Click on the picture below to take you to a a brief biological sketch, as well as reflections on the Hall of Famer.
There are more complete traditional biographies of most of these folks available on line.
Enjoy them all!
 | Milt Ellis: The Voice of the Aud 2nd Buffalo Goal... His second of the season scored by number 32... Norm Lacombe. Assist to Number 18 Paul Cyr.New York State Law Prohibits smoking at The Memorial Auditorium. Violators are subject to expulsion and fines. That was Milt. He started doing P-A at the AHL Bisons games in the mid 60s, and was the only in house voice the Sabres knew until his retirement after the Sabres move into HSBC Arena. Milt has also worked for Christian Radio station WDCX in Buffalo for just as long. There are great Milt Ellis airchecks available in our Searchable Aircheck Archive, or e-mail me for more Milt Ellis materials or Memorial Auditorium Organ Music. |
 | Jeff Kaye: The Voice of KB Radio and NFL Films Jeff Kaye was a big time Jock at WBZ Boston, WKBW Buffalo, and WBEN Buffalo. He also had one of the greatest voices in the history of radio and TV-- Big and Rumbly, yet each syllable given special treatment. He was given a great voice, which he cultivated. After his years in radio, Jeff became known around the country as the Voice of NFL Films, which he handled until he lost a vocal cord in the mid 90s. We have several Jeff Kaye airchecks available in our Searchable Aircheck Archive, including from his time at KB Radio and WBEN Radio. As far as NFL voiceovers, we have Jeff on Buffalo Bills Replay, from the early 80s... or e-mail me for more Jeff Kaye photos or audio not yet on the website. |
 | Don Pardo: The Voice of NBC Now known best as the Voice of Saturday Night Live, Don Pardo was the longtime staff announcer at WNBC-TV in New York. This also meant that he did plenty of voice overs for the network. His name and distinct voice became synonymous with the faceless announcer. But he was a really approachable really famous guy. Before his semi-retirement, you could call NBC in New York, as for Don Pardo., and he'd answer his phone and talk to you until he had to go to work. I asked for an autographed picture... It arrived less than a week later. During his time as WNBC-TV's staff announcer, his voice interrupted a game show to inform those watching NBC that President Kennedy had been shot. This aircheck is available as a part of the JFK Collection. |
 | Ed McMahon: The Voice of the Tonight Show Johnny Carson's hard drinking side kick, raises millions for MDA, gives away millions on Superbowl Sunday (YOU may have already won!), and even hosts TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes! what talent! Hi-ooOOOOOoooooOOOH! There are several interviews with Ed in the Aircheck Database or e-mail me for other Ed McMahon items not yet on the website. |
 | Thurl Ravenscroft: The Voice of Tony the Tiger Just one of the things Thurl is most famous for would land him here in the Hall... He is the man who, for generations, has bellowed, "They'rrre Grrrrrrrrreat!" Generally, anyone who wants to know who Tony the Tiger is can find out pretty readily. His lesser known yet just as widely appreciated role is that of the man who sings "You’re a Mean one, Mr. Grinch." Boris Karloff is lauded for his role as the narrator, but it is Thurl who says "I wouldn't touch you... with a 39-and-a-half foot PoooOOOOOle!"e-mail me about a copy of the Grinch Soundtrack. |
 | Don Messick: The Voice of Scooby Doo And Scrappy-Doo... On Scooby-Doo, he also voiced most of the Villains (You Meddling Kids!)... And Huckleberry Hound... And Boo-Boo the Bear (Ranger Smith, too.) And Papa Smurf and Gargamel. He was one of many who voiced Droopy. He was also Muttley, the emphysemic dog (or so he sounded to me).And Jetson Dog Astro. And really too many more to mention. If you watched cartoons, between the late 50s through the late 80s, you couldn't have not heard Don's voice... Somewhere. |
 | Johnny Most: The Voice of the Celtics Havlichek Steals the Ball! One of the most exciting play-by-play men ever in any sport. His voice sounded like 4 packs a day, but that just added to the neighborly feel of his call. The album Celtics Pride, the story of the 1975 season, was narrated by Most, and is filled with his calls of the games. It is available in the rare vinyl portion of the website. |
 | Ted Cassidy: Lurch! You Rang? Lurch was originally supposed to be a completely silent role, until the powers that be at the Adams Family heard him bellow. Ted had great pipes. The deep bass tone of Lurch's voice could also be heard saying "Neat, Sweet, and Petite" between stanzas of 'The Addams Family' theme song. On the Halloween 1965 episode of Shindig!, Lurch debuted a new dance craze called "The Lurch." The dance steps were nothing more than a lot of shuffling and arm dangling a la the Frankenstein Monster. "The Lurch" was released as a single 45 record (Capitol 5503) with the vocals performed by Ted Cassidy. A 1965 Aircheck of WKBW with the classic song is available by e-mailing Steve. |
 | John Facenda: The Voice of NFL Films The Autumn Wind is a Raider... Briskly in from sea. He'll flip you 'round, the upside down, and laugh when he conquered and won. After years as the dominant news anchor in Philadelphia, John Facenda became famous nationwide as the original voice of NFL Films. His voice over with the previous week's highlights was the only way to get complete football highlights in the era before SportsCenter. His cadence, tone and delivery are unmatched. Listening to his voice is to here perfection. The Audio track of the NFL Films biography of Facenda, complete with the Voice of Facenda; as well as selected NFL Films music, may be obtained by e-mailing here. |
 | Ernie Anderson: The Voice of ABC TV. Ernie is best known for his work as the staff announcer for ABC where he voiced opens and promos for such shows as THE LOVE BOAT, THE ABC SUNDAY NIGHT MOVIE and MCGUIVER. Towards the end of his career Ernie Anderson was the voice of ABC's AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS which can still be heard today in syndication and in re-runs. He wasn't a cuddly teddy bear to work with. Some great Ernie Anderson outtakes are available by e-mailing Steve. |
 | Sterling Holloway: The Voice of Winnie the Pooh Oh Bother. Sterling Holloway was the original Pooh. He was also the voice for dozens of other Disney Characters from the 30s through the 70s. His crackly unsure personification of the Bear with a very little brain made Winnie The Pooh into the multi Billion dollar enterprise it is today. Sadly, though, it also helped obfuscate the great original A.A. Milne stories with the crap that Disney put out. Holloway only voiced Pooh in the first three films in the early 70s. Since then, people impersonating him have filled the voice of Pooh. Oh Bother. |
 | Leon Redbone: The Voice of All Detergent Oily,icky stains, well, well, well. Mama Lifts 'em out with A-L-L. Throught the 80s and 90s Redbone was the singing and voice over voice for All Detergent. He also sang the theme to TV's Mr. Belvedere. A nasally southern drawl is the hallmark of Redbone. His drawl is matched by the white linen outfit complete with white straw hat, goatee, and sunglasses. His laid back sound makes him a pleasure to listen to. Selected Leon Redbone works are available by e-mailing Steve. |
 | Mason Adams: The Voice of Smuckers Jam I always pictured a short man elderly man with brylcreamed hair, a bow tie and rumpled suit. Distinct, friendly, light gravelly voice that became familiar to television viewers in the 1970s from his Smucker's Jam commercials. These always ended with him saying, "With a name like Smucker's, it's GOT to be good!"He was famous on the radio as the voice of the Kryptonite powered "Atom Man" on the "Superman" radio show in the 1940s. |
 | Jack Webb: Comedic Genius It was Monday. 9am. We were working the day watch out of the Bunco division. The Boss is Captain Hugh Brown. My Partner's Bill Gannon. My name's Fri-dee. Jack's 12 pack a day voice (he was a long time spokesman for Chesterfield) became the voice of law enforcement. Clear, authoritative, concise. But that's not my point here today. Dragnet remains one of the funniest shows ever on television. I am convinced that in the era of shows like Batman, Jack Webb (who was the Executive Producer as well as star) was spoofing the radio show of the same name that saw it’s hey day 15 years before the TV show took to the air. There is no way that a show that putrid could not have been making Webb laugh... at least on the inside. Watch him perform the famous "Copper Clappers" routine with Johnny Carson (obviously Webb knows he's doing a send up and can barely contain his laughter.) Then watch the CLASSIC 1967 Dragnet episode BLUE BOY, about a kid whacked on LSD. There is not a character in that show that isn't a blatant, over the top archetype. I refuse to believe that Webb didn't know what he was doing, it presenting on of television's great comedies. Both the Carson Routine and Blue Boy are available via e-mail. |
 | Howard Cosell: The Voice of Monday Night Football For two decades, Cosell's voice was one of the most instantly recognized and instanly reviled voices in America. A lawyer be training, he always thought that he was smarter and more able to convey the goings-on in a game better than those announcers who played the game(The Jockocracy) As you can imagine, the great Howard Cosell was not a peach to work with. There are some great Howard Cosell outtakes available by e-mailing Steve. |
 | William Conrad: Cannon! Cannon has to be an all-time classic. If you've never seen the show, Big Fat Bill Conrad is always kicking someones ass with a really cheesy karate chop. Its great 70's television. He was also the "Fatman" portion of the 80s show "Jake and the Fatman." The reason, Conrad is here, though is because of his incredible voice. His voiceovers remain all over various nature and history shows. He was also the narrator on the original Bullwinkle cartoons. Conrad estimated that he appeared in over 7,500 roles on radio. Conrad’s longest-running role was that of U.S. marshal Matt Dillon on the groundbreaking radio western Gunsmoke, which aired on CBS radio from 1952 to 1961. William Conrad died on February 11, 1994. |
 | Wilford Brimley: The Voice of Quaker Oats Its the Right thing to do, and the tasty way to do it. Wilford Brimley is just a rude, arrogant old man. I love it! All of his roles have been rude people (The Natural, Cacoon, TV's Our House) and he’s rude in commercials. He actually yells at you in the commercial. Gimme a break! He is currently yelling at people with "DIAbeeTIS" to check their blood sugar.... AND CHECK IT OFTEN, for Liberty Medical. |
 | Red Barber: The Voice of the Yankees Back-back-back-back-Gone! The Ol' Red Head was the first modern baseball announcer. He had style and grace. He lent excitement to the games. He is still imitated today. I don't remember his play-by-play, but I do remember his talks with Bob Edwards on NPR's Morning edition. He could talk about anything and make it fun and informative. There are several Red Barber interviews and play by play cuts available in the Searchable Aircheck Archive, or e-mailing me. |
 | Tom Carvel: The Voice of Fudgie The WhaleKids, you can get a Cookie Puss or Fudgie the Whale at Carvel
Ice Cream Stores. His voice sounded like Sylvester The Cat eating peanut butter. But I still wanted a Cookie puss for my birthday every year, so I guess he got the job done. PLEASE HELP!! I am searching for the audio or video of a Carvel Commercial featuring Tom Carvel. If you can share one, or tell me where I can get one, you will be rewarded not only in this live, but beyond. Thank you. |
 | Colonel Harland Sanders: The Voice of Kentucky Fried Chicken Its Finger Lickin' Good! The Colonel had brass ones. First, his mistress lived in the same Kentucky Motel that Sanders and his wife lived in and operated. After barging his way into restaurants to sell KFC franchises to already established restaurants, the Colonel would later barge in whenever the hell he felt like it, and take his stuff back if he didn't like the way you were making chicken. Later, after he had sold KFC, they changed the recipe for mashed potatoes. He told a newspaper that they tasted like wallpaper paste, and KFC sued him! Despite some of his craziness, Sanders was still on of the most recognized men in the world, so KFC still used him as a spokesman. Later in life, these sessions became more and more difficult. e-mail me for a copy of the Don and Mike Show back in 1993 when they played the outtakes of one of the Colonel's last commercial sessions. |
 | Jack Mahl: The Voice of Atlantic Weather That's All From Mahl! His booming voice delicately floated when he talked... It was a huge voice that never shouted. Mahl worked at WGR and WKBW Radio in Buffalo through the 50s and 60s, and was you Atlantic Weather man on WGR-TV in the 60s. His last assignment was at WNED-AM in Buffalo where he worked until 2000. He past away in 2002. |
 | Van Miller: The Voice of the Stallions For Buffalo Bills Play By Play, including the 1964 championship game, Superbowl Highlights, and other complete games, Search the Aircheck Archive, or e-mail me for dozens more Van Miller highlights. For goofy pictures of Van, check out our Salute to 1970s Buffalo Television. |
 | Ted Darling: The Voice of the Sabres He Shoots... He Scooores! Bob Corkum with the 25-footer and the Sabres lead one-nothing. Ted's style was relaxed yet quickly paced. Natural, yet somehow almost automated. Ted Darling made me feel comfortable watching a hockey game... He got me excited when I needed to be, and kept the pace slow when there was no real need for screaming. He's in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame, and now this Hall of Fame, too. A recap of the 1975 season narrated by Ted with many of his own calls is available by searching the Aircheck Archive, or by e-mailing me for several games not yet entered into the database. |
 | Steve Mitchell: The Voice of WNYB-TV 49 Free Life Time Oil Changes! Steve Mitchell has been a voice over talent and production guy in Western New York since the 60s. Most recently, you've heard him jocking on KB Radio, as the voice of Transitowne Dodge. He was also the voice of Channel 49 when they carried the Sabres in the 80s. Mitchell airchecks are availble by e-mail. |
 | James Earl Jones: The Voice of CNN This is CNN Luke, I'm your Father. People will come Ray. Great voice, nuff said. My favorite James Earl Jones role is in The Hunt For Red October. He has several great lines in that movie.... (Jesus Jack... You look like hell!) (I told you to speak you mind, Jack, but JEEEESUS!) James Earl Jones reads the Bible is also among the finest audio book reads ever. |
 | Paul Morris: The Voice of Maple Leaf Gardens Welcome to Maple Leaf Gardens, the Home of the Torontomapleafs. Paul was the PA man at Maple Leaf Gardens forever, and his slightly shrill voice was definitely a classic. A bit of a snob about it though... When I met him in the press box at Maple Leaf Gardens and told him a was fan, he ignored my presence. |
 | Vin Scully: The Voice of the Dodgers The 1982 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award was veteran announcer Vin Scully. Scully's remarkable tenure as the "Voice of the Dodgers" began in 1950 when he joined Red Barber as a member of the Brooklyn club's radio team. Scully followed the Dodgers' move west in 1958. As Scully recalled: "Red was my teacher … and my father. I don't know—I might have been the son he never had. It wasn't so much that he taught me how to broadcast. It was an attitude. Get to the park early. Do your homework. Be prepared. Be accurate. He was a stickler for that. He cared. He was very much a taskmaster, or I might have developed bad habits." Many adjectives have been used to describe Scully and his style since his declaration to a teacher at the age of eight of his ambition to become a sports announcer: entertaining, precise, proficient, charming, friendly, outgoing, smooth, relaxed, warm, knowledgeable, intelligent, literate, concise, well-prepared, colorful. Los Angeles Times columnist and J.G. Taylor Spink Award winner Jim Murray once called him "the Fordham Thrush with the .400 larynx." Scully has covered many of baseball's most thrilling moments, including Sandy Koufax's four no-hitters, Hank Aaron's 715th home run, Maury Wills's 104 stolen bases, Don Drysdale's and Orel Hershiser's scoreless inning streaks, and Kirk Gibson's dramatic home run in Game One of the 1988 World Series. Hear Vin Scully by searching Aircheck Archive, or by e-mailing me for several games not yet entered into the database. |
 | Jack Buck: The Voice of the Cards For nearly 50 years, Jack Buck was the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals on KMOX/St. Louis since 1954. Upon his arrival in St. Louis, he became the station's Sports Director after stints in Columbus, Ohio and Rochester, New York. Born on August 21, 1924, in Holyoke, Massachusetts, Buck was raised in Cleveland and graduated from Ohio State University. During his career, he covered some of baseball's greatest moments and players, including Stan Musial, Lou Brock and Bob Gibson. He called Mark McGuire's record-breaking 70th home run in 1998 and Kirk Gibson's "unbelievable" home run in Game One of the 1988 World Series. In addition, he called three world championship seasons in 1964, 1967 and 1982. Buck's career also includes work for the CBS Radio Network and play-by-play assignments of the 1965 and 1976 All-Star Games, the National League Championship Series from 1979 to 1982, and the World Series from 1982 to 1989. Known for his sense of fair play, Buck never let his love of the Cardinals intrude upon his mission of reporting the action. In 1978, Buck teamed with Hank Stram as CBS's primary NFL radio announcers. From 1970 to 1974 and from 1982 to 1988, Jack also called NFL action on the CBS Television Network. Jack Buck died on June 18, 2002. Hear Jack Buck by searching Aircheck Archive, or by e-mailing me for several games not yet entered into the database. |
 | Hank Stram: CBS Radio Sports Hank Stram's path to football greatness began many years ago when he was an athletic standout at Wallace High School in Gary, Indiana earning all-state honors at halfback. He also starred in basketball, baseball and track. After graduation, he attended Purdue University on a football scholarship. He earned four letters in baseball and three in football for the Boilermakers. His collegiate career was interrupted for three years of military service in World War II. In his senior year at Purdue, Stram received the coveted Big Ten Medal that is awarded to the conference athlete who best combines athletics with academics. In 1960 he was named head coach of the Dallas Texans in the new American Football League. The rest is history. Stram guided the Texans to the AFL championship in 1962 and the team then moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs. In Kansas City, Stram led the Chiefs to the 1966 and 1969 AFL Championships. His 1966 Kansas City team played in the first Super Bowl, losing to the Green Bay Packers. The highlight of Stram's illustrious coaching career came on Jan. 11, 1970, when the Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 23-7, in Super Bowl IV. He also led the Chiefs to playoff appearances in ’68 and ’71. Stram coached 17 years in professional football and had a career won-lost-tied record of 136-100-10. His victory total is eleventh on the all-time NFL coaches list. He finished his career with two seasons (1976 and 1977) as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. . For many years, Stram has provided expert commentary for pro football games for CBS radio. Hear Hank Stram by searching Aircheck Archive, or by e-mailing me for several games not yet entered into the database. |
 | Harry Caray: The Voice of the Cubs Caray cut a humorous, opinionated and sometimes controversial figure, whether his loud and pungent voice was calling (and rooting for) the St. Louis Cardinals, the Oakland A's, the Chicago White Sox or the Chicago Cubs. A short man with oversized glasses, Caray punctuated home-team home runs by shouting: "It might be! It could be! It is!" He made "Holy cow!" his on-air trademark of astonishment long before Phil Rizzuto adopted it. And after a victory for the Cubs, who were perennial losers during his tenure at Wrigley Field, he roared in delight: "Cubs win! Cubs win! Cubs win!" In later years, as his craft occasionally turned to self-parody, he became best known for his off-key warbling of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," during the seventh-inning stretch of White Sox, then Cubs games. He had been singing the old ditty in broadcast booths for years until the former White Sox owner Bill Veeck secretly amplified it for all of Comiskey Park to hear. "Probably the Great Veeck knew a lousy singing voice when he heard it," Caray said in his autobiography, "Holy Cow!," written with Bob Verdi. After a stint at a radio station in Kalamazoo, Mich., he was hired by WIL-AM, in St. Louis, which was seeking a big-name announcer to call Cardinals' games. Possessed of a big mouth, but not a big name, the 25-year-old Caray made a brash case for his talents as a salesman of baseball and Griesedick Brothers beer, which sponsored Cardinals' radio broadcasts. Nearly a decade later, Caray moved to KMOX-AM when Anheuser-Busch acquired the Cardinals, and he started a long partnership with Jack Buck. After years of idolatry in St. Louis, Caray was fired in 1969 -- the news was delivered to him by phone while he was in a saloon. He spent a year calling Oakland A's games for the maverick Charles Finley, then began an 11-season stint with the White Sox. Despite his popularity with the White Sox -- and a salary that rose as team attendance increased -- he left for the Cubs in 1982. Caray's popularity, once intensely regional, blossomed on WGN-TV, a Chicago station picked up by cable systems nationally. Hear Harry Caray by searching Aircheck Archive, or by e-mailing me for several games not yet entered into the database. |