voices

[melwalton]

Glad to see so many responses and lists,
Some surprises ( for me) Sinatra getting more votes than Crosby and no menttion of Ameche or Greenwood. but like the fella said, 'difference ofv opinion, that's what makes horseracingg.


Stephen
Did Selm
a Diamond play Tracy's wife (phone voic
e ) in MAD< MAD WORLD?


Chris
Brian Blessed played Octavius Caesar ( Auugustas ) in a PBS series, I think it was I, CLAUDIUS based on Ralph Graves book.
He played in other PBS programs including onee with Olivia de Havilland and another with Phyllis Calvert. ... mel

[srowley75]

Stephen
Did Selma Diamond play Tracy's wife (phone voice ) in MAD MAD WORLD?

Yep, that's her. She also played a crusty, chain smoking bailiff in the first two seasons of TV's Night Court, for which she deserved yet never won an Emmy (though she was nominated posthumously after her second year on the show).

Chris
Brian Blessed played Octavius Caesar ( Auugustas ) in a PBS series, I think it was I, CLAUDIUS based on Ralph Graves book.
He played in other PBS programs including onee with Olivia de Havilland and another with Phyllis Calvert. ... mel

I was introduced to him and his uber-voice via a Disney Channel production in the mid-1980s - I believe it was the Treasure Island sequel.

-Stephen

[Birdy]

Female - first choice speaking or Singing - Judy Garland
Another speaking favorite - Glenda Farrell - she could take on any accent and could speak 290 words a minute!

And lets not forget the classically trained Alice Brady!

Male - I love Bing but he lulls me right to sleep; therefore, I have never seen a movie of his in one sitting.
Another favorite - Fred Astaire
A wacky favorite - Allen Jenkins, don't ask me why, he just makes me happy!

B

[charliechaplinfan]

Favorite male singing voice - Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley.

Favorite Female singing voice - Billie Holliday, Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield.

Favorite Male speaking voice - Richard Burton - he's not my favorite actor by a long shot but his voice, I LOVE that voice. No one else comes close.

Charles Boyer
Maurice Chevalier

Favorite Female speaking voice - Jean Arthur, Marlene Dietrich.

[klondike]

I was introduced to him and his uber-voice via a Disney Channel production in the mid-1980s - I believe it was the Treasure Island sequel.

-Stephen

Not sure, SR, but you might be thinking of Blessed's role as Highland outlaw Cluny MacPherson, opposite Armand Assante as Alan Breck, in the 90's film version of Kidnapped; the original novel was by Robert Louis Stevenson, but was in no way a sequel to "Treasure Island".

[srowley75]

Oh wow...and how could I ever have forgotten...

[youtube][/youtube]

Mrs. Miller.

[rudyfan]

Oh wow...and how could I ever have forgotten...

[youtube][/youtube]

Mrs. Miller.

You are evil incarnate.

[charliechaplinfan]

Rudyfan, you've suddenly made me think of Rudy's speaking voice. As far as I know his speaking voice was never recorded. There is a recording of his singing voice and it's quite pleasant. I think it was Alexander Walker's book on Rudy were Natacha was quoted as saying that Rudy did not sound like an Italian but like a Frenchman, his mother was French and he'd spent time in France. Do you know of any evidence of what is voice did sound like?

I suppose with Rudy at least he's never be revealed to have a voice that didn't match his image. I like to think he had an accent that would have sent the ladies weak at the knees and that he would have an easy transition to talkies.

[moira finnie]

Maybe you'd like to hear this song, which is allegedly a recording of Valentino's voice singing a Kashmiri song. I know cats whose tails get caught under a rocking chair that sound better than this...but perhaps it is just the fairly ancient technology at fault. You can find more Rudy recordings here.
[youtube][/youtube]

[charliechaplinfan]

Thanks Moira, I think he sounds quite nice, it is difficult to tell due to the recording. I can't do accents, all I know is he sounds foreign. Silly me.

[mrsl]

Although I think Ronald Colman had a beautiful speaking voice, and Elvis had a great singing voice. I have to say Robert Mitchum. Sounds dumb right? I was watching a movie where a soldier was wounded, but you didn't see his face. He kind of groaned and the nurse said something, and he answered with a mumbled word or two, yet I knew it was Mitch. So I guess, like lzcutter, if you can pick out one voice from hundreds, that should mean something.

Anne

[silentscreen]

We will never know what Rudy really sounded like. Perhaps that only adds to his mystery, which is probably as it should be. Who knows what would have happened to his career had he made it to talkies? Some things are better left unsaid.

[MissGoddess]

I just have to add another: HARRY CAREY (Sr.). Oh my goodness---I'd have MARRIED Harry Carey for his voice alone. Love it. I recorded some race horse movie this morning on my way out just because dear Harry was in it. So was Burton Churchill, ha! He always makes me laugh, he looks like the walking embodiment of "pompous", doesn't he? lol Anway, Harry, what a voice, and it wasn't hollow, either, it was slow and gentle. What is exciting is that what we hear in the movies is a register or two HIGHER than their real voice sounded, especially in the older films. So, imagine just how deep and rich that voice must have been if you were in the same room with him? Olive would have to beat me off with a stick.


Even movies today don't record a deep voice as well as hearing it live---I remember when I met Mel Gibson I could not BELIEVE how deep his voice was. You can hear it a hundred feet away---when he's speaking normally. Great voice for the stage.

[jdb1]

I just have to add another: HARRY CAREY (Sr.). Oh my goodness---I'd have MARRIED Harry Carey for his voice alone. Love it. I recorded some race horse movie this morning on my way out just because dear Harry was in it. So was Burton Churchill, ha! He always makes me laugh, he looks like the walking embodiment of "pompous", doesn't he? lol Anway, Harry, what a voice, and it wasn't hollow, either, it was slow and gentle. What is exciting is that what we hear in the movies is a register or two HIGHER than their real voice sounded, especially in the older films. So, imagine just how deep and rich that voice must have been if you were in the same room with him? Olive would have to beat me off with a stick.


Even movies today don't record a deep voice as well as hearing it live---I remember when I met Mel Gibson I could not BELIEVE how deep his voice was. You can hear it a hundred feet away---when he's speaking normally. Great voice for the stage.

There are such voices. Henry Kissinger has one -- he sounds even deeper and louder and more gravelly in person than on film/TV. I used to see a lot of him when I worked in the MetLife/Pan Am Building, and once I was in the same elevator, and the volume and resonance of his voice was ear-shattering (and he wasn't even talking loudly). He does, though, definitely have what can be described as a "barrel chest" (he's quite short), which probably adds lots of reverberation to his voice.

[MissGoddess]

There are such voices. Henry Kissinger has one -- he sounds even deeper and louder and more gravelly in person than on film/TV. I used to see a lot of him when I worked in the MetLife/Pan Am Building, and once I was in the same elevator, and the volume and resonance of his voice was ear-shattering (and he wasn't even talking loudly). He does, though, definitely have what can be described as a "barrel chest" (he's quite short), which probably adds lots of reverberation to his voice.

Oh wow, intelligent AND a great voice??...if I'd been in that elevator I might have given him my phone number!