Theatre Register

Ernie Sabella

Shows · Ernie Sabella

Actor b. 1949 On stage 19762007

Ernest Sabella (born September 19, 1949) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Pumbaa from The Lion King franchise, voicing the character in all media except the 2019 and 2024 films. Sabella's TV roles include Mr. Donald "Twinkie" Twinkacetti in Perfect Strangers (1986–1987), George Shipman in A Fine Romance, and Leon Carosi in Saved by the Bell (1991). His work in Broadway theatre includes starring roles in Guys and Dolls, Chicago, Curtains, and Man of La Mancha.

On stage 9 productions, 31 years

1976 The Robber Bridegroom Biltmore · Revival · directed by Gerald Freedman 145 perf.
1982 Little Johnny Jones Alvin Theatre · Revival · directed by Gerald Gutierrez 1 perf.
1992 Guys and Dolls Martin Beck Theatre · Revival · directed by Jerry Zaks 1,143 perf.
1996 A Funny Thing... Forum (1996 Revival) St. James Theatre · Revival · directed by Jerry Zaks 715 perf.
1996 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum St James Theatre · Revival · directed by Jerry Zaks 715 perf.
1996 Chicago Richard Rodgers Theatre · Revival · directed by Walter Bobbie 9,999 perf.
2002 Man of La Mancha Martin Beck Theatre · Revival · directed by Jonathan Kent 304 perf.
2005 Sweet Charity Al Hirschfeld Theatre · Revival · directed by Walter Bobbie 279 perf.
2007 Curtains Al Hirschfeld Theatre · Original · directed by Scott Ellis 511 perf.

Each row is a staging this name appears in the cast list of, read from the production record rather than from the person record. The person record names works instead, and a work cannot say which run somebody was in — that is how Elaine Stritch ends up filed under Show Boat 1927 when she was in the 1994 revival. No row here says what part was played, because no cast list records it.

Worked with more than once12 names

Nathan Lane 3 productions
Mary Ann Lamb 3 productions
Cory English 3 productions
Tom Wopat 2 productions
Timothy J Alex 2 productions
Stephanie Pope 2 productions
Shannon Lewis 2 productions
Sean Samuels 2 productions
Rob Bartlett 2 productions
Pascale Faye 2 productions
Nili Bassman 2 productions
Nancy Lemenager 2 productions

Both names in the same cast list, more than once. It is not evidence of a partnership — a long-running company puts the same forty people together every night — but it is where one would start looking. 5 of these names are not links because we hold no record behind them; the name is set from the identifier and its punctuation may be wrong.

Also credited on2 works

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
The Lion King

These come off the person record, which names a work and not a production. So we can say this name is attached to the work and we cannot say which staging, or in what capacity. For a composer or a writer that is the whole career we hold; there is no cast list to find them in.

In the literature8 passages

  • Cast: Peter Gallagher, Nathan Lane, Josie de Guzman, Faith Prince, Walter Bobbie, John Carpenter, Steve Ryan, Ernie Sabella, J.K. Simmons,ebooks/Green, Stanley/Broadway Musicals, Show By Show - Seventh Edition - Stanley Green & Cary Ginell.txt
  • Cast: Nathan Lane, Mark Linn-Baker, Lewis J. Stadlen, Ernie Sabella, William Duell, Mary Testa, Jessica Boevers, Cris Groenendaal, Jim Stanek, Leigh Zimmermanebooks/Green, Stanley/Broadway Musicals, Show By Show - Seventh Edition - Stanley Green & Cary Ginell.txt
  • Cast: Brian Stokes Mitchell, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Ernie Sabella, Stephen Bogardus, Mark Jacoby, Natascia Diaz, Don Mayo, Olga Merediz, Frederick B. Owens, Jaime Torocelliniebooks/Green, Stanley/Broadway Musicals, Show By Show - Seventh Edition - Stanley Green & Cary Ginell.txt
  • At Guys and Dolls , I remember that they were collecting for Broadway Cares, and Ernie Sabella was at the door. He had just been in that episode of Seinfeld where he was naked, and we were excited because my brother talked to him about it. I was 16.ebooks/Tepper, Jennifer/Untold Stories of Broadway, Part 1, The - Jennifer Tepper.txt
  • He then goes into exile, where he's befriended by a Falstaff-like meerkat (Lane) and a warthog (voiced by pal Ernie Sabella), whose laid-hack, "no worries" philosophy is outlined in the Elton John song "Hakuna Matata."ebooks/Viagas, Robert/I'm the Greatest Star_ Broadway's Top Musical Legends from 1900 to Today - Robert Viagas.txt
  • Gregg Marriner; Stage Managers, Victor A. Gelb, Carol Mack; Martha Sound, Layne Toolin. CAST: Roger Chapman (William), Shaw (Madeline), Ernie Sabella (Lee), Susanne Wasson (Jennifer), (Joseph) Barbour Linda Kane (Mrs. Freemont), Thomas April 9-13, 1974 (5 performances)theatre-pdfs/Theatre World/Theatre World, 1973 74 Season, v. 30 (Willis).txt

Passages naming this person, found by keyword across 178 books. A keyword match is not a biography, and a common name will pull in the wrong one.

What this page does not know

  • What this person played. No cast list we hold records a character against a performer.
  • Which of the credits above the roles on this record — actor — apply to. The roles sit on the person and never on a credit, so a director who also acted looks the same here as one who did not.

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