RIP Don LaFontaine, 68
#1
DVD Talk Legend
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RIP Don LaFontaine, 68
http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/09/64990/index.html
RIP Don. Trailers won't be the same without you.
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.
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.
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Wow. I'm shocked. I remember just a few months ago my friend and I were talking about what would happen to the voiceover industry if Don died. I can't believe the most recognizable voice in the world is no more.
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For those not familiar:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7QPMvj_xejg&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7QPMvj_xejg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
RIP man.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7QPMvj_xejg&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7QPMvj_xejg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
RIP man.
#14
DVD Talk Legend
IMO, Don was as much a legend of film as any actor out there, past and present. Those are gonna be some pretty big shoes to fill.
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RIP Voice Over God
#21
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#23
DVD Talk Limited Edition
RIP. The Voice of God is gone.
#25
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
It will be weird when a new trailer voiceover king emerges. LaFontaine is really a cool story. I mean the guy might have been the most famous person around. Everyone has heard him, knows much of his work. As was said, many have even imitated him. And yet, it wasn't until he made some appearances in commercials that anyone would have even recognized him.