Arnold Shortman (voiced by four different actors throughout the show’s run) is a nine-year-old boy with a football-shaped head (for which he received the nickname “Football Head”) who lives in the Sunset Arms Boarding House in the city of Hillwood, Washington, with his Grandpa Phil (Dan Castellaneta) and Grandma Pookie (Tress MacNeille). His parents – it is explained – are “out in the wild saving people’s lives”.
The other residents of the boarding house are Oskar Kokoshka (Steven Viksten), his wife Susie (Mary Scheer) and construction worker Ernie Potts (Dom Irrera).
Arnold loves jazz music and football and likes to daydream. Arnold hangs out with his best friend, Gerald (voiced by Jamil Walker Smith), and stories follow his misadventures as he faces the daily pressures of life at school, with his friends and at home.
Arnold’s main problem is that he feels obligated to help others – a situation that becomes all too complicated when he starts minding other people’s business.
Helga (Francesca Smith), the meanest girl in school, has a crush on Arnold (although Arnold is unaware of it). Phoebe (Anndi McAfee) is the brainy kid, Harold (Justin Shenkarow) is the school’s overweight bully, and Rhonda (Olivia Hack) is the school’s rich girl. Other classmates include Stinky (Christopher Walberg), Sid (Sam Gifaldi) and Eugene.
Arnold Shortman
Toran Caudell
Phillip Van Dyke
Spencer Klein
Alex D Linz Gerald Johanssen
Jamil Walker Smith Helga Pataki
Francesca Smith Harold Berman
Justin Shenkarow Phoebe Heyerdahl
Anndi McAfee Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd
Olivia Hack Grandpa Phil
Dan Castellaneta Grandma Pookie
Tress MacNeille Stinky Petersen
Christopher Walberg Sid
Sam Gifaldi Brainy
Craig Bartlett Eugene
Benjamin Diskin
Jarrett Lennon Oskar Kokoshka
Steven Viksten Susie Kokoshka
Mary Scheer Ernie Potts
Dom Irrera Miriam Pataki
Kath Soucie Big Bob Pataki
Maurice LaMarche Mr Simmons
Dan Butler
Arnold loves jazz music and football and likes to daydream. Arnold hangs out with his best friend, Gerald (voiced by Jamil Walker Smith), and stories follow his misadventures as he faces the daily pressures of life at school, with his friends and at home.
