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Topic: Legendary voice-over artist Don LaFontaine passes at 68

Mike Olpin
Chop Chop!

Posts: 1852
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 09-01-2008 10:38 PM

Probably better know as that trailer voice that says "In a World" a lot. There are many immitators, but only one original.

http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/09/64990/index.html

quote:

Voiceover Master Don LaFontaine has died. He was 68.

LaFontaine, far right, is pictured above with ET's Mark Steines and Mary Hart, and fellow voiceover artist Randy Thomas.

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.

YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QPMvj_xejg

[ 09-02-2008, 02:03 AM: Message edited by: Mike Olpin ]

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Jason Black
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1723
From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 09-01-2008 10:53 PM

A likely unknown film legend gone... Without those GEICO commercials, I'd be willing to bet that *most* folks wouldn't know who he was...

RIP Don... RIP...

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 09-02-2008 12:44 AM

quote: Mike Olpin
LaFontaine, far right, is pictured above with ET's Mark Steines and Mary Hart, and fellow voiceover artist Randy Thomas.

Oh?

Anyway he had a great sense of humor.

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 09-02-2008 01:04 AM

What a shock... just 68! OMG. I know a lot of guys looked up to him, he certainly set the standard.

A legend has passed.

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Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 09-02-2008 01:44 AM

Holy cow, what a bummer.

This continues to be one of my favorite videos of all time.

RIP.

[Frown]

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Mike Olpin
Chop Chop!

Posts: 1852
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 09-02-2008 02:04 AM

Fixed it just for you Joe.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 09-02-2008 02:22 AM

Thank you. I was getting fidgety without it.

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Edwin Schwing
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 116
From: Las Vegas NV
Registered: May 2002

posted 09-02-2008 02:41 AM

IN A WORLD,

Complete with TRULY AMAZING THINGS!

MEET

EDWIN SCHWING

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 09-02-2008 04:19 AM

That's a damn shame.

Rest in peace, Don.

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Damien Taylor
Master Film Handler

Posts: 493
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2007

posted 09-02-2008 05:16 AM

What a shock, this guy was a pro. He added that little extra something to trailers. He will be missed by those in the know, but probably also by the movie going masses who will no longer hear his dominant growl.

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Alan Plester
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 209
From: great yarmouth england
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 09-02-2008 05:35 AM

Finally, can put a face to the voice that was bugging me for years. Very sorry to hear the news, trailers will never be the same again, R I P

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Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 09-02-2008 07:16 AM

Another great loss. And much too young.

5 GUYS IN A LIMO is one of my favorite videos of all time.

I'm sure there is someone out there who can sound exactly like Don, much as Corey Burton sometimes does a perfect Paul Frees.

Don, you will be missed by those of us in the darkened room.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-02-2008 07:50 AM

quote:
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.

A very unusual way to die I might add. RIP Don.

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Chris Slycord
Film God

Posts: 2986
From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 09-02-2008 09:41 AM

Actually a pneumothorax is much more common than you would think. It's a common complication of various procedures in the hospital (like if you had fluid around the lung that needed to be removed and the needle went slightly too far). Though I imagine for him to have died from it he must've not gotten medical attention very early in the ordeal.

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 09-02-2008 10:29 AM

quote:
fellow voiceover artist Randy Thomas.

FWIW, she's the one who did the "1-800-A-B-C-D-E-F-G" spots...

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