Elizabeth Hurley. Or, if he was still with us, Phil Hartman.
I second Jeremy Irons. I bought the audiobook of Lolita just to hear his narration. That voice, like wood smoke laced with whiskey, rumbling throught the headphones…Jesus.
Sean Connery. I would sit happily and listen to him mumble random syllables. Yum.
In no particular order, or deliberate gender separation:
Alan Rickman
Nikki de Boer
Allison Hannigan
Alexis Dennisof
Anthony Stewart Head
Alexander Siddig
Tara Strong
Hmm… I notice that all the males have distinct accents. (Tony Head’s voice is great whether in his natural accent, or the accent he uses for Giles), and there’s a heavy skewing towards the Buffyverse and Star Trek. Interesting.
For the diction alone, Alex Guiness.
Humphrey Bogart
Marion Lorne[but only if she does her delightfully pixilated{can a witch be pixilated?} and befuddled Aunt Clara from “Bewitched” voice.
Well, I’d definitely choose Alan Rickman.
Billy Boyd - I just love that cute Glaswegian accent. Then again, I think I’d choose to have him sing at least half the phone book.
I’m pretty much a sucker for most U.K. accents. Once I would have added Aussie but then Steve Irwin came along and ruined that for me. Crikey!
For women
Catherine Zeta-Jones, though I think I’d rather just look at her read the phone book.
For those that like the female smoky husky voice I’d mention Linda Fiorentino.
Oops, forgot.
Gregory Peck (but yes, unfortunately, it would have to be by seance)
Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson & Anni-Frid Lynstad. And I’d even be willing to listen to the Swedishphone book if it meant an ABBA reunion.
Mel Tillis, but only the ‘W’ section.
Kevin Pollak, Dan Castallanetta, and Alan Arkin. They’d make me laugh!
Or Ellen DeGeneres.
If we’re going for ‘arresting’ type voices, I’d have to say:
Andrea Corr
Keira Knightley
Jennifer Aniston (strange but true, her voice is actually really nice)
Thurl Ravenscroft. He’s grrrrrrrrrrrrreat!
I think that the thread title is a pretty good definition of James Earl Jones. Which, come to think of it, may be why he advertised Ameritech.
And on the female side, I’m surprised that nobody mentioned Julie Andrews yet.
Also, is it fair to bring in non-acting singers? Because Enya’s voice sounds great no matter what she’s saying.
I’m surprised no one said my two picks yet: Ian McShane and Clancy Brown.
Women: Angie Harmon (love than smoky voice), Stockard Channing
I’d like to nominate Peter Ustinov. I’m sure it would be amusing. If he was still around of course.
John Houseman
Sir John Gielgud
Kenneth Branagh as Henry V
Christopher Walken
Clint Eastwood
A few I didn’t see mentioned:
Ken Nordine
Gabriel Byrne
Liam Neeson
Donald Sutherland
Spalding Gray
Audrey Tatou
Pam Grier
Ashley Judd
Geena Davis
Della Reese
Maura Tierney, if I could pay her to read the section with my phone number and then use it.
38 posts and no one has mentioned George Takei?