Hal Douglas (September 1, 1924 – March 7, 2014), whose rich baritone voice we heard in many movie trailers and television commercials, 1970's and beyond:
Interesting how a man like this can quietly influence the atmosphere in which we dwell without our ever having known a thing about him till we read his obituary! Someone wrote a book called "We Had Faces Then." It was about the disappearance of individualized personalities in Hollywood. It's time for someone to write a sequel: "They Had VOICES Then.
The sloppy, uncultivated, ungrammatical, cliché-ridden, downright ugly speech I hear from today's TV personalities, newscasters and "movie stars" -- particularly the flat-dull, whiny, strident nasality and lack of focus in young women's voices today -- is appalling. That no one else seems to notice -- or CARE -- is even more appalling.
I long ago learned to accept the things I have no power to change, but I've never learned to LIKE them. I love llfe, but in so many many ways, I'm glad to be in the last laps.
I'm glad this quietly successful man had such a good long life.
Awfully that virtually no one ever expresses interest in anything genuinely interesting, isn't it, AOW? All they want to do is repeat the endless partisan litanies of the day all of which say little but "I hate so and so" or "I hate such and such." Thank Heaven there is abundant life outside the blogosphere! And believe it or not there are still pockets of politeness and good companionship here and there. More than you might think from what we see in this benighted venue.
Anyway, keep fighting the good fight. I admire your perseverance in the face of indifference.
As a child, before my parents had television, we would sit around a large console radio and listen to dramtic, as well as, comedy programs. All we had were the voices and the sound affects. Our imaginations filled in all the details. Later when seeing the people behind the voices, I was always amazed that they were so different from the pictures I had in my mind.
Jim, Later when seeing the people behind the voices, I was always amazed that they were so different from the pictures I had in my mind.
Exactly. Sometimes beautiful voices were the voices of people that we would not find conventionally attractive were we to see their physical appearance.
Think of Helen Keller! What did she "visualize" when she heard voices?
I knew that this blog post would likely garner no commentary. After all, there's really nothing to argue about.
Anyway, I posted this material because I'm one who has sometimes wondered, "Who is the person behind the voice-over?" Apparently, Mr. Douglas led a quiet life and plied his trade without being consumed with being in the spotlight. Also, he lived here in Virginia -- in a relatively quiet rural area removed from the metropolis of Washington, D.C.
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Interesting how a man like this can quietly influence the atmosphere in which we dwell without our ever having known a thing about him till we read his obituary! Someone wrote a book called "We Had Faces Then." It was about the disappearance of individualized personalities in Hollywood. It's time for someone to write a sequel: "They Had VOICES Then.
ReplyDeleteThe sloppy, uncultivated, ungrammatical, cliché-ridden, downright ugly speech I hear from today's TV personalities, newscasters and "movie stars" -- particularly the flat-dull, whiny, strident nasality and lack of focus in young women's voices today -- is appalling. That no one else seems to notice -- or CARE -- is even more appalling.
I long ago learned to accept the things I have no power to change, but I've never learned to LIKE them. I love llfe, but in so many many ways, I'm glad to be in the last laps.
I'm glad this quietly successful man had such a good long life.
Awfully that virtually no one ever expresses interest in anything genuinely interesting, isn't it, AOW? All they want to do is repeat the endless partisan litanies of the day all of which say little but "I hate so and so" or "I hate such and such." Thank Heaven there is abundant life outside the blogosphere! And believe it or not there are still pockets of politeness and good companionship here and there. More than you might think from what we see in this benighted venue.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, keep fighting the good fight. I admire your perseverance in the face of indifference.
-------------------> Katharine Heartburn
As a child, before my parents had television, we would sit around a large console radio and listen to dramtic, as well as, comedy programs. All we had were the voices and the sound affects. Our imaginations filled in all the details. Later when seeing the people behind the voices, I was always amazed that they were so different from the pictures I had in my mind.
ReplyDeleteJim,
DeleteLater when seeing the people behind the voices, I was always amazed that they were so different from the pictures I had in my mind.
Exactly. Sometimes beautiful voices were the voices of people that we would not find conventionally attractive were we to see their physical appearance.
Think of Helen Keller! What did she "visualize" when she heard voices?
I knew that this blog post would likely garner no commentary. After all, there's really nothing to argue about.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I posted this material because I'm one who has sometimes wondered, "Who is the person behind the voice-over?" Apparently, Mr. Douglas led a quiet life and plied his trade without being consumed with being in the spotlight. Also, he lived here in Virginia -- in a relatively quiet rural area removed from the metropolis of Washington, D.C.
I have a friend in Chicago who does this work..so awesome. happy St Pats my friend!...green kisses n huggios!! xoxoxox
ReplyDeleteA friend of a friend does audio work.
ReplyDelete"Have Voice, Will Travel".
Liberal nutcase, we argue on FB all the time.
I'm reminded of Don Pardo, who is still alive.