Emmy Award winner Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, co-creator and executive producer of the multiple-Emmy-winning series Phineas and Ferb, is set to executive produce and voice-direct all-new episodes of the hit toon at Disney Branded Television, joining his longtime creative partner Dan Povenmire on the series. It was announced in January that the hit classic would be returning with 40 all-new episodes.
“Swampy is one of the brightest creators in animation and among his many passions is connecting and collaborating with creative people, whether it’s through writing, animation design, directing, music or acting. He continually elevates their artistry, as well as his own, to tell the bigger and more entertaining stories for global audiences,” said Meredith Roberts, EVP of Television Animation, Disney Branded Television. “We’re thrilled to be continuing our partnership and look forward to a long and exciting road ahead.”
Marsh also has a previously announced series for preschoolers, Hey A.J. from his Surfing Giant Studios in association with Disney Junior, in production now. The adventure/comedy series is based on books by Super Bowl champion Martellus Bennett, who is also among the voice cast. It is executive-produced by Marsh, Bennett and Michael Hodges.
Alyssa Sapire, SVP of Development, Series and Strategy for Disney Junior, said, “Swampy is a multihyphenate talent bringing excellence to Hey A.J., a playful, music-filled series that represents what is most dear to him — family — and a relatable, positive portrayal of a child and her parents, a stay-at-home father and small business owner mother. With every step, we’re even more elated with the collaboration of Swampy’s creative team and look forward to delivering a show that will entertain our young viewers and their parents, too.”
Marsh and his longtime producing partner Povenmire created and executive produced Phineas and Ferb, the most successful animated series for Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14 in Disney Television Animation history, spanning 126 episodes, five one-hour specials including a musical and two hit movies about resourceful stepbrothers who conquer boredom and make every day of their summer vacation count
A musician, animator, writer, producer, director and voice actor (including the voice of the Major Francis Monogram in Phineas and Ferb), Marsh helped ensure his appreciation of both music and zany comedy was a significant part of Phineas and Ferb. He and Povenmire wrote more than 450 original songs encompassing pop, rock, swing and jazz for the franchise, music which was twice nominated for Emmy Awards.
Marsh voice directed many performances by the Phineas and Ferb main cast: Vincent Martella, Ashley Tisdale, Mitchel Musso, Dee Bradley Baker, Alyson Stoner, Caroline Rhea, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Errigo Jr. and Richard O’Brien, and delivered a remarkable array of guest-starring musicians and actors, including the Grammy-nominated artists Bowling for Soup (who recorded the iconic theme song), Chaka Khan and Slash.
The animation maestro lived and worked in London on several animated programs, including Postman Pat and Bounty Hamster, and worked in his native Los Angeles for Hanna-Barbera, Klasky Csupo and on more than six seasons of the critically acclaimed series The Simpsons, including three Emmy Award-winning episodes. Marsh was also a writer and director on Rocko’s Modern Life and worked as a storyboard artist and designer on the Emmy Award-winning series King of the Hill. He and Povenmire also created and executive-produced Disney Channel’s animated series Milo Murphy’s Law, which was nominated for three Emmy Awards. More recently, Marsh developed Pete the Cat, an animated series for Prime Video based on the children’s book series.
The original Phineas and Ferb series premiered officially in January 2008 and became television’s #1 animated TV series of 2009 among Tweens 9-14, building to #1 among both Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14 for 2011. The first of two television movies it inspired, Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension, ranked in TV’s Top 2 movies for 2011.
Marsh is represented by Kelly Calder and Donna Felten at Natural Talent, Inc.
