# Robbie Rist
**Robbie Rist** (born 1964 in La Mirada, California) is an American actor, voice actor, and musician whose career began as a child performer on television and whose most widely heard work is the voice of [Michelangelo](https://www.edgepedia.org/michelangelo) in the three live-action [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles](https://www.edgepedia.org/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles) films of the early 1990s.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964, La Mirada, California; full name Robert Anthony Rist[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728411/bio/) |
| Signature child role | Cousin Oliver, the last character added to *The Brady Bunch*, appearing in the final six episodes of the 1969–1974 series[2](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/History/Total-Television-Programming-1948-1991-McNeil.pdf) |
| Best-known voice role | Michelangelo in *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (1990), *The Secret of the Ooze* (1991), and *Turtles in Time* (1993)[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/rist-robbie-1964) |
| Other prominent voice work | Stuffy in *Doc McStuffins*, Choji Akimichi in *Naruto*, Star in *Balto* (1995), Whiz in *Kidd Video*[4](https://www.studio43pd.com/_files/ugd/139845_05e37648f53648538bcd3d078e043515.pdf) |
| Music career | Lead singer, guitarist, and main songwriter for the power pop band Wonderboy; member of the Andersons and other Los Angeles groups[5](https://www.racerrecords.com/IntRobbieRist.html) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/rist-robbie-1964) |
| Recognition | Number 76 on VH1's 100 Greatest Kid Stars (2005); Young Artist Award nomination in 1981 for *The Big Hex of Little Lulu*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728411/bio/) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/rist-robbie-1964) |
| Marital status | Married to Ali Riseling since 2019[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728411/bio/) |
## Child actor
Rist came into the business through auditions his parents took him to as a child, and his early years were spent steadily working. According to a profile published at HollywoodChicago, he made his television debut on *Love, American Style* in 1972 at the age of six and made more than 100 commercials before landing the role that made him recognizable.[6](https://hollywoodchicago.com/news/40080/podtalk-portrait-actor-robbie-rist-on-voiceover-cousin-oliver?page=1) Rotten Tomatoes' biographical summary states that he appeared in over 100 television shows as a child.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robbie_rist)
**Cousin Oliver.** In 1974 Rist joined *The Brady Bunch* as Oliver, Carol Brady's eight-year-old nephew, who stayed with the family while his parents were away.[2](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/History/Total-Television-Programming-1948-1991-McNeil.pdf) He was nine years old at the time of casting, playing opposite [Susan Olsen](https://www.edgepedia.org/susan-olsen) (Cindy Brady), who was twelve.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728411/bio/) The character appeared only in the last six episodes of the series, and [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) notes that Rist delivered the last spoken line of the show's run.[2](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/History/Total-Television-Programming-1948-1991-McNeil.pdf) • [8](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/robbie-rist/bio/3000238015/) The late addition of a cute child to a declining series became such a familiar pattern that the term "Cousin Oliver" is used in television commentary for exactly that device.[6](https://hollywoodchicago.com/news/40080/podtalk-portrait-actor-robbie-rist-on-voiceover-cousin-oliver?page=1)
Through the rest of the 1970s Rist worked in series and made-for-television movies. His recurring roles included Glendon Farrell on the NBC drama *Lucas Tanner* (1974–1975) and the title role of Little John Martin in *Big John, Little John* (1976–1977), a children's series in which he co-starred with [Herb Edelman](https://www.edgepedia.org/herb-edelman).[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/rist-robbie-1964) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robbie_rist) On *The Mary Tyler Moore Show* he played David Baxter, the adopted son of Ted Baxter ([Ted Knight](https://www.edgepedia.org/ted-knight)), in episodes from 1976 to 1977, including the show's final episode.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/rist-robbie-1964) • [6](https://hollywoodchicago.com/news/40080/podtalk-portrait-actor-robbie-rist-on-voiceover-cousin-oliver?page=1) In 1980 he played Dr. Zee on *Galactica 1980*.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/rist-robbie-1964) His film work as a young performer included *Memory of Us* and *He Is My Brother* (both 1974) and Milo Bazen in *Iron Eagle* (1986).[9](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/248973)
## Voice acting
The role for which Rist is heard by the largest audience is Michelangelo. He voiced the character in all three live-action *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* films: the 1990 original, *[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze](https://www.edgepedia.org/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-ii-the-secret-of-the-ooze)* (1991), and *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III* (1993).[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/rist-robbie-1964) • [10](https://mutantooze.org/wiki/biography-robbie-rist/) He returned to the franchise in a later installment, voicing Michelangelo in the 2011 film *Casey Jones*.[11](https://flicklist.tv/people/robbie-rist)
His animation work began in the 1980s. From 1984 to 1986 he starred in the Saturday morning cartoon *Kidd Video*, playing Whiz both in live-action music-video sequences and in the animated segments.[4](https://www.studio43pd.com/_files/ugd/139845_05e37648f53648538bcd3d078e043515.pdf) Later screen and animation credits include the voice of Star, a mauve-and-cream Siberian husky, in Universal's animated *[Balto](https://www.edgepedia.org/balto-film)* (1995).[4](https://www.studio43pd.com/_files/ugd/139845_05e37648f53648538bcd3d078e043515.pdf) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robbie_rist) In anime dubbing he voiced Choji Akimichi in the *[Naruto](https://www.edgepedia.org/naruto-tv-series)* series and its films.[4](https://www.studio43pd.com/_files/ugd/139845_05e37648f53648538bcd3d078e043515.pdf) For younger audiences he has been the voice of Stuffy, Doc's stuffed dragon, in Disney Junior's *Doc McStuffins*, a role that spans the series, its specials, and its soundtrack releases.[4](https://www.studio43pd.com/_files/ugd/139845_05e37648f53648538bcd3d078e043515.pdf) • [12](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rist-mn0000830917) [Video game](https://www.edgepedia.org/video-game) work includes Maroda in *Final Fantasy X* (2001) and *Final Fantasy X-2* (2003).[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/rist-robbie-1964) He has received three Behind the Voice Actors Award nominations: for *The Last: Naruto the Movie* (2013), *Doc McStuffins* (2015), and *Naruto Shippuden: The Movie 3* (2016).[8](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/robbie-rist/bio/3000238015/)
## Music
Music has run alongside acting throughout Rist's career. He described in a 1995 interview that he plays guitar, bass, drums, piano, and kazoo, and that his day job since his twenties had largely been voice-over work.[5](https://www.racerrecords.com/IntRobbieRist.html) He is the lead singer, guitar player, and main songwriter for the power pop band Wonderboy, which released *Wonderboy* on Racer Records in 1993, *Abbey Road to Ruin* in 1996, and *Napoleon Blown Apart* in 1997.[5](https://www.racerrecords.com/IntRobbieRist.html) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/rist-robbie-1964) AllMusic lists him as a member of the bands Cockeyed Ghost, Kingsizemaybe, the Andersons, Nice Guy Eddie, the Mockers, and the Last, and credits him as a producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist on a long run of power pop and tribute albums from the 1990s into the 2010s.[12](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rist-mn0000830917) He also co-founded Spidercrab West Studios with Mike Simmons.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/rist-robbie-1964)
## Sharknado and later work
Rist appeared as Robbie the Bus Driver in the camp horror film *Sharknado* (2013) and, with the film's director Anthony C. Ferrante, wrote and produced the music for that film and the theme song of the *Sharknado* franchise.[4](https://www.studio43pd.com/_files/ugd/139845_05e37648f53648538bcd3d078e043515.pdf) • [11](https://flicklist.tv/people/robbie-rist) He continued to take on-screen and voice roles in the 2010s and 2020s, including Quint Guitarist in *The Last Sharknado: It's About Time* (2018), Sheldon in *Blending Christmas* (2021), Elrod and a talking parrot in *Time Pirates* (2022), and Trig in *Attack of the Meth Gator* (2024).[11](https://flicklist.tv/people/robbie-rist) His own website describes a working life spread across on-camera acting, voice over, and music, more than forty years after *The Brady Bunch*.[13](https://robbierist.net/about-me/) In 2005 he appeared at number 76 on VH1's 100 Greatest Kid Stars.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728411/bio/)
## References
1. [Robbie Rist – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728411/bio/)
2. [Alex McNeil, *Total Television Programming 1948–1991*, entry for The Brady Bunch](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/History/Total-Television-Programming-1948-1991-McNeil.pdf)
3. [Rist, Robbie 1964–, *Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television* via Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/rist-robbie-1964)
4. [Robbie Rist electronic press kit, Studio 43 Production & Design](https://www.studio43pd.com/_files/ugd/139845_05e37648f53648538bcd3d078e043515.pdf)
5. [Interview with Robbie Rist, Racer Records (March 23, 1995)](https://www.racerrecords.com/IntRobbieRist.html)
6. [Podtalk, Portrait: Actor Robbie Rist, on VoiceOver & Cousin Oliver, HollywoodChicago.com](https://hollywoodchicago.com/news/40080/podtalk-portrait-actor-robbie-rist-on-voiceover-cousin-oliver?page=1)
7. [Robbie Rist, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robbie_rist)
8. [Robbie Rist Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/robbie-rist/bio/3000238015/)
9. [Robbie Rist filmography, AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/248973)
10. [Biography – Robbie Rist, mutantooze.org](https://mutantooze.org/wiki/biography-robbie-rist/)
11. [Robbie Rist, FlickList.tv](https://flicklist.tv/people/robbie-rist)
12. [Robbie Rist – Biography, Discography, Albums & Reviews, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rist-mn0000830917)
13. [About Me, robbierist.net](https://robbierist.net/about-me/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Voice performers › American voice performers › Animation and cartoon voice actors › Contemporary animation voice actors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license