Voice Over Icon Donald LaFontaine Passes Away

**WillRiker** · 09-02-2008 11:33 AM

Donald LaFontaine, the voice actor famous for recording nearly 5,000 movie trailers, and nearly 350,000 commercials, programs, files and more, passed away on Monday, September 1st because of complications from Pneumothorax. He was survived by his wife, singer and actress Nita Whitaker, and three children.

From his website:

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, McDonalds, 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.

Here is a sample of his legendary work