Which famous person has the most distinctive speaking voice. Voice you like and those you don't.

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Kenneth Williams surely has one of the most distinctive voices. It's certainly up there with my favorites. Same with Marilyn Monroe.

― Gnu Milligan, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 08:24 (twenty years ago)

Please forgive me for that awful grammar lapse. I am very tired.

― Gnu Milligan, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 08:26 (twenty years ago)

Classic: Clement Freud
Dud: Joe Pasquale

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 08:36 (twenty years ago)

search: john huston, donald sutherland, orson welles

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 08:44 (twenty years ago)

I saw the preview of the Kenneth Williams drama.

Basically, scenes from his life played out against all his catchphrases, all the time.

Well, that's the impression it gives.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 09:40 (twenty years ago)

Speaking voices I could listen to all day: Brian Sewell, Malcolm McLaren, Bjork, Kathy Burke.

― bham, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 10:00 (twenty years ago)

obvious to the point of cliche but still true: James Earl Jones, whose voice I like. Sarah Vowell's voice I don't love or hate but it does tend to get polarized reactions.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 10:03 (twenty years ago)

off topic, but did anyone see that Fantabulosa thing about Kenneth Williams on BBC4 last night, and if so, was it any good?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 10:10 (twenty years ago)

like
Judi Dench
Will Smith
Germaine Greer
B0r15 John50n
Alan Hansen
all famous French people
Gareth Lee

dislike
Jonathan Ross
Brian Sewell
Neil Morrissey
hmmm

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 10:21 (twenty years ago)

Viv Stanshall

― Jack Battery-Pack (Jack Battery-Pack), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 10:26 (twenty years ago)

c: William S. Burroughs, Jodie Foster, Lauren Bacall
I would include Andy Warhol but I've been thinking about it lately and I'm not sure I've heard his actual voice or just people imitating him! It's annoying me. I couldn't find downloads of his voice online. Anyone?

― elizabeth anne marjorie, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 10:46 (twenty years ago)

really hate orson welles' voice.

― The Man Without Shadow (Enrique), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 10:51 (twenty years ago)

Paddington Bear fella.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 10:55 (twenty years ago)

Michael Horden is his name.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 10:55 (twenty years ago)

Tom Baker

― Mike W (caek), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 11:26 (twenty years ago)

http://www.silversirens.co.uk/jg/portraits/09.jpg

― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 11:32 (twenty years ago)

tom baker says ...stuff like "bugger"

― elizabeth anne marjorie, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:48 (twenty years ago)

anthony hopkins (dislike)

― The Man Without Shadow (Enrique), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:51 (twenty years ago)

Richard Burton (like)

― JohnFoxxsJuno (JohnFoxxsJuno), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:52 (twenty years ago)

Patrick Stewart. George Bush. Tony Blair.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:52 (twenty years ago)

Jane Greer

http://www.moviestar-photos.com/graphics/169/169321.jpg

― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:52 (twenty years ago)

... tho basically I just like everything about her

― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:53 (twenty years ago)

mary-louise parker (in the west wing)

― The Man Without Shadow (Enrique), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:54 (twenty years ago)

... tho basically I just like everything about her

― The Man Without Shadow (Enrique), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:54 (twenty years ago)

June Sarpong may be a pissy little nobody TV celeb but she is miles ahead in the homicidally irritating voice stakes.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:54 (twenty years ago)

Oh yeah, God, yeah, she is the pits. It was my mum who first pointed how awful she was

― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:55 (twenty years ago)

Her contempt for the audience isn't even barely concealed.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:58 (twenty years ago)

Walter Cronkite.I served him a hamburger once. I didn't notice it was HIM until he ordered the hamburger...that voice.
I was really young when he was still broadcasting, but I completely remembered his voice.
Aural memories are really cool!

― aimurchie (aimurchie), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:03 (twenty years ago)

Love: Simon Armitage (northern poet fella)
Hate: Andrew Lincoln (bad actor and breathy voiced, northern but pronounces bath like Barth, voiceover wanker)

― bidfurd__, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:03 (twenty years ago)

Gene Hackman, Ian McKellan

― Big Loud Mountain Ape (Big Loud Mountain Ape), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:03 (twenty years ago)

Fred Gwynne, George Carlin

someone say Rosie Perez already...

― Dave NSFW (dave225.3), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:10 (twenty years ago)

Voices I like: Bud Cort, Lois Chiles, Kathleen Turner, Peter Sarsgaard.

― POOP BITCH (Mandee), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:28 (twenty years ago)

Cartman.

Good or bad? I don't know.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:32 (twenty years ago)

That Pi/Almanac dude has a pleasant voice.

― StanM (StanM), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:35 (twenty years ago)

like: stephen colbert (mainly his intonations and how he hits his comedic "marks")

dislike: bill maher, penn jillette (mainly their intonations and how they hit their comedic "marks")

― PRIVATE HELL 36 (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:40 (twenty years ago)

My current favourite posho brainy woman's voice is Rachel Campbell-Johnston, the Times art critic who sometimes features on Newsnight Review. Worth staying in on a Friday to listen to.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:42 (twenty years ago)

I like Kirstie Allsop's voice. I dislike David O'Leary's.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:48 (twenty years ago)

richard ayoade

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:51 (twenty years ago)

Stephen Fry. posh but acceptably so.

― uptoeleven (uptoeleven), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:53 (twenty years ago)

Search: Charlotte Green
Destroy: Justin Lee Collins

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:53 (twenty years ago)

I know it's stupidly obvious, but David Attenborough.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:59 (twenty years ago)

william shatner, of course, and what a lovely voice it is. even when he is shilling for local lawyers.

― sunny successor (katharine), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 14:59 (twenty years ago)

60% of VO's done in the British Isles, adverts and / or docs, are done by either one of the following actors.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/jersey/content/images/2005/01/12/hugh_dennis_lead_203x152.jpg

http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/tvone/programmes/afterlife/andrew_lincoln_d.jpg">

― Chris Towers, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:02 (twenty years ago)

http://www.stuart.cann.freeuk.com/images/peter_sallis.jpg

― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:04 (twenty years ago)

I really like Owen Wilson's voice. I would listen to books on tape read by him.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:05 (twenty years ago)

oh, also, will arnett with the voiceovers.

we started watching season 4 of the sopranos this week. i was shocked to realise will was a minor character. minor minor character. still.

― sunny successor (katharine), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:05 (twenty years ago)

richard ayoade
-- cutty (holle...), March 14th, 2006.

otm

― The Man Without Shadow (Enrique), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:10 (twenty years ago)

Dud: Ken Livingstone
Classic: Harold Wilson

― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:11 (twenty years ago)

C: Ian McKellen, Darcus Howe.
D: Quentin Tarantino.

― chap who would dare to be completely sober on the internet (chap), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:12 (twenty years ago)

Oliver Postgate!!!

David Attenborough comes a close second. I believe everything he says, even when he is reading a fairly poor script (like the current Planet Earth one).
Patrick Stewart.
David Bowie.
The lady from Late Junction, whose name I have forgotten.

I can't stand June Sarpong either.

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:13 (twenty years ago)

The Classic of All Classics: Michael Holding

http://specials.rediff.com/cricket/2004/jan/21cric2.jpg

― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:14 (twenty years ago)

oh, also, will arnett with the voiceovers.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...with club sauce.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:15 (twenty years ago)

Anyone mentioned Janet Street Porter for dud, or is that just too obvious?

― chap who would dare to be completely sober on the internet (chap), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:16 (twenty years ago)

Classic: Vic Reeves
Dud: Terry Christian

― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:17 (twenty years ago)

winona ryder

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:21 (twenty years ago)

http://www.mannoandcondon.com/grandpa.gif

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:22 (twenty years ago)

Like:

Miranda Sawyer
Janice Long
Mariella Frostrup
Vivienne Westwood
All of the Beatles (Liverpool accenmt rocks)

Dislike

Danny Baker
Gary Crowley
Clive James
Brian Sewell
Jeremy Clarkson
Quentin Wilson.

Bored with:

Scottish accent (especially in finance commercials)
David Attenborough sends me to sleep.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:23 (twenty years ago)

Classic: Tom Paulin
Dud: Tony Parsons

― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:24 (twenty years ago)

Christopher Walken
David Attenborough
Jennifer Tilly (in a bad way)

― Ponch, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:11 (twenty years ago)

Classic: Ralph Richardson, Debra Winger, Jeremy Irons, Richard Pryor, David Bowie, Heath Ledger.

Dud: Brad Pitt, Dick Cheney, Hillary Clinton.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:13 (twenty years ago)

Patrick Stewart: so so classic

also, Snoop, shelby foote

dud: weird al

― AaronK (AaronK), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:23 (twenty years ago)

snoop and walken - YES

― sunny successor (katharine), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:26 (twenty years ago)

also recognizable are pretty much anyone on the cast of Seinfeld, and Richard Lewis & Larry David, but these are all a mixed bag. they dont put me in a zone the way the first 3 do.

― AaronK (AaronK), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:34 (twenty years ago)

Werner Herzog.

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:38 (twenty years ago)

Karlheinz Stockhausen
John Cage

― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:40 (twenty years ago)

Like: James Burke, Louis Theroux, Art Bell, Laura Flanders, Tim Gunn

― The Equator Lounge (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 18:36 (twenty years ago)

Scottish accent (especially in finance commercials)

Surely depends on what sort of Scottish accent? Worst accent ever heard on a Scottish person = Roisin from River City. I was shocked to hear her on the radio being interviewed and discovering that she actually talked like that and it wasn't just bad acting.

Voices I love: Terry Wogan, Ray Brooks, Dylan Moran, Bob Harris.

I can't believe no-one has mentioned John Peel yet. Daddy of all great voices, that one.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 19:27 (twenty years ago)

dud: howard stern

― AaronK (AaronK), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 19:32 (twenty years ago)

agreed. always sounds like he's talking with his mouth full and lots of dead air. And I like Stern.

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 19:33 (twenty years ago)

#1 favorite of all time: linda wertheimer

i don't know if that qualifies as "famous" but i'd give anything to say "i'm theresa [insert last name]" the way she says "i'm linda wertheimer."

― tehresa (tehresa), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 19:36 (twenty years ago)

PAUL HARVEY

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 19:39 (twenty years ago)

louis theroux does have a nice voice

― POOP BITCH (Mandee), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 19:41 (twenty years ago)

Like:
Hugo Weaving, Stephen Fry, Dylan Moran, David Thewlis, Johnny Cash.

Dislike:
Everything about Keira Knightley bothers me.

― Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 19:56 (twenty years ago)

haha leonard nemoy

― AaronK (AaronK), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 20:14 (twenty years ago)

How could I forgotten this man:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/52/North_by_Northwest_James_Mason.jpg/250px-North_by_Northwest_James_Mason.jpg

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 20:20 (twenty years ago)

oh yeah, bill clinton's voice = classic, hillary's = dud.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 20:20 (twenty years ago)

also, Yul Brynner

― AaronK (AaronK), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 20:34 (twenty years ago)

Love: Eddie Izzard

Am weirded out by: Tony Slattery's new voice. Something happened to him and now he talks funny.

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 21:12 (twenty years ago)

Dislike:
Everything about Keira Knightley bothers me.

-- Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr...), March 15th, 2006.

Yeah, something really wrong is going on there.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 21:38 (twenty years ago)

Likes: Allen Ginsberg
Dislikes: Wavy Gravy

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 21:45 (twenty years ago)

Jon Lovitz

― LoneNut, Wednesday, 15 March 2006 00:24 (twenty years ago)

James Mason

― Penelope_111 (Penelope_111), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 00:29 (twenty years ago)

Me.

― Morgan Freeman, Wednesday, 15 March 2006 01:33 (twenty years ago)

Garrison Keillor
Dick Cavett

― jim wentworth (wench), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 01:49 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, something really wrong is going on there.

-- dr lulu (dr.lulu66...), March 14th, 2006 4:38 PM. (later) (link)

I'm pretty sure she was created in some kind of top-secret laboratory and unleashed upon an unsuspecting populace. WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS MAKING POUTY FACES AT ME. WHY ARE YOU BRITISH AND YET HAVE THE FAKEST SOUNDING POSH ACCENT I HAVE EVER HEARD.

― Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 01:57 (twenty years ago)

Walter Cronkite!

― aimurchie (aimurchie), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 02:55 (twenty years ago)

duds - gwyneth paltrow (normal voice, i'm not even talking about fake english accent)
also, please assassinate, quickly and with extreme prejudice, the This American Life crew - Ira Glass, David Sedaris, Sarah Vowell

classic - George Sanders, Gloria Grahame

― timmy tannin (pompous), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 05:01 (twenty years ago)

86 posts and no mention of Alan Rickman?

― lurker #2421, Wednesday, 15 March 2006 05:38 (twenty years ago)

search: ms. catherine bush

― PRIVATE HELL 36 (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 07:17 (twenty years ago)

http://www.bowblog.com/archives/images/cutler.jpg

How soon you people forget

― bham, Wednesday, 15 March 2006 10:06 (twenty years ago)

Classic:

Lauren Laverne
Arthur Smith
Hywell Bennet

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 10:14 (twenty years ago)

Dud: Rik Mayall

― Tehrannosaurus HoBB (the pirate king), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 10:21 (twenty years ago)

love: phil hartman

― estela (estela), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 10:30 (twenty years ago)

C: Joanna "Purdey" Lumley -

D: Joanna "Patsy" Lumley -

― V.O.Person (chris moran), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 11:13 (twenty years ago)

classic: jimi hendrix, willie nelson, tom waits

― AaronK (AaronK), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 13:44 (twenty years ago)

C: James Naughtie
D: John Humphrys

― beanz (beanz), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 13:59 (twenty years ago)

http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=tbn:Oka-MqbHa0dK9M:www.probertencyclopaedia.com/j/Patrick%2520Allen.jpg

― ultimatevoiceoverperson (chris moran), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 14:53 (twenty years ago)

beanz otm re. humphrys.

― The Man Without Shadow (Enrique), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 14:55 (twenty years ago)

I love Jorja Fox's voice.

― Maria :D (Maria D.), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 18:59 (twenty years ago)

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