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Main => Everything Else => Topic started by: markrvp on September 02, 2008, 11:54:22 am

Title: Movie Trailers Will Never Be the Same
Post by: markrvp on September 02, 2008, 11:54:22 am: http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx/?news=328895&GT1=28101 (http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx/?news=328895&GT1=28101)

ET: Movie Trailer Voice Dies at 68

Entertainment Tonight

Voiceover Master Don LaFontaine has died. He was 68.

LaFontaine, known as the "King of Voiceovers," died Monday afternoon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. LaFontaine's agent, Vanessa Gilbert, tells ET that he passed away following complications from Pneumothorax, the presence of air or gas in the pleural cavity, the result of a collapsed lung. The official cause of death has not yet been released.

Over the past 25 years, LaFontaine cemented his position as the "King of Voiceovers." Aside from being the preeminent voice in the movie trailer industry, Don also worked as the voice of Entertainment Tonight and The Insider, as well as for CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox and UPN, in addition to TNT, TBS and the Cartoon Network. By conservative estimates, he voiced hundreds of thousands of television and radio spots, including commercials for Chevrolet, Pontiac, Ford, Budweiser, McDonalds, Coke, and many other corporate sponsors.

He recently parodied himself on a series of national television commercials for Geico. At last count, he has worked on nearly 5000 films, including appearances as the in-show announcer for the Screen Actors Guild and Academy Awards. Based on contracts signed, he has the distinction of being perhaps the single busiest actor in the history of SAG. Don is survived by his wife -- singer/actress Nita Whitaker, and three children: Christine, Skye and Elyse.
Title: Re: Movie Trailers Will Never Be the Same
Post by: patrickl on September 02, 2008, 12:05:18 pm: Wow, bad news.

Don LaFontaine: The Voice:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QPMvj_xejg[/youtube]
Title: Re: Movie Trailers Will Never Be the Same
Post by: Ginsu Victim on September 02, 2008, 12:28:49 pm: RIP. The man leaves a legacy behind. Big shoes to fill.
Title: Re: Movie Trailers Will Never Be the Same
Post by: billf on September 02, 2008, 12:31:04 pm: The thread subject says it all. RIP Don.

Patrickl - outstanding YouTube find there. That was great.
Title: Re: Movie Trailers Will Never Be the Same
Post by: ChadTower on September 02, 2008, 01:30:17 pm: RIP. I always wondered what that dude looked like.

I know who can fill those shoes. Mike Rowe.
Title: Re: Movie Trailers Will Never Be the Same
Post by: billf on September 02, 2008, 01:34:19 pm: Quote from: ChadTower on September 02, 2008, 01:30:17 pm
I know who can fill those shoes. Mike Rowe.

That's a good call.
Title: Re: Movie Trailers Will Never Be the Same
Post by: Ginsu Victim on September 02, 2008, 02:06:27 pm: Search Voice Bank for Jim Cummings and click on the first PLAY link. He's pretty much the OTHER movie trailer voice guy. He's also Taz, Winnie the Pooh, and Tigger (too).

http://www.voicebank.com/default.jsp?ptype=search_reels
Title: Re: Movie Trailers Will Never Be the Same
Post by: Ummon on September 03, 2008, 04:30:25 pm: I didn't know he had a lisp. Very slight, but seeing him, you can hear it.