Don LaFontaine…more than just a voice…
September 3rd, 2008 Posted in Actor, General Info | 4 Comments »Though we had run into each other on a few occasions over the past 6 years, I officially met Don 2 years ago through our mutual friends Joan Baker & Rudy Gaskins. Joan runs a successful Learning Annex Seminar in NY & LA and I was invited to participate, along with other industry experts including Don. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of “serving” with him on 4 or 5 of Joan’s panels. The seminars were always wonderful, but it was the after-seminar hang in the local bars/restaurants with Don that I now reflect on.
I didn’t know him very well, but I knew him well enough to appreciate who he was; a man who lit up when talking about his wife and kids, or literature, or theatre, or music, or politics or any of a dozen other subjects that interested him…a man that could make you laugh at the drop of a hat with his wonderful sense of humor and timing…a man who exuded a STRONG self-confidence in regards to what he had achieved, yet coupled it with a humility that was deeply genuine.
Don was a great listener, despite the fact that he spoke for a living ;-) His voice and personality could dominate any conversation with ease, but when we spoke one-on-one, he was focused and took a deep interest in what I was saying. He was a great story teller and communicator (on many subjects) who knew that others had stories to share. He welcomed the telling of their tales as much as he enjoyed sharing his.
A brief story: my friend Johnna asked me to speak at one of her classes last year in NY. She also asked Don if he was available but the only night he had free was the night that I was scheduled so we “shared” the class. Don’s knowledge and experience in the business was vast so naturally, I was happy to sit there quietly and listen to him answer questions from the students (who, of course, were far more interested in him anyway), but he took many opportunities to include me by asking my opinion on questions they brought up. He didn’t have to share the “spotlight” but he did. After the class, I told him that I appreciated his involving me. His response was that I had a lot to say, and that he didn’t know everything…yet - then he smiled.
The last time I saw him was at a charity event in NY on April 28th this year. We had a few chances to talk but it was crowded and there was a lot going on. As the evening wound down and people began leaving, he came up to me, gave me a kiss and a hug and said we had to get together when we were both back in LA.
When I heard of his hospitalization and subsequent passing, I had a pang of regret that I didn’t get to see him again. I’m sorry that I didn’t have a chance to sit down with him and listen to, share, and laugh with him. It’s a reminder that despite what we may believe, we don’t always have all the time in the world to do the things we want or hope to do.
Again, my deepest condolences go out to his family and friends.
Many people will miss Don “The Voice”. Though saddened by his death, I’m proud and honored to be able to say that I will miss “The Man”.
- Stewart Wilson-Turner, CTO, Voicebank.net
Thanks to Joan Baker for the following NY Times article - Click Here
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