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PEOPLE
Peter Thomas, Iconic Voice Actor And
Humanitarian: The Voice You Knew

May 2, 2016

Did you know or work with Peter Thomas? Please share your memories in COMMENTS below.


(VOXtra) - The iconic voice of Peter Thomas has been silenced, but not the memories and tributes pouring in from the many worlds he touched as a humanitarian, radio and TV newscaster and voice over legend.

He was also a World War II hero, participating in D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge and fighting throughout Europe.

Peter died this past weekend in his long-time home town of Naples, FL, at the age of 91.

Yes, his career was long and remarkable. And it's likely you'd heard his smooth baritone voice in countless commercials, documentaries and commercials.

Peter's hometown newspaper, Naples Daily News, reviews his life in several articles here.

And below, treat yourself to this 2003 interview in which you'll learn more about the amazing career of Peter Thomas - and hear that marvelous voice one more time ...



Peter, we'll miss you.

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Comments (8)
Roger Peralta
6/4/2021 at 9:10 PM
Hello. I am glad to see and hear about Peter Thomas, I am one of the greatest fanatics. I am from Nicaragua. I have been watching the series FORENSIC FILES narrated by Peter Thomas. I am an English Teacher, and when I hear him speaking, I understand every word he says because he has the best English pronunciation, his English is crystal clear for me. I got depressed when he passed away, but life. I wanna tell you that I still hear his voice in my ears when I remember all his commercials, documentaries, and everything he did. with the best of the best voice of the entire world.
Samette
6/9/2016 at 7:17 PM
The absolute best Voice Over ever, hands down. I watch Forensic Files reruns I've seen many times over, I watch for one reason only .... TO HEAR Peter Thomas' voice! I am greatly missing a man I've never met and I won't apologize for it. Peter and his wife are together again, so this is actually a happily ever after love story. I'm jealous.
Katherine Curriden
5/4/2016 at 6:16 PM
Don Blair's show with Peter Thomas.....What a wonderful piece of history! Peter was 80 for this interview....Once you hear the voice, you will never forget the name! Everyone in this business needs to watch and listen! Thanks John!
jvalentino
5/3/2016 at 6:06 PM
Peter Thomas was the best VO artist ever. Nobody will ever replace him.
Lee McBride
5/3/2016 at 8:12 AM
I was just thinking about Peter the other day. Worked with him on and off while in advertising. He took me to dinner and showed me around NY when I visited for a brief 24 hours. Terrific man, terrific talent, and I'm so sorry to hear of his passing.
Larry Wayne
5/2/2016 at 7:51 PM
So sad to hear of the silencing of that warm, friendly voice. I had the pleasure of meeting Peter in Anchorage when we were working on a series of video documentaries about Alaska. My wife and I found him to be genuine, humble, filled with integrity. Our conversation was interrupted several times by calls to Peter from agencies around the world looking for available slots for voice sessions. His world wide reputation did not change his humility.

He will be missed!
Tom Wahl
5/2/2016 at 7:50 PM
I was introduced to Peter several years ago, thanks to a mutual acquaintance who worked in a pro audio and video store where Peter would call to buy equipment from time to time.

The store rep mentioned me to Peter and shared with him that I am a freelance voice talent focusing on national television, radio and film projects. Peter told the rep that he would like to talk with me and got my name and phone number. A few weeks later, my phone rang, and on the other end was the legendary voice which I recognized immediately.

Peter and I struck an instant friendship. He shared with me that he had heard my demos and said, and I'll never forget this as long as I live..."Tom, you definitely should be doing national work!"

That encouragement from Peter Thomas was enough,but he did me one better. He said, "Do you have a piece of paper and a pen? I'm going to give you the names and phone numbers of a few of my agents and tell them I told you to call!"

From time to time I would share with him a few of my voice tracks from projects I'd been working on, and he would give me pointers such as..."That is good. Just ease off a bit, soften the delivery and you'll have it perfect." For the record, he was right. The project producer said the same thing.

And just after Peter lost his life long love, Stella, he had to be treated for injuries suffered in some sort of fall. My wife and I sent a flower arrangement in hopes that it would cheer him up. Well, it did and he took the time to call us and thank us for sending it.

He was always that way. Appreciative, thoughtful and very helpful. I owe him a great debt because his decades of experience and just the mention of his name has opened so many doors for me that I can't begin to recall.

I miss Peter deeply. I am a better person and voice talent for having known him. What a class act and a legendary narrator. Just about everyone has heard and knows the voice of the legendary narrator Peter Thomas.

Thank you, Peter. I miss you already.
Mike Harrison
5/2/2016 at 7:37 PM
Visiting the 1964-65 NY World's Fair as a kid, hearing Peter Thomas' narration of the Travelers Insurance Company exhibit planted a seed in my brain. From that point, I would instantly recognize his voice in school documentary films and TV and radio commercials.

In 1979, I was working as audio producer for a corporate multimedia production house when one of our clients chose Peter to narrate a presentation. As he wasn't able to travel to our studio in northern NJ, I was to meet him at a studio in Manhattan and "direct" his read. It was not necessary to direct Peter Thomas; if anyone could properly interpret copy, it was this man.

When I found him narrating TV's "Forensic Files" during the late 1990s, I emailed him through the show's production company and told him how his work in the early 1960s had influenced me. One day several weeks later, the phone rang: "Hello, Mike. Peter Thomas calling." There was nothing but a genuine friendliness coming through the phone as he thanked me for remembering his work.

A few years later, I was selected by the "Forensic Files" producers to read the text of the ransom note written by the kidnapper of Adolph Coors III for the show's "Bitter Brew" episode. It was a thrill to hear my voice interspersed with Peter's when the episode aired.

Peter and I spoke and exchanged emails several times since. He was truly a remarkable person and it was not so much his voice, but what he did with it, that inspired me.
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