 2009, I may lose my mind completely, and believe me, no one wants that.

[Breakman]

Can I confuse the matter by saying I really liked the animated series' voice actors? I think I would be the minority here... ^^;

Sure, I like the current VAs and the original VAs, they all have good points and bad. I'm probably biased about the cartoon's because it was my favorite medium they were in.

[patters]

Can I confuse the matter by saying I really liked the animated series' voice actors? I think I would be the minority here... ^^;

Sure, I like the current VAs and the original VAs, they all have good points and bad. I'm probably biased about the cartoon's because it was my favorite medium they were in.

i always liked them too, they were my introduction to sam and max when the were on channel 4 in the 90s, i'm not so much of the HTR voices, but i like the episodes voices

[Tjibbbe]

Wow, I looked at the Bill and Nick's IMDB-pages, and I found out that 'Max' plays Richard Malkin on Lost. Awesome!

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/lost/images/thumb/8/87/Richard_Malkin_.jpg/270px-Richard_Malkin_.jpg

Regarding the 'discussion': I prefer the Telltale-voices, they fit the tone of the games perfectly. Sam's voice is the voice of the comics. Bill Farmer and Nick Jameson were great at what they did, but the entire style of both the game and the cartoon series was different from what Telltale tries to achieve with the episodic games (which is to create something that's closer to the comics than the cartoons, the first game and its cancelled sequel). And it works perfectly, for me at least.

[Shauntron]

Well, that's how I think they act toward me. I think I know exactly where I stand on this forum (somewhere on the bottom), and I feel that this is one of those situations where I need to stand up and fight for what I believe in.

I think the members here have disagreed with you in the most respectful way I've ever seen a group of people do on any internet forum, and casting yourself as downtrodden and low-ranking is disingenuous.



I don't want to be one of those wildebeests just standing there and waiting to be devoured by a hungry lion. Just sayin'.


At the risk of prodding too deep, I really have to know what in the world you're talking about here.

[ShaggE]

I feel that this is one of those situations where I need to stand up and fight for what I believe in.


Okay... really? Of all the things in this world to fight for, you choose voice actors?

I love Sam & Max as much as the next guy, but no matter who portrays them, it remains to be nothing but a comic/cartoon/series of games.

The well-being of humanity is something to fight for. Earth preservation is something to fight for. Voice overs are not.

[Jake]

Well, that's how I think they act toward me. I think I know exactly where I stand on this forum (somewhere on the bottom), and I feel that this is one of those situations where I need to stand up and fight for what I believe in. I don't want to be one of those wildebeests just standing there and waiting to be devoured by a hungry lion. Just sayin'.

Oh, and I still want the original voice actors back. If neither of them are an available option by 2009, I may lose my mind completely, and believe me, no one wants that.

Let's change this up a bit.

You're right, Bad Asp. The voice actors from Hit the Road are the true voice for the series. Everyone agrees with you now; you have convinced them through many well-argued points, spellbinding rhetoric, and light temper tantrums, that the two actors who portrayed the Sam and Max in the 1993 LucasArts game are the true embodiments of the characters.

wait... light creeping in... mom opening the blinds... time for school, guhhh...

http://martinhurley.com/inspired_posters_files/blocks_image_22_1.jpg

... yes, it was all a dream. Sadly, we're still in the real world, where people are still entitled to their own opinions, and some of them happen to disagree with you.

As Shaun pointed out, really, for a Disagreement On The Internet, people have been extremely cordial in this thread, taking the time to actually read and reply to other peoples posts, instead of barfing out nothing but vitriolic waste.

The fact is not everyone agrees with you, and you are going to have to live with that. The other (more heartening) fact, though, is that while not everyone agrees with you, nobody is offended that you like the original voice actors. It's a perfectly valid personal preference, and you are welcome to have it. Everyone here is telling you that you're welcome to prefer those guys. In fact, I would say that one of the few people in this thread who is being intolerant of the opinions of others is you. You continue to make threats you'll enact if your demands aren't met, and belittle other people for disagreeing with you.

We won't be re-casting Sam & Max with Bill Farmer and Nick Jameson (or with Harvey Atkin and Robert Tinkler, sorry Breakman :) ) -- they did a great job on Hit the Road, but we went elsewhere with our games, and are very happy with the guys we're working with now -- so if your antics really are in some last ditch hope to get us to recast our main characters after happily going back to them for eleven games over the last two years... you need to stop.

I'm glad you liked Hit the Road, and the voice actors in it, but really, Bad Asp, you're not going to enact change by issuing threats, calling names, and playing martyr in what is an otherwise reasonably polite thread.

If the polite respect for your being entitled to your own opinion isn't enough for you, then I don't really know what we can do for you, because you're not going to change anyone's minds by posting on a video game web forum.

[Rather Dashing]

We won't be re-casting Sam & Max with Bill Farmer and Nick Jameson (or with Harvey Atkin and Robert Tinkler, sorry Breakman :) )\
I'm guessing this means Sean Connery is off the table for Sam, too.

[Avel]

Can I confuse the matter by saying I really liked the animated series' voice actors? I think I would be the minority here... ^^;

I'll agree with that sentiment as well. I prefer the cartoon voices and Telltale's voices over the Hit the Road voices. For Max it'd be Tinkler, Kasten then Jameson and for Sam it'd be Nowlin, Atkin then Farmer. I'd probably presume that given his improvement since 102, Kasten will likely hit the top by the middle of season 3. (Edit: Especially if we see the action quotient go up. Come on Telltale, I've seen where you've gone with Strong Bad, give ol' Sam & Max a taste...)

Oh, and I still want the original voice actors back. If neither of them are an available option by 2009, I may lose my mind completely, and believe me, no one wants that.

I'll call that bluff. Who else wants to see Bad Asp turn purple?

Oh, and Jake, you're now my sarcasmic hero.

[Breakman]

i always liked them too, they were my introduction to sam and max when the were on channel 4 in the 90s, i'm not so much of the HTR voices, but i like the episodes voices

I came late to the party. I started on the TT episodes before anything else. I never heard of the show when I grew up. (Then again, I wasn't allowed to watch that much TV...)

I really like these voices because Max has that spaz-like quality to him and Sam's voice reminds me of John Astin (Gomez from the Addams Family) which is funny personally.

[...]or with Harvey Atkin and Robert Tinkler, sorry Breakman :)

:snaps fingers and gives a light kick to the air: Aww... :(

... :p

For Max it'd be Tinkler, Kasten then Jameson and for Sam it'd be Nowlin, Atkin then Farmer.

If I went à la carte, Tinkler and Nowlin. ^^ But really, I'm just glad that Sam and Max have voices. I don't think I would be into the series as much as I am without voices. Most of the jokes depend on how they are delivered and the tone. HtR was good for sarcastic/dry humor, AoSM for over-the-top (especially on Max), and the TT episodes... uh... well, some kind... of humor... ^^; The TT episodes has that generalized, not particularly specialized type of humor style.

To HtR's defense, it was funny because of their choice of voices. The stereotypical New York accent matched with talking, upright-walking, animals: it adds to their character and I miss that.

Rewind and back to what I said before, I'm happy as long as there are voices and good ones at that. Most people take for granted voice acting in videogames nowadays.

[Bad Asp]

We won't be re-casting Sam & Max with Bill Farmer and Nick Jameson (or with Harvey Atkin and Robert Tinkler, sorry Breakman :) ) -- they did a great job on Hit the Road, but we went elsewhere with our games, and are very happy with the guys we're working with now -- so if your antics really are in some last ditch hope to get us to recast our main characters after happily going back to them for eleven games over the last two years... you need to stop.

I'm glad you liked Hit the Road, and the voice actors in it, but really, Bad Asp, you're not going to enact change by issuing threats, calling names, and playing martyr in what is an otherwise reasonably polite thread.

If the polite respect for your being entitled to your own opinion isn't enough for you, then I don't really know what we can do for you, because you're not going to change anyone's minds by posting on a video game web forum.

If what I did offended anyone on this forum, I apologize once again. I'm not one who sugar-coats my emotions, and I wear them on my sleeve.

Still, if only there was some way I could hear the original Sam and Max voices again without having to resort to playing Hit the Road once again... maybe a series on Adult Swim, or a made-for-DVD movie...

Or, even if you don't recast the voices, you could still bring the original voice actors into the studio to allow the choice of an alternative option... that way David Nowlin fans and William Kasten fans can be happy AND Bill Farmer and Nick Jameson fans can be happy. I don't think ANY game has the option to choose which voice actors the players want to use, so you could be the first!

:(sigh...:( I so wish that could happen...

[Skippy the Demon]

Can I confuse the matter by saying I really liked the animated series' voice actors? I think I would be the minority here... ^^;

Sure, I like the current VAs and the original VAs, they all have good points and bad. I'm probably biased about the cartoon's because it was my favorite medium they were in.

I like the Cartoon Series Voice Actors also... I think it may be because I've just heard them more than the others. Don't get me wrong the others are great too, just personal preference. They all seem to fit in each game/show in their own way, I think that may be due to the type of comedy they are doing... I dunno.

Personally I'd really like to see another Sam & Max cartoon for adult audiences. So they can use guns and stuff and swear when necessary. I wouldn't care who they got to VA for them just as long as they made them!

[light_rises]

*raises hand* I'll add to the love for the cartoon voices, too. Though Atkin's take on Sam isn't my personal favorite (that goes to Nowlin's version), it suits the tone of the show, is well-acted, and it stays true to the essence of who Sam is.* Add the fact that Atkin and Tinkler—whose Max I loved almost from the start—had great chemistry and could tackle those longer-winded stretches of dialogue so nimbly, and I can't help but be impressed.

Actually, that brings up something else I've been thinking about: To me, when you've got two characters who work so closely together, you can't skimp on making sure the chemistry between the voices actors works anymore than you should cut corners with the technical quality of the performances or the characterizations. Fortunately, Hit the Road, Telltale's episodes, and the cartoon series all have that down pat—because of which, my preferences notwithstanding, I don't think I would change a thing in terms of casting. Sure, it'd be neat to see, say, Nowlin and Tinkler teamed up, but I don't know if their Sam and Max would bounce off each other all that well. Nowlin and Kasten (whose Max I admire in equal measure to Tinkler's) are already terrific together. “Why fix what ain't broke?” I say. :)

---

*There's a slight caveat to this, but it's more about a personal perception of the character than a claim that this is what, say, Steve Purcell would tell us about Sam. What I've tended to like better about Nowlin's and Farmer's takes is how their deadpan, Bogart-esque vocals go along so well with both the suit and Sam's (generally) calm demeanor. I also think the more sedate voice works better when played against Max's manic, more "cartoony" one. That said, while Sam's sarcastic edge in Hit the Road is pretty fun, it seems a tad over-emphasized and thus feels slightly "off" to me in terms of characterization (especially when compared to the comics). So, for me at least, Nowlin's Sam has been the best vocal representation of the character so far.