Garry Chalk

Not to be confused with the illustrator Gary Chalk.

Garry Chalk
Chalk at the Florida Supercon in 2013
Born1952 (age 71–72)[1]
Southampton, Hampshire, England
CitizenshipUnited Kingdom
Canada
OccupationActor
Years active1978–present
Spouse
Colleen Nystedt
​
(m. 2013)​

Garry Chalk (born 1952)[1] is a British-born Canadian actor. He has provided the voices for Optimus Primal of Beast Wars: Transformers and Beast Machines, as well as Optimus Prime in the anime English dubs of Transformers: Armada, Transformers Energon, and Transformers: Cybertron.[2] Chalk's live-action performances include The Fly II, Godzilla, Freddy vs. Jason, Stargate SG-1, and Cold Squad.

Early life

Chalk was born in Southampton, Hampshire in 1952. At the age of 5, his family moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[3]

Career

Chalk has been involved with theatre since 1978 and has performed at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company (VPTC), the Arts Club Theatre Company (ACTC), The Vancouver Theatresports League and various low budget theatres in Canada. The last live stage production he did was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, where he played Miles Gloriosus. He also performed in Henry IV and As You Like It at the VPTC, as well as Dracula and Passion at the ACTC.

Most of his career has been in film and television, usually portraying corrupt members of law enforcement. He had a recurring role on Cold Squad for four years, for which he won Gemini Awards in two consecutive years, and until the close of its ninth season had a recurring role on the science-fiction series Stargate SG-1. Known for his perfect enunciation and his mellifluous deep voice, Chalk is also a veteran of over 1,500 animated productions including Class of the Titans, and the 2002 remake of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. He is also known for his voice work in the Transformers franchise as the voice of Optimus Primal in Beast Wars and Beast Machines, and as Optimus Prime in the Unicron Trilogy. He also voiced the original Megatron in an episode of Beast Wars.

In the 2000s, he appeared in the Sci-Fi Channel shows Eureka, as Col. Briggs and Painkiller Jane, as Ruben Hennessey.[4]

Personal life

Chalk has been married to his wife Colleen Hardwick (née Nystedt), since September 2013.[1]

In 2024, Chalk was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma.[5]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1985 The Journey of Natty Gann Chicago Worker
1989 The Fly II Scorby
1997 Warriors of Virtue Mosely Voice
1998 The Fearless Four Platini, The Baron, The Miller, Guard #2 Voice, English version
2003 Freddy vs. Jason Sheriff Williams
2004 The Karate Dog Officer Brunelli
Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 Police Captain
2005 Fierce People McCallum
His and Her Christmas Anthony Shephard Television film
Supervolcano Governor Billy Marshall, of Wyoming
2006 Deck the Halls Sheriff Dave
Eight Below Boat Captain
2007 Battle in Seattle Chief Faherty
2008 Christmas Town Grandpa Jack
2009 Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins Vice-Principal Grimes
Watchmen Military General
2011 Marley & Me: The Puppy Years Announcer
2012 Big Time Movie MI6 Agent #1
2012 A Christmas Story 2 Higbee's Santa Claus Direct-to-video; uncredited
2013 Suddenly Sheriff Grant
2014 Godzilla Stan Welsh
2014 Leprechaun: Origins Hamish McConville
2015 Tomorrowland Jail Desk Jockey
2015 Open Season: Scared Silly Ed (voice) Direct-to-video
2016 Stagecoach: The Texas Jack Story Doc Forrester
2017 Power Rangers Captain Bowen[6]
Max 2: White House Hero Colonel Jones Direct-to-video
2018 The Predator Postal Worker
Overboard Dr. Fletcher
The Miracle Season Principal Shaw
2020 Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite! Old Ed (voice)
Sonic the Hedgehog Navy Chief of Staff
2022 Exile Chief Sanders

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1988–1989 MacGyver Tony Ellis / Detective Sweeney / Sergeant Harold Gray 3 episodes
1990 It Coach Television miniseries with 2 episodes
1990-1992 G.I. Joe Metal-Head, Pathfinder, Shockwave, Gristle, BIOK (voices)[7] 39 episodes
1992 Highlander: The Series Bob Lemoyne 1 episode
1993–1994 Exosquad Marsala, General Shiva, Nick Tyree, Charles McKenna, Pirate XO, Kruger, Albrecht Ketzer (1st voice)
1994–2001 ReBoot Slash, Herr Doktor, Turbo (voices) 37 episodes
1995, 1998 & 2000 The Outer Limits Detective Barnett / General / Detective Frank Dayton 3 episodes
1997–1998 Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation Silver (voice) 5 episodes
1998 Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Timothy Aloysius "Dum-Dum" Dugan Television film
1999–2005 Cold Squad Inspector Andrew Pawlachuk 68 episodes
2000 Seven Days Maj. Vladimir Markovsky 1 episode
2000–2001 Dark Angel Lt. Walter Eastep 3 episodes
2000–2005 Dragon Tales Mungus the Giant, The Gilded Dragon, Various (voices) 8 episodes
2001 ReBoot: My Two Bobs Slash, Herr Doktor, Turbo (voices) Television film
2001–2006 Stargate SG-1 Colonel Chekov 10 episodes
2002 Bang Bang You're Dead Chief Bud McGee Television film
2002–2003 Transformers: Armada Optimus Prime English Version
2002–2005 The Dead Zone James Stillson 5 episodes
2003 Cowboys and Indians: The J.J. Harper Story Inspector Ken Dowson Television film
2003 National Lampoon's Thanksgiving Family Reunion Fred Hodges Television film
2004–2005 Transformers: Energon Optimus Prime English version
2005–2006 Transformers: Cybertron Optimus Prime English version
2005–2006 Firehouse Tales Additional Voices
2006 Christmas on Chestnut Street L.T. Crouch Television film
2006 Eureka Colonel Briggs pilot episode
2007 Painkiller Jane Ruben Hennessey 1 episode
2008 Supernatural Sheriff Deitrich 1 episode
2009–2010 RollBots Captain Pounder, Oddball (voices) TV series
2011–2012 The Killing Lt. Michael Oakes 13 episodes
2013–2014 Cedar Cove Sheriff Troy Davis 11 episodes
2015 Fargo Bartender 1 episode
2015–2017 LEGO Nexo Knights General Magmar 20 episodes
2016 Travelers Detective Gower 1 episode
2016–2017 Arrow Lieutenant General J.G. Walker 3 episodes
2018–2022 Ninjago Killow 13 episodes
2018–2019 Mega Man: Fully Charged Dr. Light 25 episodes
2019 Fast Layne Colonel Hardy 1 episode
2019 Love Under the Rainbow Paul Television film
2022 Love on Fire Mayor Don Hamilton Television film
2023 Riverdale Al Fieldstone 5 episodes
2023 Reba McEntire's The Hammer Judge Carpenter Television film
2024 Confessions of a Christmas Letter Charles Television film

Animation

Video games

Awards

Gemini Awards

  • 2000–2001 Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Cold Squad
  • 2001–2002 Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Cold Squad

References

  1. ^ a b c "Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' 'Memories of Christmas': Cast, Discussion, Time & Photos". December 9, 2018.
  2. ^ "Garry Chalk (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved April 15, 2021. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  3. ^ "Garry Chalk". BlogTalkRadio (Audio). BlogTalkRadio, Inc. April 1, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  4. ^ Nguyen, Michael (January 24, 2014). "Madman Interview with Garry Chalk". Behind The Voice Actors. Inyxception Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  5. ^ Mateo, Alex (December 24, 2024). "Optimus Prime Actor Garry Chalk Diagnosed with Cancer". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  6. ^ Paladin (May 21, 2016). "Garry Chalk Joins Power Rangers 2017 Movie Cast". Toku Nation. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  7. ^ "The Voices of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1989, Animated Series) - Voice Cast Listing at Voice Chasers". Voicechasers.com. September 2, 1989. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Garry Chalk.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Garry Chalk.
Preceded by Voice of Optimus Prime
2001–2007
Unicron Trilogy 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Voice of Megatron/Galvatron
1998
Beast Wars 		Succeeded by