Don LaFontaine, voice of movie trailers, dies

[Thor_MN]

Source: AP

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Don LaFontaine, the man who popularized the catch phrase "In a world where..." and lent his voice to thousands of movie trailers, has died. He was 68. LaFontaine died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from complications in the treatment of an ongoing illness, said Vanessa Gilbert, his agent.

LaFontaine made more than 5,000 trailers in his 33-year career while working for the top studios and television networks.

In a rare on-screen appearance in 2006, he parodied himself on a series of national television commercials for a car insurance company where he played himself telling a customer, "In a world where both of our cars were totally under water..."



Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5heecGKGkvVOeQRKdE1oWT_LW8F7QD92UTNHO0

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I didn't know he was born in the same town where I was born (Duluth, MN) until I heard of his death this afternoon. Don, movie trailers will never be the same, you will be missed.

[jobycom]

1. This time, it's for real.

:cry: May he land in a great world for the next stage of his life.

[SteppingRazor]

2. In a world where Don La Fontaine will no longer do movie trailers....

I ... I ... I can't even keep going :cry:

[bigworld]

3. ABC profile on him with sound clips

http://www.break.com/index/movie_trailer_guy_don_lafontaine.html

[Alcibiades]

5. This clip is awesome!

Watch it and laugh. In a world where everyone wanted him to do voicework for their movie trailers, one man kept himself sane with a remarkable sense of humor.

[Cal Carpenter]

9. It's never too early...

for a salad!!

LOL, thanks for the link. May he rest in peace.

[Posteritatis]

11. "If you're doing action, you wanna be like a chainsaw!"

That was great.

[Lautremont]

4. This Summer...

...there will be no Don LaFontaine. Which is too bad. He was a talented guy, and (based on the little documentary I saw about him) a really good-natured and funny one.

[Loudmxr]

6. DLF was a friend of mine.

I am shocked to hear this news because I felt he was as close to immortal as one could get. Always imposing. Always curt. Until you became his friend then he would do anything for you.

It wasn't just the voice. His skill at performing at a recording session was the best of anyone I have ever worked with. He would come in, see the piece once, you would put the machine in record and 1,2,3,takes and he would be out the door.

Except, first a joke.... then gone. I loved him. I miss him already. :cry: :hi:

[girl gone mad]

7. I'm sorry for your loss..

It's hard to imagine not hearing his voice in sneak previews anymore.

[Doctor_J]

8. He also did a self-parody in an ep of Family Guy

it ends with him saying of Jessica Alba, "If I were 40 years younger I'd plow that til next July". Good stuff. God Speed, Mr. Lafontaine

[slampoet]

10. "IN A WORLD......."

DON INVENTED THE MODERN MOVIE TRAILER.

You really can't over emphasize how amazingly Dominant Don and his deep voice were in the field of voice overs.

There really wasn't anyone else.


He may never be replaced.


If you want to hear a great interview with him check out his appearance on the "Wait Wait don't tell me" NPR quiz show.

They really have a lot of fun with his wonderful booming voice.