Biography
Ernest Sabella (born September 19, 1949) is an American actor and voice actor, who is best known for his role as the voice of Pumbaa from The Lion King franchise. He is also known for his work in Broadway theatre, including starring roles in Guys and Dolls and Man of La Mancha.
Known For
Complete Filmography

The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl
2025
as Self
In honor of “The Lion King's” 30th Anniversary, the Hollywood Bowl transforms into the Pride Lands for an immersive concert event. This music event ce...

Show of Titles
2021
as "Man of La Mancha" Performer
An evening of celebrated stars performing the titles songs from Broadway’s best.

Bakery in Brooklyn
2016
as Dave
Brooklyn, New York. After the sudden death of their aunt Isabelle, Vivien and Chloe inherit her historic bakery. Vivien wants to keep up the tradition...

The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
2016
as Pumbaa (voice)
Set in the African savannah, the film follows Kion as he assembles the members of the 'Lion Guard'. Throughout the film, the diverse team of young ani...

Wild About Safety: Timon and Pumbaa Safety Smart Honest and Real!
2013
as Pumbaa (voice)
Timon is upset because he didn't win the Honest & Real Award until Pumbaa teaches him how to have good character by identifying and practicing the thr...

Wild About Safety: Timon and Pumbaa Safety Smart on the Go!
2013
as Pumbaa (voice)
Pumbaa teaches Timon the safety rules when walking, riding a bicycle, riding in a car, on a plane, and bus, train or subway on their way to Pride Rock...

Wild About Safety: Timon and Pumbaa Safety Smart Online!
2012
as Pumbaa (voice)
Timon and Pumbaa learn they need more than a computer or a game console to surf the web - they need safety smarts!

Listen to Your Heart
2010
as Tony
Danny Foster doesn't have much: an apartment as small as his paychecks, no family, and a struggling music career. Yet for him, "every day is a great d...

Waking Sleeping Beauty
2009
as Self (archive footage)
By the mid-1980s, the fabled animation studios of Walt Disney had fallen on hard times. The artists were polarized between newcomers hungry to innovat...

Wild About Safety: Timon and Pumbaa Safety Smart in the Water!
2009
as Pumbaa (voice)
Timon and Pumbaa learn everything there is about water safety.

Wild About Safety: Timon and Pumbaa Safety Smart Goes Green!
2009
as Pumbaa (voice)
Timon and Pumbaa learn everything there is to know about protecting the environment.

Wild About Safety: Timon and Pumbaa Safety Smart at Home!
2008
as Pumbaa (voice)
Timon and Pumbaa discover what to look for in order for a house to be safe.

Wild About Safety: Timon and Pumbaa Safety Smart Healthy & Fit!
2008
as Pumbaa (voice)
Timon and Pumbaa show students how to be healthy and fit with their germ-free philosophy. From the importance of hand-washing to making healthy food c...

The Lion King 1½
2004
as Pumbaa (voice)
Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog are best pals and the unsung heroes of the African savanna. This prequel to the smash Disney animated adventu...

Broadway's Lost Treasures II
2004
as Harry The Horse (segment "Guys & Dolls")
The annual Tony Award broadcast provides the only filmed record of Broadway's best for audiences to experience as if they were front-row-center on ope...
Timon & Pumbaa Virtual Safari 2.0
2004
as Pumbaa (voice)
Take on yet another virtual safari with Timon and Pumbaa.
Timon & Pumbaa's Virtual Safari 1.5
2004
as Pumbaa (voice)
Timon and Pumbaa have Timon's Ma and Uncle Max for their new virtual safari.

Behind the Legend: Timon
2004
as Pumbaa (voice)
A look at Timon
Timon & Pumba's Virtual Safari
2003
as Pumbaa (voice)
Take a trip on either a boat or Jeep to explore Africa.

Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse
2001
as Pumbaa (voice)
When a huge snowstorm leaves everyone stranded, Mickey and all of his guests at the House of Mouse, including Pooh, Belle, Snow White, Cinderella, Ari...

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
1998
as Pumbaa (voice)
The circle of life continues for Simba, now fully grown and in his rightful place as the king of Pride Rock. Simba and Nala have given birth to a daug...

MouseHunt
1997
as Maury
Down-on-their luck brothers, Lars and Ernie Smuntz, aren't happy with the crumbling old mansion they inherit... until they discover the estate is wort...

In & Out
1997
as Aldo Hooper
A midwestern teacher questions his sexuality after a former student makes a comment about him at the Academy Awards.

On Holiday With Timon & Pumbaa
1997
as Pumbaa (Voice)
Join Timon and Pumbaa, your favourite friends from The Lion King, for outrageous laughs and high-spirited, globe-trotting adventures. First destinatio...

Dining Out with Timon & Pumbaa
1996
as Pumbaa (Voice)
Join Timon and Pumbaa, your favourite friends from The Lion King, for outrageous laughs and high-spirited, globe-trotting adventures. Set sail for Fra...

Around the World With Timon & Pumbaa
1996
as Pumbaa (Voice)
Join Timon and Pumbaa, your favorite friends from The Lion King, for outrageous laughs and high-spirited, globe-trotting adventures! First stop Boara ...

Stand By Me
1995
as Pumbaa (voice)
In this short film, released theatrically with Disney’s Tom & Huck and starring The Lion King’s Timon and Pumbaa, Timon absentmindedly sings the class...

Roommates
1995
as Stash
An elderly, yet young-at-heart man, moves in with his grandson, and both their lives turn upside-down.

Quiz Show
1994
as Car Salesman
Herbert Stempel's transformation into an unexpected television personality unfolds as he secures victory on the cherished American game show, 'Twenty-...

The Lion King
1994
as Pumbaa (voice)
Young lion prince Simba, eager to one day become king of the Pride Lands, grows up under the watchful eye of his father Mufasa; all the while his vill...

Just My Imagination
1992
as Arnold Mayer
A woman lives a normal, peaceful life in a small town until the day when a famous rock star who went to college with her quotes and cites her in one o...

Guys and Dolls: Off the Record
1992
as Himself / Harry the Horse
A behind-the-scenes look at the cast-album recording session of the 1992 Tony-winning Broadway revival of the Frank Loesser musical. Originally broad...

Going Under
1991
as The Mole
An American submarine races to get a nuclear weapon before a Russian submarine.

Faith
1990
as Stanley
Faith is a young dancer, whose parents are killed in a plane crash. Dancing is her refuge, but the streets of Los Angeles can be dangerous for a lones...

Fright Night Part 2
1988
as Dr. Scott Harrison
After three years of therapy Charley Brewster, now a college student, is convinced that Jerry Dandridge was a serial killer posing as a vampire. But w...

Tough Guys
1986
as Hotel Clerk
Harry Doyle and Archie Lang are two old-time train robbers, who held up a train in 1956 and have been incarcerated for thirty years. After serving the...

Copacabana
1985
as Sam Gropper
In 1948, aspiring songwriter Tony works as a bar pianist; he meets aspiring star Lola, and is immediately smitten. At Manhattan's Copacabana lounge, t...

Little Johnny Jones
1980
as Sing Song
An American jockey rides his horse in a London race but is accused of throwing it, until he finds out he was framed by a gambler and clears his name i...

The Robber Bridegroom
1980
as Big Harp
In a small Southern town, a plantation owner is duped into thinking a thief is a kind stranger. To repay the stranger for stopping a robbery, the plan...