Gary Owens Legendary Voice Actor, Radio Star Dies At 80

For we kids who are over the hill and heading down in the valley, Gary Owens was the deep voiced announcer for Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In TV show of the late 1960's. For those of a slightly younger generation you might know his voice as that of Space Ghost.

Owens died yesterday in Los Angeles, he was 80 years old.

Gary Owens voice was a deep rich baritone. His voice was the quintessential sound of what a real announcer should sound like. If you ever hear other announcers trying to sound articulate and professional they are conjuring an image of Owens. Who by his own admission was anything but a straight laced announcer.

Owens appeared in multiple televisions shows and movies. He wrote books and comedy albums. He was the host several very successful syndicated and local radio shows in Southern California. He was the announcer that baby DJ's in the 60's wished we could sound like.

He is enshrined in the National Radio Hall of Fame and the National Television Hall of Fame. He even has a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. You can find that star right next to Walt Disney's. One of the many great men he was honored to work with.

The cause of Owens death is most likely related to his diagnosis of diabetes and the fact that he was 80 years old. A member of Owens family who was by his side when he passed away suggested that "his body just kind of failed".

Here is a sample of what Gary Owens and radio sounded like back in 1970.