SPIRAL ZONE - Earth's Most Powerful Soldiers!

Story - Episodes - Zone Riders - Black Widows - Toys - Comics - Interviews - Other Stuff - DVD Collection

I recently had the good fortune of getting in touch with Neil Ross, the voice actor of Overlord, Tank Schmidt and Bandit! Here's what he had to say about his memories of working on the SPIRAL ZONE animated series:

How did you get involved in voice acting?
I started out in radio as a DJ. Over time I discovered that my real talent seemed to be for production work (pre-recorded commercials, promos etc.). It was in this area that I was more able to utilize my ability to do multiple voices and accents. Sadly, this work was never really appreciated or rewarded by management. Eventually I learned about the voice-over industry and I moved to Los Angeles, where I continued to work in radio but spent every spare moment attending classes and workshops, searching for an agent and auditioning. It took me about five years to become established in voice-over.

How did you get involved specifically with SPIRAL ZONE?
Pretty much the same way I've gotten involved in every voice-over project I've ever done. I auditioned for it and was cast.

Tell me some fond memories you have of working on SPIRAL ZONE.
It' been so long ago that I don't have any specific anecdotes. I just recall SPIRAL ZONE as being one of the more enjoyable experiences in my animation career. The cast was a great group of people and some of the ad-libbing between takes was pretty funny. Unfortunately I can't recall the name of the woman who directed, but she wisely kept the interruptions to a minimum and let us act, which we very much appreciated.

Do you have a favorite episode?
No.

Why do you think SPIRAL ZONE wasn't a huge success, financially?
There are so many reasons for the failure of a show. Bad time slot, lack of promotion, poor toy sales (if it's a toy based show) etc. The actors are really pretty far down on the food chain so we almost never find out the real reason for cancellation. My feeling was that perhaps the overall premise of the show was a little too dark and forboding. It was a more innocent and optomistic era and I think we may have been a little too gritty for the times. I think a show like this would have a far better chance of success in today's climate.

Even though SPIRAL ZONE wasn't a financial success, do you personally regard the experience as successful and satisfying?
Yes. It was something of a challenge to play three principal roles involving three different accents. I always strove to give one hundred per cent one hundred per cent of the time. I felt good about my contribution. I just wish the show had enjoyed more success.

I'd like to personally thank Neil Ross for taking the time to answer these questions. Visit Neil's web site at www.neilross.com.