Voice mastermind Don LaFontaine
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Trailer Voice Mastermind Don LaFontaine Passes Away
By: Jarrod SarafinDate: Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Source: Associated Press
The undisputed viceroy of voiceovers, Don LaFontaine, died Monday of complications from the treatment of an ongoing lung-related illness. He was 68.
Before his death, he had provided voiceovers for an estimated 5,000 movie trailers, including "Batman Returns," "The Terminator," "Cast Away," "The Elephant Man" and "Dr. Strangelove." Many of those began with his catchphrase, "In a world where ...."
The world LaFontaine inhabited was also one where his voice was hugely familiar though his name was not. But in that world, he was king. "He basically changed and reinvented the narrative and presentation sound of a trailer," voice artist George DelHoyo said. "It used to be more of giving names of who was in the film. He gave it urgency, importance, intelligence and a point of view."
LaFontaine and his deep, dramatic vocal cords were in demand for commercials as well as for movie trailers. He lent his voice to spot for Chevrolet, Pontiac, Ford, Budweiser, McDonald's and Coke, among others. In one series of spots for Geico Insurance in 2006, he even parodied his trademark style. He played himself telling a customer, "In a world where both of our cars were totally under water ...."
LaFontaine also enjoyed success with voiceovers on TV. He was heard on "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" and used by ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, UPN, TNT, TBS and the Cartoon Network. He was an in-studio announcer for the Academy Awards and the SAG Awards. In fact, based on signed contracts, he may hold the record for the most prolific actor in SAG history.
"It has been his business for the last 25 years," said Dave Sebastian Williams of Dave & Dave Recording Studios, which produces promos, trailers and commercials. Williams hired LaFontaine to voice promos for "Malcolm in the Middle," "The Simpsons" and other projects. "He's one of the most giving of all the voice actors I've ever worked with," he said.
LaFontaine was presented with a lifetime achievement honor at The Hollywood Reporter's 34th annual Key Art Awards in 2005.
He explained the strategy behind his catchphrase during an interview last year.
"We have to very rapidly establish the world we are transporting them to," he said. "That's very easily done by saying, 'In a world where ... violence rules.' 'In a world where ... men are slaves and women are the conquerors.' You very rapidly set the scene."
LaFontaine explained the long and complicated history of his illness in a post on the SAGWatch blog on Aug. 11. In the post, he blamed 30 years of on-and-off smoking, though he quit 20 years ago. Nonetheless, he was optimistic about his recovery.
"There are still a few miles to go before I'm back to 100%," he wrote at the time. "But that, I can assure, is going to happen."
LaFontaine insisted he never cared that no one knew his name or his face, though everyone knew his voice.
The voice that America came to know in movie houses and on television developed at age 13, when LaFontaine's prepubescent squeak began to grow deeper.
He went on to work in the promo industry during its infancy in the early 1960s. As an audio engineer, he produced radio spots for movies with producer Floyd Peterson.
When an announcer didn't show up for a recording session in 1965, LaFontaine voiced his first narration, a promo for the film "Gunfighters of Casa Grande." The client, MGM, liked his performance.
LaFontaine remained active until recently, averaging seven to 10 voiceover sessions a day. He worked from a home studio his wife nicknamed "The Hole," where his fax machine delivered scripts.
LaFontaine is survived by his wife, singer-actress Nita Whitaker, and three daughters.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
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Props to Ponyboy for mentioning this prior to the article being posted.