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Don LaFontaine, the "King of Voiceovers," dead at 68.
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorKatatonia
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Registered: March 13, 2007
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http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/09/64990/index.html

Quote:
Voiceover Master Don LaFontaine has died. He was 68.

LaFontaine, known as the "King of Voiceovers," died Monday afternoon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. LaFontaine's agent, Vanessa Gilbert, tells ET that he passed away following complications from Pneumothorax, the presence of air or gas in the pleural cavity, the result of a collapsed lung. The official cause of death has not yet been released.

Over the past 25 years, LaFontaine cemented his position as the "King of Voiceovers." Aside from being the preeminent voice in the movie trailer industry, Don also worked as the voice of Entertainment Tonight and The Insider, as well as for CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox and UPN, in addition to TNT, TBS and the Cartoon Network. By conservative estimates, he voiced hundreds of thousands of television and radio spots, including commercials for Chevrolet, Pontiac, Ford, Budweiser, McDonalds, Coke, and many other corporate sponsors.

He recently parodied himself on a series of national television commercials for Geico. At last count, he has worked on nearly 5000 films, including appearances as the in-show announcer for the Screen Actors Guild and Academy Awards. Based on contracts signed, he has the distinction of being perhaps the single busiest actor in the history of SAG. Don is survived by his wife -- singer/actress Nita Whitaker, and three children: Christine, Skye and Elyse.
Corey
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorBad Father
Registered: July 23, 2001
Registered: March 13, 2007
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I heard about it last night while listening to Coast-To-Coast. He had one hell of a voice and will be greatly missed. RIP Don.
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorMike D.
Registered March 20, 2004
Registered: May 8, 2007
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His voice will be missed. Until I saw his Geico commercial I never knew his name.

I felt inspired, so I wrote this in his honor:
This is a story of one man. A man nobody ever saw, but millions have heard. This one man has the power to change you're mind about seeing a movie you never heard of because of his voice. This man's name is Don LaFontaine and he is the Voice Over Master.
We're on a mission from God.


DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorrorymatt
Registered: March 24, 2007
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The world of movie trailers and voiceovers will never be the same without that very distinctive voice that was Don LaFontaine. RIP Don.

Rory
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantChazcdc54
Registered: March 19, 2007
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My condolences to his family and friends but I must personally say I could not stand his voice. I've been sick of it for years. I'm sorry if any of you have a problem with that but there are those of us who disagree. He may also have been responsilbe for all of the ludicrously deep voice fools doing movie and who knows what else announcements out there for some time. It drives me to distraction.
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