Best TV Show Narrators

[Ash]

(NOTE: this thread may take more than the average time to go through)

Ever notice how a narrator can make or break a TV show?

For example: The History Channel has a show that many of you are familiar with...Modern Marvels.
Most of the episodes are narrated by a guy named Max Raphael.  
Listen to him in the video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYYfJQfoS4M

In other Modern Marvels episodes a different guy, Harlan Saperstein narrates them.
If you've seen the episodes narrated by Saperstein, you know that the show just doesn't seem to have the same impact as it does when Raphael narrates them.



Or how about one of my favorite shows...The First 48?
It's narrated by Dion Graham and I could not imagine anyone other than him narrating it.

Check out part 1 of this episode titled "Fallen".  It's one of my favorites and is definitely disturbing.
The story "Fallen" about the guy who is found dead outside of a Florida highrise stuck in my head days after I watched it.  It has a twist in it that I did not see coming.
And that detective who investigates the case, Joe Shillaci, is one of the best I've ever seen.
If I ever get murdered, I want him to investigate.  That guy almost always gets his man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWKtIozIZbY

The entire episode is on Youtube if you want to continue watching it.



Perhaps my favorite narrator of all is Marlene Sanders.
If you've watched any of the "Autopsy" specials on HBO, you've heard her voice.
Her voice is absolutely perfect for that show.
Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APeFRuW_lng

Creepy, eh?
You can watch that episode in its entirety on Youtube.

Can you think of any other good TV show narrators?

[retrorussell]

The voice of ABC, Ernie Anderson.  Did the openings for a lot of shows in the '70s, mostly "Movie Of The Week" type of shows.  Did some movie trailer voice-overs too.  Wonderful, rich voice. 

[SPazzo]

When I read the thread topic I had a little Deja-vu.  It was the IMDb daily poll question!  Anyway, I actually liked Forrest Whittaker in the Twilight Zone remake.  (I have just committed blasphemy, I know.)

Also, we have a show called Doc Zone, here in Canada. The narrator/host, Ann-Marie MacDonald, is actually very good.  It also helps the show is pretty good too.  CBC puts them on Youtube, and I would really recommend the show.

[RCMerchant]

The voice of ABC, Ernie Anderson.  Did the openings for a lot of shows in the '70s, mostly "Movie Of The Week" type of shows.  Did some movie trailer voice-overs too.  Wonderful, rich voice. 

Ernie was also known in his early years as tv spook show host Ghoulardi!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e52cXCrmauc

Lenord Nimoy in IN SEARCH OF-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1Uiz0TsgPA


Jack  Palance on RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmKNIhx9s2E

[Jack]

Lenord Nimoy in IN SEARCH OF-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1Uiz0TsgPA

That's what I was going to say.  He was perfect for that show.

The guy on "How It's Made" is great as well.  They've got other people doing it now, and they're not nearly as good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdFejZgOHDA#

[flackbait]

Anybody ever heard James Earl Jones narrate? Hes pretty good.
Also I don't really know if I'd call him a narrator or a Host, but either way Rod Serling helped set the tone for the Twilight Zone just by his introductions alone!

[RCMerchant]

Walter Winchell on the UNTOUCHABLES was classic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNYOOVMosxE


You don't hear much of him in that clip-hears one that captures his rapid fire delivery-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzVVDu7ldB0

[retrorussell]

Ernie was also known in his early years as tv spook show host Ghoulardi!

Wow.. never heard of Ghoulardi!  (before my time)  I remember him chiefly from the ABC Movie Of The Week-type shows, the Afterschool Specials, general ABC promos, and the game show Break The Bank.
Other great narrators (actually, these are game show announcers):

Johnny Olson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbNf_cgy2II&feature=related

Rod Roddy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcbH0iKhAoc&feature=related

[lester1/2jr]

Dude from dateline. "from the outside, it seemed like they had the perfect marriage, suzy was going to have another baby..then tragedy struck and the whole facade began to unravel in the headlines of the smalltown newspaper where so and so, who covered the story worked"  then they go to the guy doing the one interesting story he's ever done.  I could do one of these off the top of my head I've seen so many

[retrorussell]

Whoever voiced Commander USA's Groovie Movies.  His voice had all the cheese you could want and then some.  Perfect for a bad movie show!

[Allhallowsday]

ROD SERLING 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjup0ST2GOM

[retrorussell]

Victor Caroli.  Narrated episodes of The Transformers.  Cool, cool voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9Xb7QQeHfc

[JaseSF]

I really like the narrators behind "Crime Stories" and "Cold Case Files", both great shows too that profile the worst criminals and their most violent, horrible crimes. I also enjoy the narration done on the show "Most Evil", another excellent show exploring the mind of criminals where Dr. Michael Stone places them on a special scale of evil (highly recommend that show to those who enjoy "Ancients Berhaving Badly" as the premise is quite similar in many ways). I also like the narration on "Ancients Behaving Badly" and "The Nostradamus Effect". Robert Stack was quite good years ago too as the host of "Unsolved Mysteries"

[retrorussell]

Don Pardo, for SNL all those years.
Kenny Williams, for Hollywood Squares, Gambit, High Rollers, etc.
Casey Kasem for tons of NBC promos in the '80s.  Of course, he had his own radio show too.

[Trevor]

The guy that announced the Tales From The Dark Side TV series.