Hal Douglas, known in the voiceover business as simply Hal (and the "movie trailer voice" to millions of moviegoers) passed away Friday.
Perhaps the voice more synonymous with Hollywood movies than any onscreen actor’s, Hal Douglas narrated thousands upon thousands of movie trailers, often with the reassuring introduction of “In a world….” Thus for any moviegoer, particularly one who was reared on American films in the 1990s, it is sad news to learn that Douglas died Friday in his Lotteville, Va. home. Revealed to the press by his daughter, Sarah Douglas, Hal Douglas died from complications over pancreatic cancer. He was 89.
Alongside Don LaFontaine and Don Morrow, Douglas was one of the most ubiquitous voices in movie trailers that audiences often associated with “the movie guy voice.” With a firm but gravely tenor, he showed a fluid range that went from deathly serious or even ominous for the summer blockbusters and thrillers, to playful and lightly ironic for any romantic comedy. His demo reel included eclectic samples like the WB’s Dawson’s Creek and the Heath Ledger and Kate Hudson version of The Four Feathers. He is also famous for his voiceover work on trailers that include Meet the Parents, Forrest Gump, Rush Hour 2, The Rock, and Braveheart.
Known in the voiceover business as simply “Hal,” Douglas became an iconic presence until his retirement from voiceover work two years ago. Preferring to work in New York recording studios over living in LA, Douglas looked proudly at his craft but with modestly. He told The New York Times in 2009, “It’s a craft you learn, like making a good pair of shoes. And I just consider myself a good shoemaker.”
For those who may only know the voice, below is Hal Douglas’ demo reel circa the early 2000s. There is also the mock trailer he made for “Jerry Seinfeld’s The Comedian” below that.
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