# 10 Best and Worst Speaking Voices **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 17, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-best-and-worst-speaking-voices/578725 "2011-04-17T15:06:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a4c791/32.png) [@Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrannosaurus_Volcano)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-best-and-worst-speaking-voices/578725/161 "2011-07-30T12:39:35Z")
> [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](#): > > More good voices- > > Gregory Peck > Don Wilson (of Jack Benny) > Ronald Reagan > Thom Sharp, the guy who’s been in tons of commercials > Rush Limbaugh (opinions aside, the man has a fine radio voice) I’m not crazy about Ronald Reagan, but Richard Nixon had an excellent speaking voice. Actually, I think Reagan’s voice got better as he got older. Also, you mentioned Jewish sports commentator Mel Allen. I’ve mentioned Howard Cosell a few times on this board. What do you think of him? I think his voice is mesmerizing and funny at the same time. He just reminds me of the old-time American announcers who speak really distinctly and enunciate every syllable. Oh, and there’s Harry Kalas! Not Jewish, but such a distinguished voice among sports announcers. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-best-and-worst-speaking-voices/578725/162 "2011-07-31T04:03:43Z")
> [@Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](#): > > … What do you think of Phil Harris? He’s an old favorite of mine from The Jungle Book, … He killed as Baloo. I have embarrassed my friends and family (and likely myself) on numerous occasions by getting up and dancing around to [I wanna be like you](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOcyYyxqN_g). ---
**Author:** ![Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a4c791/32.png) [@Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrannosaurus_Volcano)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-best-and-worst-speaking-voices/578725/163 "2011-08-01T23:25:12Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > Vanna White, the _Wheel of Fortune_ letter-turner, has a dreadful speaking voice. Really??? This woman? 😕 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_4bCV1zvZsg/hqdefault.jpg "Vanna White discusses Wheel of Fortune fashion- EMMYTVLEGENDS") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4bCV1zvZsg) I thought she had a somewhat mellifluous speaking voice. ---
**Author:** ![Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a4c791/32.png) [@Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrannosaurus_Volcano)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-best-and-worst-speaking-voices/578725/164 "2011-08-01T23:26:41Z")
> [@gone2thedogs](#): > > I have to add Garrison Keillor as one of the best. When I was in college and couldn’t sleep, I would put on ‘Stories from Lake Woebegone’ and his deep, soothing voice just made all the tension in my body melt away. > > I have never heard such a smarmy, oily, sycophantic voice in my life! > > Guess you know where I would put him! \ The Quote button is your friend. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a4c791/32.png) [@Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrannosaurus_Volcano)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-best-and-worst-speaking-voices/578725/165 "2011-08-01T23:45:17Z")
> [@Jaledin](#): > > ETA: wildcard, Richard Widmark What is this wildcard you speak of? ---
**Author:** ![Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a4c791/32.png) [@Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrannosaurus_Volcano)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-best-and-worst-speaking-voices/578725/166 "2011-08-09T00:53:52Z")
> [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](#): > > I’m a huge fan of old time radio, that’s why I have so many old timers on my lists. Phil Harris is one of my favorite entertainers, my favorite person from Jack Benny’s cast (after Jack and Rochester). Phil had a great voice, and his wife, Alice Faye, had a smooth honey toned voice as well. > Robert Mitchum does have a good voice, but it creeps me out to hear it because of his appearance as two of the creepiest characters ever put on screen- Max Cady and “Reverend” Harry Powell. You know, Charlie, I’ve literally responded to you a couple of times, but at one point I just made a post out of the blue—not responding to anyone—and you soon came back to the thread. Yet another discrepancy here. One would think you’d get a response to any of your posts in your email and you’d immediately find it and thus be able to respond to it. However, for some time that hasn’t happened. Then I responded to the thread in general, as opposed to quoting a Doper, and for all we know you could never have found out about it. You could have decided never to come back here and therefore have no chance of knowing the question(s?) I had asked you. But you decided to return and respond to me. Strange, innit? Anyways, feel free to tell me about more voices. I’m always interested in learning whose voices people like/dislike, and especially voices I’ve never heard before. I don’t quite know why, but I find the concept fascinating. Your candidates in particular are fairly interesting. If you don’t feel like responding, just tell me you’ve got nothing. ETA: Wondering about “Charlie?” Ah, well, you know that C. Montgmomery Burns’s first name is Charles, so… ---
**Author:** ![Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a4c791/32.png) [@Tyrannosaurus\_Volcano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrannosaurus_Volcano)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-best-and-worst-speaking-voices/578725/167 "2011-08-18T01:52:40Z")
bump ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-best-and-worst-speaking-voices/578725/168 "2011-08-18T05:47:37Z")
**Tyrannosaurus Volcano** , in another thread I gave you a note about bumps like these. This was a long thread and it’s time for it to end. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-best-and-worst-speaking-voices/578725.md?page=8)