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Who is the best/ worst documentary narrator

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September 20, 2019, 05:38 AM
f2
Who is the best/ worst documentary narrator
an excellent thread. it's like target shooting or chess - you can't fake it and you recognize brilliance immediately (or the lack thereof).
September 20, 2019, 05:53 AM
blueye
I enjoyed Paul Winfield when he was alive, and also James Earl Jones.
September 20, 2019, 08:06 AM
sorenson
I loved listening to Leonard Graves narrate the Victory at Sea series.
s.


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Don't Ask The Tyrants Why They Commit Tyranny, Ask The Slaves Why They Kneel
September 20, 2019, 08:22 AM
frayedends
When I was growing up the PBS show Nature was narrated by George Page (if I recall his name correctly). I loved his voice for that show. Agree with Attenborough more recently.




These go to eleven.
September 20, 2019, 09:11 AM
NavyGuy
He's only done limited work narrating but I've like the efforts of Jon Hamm. He has a great voice and you almost don't realize someone is assisting the story. Just seems to flow.



Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves.

-D.H. Lawrence
September 20, 2019, 09:29 AM
NK402
How about Stacy Keach on American Greed.
September 20, 2019, 09:58 AM
Pyker
Sir Laurence Olivier did a great job on 'World at War'.
September 20, 2019, 11:44 AM
bald1
Would love to see Sam Elliot narrate something as his voice is classic! Smile



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September 20, 2019, 11:48 AM
egregore
I don't know about documentaries, but Keith David has lent his voice to many a cartoon character and commercial as well as his live-action work. He has the voice for it.
September 20, 2019, 11:58 AM
greco
All the above are excellent, but I gotta say the absolute most annoying schmuck to whine into the microphone is that joker who narrates “The Curse of Oak Island”. Every sentence ends with a question. His false drama and inflections are the absolute worse. And if it wasn’t bad enough, he narrates other shows too.




Never be more than one step away from your sword-Old Greek Wisdom
September 20, 2019, 12:01 PM
kb377
I also like Liev Schreiber's narration work.
September 20, 2019, 12:04 PM
P220 Smudge
quote:
Originally posted by bald1:
Would love to see Sam Elliot narrate something as his voice is classic! Smile


Well, while not a documentary, he does in The Big Lebowski. Wink

I agree, though. Would be a natural fit for him. I thought for sure he had done some narrating of some western documentaries, but I can’t find anything about it online.


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September 20, 2019, 12:11 PM
Floyd D. Barber
Edward Hermann was pretty good.


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September 20, 2019, 12:18 PM
Av8nShooter
Some great names already mentioned. I cast another vote for Mike Rowe. It also helps that I like his well-grounded principles and how he is so willing to share them.
September 20, 2019, 12:36 PM
Ripley
It's probably a good thing nobody is addressing the "worst" narrator as the title asks.

Michael Moore, slam dunk. Dripping with smugness, condescension and smartassery, imparting information is last on the agenda. By any documentary narration metric, he's as bad as it gets.

But he does have an Oscar, I could be wrong. (I'm not Mad )




Set the controls for the heart of the Sun.
September 20, 2019, 01:28 PM
ChicagoSigMan
Morgan Freeman seems to have crafted a pretty good side gig doing narrations. Good voice for it.
September 20, 2019, 03:25 PM
Jimbo54
James Earl Jones comes to mind. I remember him doing a documentary on the battle of Antietam. A very distinctive voice indeed.

Jim

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Jimbo54,


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September 20, 2019, 04:06 PM
OcCurt
Another vote for mike Rowe as one of the best.

Mike Rowe as one of the worst when he narrated that season of ghost hunters. Hey hat was just weird. He only lasted for ne or two seasons as I recall
September 20, 2019, 04:09 PM
parabellum
quote:
Originally posted by Jimbo54:
a documentary on the battle of Antiatom.
Ah, yes, the Molecular War.
September 20, 2019, 04:10 PM
Ryanp225
Mike Rowe. How the Universe Works

James Hetfield. The Hunt