in memoriam
Those who know me best know of the deep affinity I hold for voice actors.
I grew up literally in the middle of nowhere in a small town whose biggest access to the outside world was really radio. (Yes, we had TV, you knuckleheads, but it was a different time; and -- on a good day -- we may've had six channels so button up.) So much of what was communicated with respect to real time was done over the radio; so when I discovered a local outlet that played old time radio dramas I couldn't help myself but fall in love with programming that had entertained so many folks decades before my birth. Radio -- and radio dramas -- will remain my first love; and it's those talented actors who use nothing more than their powerful voices to bring characters to life that still manage to send a chill through me ... a chill of admiration.
So while I didn't quite join in the bandwagon that was the phenomenon of Transformers I appreciated it all the same. Though I didn't watch it nearly as often as did my contemporaries (at the fraternity house), I was still drawn to it whenever it was on and I had nothing else to occupy myself with. Naturally, the leader that was Optimus Prime -- voiced by the great Peter Cullen -- inspired those of us who lacked such inspiration in our lives; and the show continues to resonate with children and adults who discover it today, whether it be in revisitation, the newer stuff, or even the big screen adventures. Transformers is something that brings out the kid in each of us, and a great deal of that is owed to Cullen and his fellow castmates.
And the guy continued to be a vocal force to be reckoned with. There's no way I can possibly do justice to his resume -- what with it reaching over two hundred projects along with various award nominations and wins -- so I'll simply encourage readers to head on over to IMDB.com and scroll through it. It's an incredible portfolio, and -- because of it -- the guy's voice will continue to ring true for years to come.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Peter Cullen.
May he rest in eternal peace ...
-- EZ
I grew up literally in the middle of nowhere in a small town whose biggest access to the outside world was really radio. (Yes, we had TV, you knuckleheads, but it was a different time; and -- on a good day -- we may've had six channels so button up.) So much of what was communicated with respect to real time was done over the radio; so when I discovered a local outlet that played old time radio dramas I couldn't help myself but fall in love with programming that had entertained so many folks decades before my birth. Radio -- and radio dramas -- will remain my first love; and it's those talented actors who use nothing more than their powerful voices to bring characters to life that still manage to send a chill through me ... a chill of admiration.
So while I didn't quite join in the bandwagon that was the phenomenon of Transformers I appreciated it all the same. Though I didn't watch it nearly as often as did my contemporaries (at the fraternity house), I was still drawn to it whenever it was on and I had nothing else to occupy myself with. Naturally, the leader that was Optimus Prime -- voiced by the great Peter Cullen -- inspired those of us who lacked such inspiration in our lives; and the show continues to resonate with children and adults who discover it today, whether it be in revisitation, the newer stuff, or even the big screen adventures. Transformers is something that brings out the kid in each of us, and a great deal of that is owed to Cullen and his fellow castmates.
And the guy continued to be a vocal force to be reckoned with. There's no way I can possibly do justice to his resume -- what with it reaching over two hundred projects along with various award nominations and wins -- so I'll simply encourage readers to head on over to IMDB.com and scroll through it. It's an incredible portfolio, and -- because of it -- the guy's voice will continue to ring true for years to come.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Peter Cullen.
May he rest in eternal peace ...
-- EZ
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