Susan Sheridan- A case study

Famed for her roles in popular children’s show Noddy’s Toyland Adventures (1992) , as Trillian in radio 4’s original series of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To the Galaxy (1978), and Eilonwy in Disney’s The Black Cauldron (1985) Susan Sheridan has been working as a voice actor for over half of her life, in amongst taking on roles in theatre and TV, and coaching voice development.

She studied at the Guildhall school of music and drama, although her passion for performing began at a much earlier age, when she attended the Brigidine Convent in Windsor, a school which encouraged drama and dance, and put on annual shows at La Scala. Her first credited voice over role seems to have been as Trillian in 1978, although there were other commercial voice over roles from 1965.

In 1984 she was nominated for an Emmy award for her contribution to an episode of TV series Fame in writing and composing the music, and although she is credited as the voice for many popular and cult figures in radio and animation, she has not yet received any other awards.

I find her admirable because she has a very distinctive voice naturally, and although she has a home coutnies crispness to her voice, manages with ease to sound inviting and friendly. Some may think she does not have such a range of character as some other voice actors (in this instance they would be incorrect; she voiced eleven regular characters in Noddy’s Toyland Adventures, plus several additional voices), but even so, she has a strong and memorable voice which she knows how to use. She has portrayed characters of all ages and both genders, and although she may not be critically lauded, she has made a long and successful career from her voice. If there is one person i can currently look to as inspiration, it's her.