"Skeptical" suggested this subject on the "Les Schwab Dies" thread which is on the "Politics & Other Things" side of pdxradio.

Since 1964, until recently Ben Tracy was the Voice Talent used on Les Schwab radio & TV ads.

Others that come to mind are Tom Michaels who was the Voice Talent for Fred Meyer for many years on radio, acting as well in the TV ads and heard in stores even after his death.

Craig Walker for many years was the Voice Talent for The Dairy Farmers of Oregon.

There was also a great Portland Female Voice Talent back in the 1960's that was on a bunch of radio ads, as well as acting on the TV side. (Fred Meyer). I remember seeing her a few years ago acting in a TV ad in the part of an elderly person. Does anyone know who I'm speaking of?

Can anyone add to this list?

Bill "Rip City" Shonley Voice of the Blazers!

Bill Anderson voice of the Buckaroos...Francis Ford on Grand Ave....

Craig, are you thinking of Mary Marsh?

For the record, Bill's last name is spelled "Schonely."

How about longtime Fred Meyer image voice-over artist, Mark Allen?

Mark Allens "holiday" spots for Fred Meyer were so terrific.

Can't recall the guys name but the voice talent for "GI Joe's" was distinctive.

Corky Coreson. He's been on Les Schwab ads, too. And of course, Chris Taylor and his lovely wife who do a dynamite job for Standard TV & Appliance, among many other ads.

Herb

"...the voice talent for "GI Joe's" was distinctive." That was Ed Collier.

How about:

PayLess Drug's Sandy Herring, Miss Oregon 1972.

Sleep Unlimited spots with Jim Bosley.

John Williams for Smith's Home Furnishings.

Mr. Plywood's Mike Falconer.

Why thank you Herb. Been doing Standard since 1989, and with Schonely about 6-7 years now.

Kq4...Thanks. Couldn't come up with Ed's name.

Bob Brooks for Bowflex.. and countless others.

Thanks for the name of Ed Collier.
My most vivid memory of his announcing for GI Joes was when the Portland Storm WFL team was being promoted by Joes, and Ed's face passes by with a very dark background saying "Go Portland!!!"

It was kind of creepy.


I've always wondered, who is "John" now of several Auto dealerships and formerly of Rubinsteins furniture?

anyone notice GI is gone from Joe's all of a sudden?

Amus...I understand John is out of California. That's all I know.

Dodger- The GI was dropped awhile back as I recall.

Isn't "John" John Erling(sp?), who used to be on air at KWJJ?

Sean Lynch (ex pd at Z100 in the heyday)...Voice of Mainsail Jewelers. Remember them??????

I can't believe you guys left out one particular obnoxious, but fun, voice guy.

IT'S JOHN FROM RUBENSTEINS FURNITURE!!!

These days, I think he's doing ads for the Vancouver Auto Mall.

Herb

I think we might be talking about the same guy Herb.

Kq4: I think that's her, Mary Marsh. I'd love to hear her voice to be sure but I can never get those kind of "File Downloads" to play on my computer. It says "Save" or "Cancel". So I save it. Then go to my "media player" and it's never there!

Great posts! I'm documenting names.

I think they're different Johns, Outsider.

Herb

John is not local ...he is a out of state voice talent that does spots for car dealers & spa companies all over the usa. He simply does it for less!

There was a commercial for City University in Vancouver WA about a year ago, female voice. She sounded a whole lot like Ann Wilson from Heart (speaking voice). Does anyone know who did the spot?

Phillykid- Could be anyone. Depends on how they hired the voice talent. Could have gone through a talent agency by which many voice talents would have auditioned. Could have been a voice talent at a radio station that was then used on other stations. Could have been the secretary for City U.

Yeah those "John" spots for the Vancouver auto mall are simply obnoxious crap and another fine excuse to turn off the radio. The dude is definitely not John Earling. I wish someone could ship the guy off to a small island far, far away.

---

quote:

... I can never get those kind of "File Downloads" to play on my computer. It says "Save" or "Cancel". So I save it. Then go to my "media player" and it's never there!

---

I have produced a handful of the Dick Hannah spots over the years. The voice talent's name is Jon Ramsay. And yes, he's the same person who did the Rubenstein's spots many years ago.

Matt-Wasn't there a Matt Jones who was an announcer for the old KXL-FM with voice man Howard Huntley?

Herb

When you're talking voice talent, you can't leave out Gordon Miller and Bill Stevens!

I was once told I sound "exactly" like "Jon" from the Rubenstiens ads. I didn't take it as a compliment, although I wouldn't mind having his $$$. I do think that's what ended my career in FM radio though.

By the way, how much do voice folks get these days, typically?

Ask Chris Taylor.

Herb

John W-For sure Gordon and Bill are in the legendary category, and might I add you sir, Mr. Williams, have done some outstanding work yourself. Sorry the Smith's gig was taken over by those thugs at Standard!!

Warner- Send me an email off my profile and I can fill you in on what you can expect to make depending on the project.

Chris T - thanks for answering...I figured it would be pretty anonymous....PK

Thanks Chris, I will this evening.

Well, over in ../2186/260542.html"#f7f7f7" align=left> Author: Craig_adams
Monday, May 28, 2007 - 5:54 am

Who is the voice talent on the "George Morlan Plumbing" spots? That guy has been doing those commercials for along time, maybe 20 years?

Craig, I know the guy you're talking about.I worked with him years ago at K103 but just can't remember
his name...speaking of K103, my little known voicework fact was with K103...remember the "whisper?". I know, me whispering, it toook 23 takes!

The voice talent of George Morlan is Dave Charvet (Shar-vay). He has been doing GMP spots since the late 80's and owns his own ad agency housed in a rail car near OMSI in SE Portland.

Dave is also magician and entertainer. I've seen him perform at company functions.

Thanks guys! I'll add him to my ever expanding list.

...and isn't that Ryan Wiley still doing those Carr Chevy spots after all these years?

Sho'nuff Dave.

I'll add him to my list. Thanks!

Spectrum Studios used to distribute demo tapes of Portland area voice talent.

I have posted an MP3 of "#1 The Ol' Pros." on DivShare, and a contents list here. This all-male demo is circa early 1980s and includes some voices no longer with us.

The file plays about 28 minutes, 31mb at 160 kbps, the lowest bit rate I could coax out of my LAME MP3 encoder.

I have three more of these from Spectrum Studios that can be converted to MP3 and uploaded if there is interest.

Interesting! You do get a little of the G.I. Joes spot from Ed Collier.

Man, I sure miss hearing Gordy Miller aka Mr. Smooth!

How long has it been since anyone has heard the voice of Richard Ross? He's voicing a K2 News spot and Dick Novak is voicing a K2 "Face & Places" spot.

Randy: Does "Reel Two" have as many known voices?

Many recognizable names, including Eugene talents Bill Barrett, Dale "Uncle Fuzzy" Reed, Ed Ragazino, Stephen Hills, the late Jim Pemble, as well as Bill Calloway who was in Eugene for a short time.

Here is the track list for "#2 The New Guys." I hope to get the files up by this weekend.

The other two tapes are "#4 Fabulous Ladies No.2, which has only one or two names I recognize, and #5 The Narrators, mixed male and female.

I do not have the first "Fabulous Ladies" tape.

In this area, we shouldn't always judge by names since the "talent" didn't usually announce their name during spots. There might be some gems we wouldn't know by name.

Definitely, Craig...I daresay if you somehow put a sample next to the appropriate name, you'd go, "Oh, THAT'S who that is!"

I recognized several names on the lists, and couldn't associate what product I'd heard them pitch. OTOH, a few names would conjure up their voice in my mind's ear right away...