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Gary Owens

Birth Name:
Gary Altman
Birth Place:
Mitchell, South Dakota, United States
Profession
Actor
Gary Owens
  • 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․"
  • Had a successful voice-over career on television and in film, recording lines for about 3,000 cartoons and 30,000 commercials
  • Known for uttering goofy lines in a deadpan, authoritative baritone on such programs as "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In․"
  • Often performed with a hand cupped over one ear while talking into a microphone
  • Was featured on the computer game "Blast from the Past․"
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