Profile : The Right Pitch : ROBBY BENSON BUILDS A REPUTATION OFF CAMERA WITH VOICEOVERS (AND DIRECTING)

“NNNNNNNOOOOO!!!”

The deep, angry roar reverberated through the phone lines.

But for this Beast, the bark is definitely worse than the bite.

Robby Benson, yes, the baby-faced, wholesome role player from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, confirms he is asked nearly every day to “do the Beast,” his voice role for Disney’s animated monster hit “Beauty and the Beast.”

The usually soft-spoken actor is happy to accommodate the requests. In fact, he says he is glad to do almost anything in show business, to prove himself, to better himself and to make a living.

“We’re all out here prowling for work,” he says, figuratively licking his chops.

The actor who was so visible a decade ago has found a comfortable niche off camera. He directs episodes of “Evening Shade” and “Family Album” for CBS. He has the title role in The Family Channel’s “Prince Valiant” and breathes life into the macho L.T. Marsh for the syndicated “Exosquad,” a futuristic action-adventure series.

Benson, 37, says the voice work takes him back to the work he did as a kid providing English dubs for such foreign films as “War and Peace.”

“I love doing this stuff as an actor, different stuff and voice stuff--all stuff,” says Benson. “Look, I’m a father. Stuff is great.”

Voice work “is actually great training,” he says. “You have to leave your ego at the door.”

Voice actors also get to leave behind the makeup, wardrobe and memorization. Furthermore, the variety of roles and quick shooting times (usually less than 2 1/2 hours for a half-hour show) make this work attractive to those who have “a willingness to dive in to a new medium

Enter Robby Benson, whom Romano calls a “real talented voice actor.”

“He not only is a great actor who takes direction ... he also knows how to perform on the microphone technically,” says Ginny McSwain, animation voice director for Disney television. “You need people who can sustain interest (with their voices), just like in the radio days.”

Benson’s career started on Broadway. He sang on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” appeared regularly on “Search for Tomorrow” and starred in a handful of movies. He even wrote a few screenplays. He did all this before he was 21.

Benson then contributed songs to two gold albums, directed sitcoms and continued to act and write for several media. And, somehow, without public notice, he grew up.

“Anyone who spans a very hot number of years, they will cool down,” Benson says. “That’s the nature of the business. Then, when they get their motor running again, if they’re a survivor, people will remember them from their (earlier) years--that’s just the nature of the beast, excuse the pun.

“You have to live with that, that’s the way it is. And I’m proud of that work. I’m glad I had that opportunity. I had a blast. It makes me better at what I do now.”

“Prince Valiant” airs Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on the Family Channel and “Exosquad” airs Saturdays at 9 a.m. on KCOP.