Great Speaking Voices

[aeolium]

I was prompted to start this thread by a comment of shb's in the Bill Wallis obit thread. I'd like to hear about those who have appeared on radio, stage or screen (or all three) who stand out above all by the distinctive quality of their voices - preferably mentioning memorable productions that they appeared in.

For me, three that stand out are Alan Badel from his performances in numerous radio plays and Pinter plays for TV; Joan Greenwood, soft, petulant and archly seductive, especially good in Kind Hearts & Coronets; and John Hurt, perhaps at his best in I Claudius and later on in a Do3 production of Richard II.

Edit: Oh, and Patrick Magee, absolutely inimitable in Krapp's Last Tape.

[mangerton]

Alastair Sim, as Miss Fritton, and as Inspector Poole in An Inspector Calls

[Tevot]

Richard Burton (his narration in Zulu - and naturally Under Milk Wood) and Paul Scofield.

The poet Tony Harrison has quite a distinctive voice too imho.

Best Wishes,

Tevot

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

All excellent voices - I'd add John Arlott and John Lade, too.

Cherie Lunghi, Jenny Agutter and Helen Mirran also have glorious "tonality" to their voices, too.

[Ruhevoll]

Orson Welles.
John Peel.

[Richard Tarleton]

Celia Bannerman - I saw her onstage once (in Shaw) in the late 60s but she was also on TV a lot in those days. I loved her voice.

Also the fabulously husky Dorothy Tutin

[Rolmill]

Michael Flanders.

[salymap]

Alec Guinness- so many voices, especially George Smiley, but many others,also reading poetry.

[mangerton]

This might be a bit off the wall.

Oliver Postgate - Noggin the Nog, The Clangers

Not just the voice here, but also the words spoken.

In a similar vein, Eric Thompson The Magic Roundabout

[Stanley Stewart]

Claude Rains, Trevor Howard, Jack Hawkins, Ronald Colman and Roger Livesey.

[Nick Armstrong]

Alec Guinness- so many voices, especially George Smiley, but many others,also reading poetry.

Yes! saly. My tapes of him reading 'The Waste Land' and other Eliot are the best 'talking books' I've ever owned.

[Mary Chambers]

This might be a bit off the wall.

Oliver Postgate - Noggin the Nog, The Clangers

Not just the voice here, but also the words spoken.

In a similar vein, Eric Thompson The Magic Roundabout

Agreed! Wonderful stuff.

[Bryn]

Yes! saly. My tapes of him reading 'The Waste Land' and other Eliot are the best 'talking books' I've ever owned.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbunup_t-s-eliot-the-waste-land-alec-guinn_creation

[pastoralguy]

Simon Callow. He has the most amazing voice. Oh, and Mariella Frostrup. Amazing!

[pastoralguy]

And how could I ever forget my first love, (as an adolescent schoolboy in the 70's), Gretta Scacchi?