Gary Owens Biography

Fast Facts

• Was voted the No․ 1 D․J․ of the previous 40 years in a poll commissioned by Los Angeles radio historian Don Barrett in 1997
• Was born to an educator and county auditor mother and a county treasurer and sheriff father
• Started his radio career at KORN in Mitchell, S․D․, when he was 16
• Quote: "I'd rather hear Barbra Streisand sing than eat․ Of course, I've never heard her eat․"
• Quote: "This just in․ Union 76 will merge with Smuckers to sell petroleum jelly․"
• Coined the phrase "Beautiful downtown Burbank," which was used on "Laugh-In" and "The Tonight Show․"
• Known for uttering goofy lines in a deadpan, authoritative baritone on such programs as "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In․"
• Had a successful voice-over career on television and in film, recording lines for about 3,000 cartoons and 30,000 commercials
• Often performed with a hand cupped over one ear while talking into a microphone
• Was featured on the computer game "Blast from the Past․"