Jan Rabson

Jan Rabson (June 14, 1954 – October 13, 2022) was an American-Canadian actor. During his four-decade career, he appeared in over 100 titles. He frequently worked in voice over, including as Tetsuo Shima in the Streamline Pictures dub of the anime film Akira (1988) and Larry Laffer in the Leisure Suit Larry video game series (1993–2004; 2013–2020).

Life and career
Rabson was born in East Meadow, New York, on June 14, 1954. Rabson's voice was in thousands of commercials, films, TV shows, and animated films and series. For many years, Jan was a member of Johnny Carson's "Mighty Carson Art Players", performing in on-camera sketches as well as providing the voices for answering machines, cash registers and other inanimate objects for Johnny's sketches. One of his more famous roles included providing the voice for Larry Laffer in Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out!, Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail!, Leisure Suit Larry's Casino, Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude, Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded and Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don't Dry.

Rabson performed in all of the Pixar Cars Toons shorts as well as Toy Story 3, Up, WALL-E and many more. In some of his anime dubbing and on-camera work, he used the name Stanley Gurd, Jr., and is best known for voicing Tetsuo Shima from the first English dub of Akira under that name. He is also the voice of Horse from the preschool series Slim Pig.

In 1988, Rabson was the first contestant and champion on Blackout.

In 2013, he reprised his role of Tetsuo Shima for AficionadosChris' review of Akira.

Personal life and death
Rabson resided in Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada and divided work between Vancouver and Los Angeles productions. He died of a heart attack on October 13, 2022, at the age of 68.

Partial filmography

 * Mobile Suit Gundam (1981) – (English version, voice, as Stanley Gurd Jr.)
 * Chasing Dreams (1982) – Scout
 * Knight Rider (1982) – Charlie, 1 episode
 * The Facts of Life (1982) – Waiter, 1 episode
 * One Day at a Time (1982) – Charlie, 1 episode
 * Kurasshâ Jô (1983) – Talos / Valentine / Cpt. Kowalsky / Nelo / Joe's Father / Smuggler 1 / Smuggler 3 / Smuggler 4 / Smuggler 6 (Enoki Films dub) (voice)
 * Cheers (1983) – Director, 1 episode
 * Katy Caterpillar (1984) – City Rat (English version, voice)
 * Hunter (1985) – Reporter, 1 episode
 * Vamp (1986) – (voice)
 * What's Happening Now!! (1986) – Murray, 1 episode
 * The Wings of Honneamise (1987) – Dormuhot (English version, voice)
 * Jaws: The Revenge (1987) – (voice)
 * Fatal Attraction (1987) – Party guest #13
 * G-Force: Guardians of Space (1987, TV Series) – Hoot Owl (Hooty) / Dr. Brighthead / Computer
 * Night Court (1987-1990) – Laughton / Mr. Borelli, 2 episodes
 * Akira (1988, Streamline Pictures English dub) – Tetsuo Shima / Eiichi Watanabe / clowns / cops / others (voice)
 * Designing Women (1989) – Man #2, 1 episode
 * Just the Ten of Us (1989) – Rod Serling lookalike, 1 episode
 * Growing Pains (1990) – Rod Serling, 1 episode
 * Where's Waldo? (1991, TV Series) – (voice)
 * James Bond Jr. (1991, TV Series) – Gordon 'Gordo' Leiter / Goldfinger / Jaws / Skullcap / The Worm / Snuffer (voice)
 * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1991-1993, TV Series) – Kerma (voice), 4 episodes
 * Parker Lewis Can't Lose (1991) – Future Jerry, 1 episode
 * Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out! (1993) – Larry Laffer
 * Toy Story (1995) – Mr. Mike / Gas Station Attendant (voice)
 * Theodore Rex (1995) – Tina Rex (voice)
 * Black Jack: The Movie (1996) – Son (English version, voice)
 * The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) – Frollo's Soldiers (voice)
 * Babylon 5 (1996) – Vendor, 1 episode
 * Baywatch (1996) – Frank, 1 episode
 * Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail! (1996) – Larry Laffer
 * Hercules (1997) – Driver (voice)
 * Pinky and the Brain (1997, TV Series) – Farmer / Referee (voice), 2 episodes
 * Almost Perfect (1997) – Man in Line, 1 episode
 * A Bug's Life (1998) – Axel / Grasshopper (voice)
 * Leisure Suit Larry's Casino (1998) – Larry Laffer
 * Toy Story 2 (1999) – Japanese businessman (voice)
 * Beverly Hills, 90210 (1999) – Sal, 1 episode
 * Monsters, Inc. (2001) – Sushi Chef (voice)
 * Justice League (2002, TV Series) – Professor Elrich (voice), 1 episode
 * Rugrats (2002, TV Series) – Steve Malone / Weatherman (voice), 1 episode
 * Finding Nemo (2003) – Seagulls (voice)
 * Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude (2004) – Larry Laffer
 * Cars (2006) – T.J. Hummer (voice)
 * Bratz: Super Babyz (2007) – Tuber (voice)
 * Horton Hears a Who! (2008) – Town Cryer (voice)
 * WALL-E (2008) – Axiom Passenger #11 (voice)
 * Ponyo (2008) – Additional Voices (English version, voice)
 * Up (2009) – Construction Worker / TV Announcer (voice)
 * Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) – Additional Voices (voice)
 * Toy Story 3 (2010) – Sparks (voice)
 * Quest for Zhu (2011) – Zhu Fu / Mangawanga (voice)
 * Superbook (2011–2022) – Professor Quantum / various roles (voice), 25 episodes
 * My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (2012-2015, TV Series) – Mulia Mild / Wind Rider (voice), 2 episodes
 * Monsters University (2013) – Astronomy Club President (voice)
 * Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded (2013) – Larry Laffer / Short Man (voice)
 * Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don't Dry (2018) – Larry Laffer (voice)
 * Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice (2020) – Larry Laffer (voice)