Tom Cavanagh is Ranger Smith in “Yogi Bear”

Posted by Sai

Tom Cavanagh

If Yogi is the unstoppable force, Ranger Smith played by Tom Cavanagh (TV’s “Ed”) is the immovable object in his path, in Warner Bros.’ new 3D comedy adventure “Yogi Bear.” 

Yogi -- Jellystone Park’s notorious troublemaker -- has always relied on his quick wit and fast feet to stay one step ahead of irate campers while dodging his long-suffering nemesis, Ranger Smith. With all his rules and regulations—plus a never-ending supply of signs advising PLEASE DON’T FEED THE BEARS—Smith is the law in Jellystone Park. Which means, in addition to devising ever-more-ingenious ways of helping himself to forbidden food, Yogi must always think of ways to evade this protector of park patrons—a man he respectfully addresses as “Mr. Ranger, Sir,” when he’s caught red-handed…red, as in cherry pie.

“Yogi is the bane of the ranger’s existence. Smith is trying to entice visitors to the park, where Yogi does his best to steal their food. It’s a constant battle,” director Eric Brevig states.

Tom Cavanagh sees Smith as “a man who loves the great outdoors, all its flora and fauna, and lives for his park. He was raised by his father to be a park ranger, and comes from a long succession of Rangers Smith, so he’s committed.”

“Tom is so good at portraying the long-suffering good guy you root for,” the director continues. “He’s funny, but at the same time you have to take him seriously. Ranger Smith is a touchstone for the audience. He’s the only person in the story you can relate to as almost a normal guy, dealing with all the crazy characters around him. And, like Smith, Cavanagh has a wonderful way of being consistently enthusiastic, warm and charming, while reacting to things like Yogi accidentally dropping a rock on his head.”

The actor compares Smith’s relationship with Yogi to “having a brother or a friend who always gets into trouble and makes a mess, but you still like him. For all his bluster, Ranger Smith doesn’t have the heart to stay mad at Yogi. The truth is, Yogi does entertain him, though he’d never admit it.”

“They’re kind of harmoniously interconnected; each one justifies the other’s existence,” says Dan Aykroyd who provides the voice of Yogi. Perhaps the funniest thing about the ranger is his touching belief that, one day, Yogi might actually heed his advice, stop raiding campsites and start acting like, well, a regular bear. 

Tom Cavanagh is perhaps best known for his television work, including his starring role on the comedy series “Ed,” for which he earned a Golden Globe Award nomination and won the 2001 TV Guide Award for Actor of the Year. He more recently played a recurring part in the critically acclaimed sitcom “Scrubs,” and starred in the series “Eli Stone.”