Which actor provided the vocal effects for the hyena Ed in the original film?

Jim Cummings provided the vocal effects and voice performance for Ed, the nearly nonverbal hyena in the original The Lion King.

Ed is one of Scar’s three principal hyena allies, alongside Shenzi and Banzai. Unlike the other two, Ed rarely speaks. His character communicates mainly through an unmistakable, manic laugh, making the performance a vocal-effects showcase rather than a conventional dialogue role.

Cummings was already an experienced animation voice actor when The Lion King was produced. He also supplied other work for the film, including the singing double for Scar during “Be Prepared” after Jeremy Irons experienced vocal problems. That extra role sometimes causes viewers to remember Cummings primarily as Scar’s singing voice.

Frank Welker is another common answer because he contributed animal vocalizations and lion roars to the film. However, Ed’s character performance is credited to Jim Cummings. Billy West and Tom Kenny were not the original film’s Ed performers.