Dennis Day's Voice Change at 30+

[Jack Benny]

I don't understand why Dennis's voice changed when he was over 30? Ahout the time of the TV shows in the early 50's, he seemed to have a "Radio Voice" like always breathy and young sounding, but he also had a "TV Voice" that he used on the TV program. Compairing the voices to interviews of him, it sounds like he made a choice to use his own voice for the TV show. You can hear this same voice on his record "Christmas is for the Family." When was this album recorded? Does anyone have any information about this? Personally, I think I'll always think of his "Radio Voice" as being my favorite voice of Dennis Day.

[benny-allen fan]

honestly, i can't tell the difference between Dennis Day's radio and TV voices...to me he'll always sound youthful...so that's why i voted for the younger sounding Dennis. his singing voice changed in my ears. once he borderlined on operatic vocals, hitting high notes, that i didn't see as much on the TV show whenever he'd perform.

[Roman]

On Dennis's first show in October 1939 (when he was, I believe in his early 20s), I noticed that his singing voice was higher than Kenny Baker's. Over the years though it deepened so that by the mid-1940s, his singing voice was significantly lower than his radio speaking voice. By the time of the TV show, Dennis was well in his thirties and so it's not a surprise that he sounded older than the radio days. He sounded older because he was older. There are not too many men whose voices sound the same when they're young and when they're older (o.k., maybe George Burns but that's a different case).

[ethanmuse]

On Dennis's first show in October 1939 (when he was, I believe in his early 20s), I noticed that his singing voice was higher than Kenny Baker's. Over the years though it deepened so that by the mid-1940s, his singing voice was significantly lower than his radio speaking voice. By the time of the TV show, Dennis was well in his thirties and so it's not a surprise that he sounded older than the radio days. He sounded older because he was older. There are not too many men whose voices sound the same when they're young and when they're older (o.k., maybe George Burns but that's a different case).

I have a possible suggestion as to why Dennis' voice aged over the years. While I do not claim to know anything about his personal lifestyle, I do know that this was at a time when practically everybody smoked. Joan Benny reveals in Sunday Nights at Seven that for the entire time the program was sponsored by Lucky Strike, I believe each cast member regularly received free cartons of Luckies and Pall Malls. If Dennis was a smoker, of course his voice would deepen over the years. Mary's voice in the 30s was very different from how it was in the 50s. Again, I don't know this to be a contributing factor to Dennis' voice change because I don't know if he smoked, but it is a possibility.

[Gerry O.]

For that matter, compare Don Wilson's voice from a 1930's program and a 1950's radio show, or 1950's or 60's TV show....a BIG difference!

[Mister Kitzel]

Don's voice may not sound as deep on early recordings because of the fidelity of the recording equipment from the time. Differences in microphones over the years would have also affected the tone of the voices heard on the air.

Perhaps Dennis or a producer chose to use a more adult voice on television to match his appearance rather than have him speak in a false voice that was much better suited for the theater of the mind on radio.

[Alan]

Isn't just aging alone also expected to deepen most everyone's voice?

Maybe it is particularly noticeable when a person has a higher and/or more atypical and/or dramaticized strarting point?

[ClassicFilmFan]

Funny, I just thought about how Mary's voice sounded different too, when you compare some early and later shows. *not the ones where they prerecorded her lines* [I listened to a show from '39 after another from '50] But maybe that's just me

[shimp scrampi]

Later in life, Mary was giving these two a run for their money:



You can hear Mary's later voice in a "Here's Lucy" episode with Jack where she overdubs Lucille Ball playing "Mary" in Jack's biography.

Oddly enough, I was thinking of old Patty and Selma after watching THE DARK KNIGHT. I think Batman sounds like them in that movie too.

[shimp scrampi]

Here's that clip with Mary's voice from 1970 on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP9VPua1 ... re=related

[Mister Kitzel]

Wow! Mary's voice was so different I would have never recognized it!

[ClassicFilmFan]

Ha!

[Random:Was Lucy ever a guest on the radio show?]

Ontopic: I have to agree with most of the other voters and go for Dennis' youthful voice, although I like his impersonation of Coleman an 'The mexican bandit' *not listed* as well.