Your Top Non-Singing English-Speaking Voices from 1930 Onward

[Cato]

An acquaintance of mine remarked that Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation plus assorted movies, including a version of Moby Dick) "has the greatest voice on the planet."



It is hard to disagree, but are there not other candidates?

From the earlier days of movies, you have some easy choices: Orson Welles, Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston.  Not to be forgotten: Richard Basehart, Yul Brynner, Richard Burton and two in a special category: Mel Blanc, the "Man of a Thousand Voices," and that similar yet different genius of voices Peter Sellers

Outside of Hollywood: Walter Cronkite, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King.

And the ladies?   The nominees are: Lauren Bacall, Rosalind Russell, Lizbeth Scott, Jean Simmons. 

Outside of Hollywood: Margaret Thatcher and



Susan Spencer of CBS News.

What I find of interest is how pale and anonymous many actors' voices are these days: It's no wonder that impressionists are rare today.  In fact, out of the generation of actors of the last 30 years, how distinctive are the voices of the eternal adolescents now populating movies?  In my opinion, not very!    George Clooney could be an exception.

But feel free to disagree and offer your own nominees!   0:)

[CD]

Jim Henson, Peter O'Toole, Vincent Price

[bwv 1080]

 Uncle Billy

[springrite]

Vin Scully

[Cato]

Jim Henson, Peter O'Toole, Vincent Price

My wife met Vincent Price in the 1970's: she brought her 7th Grade class to a play he was in, and he was extremely patient and courteous with her students.

A great choice: one of his greatest performances - vocally - was for the Disney cartoon movie The Great Mouse Detective as the villain Rattigan.

[Brahmsian]

An acquaintance of mine remarked that Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation plus assorted movies, including a version of Moby Dick) "has the greatest voice on the planet."

Just finished reading Moby Dick, and I cannot help but visualize Patrick Stewart every time Captain Ahab speaks!  I thought he was terrific in the role.

Unfortunately, I have not seen the original Moby Dick with Gregory Peck as Ahab.  I love Gregory Peck (The Omen), and have heard that he was amazing in the role of Ahab, and most seem to think even better than Stewart.

[snyprrr]

James Earl Jones

Jeffrey Holder, the '70s 7-Up guy, ahaha,...



I'll be honest. I got aroused just thinking of all those buzzing voices. Must've been some kind of sympathetic vibrations (kind of like leaning up against the lawn mower? Ladies?). Hmmm...

[Cato]

Just finished reading Moby Dick, and I cannot help but visualize Patrick Stewart every time Captain Ahab speaks!  I thought he was terrific in the role.

Unfortunately, I have not seen the original Moby Dick with Gregory Peck as Ahab.  I love Gregory Peck (The Omen), and have heard that he was amazing in the role of Ahab, and most seem to think even better than Stewart.

I am in the opposite situation: I have not yet seen Stewart as Ahab, but have been told he was quite good.

Gregory Peck is mesmerizing as Ahab: in fact, 3 of my nominees above appear in John Huston's/Ray Bradbury's adaptation of Moby Dick: Orson Welles, Richard Basehart, and Gregory Peck.

[Cato]

James Earl Jones

Jeffrey Holder, the '70s 7-Up guy, ahaha,...



I'll be honest. I got aroused just thinking of all those buzzing voices. Must've been some kind of sympathetic vibrations (kind of like leaning up against the lawn mower? Ladies?). Hmmm...

This is almost another special category: deep and mellifluous Afro-American voices!  We can add Ving Rhames, and two character actors:



William Marshall seen here in a Star Trek episode (about M 5, a supercomputer),

and



Jonathan Adams seen here in Bones.

[Drasko]

Kathleen Turner

[david johnson]

wilford brimley ?

[mc ukrneal]

Two that come to mind with really interesting voices (both now gone and not mentioned yet):

Charles Kuralt

Sir Ralph Richardson

[CD]

Laurie Anderson has a great speaking as well as a great singing voice.

[snyprrr]

Kathleen Turner

[snyprrr]

This is almost another special category: deep and mellifluous Afro-American voices!  We can add Ving Rhames, and two character actors:



William Marshall seen here in a Star Trek episode (about M 5, a supercomputer),

and



Jonathan Adams seen here in Bones.

Calvin Lockhart!



oh, and all of a sudden I've been seein Lauren Bacall lately, and, brrrrrrrrrrr, mmm, I just gets me some chilllllllllllzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.


ahhhhhh......

[snyprrr]

Criswell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




BILLY MAYZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[Gurn Blanston]

Not so. I think also that K. Turner has a great and distinctive voice, that archetypal gravelly (too much whiskey and cigarettes) voice. Sweet and flawless don't necessarily make for distinctive!

[snyprrr]

Mercedes McCambridge



"The Most Interesting Man in the World"




Woody Allen (cue "Vomit in Mouth" Smilee) But, in...... (no, nevermind)


PETER LORRE

Yesss, master!






The original Get Smart! would you believvvve??







ok, I've got to do something with my day.

[snyprrr]

Not so. I think also that K. Turner has a great and distinctive voice, that archetypal gravelly (too much whiskey and cigarettes) voice. Sweet and flawless don't necessarily make for distinctive!

Did you misunderstand my wagging tongue(s)? ;Dheehee...

[Gurn Blanston]

Did you misunderstand my wagging tongue(s)? ;Dheehee...

Clearly I did...