Tony Jay Dies

[filkertom]

Damn. One of the better voice men of recent years, actor Tony Jay, has passed away due to complications from surgery. I'll have more info when I can get a good link.

You probably know him best as Frollo from Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame (although you likely first heard him as the old man who ran the Maison Des Lunes in Beauty and the Beast [as opposed to him playing Paracelsus on the Ron Perlman-Linda Hamilton Beauty and the Beast]). But he's done an unbelievable amount of work in animation, video games, and onscreen. Everything from The Royal Shakespeare Company to Megabyte on Reboot, for cryin' out loud. I recognized him immediately in the opening cut-scene of Return to Castle Wolfenstein; I have to go back now and hear him as Galactus in the Fantastic Four series (which I own but haven't got around to watching yet).

Thanks to sdelmonte for the heads-up.

Comments

[giza.livejournal.com]

I recall him doing the voice of the Lieutenant in Fallout. He did an amazing job.

[timewalker.livejournal.com]

Mighty Max (was it Virgil, the wise old something?), and Lex's butler/henchman on Lois & Clark. And oh so many other wonderful roles.
He will be missed.

Hey sdelmonte, it's JoeF (formerly of the Isabella Board)! Figured I'd find you here. :)

[sdelmonte]

Wherever this is fannish stuff to be found, I'll be there.

[timewalker.livejournal.com]

Of course.
I'm gonna add you,if you don't mind.

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

Mark Hammil once commented that Tony Jay did villains better than anyone.

[nimitzbrood.livejournal.com]

A particularly enlightened statement considering how many villians Mark Hammil does himself. The Joker in particular can IMO be done by no other voice now without sounding strange to my ears. :-)

*sniffle*

[ttamsen.livejournal.com]

"Return that which you have stolen" indeed.

[glitchphil.livejournal.com]

Captain Saladin of King's Quest VI :(

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

That's very sad. He was an amazing talent, his voice will be missed.

[darrenzieger.livejournal.com]

I'm particularly fond of this little scene in Woody Allen's "Love and Death." It is one of Boris Grushenko (Allen)'s mystical visions, which takes place after a bloody battle. Boris has a conversation with fellow soldier Vladimir Maximovitch (Jay), who died in the battle, from a gunshot to the head:

Boris (Allen): Vladimir Maximovitch. You're alive.
Vladimir (Jay): No, I'm dead. Look at this hole.
Boris: Oh, does it hurt?
Vladimir: I feel nothing.
Boris: You don't look so bad for a guy who's dead. I think it agrees with you.
Vladimir: Listen, do me a favor.
Boris: Anything.
Vladimir: This engagement ring, I was gonna give it to my girlfriend. A surprise.
Boris: You want me to give it to her?
Vladimir: No, what's the point? Take it back to the jeweller's in Smolensk, Vladimir Petroshnik. Tell him I'm dead and get a refund.
Boris: OK. What did you give him for this?
Vladimir: 200 roubles.
Boris: For this you gave him 200 roubles?
Vladimir: This is a diamond with two baguettes...
Boris: This is insane! I could have gotten you this ring for 75.
Vladimir: Never that ring. Never.
Boris: The exact same ring.
Vladimir: Anyway. Listen, take the deposit. Go to Kiev.
Boris: Right.
Vladimir: Give it to a woman, Natasha Petrovna.
Boris: Right. OK.
Vladimir: Get a receipt. Make sure you get a receipt.
Boris: Why do you need that? You're dead.
Vladimir: Tax purposes.
Boris: Oh! Good thinking.

It's one of only a handful of times I've actually seen him on screen, but that scene always stuck with me.

Fans may know him better from an appearance on ST:TNG

On the voiceover front, I'm particularly fond of his turns as Chairface Chippendale in The Tick, and as the voice of God in Time Bandits.

*Sigh* Way too many talented entries in the obit section lately.

[cktraveler.livejournal.com]

Aww, he was one of my favorites!