A Hollywood legend passed away yesterday. If you passed him on the street, you’d probably never know it. If you heard his name, you’d probably say “Oh, yeah – umm, who?” But if you’ve been to a movie in the last thirty years or so, you know who I’m talking about.
Don LaFontaine died yesterday at the age of 68, as a result of complications from treatment for a lung-related illness. He started in the business as an audio engineer until 1965, when he got what turned out to be his big break. By the time he died, he was possibly the most prolific actor in Screen Actor Guild history, based on the number of signed contracts he had. Still haven’t got a clue, do you?
How can a guy have over 5000 appearances to his credit and yet be generally unrecognized in public? LaFontaine’s 5000 plus appearances aren’t in movies, per se, but in movie trailers. He’s the voice you’ve heard in so many movie trailers such as “Batman Begins”, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”, “Dr. Strangelove”, and “Cast Away”. He was also heard on television, doing voiceover work for shows such as “Entertainment Tonight” and “The Insiders”, as well as the Academy Awards. His voice was used by every major network, as well as several cable stations. In 2006, he even parodied himself in a Geico Insurance commercial.
Don LaFontaine is survived by his wife and their three children.
Check on this video on YouTube about the life of Don LaFontaine.
If you liked that one, check out this comedian's take on LaFontaine's work.
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2 comments:
He was a talented man and hollywood won't be the same.
yes, now I know who he is!
I don't get to watch a lot of tv/movies so I was a bit clueless there for a minute.
Have a good week!
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