Marty Grabstein

{{Infobox person

| image = Marty Grabstein (53384835048).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Grabstein at GalaxyCon Columbus in 2023

| birth_name =

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 1976–present

| spouse = {{marriage|Nancy Hughes|1999}}

| children = 2

}}

Marty Grabstein is an American actor, best known for voicing the titular character in the Cartoon Network animated series Courage the Cowardly Dog.

Career

Grabstein's career has included work in films, television series, live sketch comedy, theater and commercials. Grabstein’s film credits include Bury The Evidence and Apartment #5C. His television credits include parts on three Law & Order series, Third Watch, and Conviction.

In addition to roles in several theater productions, Grabstein co-wrote and co-starred with Rick Mowat for their sketch comedy act Lab Rats, which they performed in comedy clubs throughout New York City. During the years they performed in that show they regularly arrived with new material.

Grabstein is well-known for doing the voice of the titular character in the Cartoon Network animated series Courage the Cowardly Dog. Grabstein used a combination of paranoia and panic to make the voice of Courage authentic. In the first season, Courage had spoken dialogue, but this was largely reduced to gibberish and mumbling afterward because the show's producers felt that he "talked too much" and wanted him to be more laconic.{{Cite web|url=http://couragede.tripod.com/cast/courmarty.html|title = Marty Grabstein interview}}

Grabstein reprised his role as Courage for the TV special The Fog of Courage and the crossover film Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog.{{Cite web|title=Cameo - Voice of Courage - Marty Grabstein|url=https://www.cameo.com/martygrabstein|access-date=2021-09-06|website=www.cameo.com|language=en-US}}

Personal life

Grabstein's father Danny was the owner of Grabstein's Deli in Canarsie, Brooklyn and his mother, Edna (née Bine) was a talented singer who once sang Cabaret at Don't Tell Mama's in New York City.{{cite web |last=Facebook |title=Grabstein's Deli |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=439873336024755&set=a.174134262598665.44818.138784722800286&type=3&theater |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130822230150/https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=439873336024755&set=a.174134262598665.44818.138784722800286&type=3&theater |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 22, 2013 |website=Facebook}} Grabstein currently lives in New Jersey with his wife Nancy, who is a nurse,{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8OOBrK0L1M&feature=youtu.be |title=Courage the Cowardly Dog Full GalaxyCon Q&A Panel |date=2021-02-21 |last=GalaxyCon |access-date=2024-10-29 |via=YouTube}}{{Rp|at=34:30}} and sons Matthew and Daniel.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}} In 2024, Grabstein had a mild stroke which affected his speech.{{Cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=965918534901864&id=100044511786430&set=a.203382704488788 |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=www.facebook.com}}

Filmography

= Film =

class="wikitable sortable"

!Year

!Title

!Role

!Notes

1998

|Bury the Evidence

|Nervous Man

2002

|Apartment #5C

|Restaurant Owner

2015

|A Cat's Tale

|Rob

2021

|Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog

|Courage, Mr. McGill / Clown

|Voice, direct-to-video{{cite web |title=Marty Grabstein (visual voices guide) |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Marty-Grabstein/ |access-date=November 28, 2023 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} 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.