R.I.P. Don LaFontaine

COMMENTS (36)

• I knew the name long before the commercials, and I thought he was used far, far, far too often, but it’s still a sad day. Too young to go. Way too many big name deaths this year. The “In Memoriam” at the Oscars is going to be about 20 minutes long this year.

  Comment by BGW — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 9:06am PDT  Reply to this post

• One of the Master’s most memorable appearances was in this awards show package called “Five Guys in a Limo.” If anyone’s been searching YouTube for it, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQRtuxdfQHw&feature=related

  Comment by Santayana — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 9:17am PDT  Reply to this post

• DLF was truly a genuine talent and an equally good guy. He was a pleasure to work with and was very generous when it came to helping the up and comers. He will no doubt be missed worldwide! Now he can truly be ” The Voice of God ” RIP DLF

  Comment by C Roberts — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 9:25am PDT  Reply to this post

• Mr. LaFontaine will indeed be missed.
  I always wondered who did the voice for those movie trailers.
  He is an irreplaceable treasure.
  Rest in peace, sir.

  Comment by Mark Da Shark — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 9:27am PDT  Reply to this post

• Great voice, great talent. Never took himself too seriously, and made it work on his own. RIP.

  Comment by savvydude — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 9:28am PDT  Reply to this post

• “The Voice of God” has gone off to join him. Don was a truly generous
  man. HE narrated the ACTS OF LOVE benefit for Cure AUtism Now three years in a row.
  When he spoke, it made you feel that a higher authority was on your side.
  js

  Comment by Jon Shestack — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 9:34am PDT  Reply to this post

• This news is really a personal shock for me as Don LaFontaine made me the honor to accept an interview by your humble servant two years ago.

  He was a gentleman, a man of class and the inventor of the modern trailer. His voice is part of my cinephilic childhood.

  Please pardon my lousy English and my lack of eloquence. My thoughts go to his family.

  Comment by Thierry Attard — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 9:48am PDT  Reply to this post

• News hit me like a brick this morning. A real pro and very generous. As someone else said, he never took himself too seriously, was a pleasure to work with,always gave it 110%,and helped the newbie find their way. I adored him.

  Comment by ca21581 — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 9:49am PDT  Reply to this post

• This is truly sad news as his voice is something I grew up hearing.

  RIP.

  And also comedian Pablo Francisco must be mourning somewhere too as his comedy act always had his incredibly spot on impression of Don’s voice.

  Comment by B- — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 10:13am PDT  Reply to this post

• While voiceovers are not quite as dominant in todays movie marketing as there were pre-1980′s, the use of them are still very effective. I’ll never forget how powerful voiceover work on trailers were for films I grew up on like The Poseidon Adventure, THe Omega Man and Earthquake. His work really created a tone! Rest in peace DON!

  Comment by entertainmenttodayandbeyond — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 10:15am PDT  Reply to this post

• Does John Leader’s retirement yesterday have anything to do with Don LaFontaine’s death? For example, was there a friendly pact to retire at the same time, or is it a nod of respect for a friend?

  Leader has been a very successful VO artist himself – http://www.sbvtalentagency.com/vo_talent_detail.php?id=148 . Perhaps it is only coincidental that we lose two great VO artists in one day – one to death and one to retirement.

  Comment by Harold — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 10:33am PDT  Reply to this post

• I should have noted that John Leader was also in the “5 Men and a Limo” video with LaFontaine, Nick Tate, Mark Elliot, Al Chalk, and – appropriately enough for any VO artist – the voice of Hal Douglas.

  Comment by Harold — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 10:37am PDT  Reply to this post

• Often imitated, never duplicated. One of a kind, and a true pioneer. He will be sorely missed. A great loss of talent, and a darn nice guy who always had a smile.

  Comment by Wally Wingert — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 11:00am PDT  Reply to this post

• Don was more than just a “voice” for trailers and TV spots. He created the cadence and the melody that many VO artists still use, consciously or unconsciously, as the model for narration.

  He was also a pleasure to work with, always professional, witty and entertaining.

  Comment by Brad Goldberg — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 11:28am PDT  Reply to this post

• I was genuinely saddened to hear about this — I’m just hoping they can keep “The Voice” alive for a while longer by sampling from his massive archive.

  Comment by Matt Griswold — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 11:32am PDT  Reply to this post

• In a world…

  He ruled!

  Brett

  Comment by Brett Meisner — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 11:58am PDT  Reply to this post

• I knew him personally for 20 years. His heart was as a big as his voice… maybe bigger. He was a wonderful man.

  We will miss him dearly.

  Comment by Anon — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 11:59am PDT  Reply to this post

• As a voice professional, this is as sad a day as I can remember. As a person, all I can say, is that this world…will never, sound the same.

  Rest in Peace Don, you made the world a better place. We will always love and respect you.

  Chris

  Comment by Chris Slone — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 12:03pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Don was a great voice, a great talent, a great man. Kind, smart, generous to a fault, he will truly be missed.

  Comment by bigfan — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 12:03pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Absolutely monster talent. His voice was like an earthquake when it first appeared in trailers.

  Comment by Mike Cane — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 12:58pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Don was a titanic talent, a sweetheart of a person, and he was just sick about all the labor infighting in the recent contract cycle, especially AFTRA’s screwing of the Screen Actors Guild and the DGA’s buggery of the writers.

  Comment by Mark Spelvin — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 12:59pm PDT  Reply to this post

• In a world without Don LaFontaine, trailers won’t seem as significant.

  Comment by Kenny — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 2:18pm PDT  Reply to this post

• In a world without Don LaFontaine, one man, one woman, and a renegade robot police dog will rise up to defend humanity from the evil that thinks it’s safe to bring mediocre VO to Hollywood now that “The Voice” has sadly left us all.

  Comment by :( — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 2:43pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Don was a friend and the easiest person to work with ever. a true professional who always knew how to nail it.

  My favorite story is back at Aspect Ratio in the mid-90′s when Don used to come in and Rubin, the sound person, would banter with him about a particular car that was coming out they both liked…

  Rubin ” Don… the new (Viper) is coming out. they say it’s 35k.”

  Don “I’m getting that for sure”

  Next month

  Rubin “Don, you hear the car is now 40k?”

  Don “I’m still getting it.”

  Next Month

  Rubin “Don, they say it’s gonna be 50k now, but it’s gonna be sweet. You still in?”

  Don thinks for a moment…
  “Nah, f*** it. No car is worth a day’s pay.”

  (Rubin if my car or numbers are off forgive me!)

  There will never be another one like Don.

  Comment by Brian — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 3:34pm PDT  Reply to this post

• God called.
  He wanted his voice back.

  Rest in peace, Don.

  Comment by Eric — Tuesday September 2, 2008 @ 5:01pm PDT  Reply to this post