Ralph Gunderman
Ralph Gunderman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ralph Gunderman September 6, 1948 |
| Died | March 1, 2026 (aged 77) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Education | University of Akron |
| Occupations | Actor, voice actor |
| Years active | 1987–2021 |
| Spouse | Pamela Parker |
| Children | 1 |
Ralph Gunderman (September 6, 1948 – March 1, 2026) was an American actor. He is best known for portraying Dr. Crabblesnitch in the 2006 video game Bully and his work on Dateline NBC and Late Show With David Letterman.
Early life
[edit]Gunderman was born on September 6, 1948 in Cleveland. He was the fourth of seven children. He attended the University of Akron, where he worked at the college radio station WRHA and developed an affinity for radio and theater.[1]
Career
[edit]Gunderman landed a gig in the summer of 1969 as a DJ at the radio station WING in Dayton, Ohio, and then at WCUE in Akron. After graduating from college in 1970, he worked at the Cleveland television stations WKBF and WEWS, as a booth announcer for the latter.[1]
Gunderman moved to New York in 1981 and began his career as a freelance national voice-over artist. He lent his voice to thousands of commercials, promos, and narrations over four decades, until he retired in 2021.[1] He voiced Dr. Crabblesnitch in the 2006 video game Bully, from Rockstar Games, which is perhaps his best-known acting role. Crabblesnitch, the self-important principal of Bullworth Academy, was originally planned to be the game's main villain, but that role was ultimately given to the student Gary Smith. Gunderman also had credits in other video games, such as Star Wars: The Old Republic and another Rockstar title, Grand Theft Auto V, in which he voiced a pedestrian.[2]
Supported by his voice work, Gunderman performed in live theater;[1] he played H.C. Curry in 110 in the Shade in 1982[3] and lead roles in other plays, including Cyrano de Bergerac, The Ruling Class, El Grande de Coca-Cola and Talley's Folly.[1]
Gunderman spent more than a decade as the announcer on NBC's Dateline. He contributed to comedy bits on CBS's Late Show With David Letterman, providing the voice for fake "commercials" and "announcements" during the host's monologues as a member of a small band of actors that included Sara Krieger, Sam Fried, Robb Webb and J.R. Horne.[1]
Personal life and death
[edit]Gunderman was described as a cruciverbalist by his family. He enjoyed singing in cabaret and, after his retirement from acting, as part of a monthly Cover Collective at An Béal Bocht Cafe, an Irish pub in the Bronx.[1]
Gunderman married his second wife, Pamela Parker, in April 2022. They had a son, Benjamin. Gunderman died on March 1, 2026 at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York from complications of pneumonia. He was survived by his wife, son, and five of his siblings.[1]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Making Mr. Right | Mechanical Guard |
| 2003 | Red Betsy | Radio Announcer |
| 2006 | Shortbus | Radio Announcer |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–2002 | Science Times | Narrator | 13 episodes |
| 2018–2020 | Our Cartoon President | Narrator | 4 episodes |
Video games
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Bully | Dr. Crabblesnitch | Motion capture and voice |
| 2011 | Star Wars: The Old Republic | Milo Phipps | Voice |
| 2015 | Grand Theft Auto V | The Local Population | Voice |
Theme parks
[edit]| Year | Title | Voice role |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Corkscrew Hill | Pooka |
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Barnes, Mike (April 24, 2026). "Ralph Gunderman, Voice Artist and Letterman Show Contributor, Dies at 77". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
- ↑ Sama, Caleb (May 2, 2026). "Rockstar Games Just Lost a Legend: The Voice Behind Bully and GTA V Has Passed Away". gtaboom.com. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
- ↑ Wilson, John S. (June 8, 1982). "Stage: '110 in the Shade' 1963 Musical, Revived". The New York Times. Retrieved July 29, 2026.