Gary Owens, whose voice was a mainstay in radio, television and movies for decades, died Thursday at age 80. He is best known as the announce for Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.
His son, producer Scott Owens, confirmed to the Associated Press on Friday that his father died at his Los Angeles home on Thursday. He was struggling with complications from diabetes, which he was diagnosed with when he was only 9-years-old.
Despite that diagnosis, he never stopped working. Even after the iconic Laugh-In ended in 1973, his iconic, smooth voice was still heard in commercials, television and even in theme part announcements.
“I overheard a doctor tell my parents he didn't expect me to live past my teens,” Owens told the Los Angeles Times in 1980. “So from that time on I engaged in all kinds of one-upmanship to prove I was as good or better than anyone else.”
Owens, who was born in South Dakota, was remembered fondly by colleagues, including Spongebob Squarepants voice actor Tom Kenny, who worked with Owens. He “such a great voice, so smooth. That was his real voice, even if he was ordering in a restaurant,” Kenny told the AP.
One of Owens’ famous catchphrases was “Live from beautiful downtown Burbank,” which he used on a radio show before Johnny Carson used it on the Tonight Show.
Children will recognize his voice from Space Ghost and Dexter’s Laboratory to even The Ren & Stimpy Show. His voice can be heard in movies, including European Vacation and The Green Hornet.
He is a member of both the National Radio Hall of Fame and the National Television Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Arleta and two sons.
screenshot via Zardon M YouTube video
There has been a critical error on your website.<\/p>
Learn more about debugging in WordPress.<\/a><\/p>","data":{"status":500},"additional_errors":[]}