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Classic Network Voiceovers

Yes,

You're right Kurt. I had time to do some googling today, and came up with Art Gilmore's name. There was no indication that he did the Disney trailers or anything for CBS other than Red Skelton. As I thought, Gilmore was the announcer for the World Tomorrow programs with evangelist Garner Ted Armstrong. I always thought that was the same voice as the Disney trailer announcer, but that was apparently Twofeld, as you said. Perhaps their voices are similar, or my memory is shot. Gilmore was also the dramatic announcer on the introduction to Highway Patrol, starring Broderick Crawford. He was born in 1912, and there are photos of him attending a Highway Patrol cast reunion a couple of years ago. By all indications, he's still with us at age 94, though probably retired.
 
If anyone remembers faith-healer Kathryn Kuhlman and
her "I Believe In Miracles" program, Art Gilmore was her
announcer. BTW, he's the uncle of Robb Weller of
Entertainment Tonight fame.

As for Dick Tufeld, you may know him best as the voice
of the robot on Lost In Space. He was also the announcer
on The Hollywood Palace.
 
Gilmore also appeared in a few episodes of Dragnet, circa 1866-7, playing the role of a ranking officer. When he spoke, though, there was no mistaking the voice. Gilmore and other talents had the resonant pipes long before there were electronic devices capable of giving a lion's roar to a mouse.
 
donnyg said:
Never forget the great don pardo THE VOICE OF JEOPARDY!
Click to expand...

Pardo also did a lot of the WNBC news opens in the 1980s, but is best know for Live at Five.
 
I remember Mark Elliot as a disc jockey on 93/KHJ radio in LA in the 70s. He was not the Disney trailer voiceover guy at that time. People above seem to think it was Tufeld, prior to Elliot.
 
The V/O guy you're thinking of is LA-based Bill Ratner...he's done such diverse work as Disney movie promos (Little Mermaid) and was the "voice" for KRON-TV 4/SF in the 80s.
 
Russell W. said:
This who's-who must include the unsung BILL WOLFF, who announced for Another World from its debut in 1964 until (I believe) some time in the '80s. His was a voice of "gentle authority."

AW was one of my mother's favorite soaps, and Wolff's "We'llrrrreturn to our storyyy in just a moment!" commercial bumper was just so ... elegant. Even better was hearing a 1964 AW audio clip on the WOST.org site (back when it was free), when Wolff read a live promo for "The Virginian" over the credits. It reminds me of just what we've lost with all the split-screen nonsense at the end of shows today. And, with Bill Wolff saying it, who wouldn't have wanted to "stay tuned for YOU DON'T SAY, next, in color"......

I'm not sure if he's alive today, but what I wouldn't give to hear that voice on TV again.

--Russell
Click to expand...

It was early 1987 when we last heard those classic dulcitones; TPTB were phasing out the logo/theme used between 1981 and 1987, and bringing on the logo/theme that would be used till 1996, with Crystal Gayle (a big AW fan) and Gary Morris singing it. I was shocked when I realized Wolff wasn't in his rightful place in the show anymore...

Last I heard, he is still with us (I'll have to do some checking ;) ), even if more of his 'continuing story' is not.... :(
 
easttxtv said:
It was early 1987 when we last heard those classic dulcitones; TPTB were phasing out the logo/theme used between 1981 and 1987, and bringing on the logo/theme that would be used till 1996, with Crystal Gayle (a big AW fan) and Gary Morris singing it. I was shocked when I realized Wolff wasn't in his rightful place in the show anymore...

Last I heard, he is still with us (I'll have to do some checking ;) ), even if more of his 'continuing story' is not.... :(
Click to expand...
dos anyone like the orginal aw organ theme by Charles Paul better or the theme with Crystal Gyale and Gary Morris
 
Dick Wesson was the Walt Disney trailer announcer of the 60's and 70's, and the voice of the "Wonderful World of Color." (Suffering from terminal cancer, he took his own life in 1979.) Here's a fine sample of his work to remember him by:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOfH7uEojKk&feature=youtu.be

I always had a tough time distinguishing Dick Joy's voice from Art Gilmore's, which I mean as a compliment because Gilmore was one of the best. Joy started in radio, moved to TV, then went back to radio (he majored in journalism at USC) as news director/newscaster at KFAC, Los Angeles' longtime commercial classical-music station.

Peter Cullen, both announcer and sketch player on the "Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" in the 70's, has been the voice of Optimus Prime in the "Transformers" cartoons and movies since the 80's.

Some other greats...Donald (not Don) Rickles, George Fenneman, Victor Bozeman, Verne Smith, Fred Facey, Roger Carroll.
 
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one was a network guy the other was not but i always liked Jay Stewart on "SOTC" and Bill Wolff on "AW"
 
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Another great V/O announcer whom I grew up around was Don Robertson of CBS Sports. Here you can hear him from a 1986 CBS college football broadcast between Oklahoma and Miami; the video is started at the 18:55 mark, and it is at the 19:00 mark (after a "This is CBS" network ID; don't know the announcer) that you can hear him announcing the opening billboard of The Prudential College Football Report with Jim Nantz. I also liked the music bed behind that billboard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUeKnfs8yFs&t=18m55s
 
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Somebody above mentioned Robert W. Morgan of "Boss Radio" KHJ fame. Though I don't believe Morgan ever had a regular network gig - he would often announce special events, such as the Oscars, Emmys, etc.

My father was an animator, so he worked with a lot of voice-over actors. One of his favorites was Paul Frees. Aside from cartoon voices, Frees, who had an authoritative voice would do announcements for local news programs in many markets. He also dubbed voices in movies - I remember hearing his voice coming out of the prison warden's mouth in In Cold Blood. When you heard what you thought was Orson Welles voice, but it really wasn't - it was inevitably Frees. I often wondered why Welles put up with it, didn't sue or demand a percentage.

In the Bay Area, where he lived, Frees' voice was everywhere - IIRC, he announced the openings for the KTVU 10 O'Clock News and KRON's NewsCenter4 at the same time.

Here's a highlight of his work courtesy of YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr1ZaiqIpuU
 
LKellerIII said:
Somebody above mentioned Robert W. Morgan of "Boss Radio" KHJ fame. Though I don't believe Morgan ever had a regular network gig - he would often announce special events, such as the Oscars, Emmys, etc.

My father was an animator, so he worked with a lot of voice-over actors. One of his favorites was Paul Frees. Aside from cartoon voices, Frees, who had an authoritative voice would do announcements for local news programs in many markets. He also dubbed voices in movies - I remember hearing his voice coming out of the prison warden's mouth in In Cold Blood. When you heard what you thought was Orson Welles voice, but it really wasn't - it was inevitably Frees. I often wondered why Welles put up with it, didn't sue or demand a percentage.

In the Bay Area, where he lived, Frees' voice was everywhere - IIRC, he announced the openings for the KTVU 10 O'Clock News and KRON's NewsCenter4 at the same time.

Here's a highlight of his work courtesy of YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr1ZaiqIpuU
Click to expand...


Just wondering who was your father and what studio did he work for? Thanks!
 
bmasters1981 said:
Another great V/O announcer whom I grew up around was Don Robertson of CBS Sports. Here you can hear him from a 1986 CBS college football broadcast between Oklahoma and Miami; the video is started at the 18:55 mark, and it is at the 19:00 mark (after a "This is CBS" network ID; don't know the announcer) that you can hear him announcing the opening billboard of The Prudential College Football Report with Jim Nantz. I also liked the music bed behind that billboard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUeKnfs8yFs&t=18m55s
Click to expand...

I miss that music bed. IMO it says "college football" which is more than I can say for the Eye's cacophonous CFB theme it began using in 1987.

ixnay
 
rickradio said:
The V/O guy you're thinking of is LA-based Bill Ratner...he's done such diverse work as Disney movie promos (Little Mermaid) and was the "voice" for KRON-TV 4/SF in the 80s.
Click to expand...
didnt Bill Ratner do general hospital and missing reward?
 
anotherguy said:
Just wondering who was your father and what studio did he work for? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Lew Keller. During most of my "formative years," (1960s and early 70s), he worked for Jay Ward Productions. Ward was a fun and eccentric guy who had family money from real estate. His studio made a tiny profit some years, but as often as not, lost money. He didn't really care, so he was generous with pay and benefits, and the atmosphere was fun. My father often had to work weekends to get projects done by deadline because he had done more play than work at the studio. As a little kid, I remember that he moved around a lot - UPA, Disney, Fred Crippin, Warner Bros., and quite a few others I can no longer recall. The only major studio he never worked for (IIRC) was Hanna Barbera.
 
LKellerIII said:
Lew Keller. During most of my "formative years," (1960s and early 70s), he worked for Jay Ward Productions. Ward was a fun and eccentric guy who had family money from real estate. His studio made a tiny profit some years, but as often as not, lost money. He didn't really care, so he was generous with pay and benefits, and the atmosphere was fun. My father often had to work weekends to get projects done by deadline because he had done more play than work at the studio. As a little kid, I remember that he moved around a lot - UPA, Disney, Fred Crippin, Warner Bros., and quite a few others I can no longer recall. The only major studio he never worked for (IIRC) was Hanna Barbera.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I'll watch for his name in credits!
 
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