Townsend was the original voice of Michelangelo in the animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Coleman’s career began in radio as a disc jockey for WGCL in Cleveland, where his charisma also led to hosting the nationally syndicated The Dance Show. He transitioned into voice acting, landing his first major role as Corporal Capeman in Inspector Gadget (1985).
Coleman’s breakout role came as Michelangelo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987–1996), voicing the pizza-loving turtle in over 100 episodes of the beloved series, alongside other characters like Rat King and Shredder in select episodes. His performance earned him widespread recognition among fans.
He further solidified his status with the titular role in The Tick (1994–1996) earning an Annie Award nomination for his comedic portrayal. Coleman revisited the franchise in 2016, voicing Midnight in Amazon Prime’s live-action The Tick. Other notable animated roles include Wayne Gretzky in ProStars, Jason Whittaker in Adventures in Odyssey (1994–present), and the title character in Where’s Waldo?. He also voiced Sentinel Prime in Transformers Animated (2007–2009), a role designed to echo his Tick character, and Neddy the Mallet in Mighty Magiswords (2015).
Beyond animation, Coleman’s voice has been a staple in television promos, serving as the voice of NBC’s “Must See TV” and “Comedy Night Done Right” for 16 years, promoting shows like Seinfeld, Frasier, 30 Rock, and The Office. His film credits include additional voices in Sing (2016), The Grinch (2018), and DC animated movies like Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (2012–2013) and Superman: Doomsday (2007).