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DesideriScuri -> RE: Let's save the planet, kids. (3/26/2013 6:04:03 AM)
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ORIGINAL: Moonhead
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ORIGINAL: DesideriScuri
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ORIGINAL: LookieNoNookie
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ORIGINAL: vincentML
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cjRGee5ipM
Comments?
George Carlin was a comedian and a man of social commentary.
(Dat be how he made his money).
He made money doing that?!? I thought he made his money narrating the Thomas the Tank Engine cartoons?!?
That was Ringo Starr.
Not Necessarilyquote:
Narrators
The role of the narrators dates back to the first series. Britt Allcroft thought it essential to convey the episode as a story that would be read from a book at home.
- Ringo Starr (UK/US Series 1–2) (1984–1986): Former Beatles drummer Starr was the first storyteller of Thomas & Friends, and arguably the one most frequently associated with the show. Offered the part after Allcroft overheard him being interviewed on television by Michael Parkinson, Starr was initially reluctant to take it; he had never read any of the Railway Series books and felt that children would be more interested in 'dinosaurs with lasers.' He changed his mind after having read the books, even going as far to considering himself "one of the few children who had been deprived of them," and accepted the role,[50] narrating the first two series from 1984 to 1986. In 1989 he also appeared in the first series of Shining Time Station, playing Mr. Conductor – the character who would relate the Thomas stories to the other characters at Shining Time – and re-recording parts of his narration to include terminology more familiar to US audiences. Starr did not return when the third series of Thomas began, citing an interest in focusing on his musical career, although he remained in contact with Wilbert Awdry until the latter's death. Starr was happy to be part of show and he said Thomas will always be in a special place in his heart and he was proud to be part of Thomas's world.[51][page needed] Starr made a brief return to the franchise for the 2009 BBC Children in Need appeal, providing the voice of Thomas for The Official BBC Children in Need Medley single.[52]
- Michael Angelis (UK Series 3–present/US Video 2004) (1991–present): In 1991 Angelis was hired as the next United Kingdom narrator for the series after Starr left to continue his music career. He has had the longest tenure as storyteller of Thomas & Friends for the UK, filling the role for over 20 years, and continuing to do so. In 2000, Angelis was hired to voice James, Percy, Henry and Gordon in Thomas & the Magic Railroad but then he was cut out of the film because test audience thought his voice made them sound too old, he was replaced by Susan Roman, Linda Ballantyne, Kevin Frank and Neil Crone. He narrated the direct-to-video releases Calling All Engines, On Site with Thomas, Engines and Escapades, Hero of the Rails, and Misty Island Rescue. Angelis narrated one U.S. video release before Michael Brandon took over. In 2007, It was reported that Angelis dropped his role as UK narrator following the appointment of Pierce Brosnan to narrate Series 12, but Brosnan didn't return for unknown reasons and Angelis was called back to continued as UK narrator from Series 12 and onwards, He has been involved with Thomas outside of the TV series as well; among other things, he lent his voice to a series of story-and-song tapes in 1995 and, starting from 2006, the first five volumes of The Railway Series on CD.
- George Carlin (US Series 3-4/re-dubbed Series 1-2) (1991–1995): Best known for his stand-up comedy roles, Carlin was chosen as the storyteller for the third and fourth series. He took over the role of Mr. Conductor on Shining Time Station and, in turn, told all of the stories from Series 3 to Series 4. He also re-narrated all of the episodes in Series 1 and Series 2. While Carlin was known for his adult comedy routines, Britt Allcroft attests that he was gentle and enthusiastic in his approach to the series. Allcroft states that Carlin was nervous recording his voice alone in a sound booth – their solution was to keep a teddy bear in the booth as Carlin's "audience" for the run of the show. Allcroft also recalls that the two of them discussed their lonely childhoods, and felt that Thomas was a way of "filling some kind of void."[53] Carlin did not return for the fifth series, citing an interest in focusing on his stand-up comedy career.[citation needed]
- Alec Baldwin (US Series 5–6) (1998–2002): Known as a movie and t.v. actor, Baldwin was selected as the storyteller for the fifth series. He was cast in the role of Mr. Conductor in Thomas & the Magic Railroad in 2000. Baldwin returned for one more series in 2002. Baldwin did not return for the seventh series, citing an interest on focusing on other movie and television roles in his career.[citation needed]
- Michael Brandon (US Series 7-present/re-dubbed eight episodes, Series 6) (2003–present): When Thomas & Friends debuted in the United States in its new half-hour format in 2004, Michael Brandon was hired not only to narrate the new Series 8 episodes, but also all episodes of Series 7. He also re-narrated eight episodes in Series 6. Brandon provided his voice for all of the intermissions in this format. He also narrated the US releases of Calling All Engines, On Site with Thomas, Engines and Escapades, Hero of the Rails, and Misty Island Rescue. In 2007, it was reported that Brandon had left the series, following the appointment of Pierce Brosnan to narrate Series 12. But however, Brosnan didn't return as narrator for unknown reasons, and Brandon was called back to provide the American narrative for Series 12 and onwards, he now also works alongside the American voice cast of the new CGI series. He is the second longest serving narrator in the series, after Michael Angelis.
- Pierce Brosnan (UK/US "guest narrator" for DVD special The Great Discovery) (2008): Former James Bond actor Brosnan was enthusiastic to take up the role, recalling his experience with Thomas as a father, reading the stories for his sons.[15] In 2007, HiT Entertainment announced that Brosnan had signed on for "all English-language releases for the brand, including three upcoming Thomas & Friends television series and three DVD specials."[15] The announcement preceded Series 12 by several months, and Brosnan recorded lines for Series 12 episodes,[54] and was intended to succeed both Angelis and Brandon as narrator for the series. However, Brosnan, for reasons unknown, did not continue as narrator, and series 12 aired without his narrations, instead having Angelis and Brandon resume as narrators for series 12 as well as all subsequent releases. As a result, Brosnan has been credited as a "guest narrator" for The Great Discovery.[55]
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