Eric Stough

Eric "Butters" Stough (, rhymes with 'cow') is an American animator and producer. He is best known as the animation director and a producer on the television series South Park. Born in Evergreen, Colorado, Stough attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and graduated in 1995 with a degree in film. A longtime friend of Trey Parker, he has worked with him and Matt Stone on most of their projects, including South Park, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Orgazmo, Team America: World Police and the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon.

Stough has won five Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on South Park, as well as a Peabody Award. He was the inspiration for the character of Butters Stotch on South Park.

Life and career Stough was born in Evergreen, Colorado, and has characterized his upbringing as "well-rounded, sheltered and I did what I was told." Stough grew up interested in animation and aspired to be a "great Disney animator", but was not the best at drawing. He attended the University of Colorado at Boulder (UCB), where he initially studied in their art department. Parker convinced him to instead join their film department, as he would be able to make animated films rather than spend his time perfecting his drawing. He had an internship with Jim Henson Productions in college. and subsequently worked with Parker and Matt Stone on the short film The Spirit of Christmas (1995). The film grew popular and resulted in a television deal with Comedy Central to produce an animated series based on it, which became South Park. Stough was the first crew member hired on South Park, Stough has also provided the un-muffled voice of Kenny McCormick in four episodes of the show, "The Jeffersons," "Lice Capades," "Mysterion Rises" and "Turd Burglars". He did not, however, provide the main voice of Kenny's alter-ego Mysterion.

Awards Stough has been nominated for 14 Emmy Awards and has won five for South Park in "Outstanding Animated Program" category, as well as a Peabody Award. He also won awards for his short film Revenge of the Roadkill Rabbit at the 2000 Athens International Film and Video Festival. At the 2014 National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers (NAVGTR) awards, Stough was credited (along with Bruce Howell and Adrien Beard) for the Game of the Year nomination.

Filmography

Film

Television Year Title Role Notes 1997–present South Park Producer, animation director Also provides the "un-muffled" voice of Kenny McCormick.

Video games