Anyone know who the actor is who did the narration? The credits here on IMDB aren't clear. The only voice credit is Irving Pichel and he was an American. Very confusing.
"You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment."
Irving Pichel did indeed narrate the voiceover for How Green Was My Valley.
shareVery distinctive voice. He played the evil retainer in "Daughter of Dracula" in 1936. Also did alot of directing.
cinefreak
>"Very distinctive voice.
Yes. Easily the vocal equal of Ronald Colman or Herbert Marshall.
He was quite active before and behind the camera; I can't understand why he's not better known. Even I, with a good ability to recall character actors, can't specifically recall him in films the IMDb says he appeared and which I've seen (e.g., Jezebel).
Perhaps I simply don't find him as memorable as, say, Porter Hall or Richard Gaines.
I'm also pretty good in regard to identifying character actors, but like you said...I can't recall him. The only reason I know him from "Daughter of Dracula' is that when I first saw it as a kid, my mother walked in and said, "Oh! It's Irving Pichel!" If you can get ahold of it, there's a mind-bogglingly obscure, hard-to-find film from 1931 called "Murder By the Clock" in which he plays an insane, murderous, madman. Quite well, too!
cinefreak
Thanks for the heads-up on "Murder By The Clock". I gather from the IMDb entry that it's the kind of early talkie that I most enjoy, along the lines of 'The Old Dark House' or more ominously, 'Guilty Hands'.
I still can't get over Pichel's poor recognition factor, though. I see he also did the narration to 'She Wore A Yellow Ribbon'. I've seen that movie several times--and recently, too--and didn't even recall that it had any narration!
Thanks for the heads-up on "Murder By The Clock". I gather from the IMDb entry that it's the kind of early talkie that I most enjoy, along the lines of 'The Old Dark House' or more ominously, 'Guilty Hands'.
That's exactly what it is!
cinefreak
Richard GAINES!?! Talk about a stiff-necked upper cruster!
share"Richard GAINES!?! Talk about a stiff-necked upper cruster!"
Whatever do you mean by that? He was positively frolicksome in Double Indemnity and obviously ready to romp in The Enchanted Cottage.
Next you'll be taking potshots at John Abbott, another personal favorite and perennially dynamic screen presence.