Actors using voice overs

[christoph404]

I was watching a recent DVD release of the Michael Caine film "Kidnapped" the other night which I enjoyed very much, and aside from Mike's dodgy east end scottish accent I was reminded that Jack Hawkins who also appears in the film,was dubbed in his 70's film appearances, in this film by a distinctive Charles Gray. As we all know the reason being that poor Jack suffered throat cancer in his later years which rendered his marvelous speaking voice useless for film performance. It started me thinking of other actors who had been voiced by another. Gert Frobe in Goldfinger springs to mind as does Adolfo Celi in Thunderball, supposedly because their accents were deemed too strong, and while on the subject of Bond Im pretty sure the loveley Ursula had her voiced dubbed in Dr No. I remember reading that Andie McDowell was re-voiced by Glen Close in Greystoke Legend of Tarzan. Since a large part of an actors performance derives from the delivery and their vocal expression I would have thought it dissapointing for the actor concerned to have their voice replaced. If you are a character in a costume and wearing a mask such as Darth Vadar or "V" in V for Vendetta, then it would appear to me that the voice is carrying 90% of the performance. Im sure there are many other instances of actors being re-voiced in post production especially if we include instances where an actor is required to sing! (Audrey in "My Fair Lady") ! And of course in recent restorations of classic films where speaking lines have to be re-recorded in instances where the original actors are no longer with us we have situations where an actors distinctive voice is immpersonnated by another. Im thinking of Anthony Hopkins' marvelous interpretation of Oliviers voice for restored scenes in Spartacus. I was very surprised to learn that Christopher Plummer was revoiced by Robert Rietty in "The Royal Hunt of The Sun" Has anyone heard of other surprising examples of re-voicing?

[Windthrop]

Peter Sellers revoiced Humphrey Bogart in Beat the Devil - after Bogie was involved in a car accdient. Alot of actors were revoiced by Sellers before he became famous himself - he was often used to 'improve' dull performances often from imported American actors.



In the case of Charles Gray re. Jack Hawkins I always think his voice is a bit to camp for the previously gruff voiced Hawkins.

[christoph404]

name='Windthrop']In the case of Charles Gray re. Jack Hawkins I always think his voice is a bit to camp for the previously gruff voiced Hawkins.

yep, I agree with that, all I can see is Gray as camp Bloefield when I hear his voice!!

[Steve Crook]

name='christoph404']I was very surprised to learn that Christopher Plummer was revoiced by Robert Rietty in "The Royal Hunt of The Sun" Has anyone heard of other surprising examples of re-voicing?

Where did you hear that? I can't find any mention of it



Steve

[orpheum]

Stanley Bakers voice is dubbed in The Red Berets.

[Windthrop]

I noticed that. One of the most alarming examples is Peter O'Toole's in The Savage Innocents.

[christoph404]

name='Steve Crook']Where did you hear that? I can't find any mention of it



Steve

Hi Steve,

Im struggling to remember where I picked up that info, on the BFI website he is credited as an ADR Artist on the film, however I have just contacted his agents office in London and an assistant there is going to email his list of film credits so we can see if it is on there! I may have got this completeley wrong but Im pretty sure Rietty voiced Plummer, I will let you know what I find.



Christoph

[batman]

As a big Robert Shaw fan I have a DVD of 'Royal Hunt of the Sun' and would be very surprised if it is not Christopher Plummer's voice. Robert Rietty did the dubbing for Tanaka and Largo in two Bond films and his voice has quite a distinct 'throaty' sound which is not evident in RHOTS. Athualpa sounds like ... Christopher Plummer. In a biography of Robert Shaw that I have read quite a lot is made of the fact that this film was a bit 'fly by night' on the production finance side. The books goes into the problems Shaw had with this being a European production and the fact that the cast principals didn't get paid for dubbing their own voices as per their contracts. So I would assume that Plummer is dubbed ... but by himself.



Bats.

[mel walton]

Marni Nixon dubbed for Hepburn in 'My fair Lady'. also Bill Shirley sang 'On the Street Where You Live'. Nixon dubbed many times.

Here's a good one; in the film 'Singing in the Rain' Debbie Reynolds dubs for Jean Hagen , in reallity, Reynolds couldn't sing and had to be dubbed, so who sang for her? Hagen, of course,

[mel walton]

In one film, don't remember title, could have been 'Susy', Jean Harlow was dubbed for singing AND DANCING. Done with a look alike and long shots.

[batman]

Klinton Spilsbury was dubbed for 'Legend of the Lone Ranger', either because his acting was dreadful (which it was) or because he was such a pain during production they wanted to see the back of him asap .... or both.



Harvey Keitel refused to do his dubbing for Saturn 3 so all his dialogue was re-recorded.



Bats.

[mel walton]

Interesting thread. got me remembering.

Jack Haley whose movie career dates from, at least 1933. sang ( not very well) in many films.Then, in 1937, sang (beautifully) in 'Wake Up and Live'. Walter Winchell. the professional gossip hinted and, finally, the story came out.that he'd been dubbed. Buddy Clark ( a really good one) had done the singing. Haley sang in films, after that, still, not very well.

[Hanseat]

Arnold Schwarzenegger has the odd distinction of being dubbed in the German versions of his films (for a while he was even dubbed in all promotional interviews for his films shown in Germany). On the other hand, his first ever film, Hercules in New York, in which he was dubbed originally, has recently been re-released on DVD with his own (sort-of English) voice track.

[christoph404]

I have just had the most insightful and helpful telephone conversation with Mr Robert Rietty himself after asking his agent June Epstein for information regarding his film credits, she said "oh I'll get Robert to ring you he knows more than I do!" and he did! What a delightful and friendly man to talk to, I have directed him to this site which he is interested in looking at. First of all "The Royal Hunt of The sun" according to Robert Rietty the producers of this film were quite concerned that an American audience would not understand a word of Plummers dialogue as he was experimenting with an interpretation of an ancient accent and dialect which involved raising and lowerig his voice. Plummer was called into the recording studio to re record parts of his dialogue and to clarify it,however Plummer lost patience with the process and walked out of the studio while trying to re-record his longest piece of dialogue spoken to Robert Shaw, his parting words "get Robert(Rietty) to do it!!" So mainly Plummer's own voice features in the film except for his longest piece of dialogue in the movie spoken to Robert Shaw, and that piece was voiced by Robert Rietty.

I asked him about the work on Bond, particularly as Largo and as Tiger Tanaka and how he approached voicing another actor.Rietty stressed that he simply took reference from the original actors own voice, Adolfo Celi and Tetsuro Tamba both spoke reasonably good english albeit not that easily understood when recorded for film,and who gave good performances using their own voices, Rietty saw his job as reflecting as much as possible the internation of the actors original voice in a more easily understandable version. Rietty also provided the voice of Jack Hawkins in more than ten films, a task also undertaken by Charles Gray,when I suggested that Rietty had "shared" the job with Gray he correctly pointed out that he would not consider it a shared job for although Gray is often credited with being the voice of Jack Hawkins in his later films, the reality is that according to Rietty Gray voiced only three movies at the most for Hawkins. Notably, Rietty voiced Hawkins for "Waterloo" and provided some voice material for both Plummer and Steiger in that same film. Amazingly, Rietty shared a piece of information that is possibly unknown outside the industry and that is he provided the voice for Orson Welles for an entire film! The film being "Treasure Island" Rietty was great friends with Welles, they worked together in Radio broadcasting. So there you are, when in doubt why not ask those concerned directly! Robert Rietty was very charming and helpful and very willing to have a 15 minute chat over the phone and help us all out here on the forum.

[Fellwanderer]

Well done He sounds a perfect gentleman.



It's great to find that there are people who are prepared to put themselves out to provide information and help to genuine enquiries.



Hope he does find his way here and takes a good look round, even if he doesn't actually join.

[christoph404]

name='batman']Klinton Spilsbury was dubbed for 'Legend of the Lone Ranger', either because his acting was dreadful (which it was) or because he was such a pain during production they wanted to see the back of him asap .... or both.



Harvey Keitel refused to do his dubbing for Saturn 3 so all his dialogue was re-recorded.



Bats.

Yes, i believe Keitel was voiced by Roy Dotrice. What kind of quality is your "Royal Hunt of the Sun" DVD. I've heard reports that the quality is not good and that there are two versions, one at approx 98 mins and one at closer to 120mins?

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

name='christoph404']Gert Frobe in Goldfinger springs to mind as does Adolfo Celi in Thunderball, supposedly because their accents were deemed too strong...

Gert Frobe back then couldn't really speak any English. He learned his lines phonetically and was almost incomprehensible. Hence the need of the dub



His agent had told the Bond people that he spoke perfect English... when they learned the truth it was too late. Glad he played Goldfinger... he was the best ever Bond bad guy

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

Arnold Schwarzenegger had another actor's voice in 'Hercules in New York'.

[clitheroekid]

Hercules in New York

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

I've only ever seen clips of it... which is why I've never seen it all.