Don Lafontaine RIP "In a world Announcer" - GoFuckYourself.com

stickyfingerz · 09-02-2008, 10:22 AM

(CNN) -- Don LaFontaine, the voiceover king whose "In a world ..." phrase on movie trailers was much copied -- and much parodied -- has died, according to media reports. He was 68.

LaFontaine died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, according to ETOnline, "Entertainment Tonight's" Web site. He died from complications from pneumothorax, a collapsed lung that causes air to build in the pleural cavity, his agent, Vanessa Gilbert, told "ET."

LaFontaine, who was born in Duluth, Minnesota, began as a voice actor in the mid-1960s while working as a recording engineer, according to his Web site. His strong, slightly gravelly voice was featured on trailers for thousands of films, including "The Godfather," "Fatal Attraction" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." For a time in the late '70s, LaFontaine was the official voice of Paramount Pictures.

His favorite work was one he did for the 1980 film "The Elephant Man," he said in interviews, but whether the film was Oscar-caliber or a bomb waiting to blow, he handled every assignment equally.

"My philosophy is that you have to really believe what you're reading, even if you think the film's a piece of junk," he told Swindle magazine. "Even the worst picture is someone's favorite film, and that someone is the fan I am always talking to." iReport: Share your thoughts on "the Voiceover King"

He also provided the voice for hundreds of thousands of commercials, for companies including General Motors, Ford, McDonald's, Coca-Cola and many others, according to his Web site.

The good-humored LaFontaine was willing to poke fun at himself, particularly in a recent ad for Geico insurance, in which he gave dramatic flair to a woman's story about her car accident. He also voiced the trailer for "The Simpsons Movie," in which his descriptions were mimicked by commentary from the film's characters.

But LaFontaine was most famous for his phrase "In a world ...," used by seemingly dozens of movies determined to create an otherworldly atmosphere.

LaFontaine told CNN that the scripts gave him the cues for his delivery.

"They dictate how they want to be read," he told "Showbiz Tonight" in 2005. "It's pretty much straightforward stuff because you know the context of the film generally going in. If it's something like 'King Kong,' you have a pretty good idea of how you`re going to say it. It's going to be a big adventure thing. And I let the [script] more or less guide what I'm going to say."

He added that there was no secret to his movie trailer work: "I really think this is one of the few industries where everything is right up there," he told CNN. "What you see is what you get."

Still, he noted, it's not like he could use his movie-trailer voice everywhere.

"If I tried to use that voice in public," he said, "they'd be calling security."

LaFontaine is survived by his wife, actress and singer Nita Whitaker, and three children, Christine, Skye and Elyse.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movi...ine/index.html

mikeyddddd · 09-02-2008, 11:31 AM

Oh, that guy!

RIP

candyflip · 09-02-2008, 11:32 AM

The voice EVERYONE knows.

RIP Don.

bashbug · 09-02-2008, 02:02 PM

https://youtube.com/watch?v=EBG7dgamWLw

SweetT · 09-02-2008, 02:18 PM

If you are into this kind of stuff, check out this video.....it is the 5 largest voice-over guys in the business...specifically in movies....as they were hosting an awards ceremony in LA. This was the opening video that they played as they were coming onto the stage to host the awards....it is hysterical (if you understand the business).....

https://youtube.com/watch?v=JQRtuxdfQHw

I LOVE the Disney guy!! ;)

--T

Kristian · 09-02-2008, 02:21 PM

Thats a shame. RIP, dude.

A-n-D-r-E-S · 09-02-2008, 04:37 PM

R.I.P. Don LaFontaine.

GigoloShawn · 09-02-2008, 04:59 PM

Surprised I beat everyone to this.

LiveDose · 09-02-2008, 05:31 PM

Wow, my Mother met him at a health type resort in Cali. Sounded like a very cool and nice guy.

RIP

marketsmart · 09-02-2008, 05:34 PM

i heard he was assassinated by the MPAA for doing the Geico commercial....

GUNNER · 09-02-2008, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SweetT

If you are into this kind of stuff, check out this video.....it is the 5 largest voice-over guys in the business...specifically in movies....as they were hosting an awards ceremony in LA. This was the opening video that they played as they were coming onto the stage to host the awards....it is hysterical (if you understand the business).....

https://youtube.com/watch?v=JQRtuxdfQHw

I LOVE the Disney guy!! ;)

--T

that was fucking hysterical!

Spunky · 09-02-2008, 06:12 PM

RIP Don

fatfoo · 09-02-2008, 06:37 PM

rip rip rip

bashbug · 09-02-2008, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GigoloShawn

Surprised I beat everyone to this.

Thats not Don, thats another voiceover guy.

MikeSmoke · 09-04-2008, 12:13 AM

He was also a legend in Boston radio.
RIP Don.

GigoloShawn · 09-04-2008, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bashbug

Thats not Don, thats another voiceover guy.

So then, we didn't lose anything.

09-02-2008, 10:22 AM	#1
stickyfingerz Doin fine Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 24,983	Don Lafontaine RIP "In a world Announcer" (CNN) -- Don LaFontaine, the voiceover king whose "In a world ..." phrase on movie trailers was much copied -- and much parodied -- has died, according to media reports. He was 68. LaFontaine died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, according to ETOnline, "Entertainment Tonight's" Web site. He died from complications from pneumothorax, a collapsed lung that causes air to build in the pleural cavity, his agent, Vanessa Gilbert, told "ET." LaFontaine, who was born in Duluth, Minnesota, began as a voice actor in the mid-1960s while working as a recording engineer, according to his Web site. His strong, slightly gravelly voice was featured on trailers for thousands of films, including "The Godfather," "Fatal Attraction" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." For a time in the late '70s, LaFontaine was the official voice of Paramount Pictures. His favorite work was one he did for the 1980 film "The Elephant Man," he said in interviews, but whether the film was Oscar-caliber or a bomb waiting to blow, he handled every assignment equally. "My philosophy is that you have to really believe what you're reading, even if you think the film's a piece of junk," he told Swindle magazine. "Even the worst picture is someone's favorite film, and that someone is the fan I am always talking to." iReport: Share your thoughts on "the Voiceover King" He also provided the voice for hundreds of thousands of commercials, for companies including General Motors, Ford, McDonald's, Coca-Cola and many others, according to his Web site. The good-humored LaFontaine was willing to poke fun at himself, particularly in a recent ad for Geico insurance, in which he gave dramatic flair to a woman's story about her car accident. He also voiced the trailer for "The Simpsons Movie," in which his descriptions were mimicked by commentary from the film's characters. But LaFontaine was most famous for his phrase "In a world ...," used by seemingly dozens of movies determined to create an otherworldly atmosphere. LaFontaine told CNN that the scripts gave him the cues for his delivery. "They dictate how they want to be read," he told "Showbiz Tonight" in 2005. "It's pretty much straightforward stuff because you know the context of the film generally going in. If it's something like 'King Kong,' you have a pretty good idea of how you`re going to say it. It's going to be a big adventure thing. And I let the [script] more or less guide what I'm going to say." He added that there was no secret to his movie trailer work: "I really think this is one of the few industries where everything is right up there," he told CNN. "What you see is what you get." Still, he noted, it's not like he could use his movie-trailer voice everywhere. "If I tried to use that voice in public," he said, "they'd be calling security." LaFontaine is survived by his wife, actress and singer Nita Whitaker, and three children, Christine, Skye and Elyse. http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movi...ine/index.html

09-02-2008, 11:31 AM	#2
mikeyddddd Viva la vulva! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: you can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself Posts: 16,557	Oh, that guy! RIP __________________ AdultStarProfits AmbyaCash AnilosCash AzianiGold ColdHardCash FlashTheMoney IdolBucks MediumPimpin NSCash Nubiles PussyCash ScoreCash Sextronix SpunkyCash TubeTitans Twistys

09-02-2008, 11:32 AM	#3
candyflip Carpe Visio Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: New York Posts: 43,061	The voice EVERYONE knows. RIP Don. __________________ Spend you some brain. Email Me

09-02-2008, 02:18 PM	#5
SweetT Shank-A-Potamus Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia USA Posts: 1,756	If you are into this kind of stuff, check out this video.....it is the 5 largest voice-over guys in the business...specifically in movies....as they were hosting an awards ceremony in LA. This was the opening video that they played as they were coming onto the stage to host the awards....it is hysterical (if you understand the business)..... https://youtube.com/watch?v=JQRtuxdfQHw I LOVE the Disney guy!! ;) --T __________________

09-02-2008, 04:37 PM	#7
A-n-D-r-E-S Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3,949	R.I.P. Don LaFontaine. __________________ Adult Copywriters Hire a writer to create original content for your website.

09-02-2008, 02:02 PM	#4
bashbug Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Boston Posts: 929	https://youtube.com/watch?v=EBG7dgamWLw

09-02-2008, 02:21 PM	#6
Kristian Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 3,733	Thats a shame. RIP, dude.

09-02-2008, 04:59 PM	#8
GigoloShawn Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: No longer with Star Marketing Group. Posts: 700	Surprised I beat everyone to this. __________________ I no longer represent TrafficGigolos, please contact Justin or Rebecca with any issues.

09-02-2008, 05:31 PM	#9
LiveDose Show Yer Tits! Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Somewhere Out there... Posts: 25,792	Wow, my Mother met him at a health type resort in Cali. Sounded like a very cool and nice guy. RIP __________________ Scammer Alert: acer19 acer [email protected] [email protected] Money stolen using PayPal

09-02-2008, 05:34 PM	#10
marketsmart HOMICIDAL TROLL KILLER Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sunnybrook Institution for the Criminally Insane Posts: 20,419	i heard he was assassinated by the MPAA for doing the Geico commercial....

09-02-2008, 06:12 PM	#12
Spunky I need a beer Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: ♠ Toiletville ♠ Posts: 133,939	RIP Don __________________ *YOUR INFORMATION HERE*

09-02-2008, 06:37 PM	#13
fatfoo ICQ:649699063 Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 27,763	rip rip rip __________________ Send me an email: [email protected]

09-04-2008, 12:13 AM	#15
MikeSmoke Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: SoCal Posts: 3,233	He was also a legend in Boston radio. RIP Don. __________________ icq: 541-739-92