Don LaFontaine, better known to most people as “that movie trailer voiceover guy”, unfortunately passed away this past Monday.  Having narrated hundreds of thousands of trailers and TV spots in his career, LaFontaine is easily recognized by his gravelly voice and signature opening, “In a world..” 

From his official biography:

Over the past 25 years, LaFontaine cemented his position as the “King of Voice-overs.” Aside from his continuing work in the trailer industry, he has also been the voice of NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and UPN, in addition to TNT, TBS and the Cartoon Network. By conservative estimates, he has voiced hundreds of thousands of television and radio spots, including commercials for Chevrolet, Pontiac, Ford, Budweiser, McDonald’s, Coke, and many other corporate sponsors. 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.

In addition to trailers and commercials, LaFontaine did voice work for Family Guy and American Dad, and he also narrated the videogame Medal of Honor: Rising Sun.

Fellow voiceover artist Ashton Smith once said, “When you die, the voice you hear in heaven is not Don’s. It’s God trying to sound like Don.” When rereading that quote earlier this week, Smith said “I guess God is going to lose that gig when Don gets up there because Don is just that good.”

In a world without Don LaFontaine, movie trailers are less capable of being awesome. You will be missed, Don.

Source: The Associated Press