Sparky Marcus

Sparky Marcus (born Marcus Issoglio; December 6, 1967) is an American former actor. Marcus, who started acting at five playing Shelby on Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (1973–1975), specialized in playing precocious children, but also worked extensively as a voice actor for Hanna-Barbera throughout the 1980s. He also appeared on The Nancy Walker Show, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976–77) (Marcus played child evangelist Jimmy Joe Jeeter, who died of electrocution in the bathtub), Grandpa Goes to Washington (1978), The Bad News Bears and Goodtime Girls (1980). He retired from acting at the age of 18.

Career Voice acting As a voice actor for cartoons, Marcus is probably best known for his role as Richie Rich from the Hanna-Barbera series Richie Rich (1980–1982). He later had regular roles as a voice actor on Shirt Tales (1982–1984), Space Stars (1981), Saturday Supercade as the voice of Dexter on Space Ace (1984), Challenge of the GoBots (1984), The Puppy's Further Adventures (1983), The Reluctant Dragon (1981), Cabbage Patch Kids: First Christmas (1984), Banjo the Woodpile Cat (1979), CBS Library (1980–1982) and The Get Along Gang (1984–86).

Television guest appearances Marcus was a series regular on both The Nancy Walker Show (1976) and The Bad News Bears (1979). He also made numerous TV guest appearances, including on Trapper John, M.D., Happy Days, WKRP in Cincinnati, What's Happening!!, Maude, Emergency!, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, The Bob Newhart Show, Eight Is Enough and Starsky and Hutch. He is probably best remembered for his continuing role as child evangelist Jimmy Joe Jeeter on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, as well as his appearance as Arthur Carlson, Jr., om WKRP.

Film roles Marcus also appeared in the feature films Freaky Friday (1976) and The Pinballs (1977), as well as in many TV movies, including The Stableboy's Christmas (1978) and Goldie and the Boxer (1979). His last movie role was a brief cameo as a bellboy in the 1983 Steve Martin comedy The Man with Two Brains.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1973–74 Sigmund and the Sea Monsters Shelby Main cast (6 episodes) 1975 ABC Afterschool Special Young Tuck Episode: "The Skating Rink" 1975 The Last Day Adam Spence Television film 1975 Someone I Touched Mathew Television film 1975 Friendly Persuasion Little Jess Television film 1976 ABC Afterschool Special Brian Varner Episode: "The Amazing Cosmic Awareness of Duffy Moon" 1976 Emergency! Johnny Elder Episode: "Grateful" 1976 Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Jimmy Joe Jeeter Main cast (20 episodes) 1976–77 The Nancy Walker Show Michael Futterman Main cast (13 episodes) 1976 Starsky & Hutch Tommy Episode: "Nightmare" 1976 Freaky Friday Ben Andrews Feature film 1977 ABC Afterschool Special Tootie Episode: "Very Good Friends" 1977 Instant Family Alexander Beane Television pilot 1977 Eight Is Enough Episode: "Double Trouble" 1977 Insight Jeffrey Drill Episode: "Christmas 2025" 1977 The Bob Newhart Show Billy Episode: "Carlin's New Suit" 1977 ABC Afterschool Special Thomas J. Episode: "The Pinballs" 1977 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Charles Episode: "Will the Real Santa Claus...?" 1978 This Is the Life The Stableboy Episode: "The Stableboy's Christmas" 1978 Maude Ian Harmon Episode: "Arthur's Grandson" 1978–79 Grandpa Goes to Washington Kevin Kelley Jr. Main cast (7 episodes) 1979–80 The Bad News Bears Leslie Ogilvie Main cast (26 episodes) 1979 What's Happening!! Danny Episode: "First Class Coach" 1979 WKRP in Cincinnati Arthur Carlson Jr. Episode: "Young Master Carlson" 1979 Banjo the Woodpile Cat Banjo (voice) Animated short film 1979 Goldie and the Boxer Petey Television film 1980 The Furious Flycycle Melvin Spitznagle (voice) Animated short film 1980 Goodtime Girls Skeeter Episodes: "Homefront" and "Too Many Fiances" 1980 Happy Days Billy Episode: "The Hucksters" 1980 CBS Library Melvin Spitznagle (voice) Episode: "The Incredible Book Escape" 1980–82 The Richie Rich/Scooby-Doo Show Richie Rich (voice) Richie Rich segment (21 episodes) 1981 The Reluctant Dragon The Boy (voice) Animated short film 1981 Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood Petey Television film 1981 CBS Library The Boy (voice) Episode: "Misunderstood Monsters" 1981 ABC Weekend Special Petey the Puppy (voice) Episode: "The Puppy Saves the Circus" 1981–82 Space Stars Dorno (voice) The Herculoids segment (11 episodes) 1982 Trapper John, M.D. Richard Tobin Episode: "The Peter Pan Syndrome" 1982 Shirt Tales T.J. Tiger (voice) 10 episodes 1982–83 The Pac-Man/Little Rascals/Richie Rich Show Richie Rich (voice) Richie Rich segment (16 episodes) 1983 The Man with Two Brains Bellboy Feature film 1983–84 The Monchhichis/Little Rascals/Richie Rich Show Richie Rich (voice) Richie Rich segment (4 episodes) 1984 Saturday Supercade Dexter (voice) Space Ace segment (13 episodes) 1984 Cabbage Patch Kids: First Christmas Xavier Roberts (voice) Television special 1984–85 The Get Along Gang Montgomery Moose (voice) 13 episodes 1984–85 Challenge of the GoBots Nick Burns (voice) 7 episodes

Post-acting career Going by his given name of Marcus Issoglio, as of 2020 he had been working as a physical therapist for over three decades in northern California. Issoglio is married, with one son.