# In a world where movie trailers are silent... RIP Don LaFontaine **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 2, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716 "2008-09-02T17:48:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/1 "2008-09-02T17:48:51Z")
From CNN: [http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/09/02/obit.lafontaine/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/09/02/obit.lafontaine/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/2 "2008-09-02T18:05:15Z")
awww. Great thread title.☹ ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/3 "2008-09-02T18:21:17Z")
Don LaFontaine thought he had it all… …and then he was dead. RIP, big guy. Movie trailers are going to sound really weird without you. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/4 "2008-09-02T18:23:22Z")
I saw the news and came to post this. Sad news, he had that great recognizable voice. Here is the [Geico spot](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJMGS7l0wT8) he did. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/5 "2008-09-02T18:28:19Z")
The Voice is gone. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/6 "2008-09-02T18:40:34Z")
I swear that early last week I was contemplating how strange movie trailers would be without him. I’m actually a little creeped out about this, because I spent a lot of time considering how little I knew about the guy, how old he was, whether he was healthy enough to last until my infant son was familiar with him, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/7 "2008-09-02T18:45:39Z")
I love the New York Lottery commercial he and the other announcers did. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/8 "2008-09-02T18:47:10Z")
Was he still doing a lot of trailer work? It seemed lately that he was becoming a parody of himself as he was a lot more popular in the 80s and 90s. What was the last blockbuster type film that he voiced a trailer for? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/9 "2008-09-02T19:10:41Z")
Very sad…I happened to catch an interview with him just last week. He was asked about retiring, and his reply was basically “Why retire? I love what I do, so I’m going to do it as long as I’m able”. Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/10 "2008-09-02T19:45:07Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > What was the last blockbuster type film that he voiced a trailer for? _Meet the Robinsons_ and _Borat_ are the only ones metioned on his website. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/11 "2008-09-02T19:58:02Z")
Has the Phelps clan threatened to protest yet? ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/12 "2008-09-02T23:36:22Z")
Oh! That makes me so sad! I know most previews aren’t VO anymore, but it’s weird to think I’ll never hear that guy before my movies again. My thoughts to his family. ---
**Author:** ![Second\_Star\_to\_the\_Right](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Second\_Star\_to\_the\_Right](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Second_Star_to_the_Right)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/13 "2008-09-03T02:58:33Z")
Oh that’s sad! It’ll definitely be weird to hear movie trailers without his voice. 68, he was too young to go. Shame. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/14 "2008-09-03T03:08:52Z")
In a world where Don LaFontaine can die, only **one man** is able to carry on the job. Unfortunately, that man is Don Lafontaine. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/15 "2008-09-03T03:26:04Z")
In a world where… aw, shoot. I guess Don’s now in another world entirely. His trailer narration for _The Simpsons Movie_ a year or two ago is IMHO a classic, esp. the rapid-fire recitation of all of the subsidiary characters (“MillhouseMayorQuimbyMr.BurnsApuKearneyNelsonSelma…”) as their faces appear. Rest in peace. The movies just won’t be the same without you. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/16 "2008-09-03T03:35:34Z")
I’m luckly to have lived in the world of LaFontine voice-overs. RIP, Don. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/17 "2008-09-03T04:17:47Z")
R.I.P. DL Here’s a youtube clip of Pablo Francisco doing his imitation of Don: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBvFXf9Q2U](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBvFXf9Q2U) ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/18 "2008-09-03T04:42:44Z")
Sad news. When I took a refresher course in broadcast announcing some years back, Don LaFontaine was foremost among the announcers whose work we studied. As he said in the linked CNN item, the script really does dictate how it is to be read–good advice coming from a pro like him. Thanks, Don, and rest well. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/19 "2008-09-03T05:59:30Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > R.I.P. DL > Here’s a youtube clip of Pablo Francisco doing his imitation of Don: > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBvFXf9Q2U](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBvFXf9Q2U) Anybody else get the feeling he was lip-synching Don’s voice? Here’s a fun segment of Don being interviewed on ABC. Glimpses of him at home and in his home recording studio. Seems like a really fun guy. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716/20 "2008-09-03T14:10:02Z")
[Five Guys in a Limo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQRtuxdfQHw) – Don picks up four of his colleagues in his limo – see if you recognize the other voices. This was from back in the day where he had to run around to all the studios around Hollywood to record his voiceovers. He ran a tight schedule where the drive would pull up to the studio, he’d run in, record his bit in one or two takes, the pop out to ride to the next gig. Once ISDN digital audio came in, he built his home studio and just shipped his finished work over the wires. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-world-where-movie-trailers-are-silent-rip-don-lafontaine/461716.md?page=2)