Today I feel as if my worlds have collided:
My Voiceover world and my Caregiving world.
Don LaFontaine, THE premier voice talent, that truly gave a face to our industry, passed away yesterday.
I was lucky enough to have met “The Don” at VOICE 2007 last year, where he spent over an hour answering questions from attendees, all hoping to gain some wisdom from his experience. He then spent another hour…or two…posing for pictures with each and every voice talent that wanted to after his talk…and that was pretty much every talent in the room! He was gracious to everyone and always had a kind and encouraging word to all committed voice talent.
I was lucky enough to meet him in a more intimate setting this past April, at Joan Baker’s Voices Remember event. There I had a chance to have a great conversation with him and Joe Cipriano about the fact that there really is no competition in this business. Your sound is either right for the job, or it isn’t.
I was also fortunate enough to meet Nita, Don’s beautiful wife, former nurse, his advocate and caregiver. I was glad to have the opportunity to thank her for all she was dong to support him and his health.
I grieve for the voiceover community who lost its patriarch.
I grieve for the world who lost a truly wonderful human being.
I grieve for his family who lost a husband and a father.
He will be missed.
He will not be forgotten.
Don LaFontaine & his beautiful wife Nita Whitaker
(April 2008)
Liz
Today you are a sad woman.
Today you are a lucky woman.
It may take some time to figure how you can be both but you are.
Best always,
– Peter
Hey Peter,
Yes. I am sad because of the loss of him, but lucky to have known him even a little.
Thanks for stopping by!
Peace!
Liz
Liz, we were all saddened at the passing of Don LaFontaine. This one thing is sure, he will continue to live on in our memories especially to those who got the chance to meet him personally like you do. You are lucky!
Hi Liz,
I was absolutely stunned and have been so terribly saddened at the news last week. I really believed he would rally. I too am so gratified that I was at the Voice 2007 event with you and had the chance to listen to Don speak, and to meet him, only 18 months ago. Last night I heard his unmistakeably identifiable voice on a movie promo. Today is his public memorial in L.A. His untimely passing still is sinking in.
All The Best,
Bobbin Beam- Voice Actress
So Lizard, you’re saying there’s finally an opening at the top…? I mean, I may be an octave and a half higher in pitch, but I can enunciate “in a world” almost perfectly, n’est-ce pas? Waddaya think? T&R time?
OMG!!!!!
WHERE have you BEEN?????
He who FIRST ever called me Lizard!
🙂
Peace!
L.
Waddaya mean, “Where have I been”? Don’t you remember I said I was going out for lunch and I’d be back later? Well…this is later.
BTW, you do know that I’m still secretly in love with you, don’t you? I mean, that fling with Nate was nice and all. But it was ultimately just my way of dealing with the pain of rejection after you married B. In my heart, you were/are still clogging my arteries AND veins.