# Actors/performers with distinctive voices **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 10, 2021, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606 "2021-02-10T12:41:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/61 "2021-02-11T08:36:30Z")
_Breaking Bad_ has a slew of distinctive voices, Gus, Mike, Jesse, Badger, and many others. Even small parts, like [this guy](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0928795/). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/62 "2021-02-11T12:12:42Z")
> [@gdave](#): > > One of the first actors I thought of for this thread was [Jared Harris](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364813/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1). Except that I recently heard part of and interview on NPR - I turned it on halfway through - and I _thought_ I instantly recognized his voice. But I got confused because of the subject matter - did Jared Harris write a history book? At the end of the interview, the interviewer said the name of the subject, and it wasn’t Jared Harris at all - it was a British historian, who sounded _exactly_ like Jared Harris to me. So, tl;dr, I’ve always thought Jared Harris had a very distinctive voice, but apparently it’s not as distinctive to me as I had thought. See, now I’m wondering if the oh-so-distinctive and oft-impersonated sounds of Schwarzenegger are pretty much what you’d hear from one out of every six professors at the University of Vienna. _“Yah, but dey vere all bahd.”_ ---
**Author:** ![eburacum\_45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum_45/32/3385_2.png) [@eburacum\_45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum_45)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/63 "2021-02-11T12:30:06Z")
> [@psiekier](#): > > I love the story he tells about how his brother was the inspiration for the voice of Optimus Prime. It’s a challenge to be a humble hero with a name like Optimus Prime. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/64 "2021-02-11T15:39:46Z")
I have one, that i just discovered yesterday. Bebe Neuwirth had a bit part on NewsRadio where she is getting all friendly with Matthew. I didn’t recognize her until I heard her talk. My wife and I said at the same time “That’s Lilith, from Cheers!” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aHz7jnYQQy4/maxresdefault.jpg "Top 10 Matthew Moments - News Radio - Andy Dick") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHz7jnYQQy4) ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/65 "2021-02-11T17:10:01Z")
British actor James Mason. Peter Coyote has done a few narrations that stand out. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/66 "2021-02-11T17:13:16Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > See, now I’m wondering if the oh-so-distinctive and oft-impersonated sounds of Schwarzenegger are pretty much what you’d hear from one out of every six professors at the University of Vienna. The micro-economics class I took in college was taught by a visiting professor from Austria. Alas, his accent was less Arnold, and more Colonel Klink from _Hogan’s Heroes_. (Also, he pronounced “convex” as “conwex”.) ---
**Author:** ![john\_b\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@john\_b\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/john_b_2)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/67 "2021-02-11T21:29:14Z")
She doesn’t sound Southern much less North Carolinian to me. May as well be a surfer girl from Cali. Can’t hear any region. I hear her accent whenever I enter a professional office; medical, legal, whatever. Standard issue Millennial yuppie empowered white American female. I hear it everywhere I go in Boston. Massachusetts, that is. John B. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/68 "2021-02-11T21:45:12Z")
Angie Harmon was my favorite A.D.A. on _Law and Order_ in large part because she had a wonderful (and distinctive) speaking voice. ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/69 "2021-02-11T21:49:28Z")
I was watching _Rick and Morty_ recently, and a random alien had like a 5 second speaking part. I immediately recognized Werner Herzog as the voice, so I’m going to go with that. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/70 "2021-02-12T02:42:14Z")
Haven’t read the entire thread. Has anyone mentioned Harvey Fierstein? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/71 "2021-02-12T04:50:55Z")
Bruce Dickenson Dave Mustane Mark Hammel Dave Herman Maurice LaMarche John DiMaggio Billy West ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/72 "2021-02-12T06:19:30Z")
[Wally Cox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wally_Cox?wprov=sfti1) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/73 "2021-02-12T06:33:07Z")
The lady that does the announcement for the opening of Stephen Colbert’s Late Night Show has a voice to die for. And then after the monolouge, she takes it down and… oh… > [@snfaulkner](#): > > Bruce Dickenson That ‘Bruce Dickenson’? I’ve got a wood-block, but no Goddamn Cowbell! ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/74 "2021-02-12T06:40:09Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > Andy Devine What I intended to post. Any 50’s kids remember “Hey Wild Bill, wait for me!” And my entry: **Ringo Starr**. Singing or speaking, his voice has made me feel pleasant for 56 years. ---
**Author:** ![williambaskerville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@williambaskerville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williambaskerville)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/75 "2021-02-12T09:33:33Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Roger Allam Roger Allam also has a wonderful singing voice :- he was the orignal Javert, in Les Miserables. This is him on the original cast recording :- [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZYsf0unZS1k/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgVyhQMA8=&rs=AOn4CLABgarHJw1KYVxg1awQHfZR8e210A "The Stars Sing- Roger Allam") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYsf0unZS1k) ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/76 "2021-02-12T14:39:06Z")
I’ve always wondered if she can sing with that voice. I suppose we’d probably know if so. ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/77 "2021-02-12T16:26:13Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > John DiMaggio [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vI3-kzz4UyE/maxresdefault.jpg "Futurama and Adventure Time crossover: Bender Meets Jake and Finn!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI3-kzz4UyE) ---
**Author:** ![Eclipse\_Chaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Eclipse\_Chaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eclipse_Chaser)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2021, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/78 "2021-02-13T08:37:40Z")
1940s/50s actor Dean Jagger - possibly best known for his role as the General in White Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2021, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/79 "2021-02-13T14:57:38Z")
Surprised no one has mentioned Michael Caine. That old fashioned cockney accent prevented him from ever getting to play James Bond but other than that he is done alright. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2021, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606/80 "2021-02-13T17:56:33Z")
> [@Eclipse\_Chaser](#): > > 1940s/50s actor Dean Jagger - possibly best known for his role as the General in White Christmas. I didn’t even remember he was in it. I would immediately think of him in 12 O’Clock High for which he won an Oscar. I’m not understanding that people are listing voice actors. Many of them have used hundreds of different voices depending on the roles. Even prolific commercial voice actors are often unrecognizable. You can always tell when Martin Sheen is voicing a commercial. Will Arnett uses different voice tones and different parts of his vocal range depending on the product. His voice is recognizable as his maybe a third of the time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-performers-with-distinctive-voices/932606.md?page=5)