Morgan Freeman’s Signature Voice
Morgan Freeman started his career on the stage in New York after serving in the United States Air Force as a mechanic. Although he is well known for his acting roles, you may be surprised to learn he was just as successful as a voice actor. His authoritative, smooth tone creates a distinctive style that transforms a simple story into an enchanted image. From Oscar-winning films to stunning documentaries, audiences know they are experiencing something special. Some of his most famous documentary roles include:
- Cosmic Voyage (1996)
- Slavery and the Making of America (2004)
- March of the Penguins (2005)
- Breaking the Taboo (2011).
Developing a Trademark Voiceover Tone
Freeman’s melodic tones and reassuring voice made him highly recognized and sought after. He developed his signature sound in college speech classes, where he noticed that many people spoke in a voice that was too high or too fast. By altering his voice to a lower octave and enunciating each word, it was more commanding and even omnipotent.
In the 1970s, he rose to voiceover fame as the popular character Easy Reader on The Electric Company. He also voiced Reading Rainbow. In 2005 he was busy as an actor and voice artist and narrated two powerful documentaries, the Academy Award-winning March of the Penguins and Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds. From 2010 to 2017, he also hosted and narrated the series Through the Wormhole.
The Jimmy Kimmel show frequently welcomes Freeman as a guest, and he expertly narrates people on the street at random. With his voiceover narration, mundane footage is converted into enjoyable entertainment. In 2010 he voiced the introduction to CBS Evening News, replacing Walter Cronkite.
A Legacy of Artistry
Freeman continues to accept roles in a diverse range of genres, and his iconic voice makes him a top choice. In addition to acting, he also has a full range of other roles he has achieved. As a political and environmental activist, director, restaurant owner, private pilot, and father of four, Morgan Freeman is clearly full of enthusiasm for life and adventure.
And just a little more about Morgan
Morgan Freeman was born in Memphis Tennessee June 1, 1937. He joined the Air Force right after high school but soon became drawn to the entertainment industry. Like many great actors, he started off on Broadway and then moved on to increasingly challenging roles in films. Freeman’s role as a narrator quickly became noticed during his many films, and it wasn’t long before he also enjoyed fame in the voice over industry.
Morgan Freeman Screen and Stage Credits Include:
Marie (1985)
That Was Then… This Is Now (1985)
Street Smart (1987)
Glory (1989)
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Lean on Me (1989)
Johnny Handsome (1989)
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
Unforgiven (1992)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Outbreak (1995)
Seven (1995)
Chain Reaction (1996)
Moll Flanders (1996)
Amistad (1997)
Kiss the Girls (1997)
Deep Impact (1998)
Nurse Betty (2000)
Along Came a Spider (2001)
The Sum of All Fears (2002)
High Crimes (2002)
Bruce Almighty (2003)
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Unleashed (2005)
An Unfinished Life (2005)
Batman Begins (2005)
Lucky Number Slevin (2006)
10 Items or Less (2006)
Evan Almighty (2007)
The Bucket List (2007)
Feast of Love (2007)
Wanted (2008)
The Dark Knight (2008)
Invictus (2009)
RED (2010)
Dolphin Tale (2011)
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Magic of Belle Isle (2012)
Olympus Has Fallen (2013)
Oblivion (2013)
Now You See Me (2013)
Last Vegas (2013)
The Lego Movie (2014)
Transcendence (2014)
Lucy (2014)
Dolphin Tale 2 (2014)
5 Flights Up (2014)
Momentum (2015)
Ted 2 (2015)
London Has Fallen (2016)
Now You See Me 2 (2016)
Going In Style (2017)
Just Getting Started (2017)
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)
Angel Has Fallen (2019)
Morgan Freeman Biographical Details
Born: June 1, 1937 (age 82)
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Height: 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
Work
Occupation: Actor (Film, TV & Stage, Voice Actor
Years active: 1964–present
Family
Spouse(s)
Jeanette Adair Bradshaw
(m. 1967; div. 1979)
Myrna Colley-Lee
(m. 1984; div. 2010)
Children: 4
Mother: Mayme Edna (Revere), a teacher
Father: Morgan Porterfield Freeman, a barber
Military Career
Allegiance: United States of America
Service/branch: United States Air Force
