The Voices Behind Voice-overs
Certain actors & entertainers have built their careers around their elocution skills. Find out who voiced some of our most popular characters & commercials.
Actor Colin Firth recently won a best acting award for his portrayal of a British monarch with a frustrating speech impediment. But there are actors and other entertainers who’ve built their careers around their elocution skills. Find out who voiced these popular characters and commercials.
Darth Vader
The actor who voiced the dark-side lord in the “Star Wars” franchise also voiced:
* The tagline voiceover for Ted Turner’s news network.
* The leader of African wildlife in “The Lion King”
His signature basso voice wasn’t always stellar. The Mississippi-born actor spent his early years ridding himself of a speech disorder.
English voice in GPS device
The actress behind the English voice on GPS navigation devices was also the announcer at a Winter Olympics.
The Philadelphia native lived in an Asian country for several years after studying the language at Harvard University. Before being the voice in millions of passenger cars, she hosted a weekly radio series with a legendary smooth-soul balladeer.
VH1’s ‘Behind the Music’
The actor who voices the popular VH1 show also does voice-over work for:
* The History Channel
* The Travel Channel’s “When Vacations Attack”
* A popular Lifetime sitcom
He was formerly a veteran broadcast journalist at a New England news station and covered major stories in New Mexico and Los Angeles.
‘America’s Most Wanted’
The actor who narrates the re-enactments on the popular show “America’s Most Wanted” has also worked as:
* The announcer for the National Hockey League’s D.C. team.
* Voiceover for Lucien Lachance and Gray Fox in a popular role-playing video game.
* A nefarious character in the video game “Fallout 3.”
The married father and cartoonist was the last co-host of a radio icon who was well-known TV show narrator himself.
‘This tape will self-destruct’
The actor who voiced the taped voice on the 1960s TV series, “Mission: Impossible,” is best known for the iconic line that became as famous as the series’ music. He also voiced characters on a popular sci-fi series.
‘Law and Order’
The actor behind the signature narration of the “Law & Order” TV series brand also voices:
* Characters in the popular animated series, “Family Guy”
* “The Rugrats Movie”
* Narration on a baseball video documentary
The New England resident served in the state legislature before L&O creator Dick Wolf made him an offer he didn’t refuse.
‘Desperate Housewives’ narrator Brenda Strong
The actress who narrates the lives of the ladies of Wisteria Lane on “Desperate Housewives” has also worked on a short-lived TV show with her “Desperate Housewives” co-star.
The Oregon high school graduate represented another Western state in the Miss America pageant. Like another “Desperate Housewives” co-star, she has split from her husband.
The P.I. in ‘Charlies’ Angels’
The actor who voiced the wealthy private investigator in “Charlie’s Angels” did so for both the TV series and movie versions. He also:
* Was the silver-haired patriarch Blake Carrington of a hit 1980s drama series.
* Played the evil judge in “And Justice for All.”
‘King of the Movie Trailers’
Known as the “king of the movie trailers,” this actor also did network promos and TV commercials, including an insurance company.
His iconic booming baritone made him among the wealthiest voice actors in the world. He was such an American cultural touchstone that he participated in satirical characterizations, as in an episode of the animated series “Family Guy.”
