MovieChat Forums > Thunderball (1965) Discussion > Blofeld's Voice

Blofeld's Voice

posted 12 years ago by andy_1976
17 replies | jump to latest

In From Russia With Love the voice of Blofeld was provided by Eric Pohlmann.

In Thunderball his voice is provided by Joseph Wiseman, who had previously played Dr. No three years earlier. This is documented in several books about the making of the 007 films.

How come IMDB insists on incorrectly listing Eric Pohlmann for the voice of Blofeld in Thunderball? I've now seen several other sites where Pohlmann is also incorrectly listed for this film and people are discussing him having done 2 Bond films.

If anyone has any doubts about this, just compare Blofeld's voice in the two films and you will hear the difference. Then listen to Joseph Wiseman in Dr. No. It is clearly his voice as Blofeld in Thunderball.

[–] baheidstu-351-733122 11 years ago

No, it is Eric Pohlmann who provided the voice. There are some sources which claim it's Wiseman but more reliable sources say it's Pohlmann. I speculate that because it sounds like Wiseman's voice people have assumed it is his,.

[–] hirschleger 11 years ago

why did Eric Pohlmann not play blofeld in YOLT and DIAF?

[–] baheidstu-351-733122 11 years ago

I imagine it's because the producers wanted "name" actors for those films seeing as we actually got to see Blofeld's face in them.

[–] andy_1976 11 years ago

Sorry to disagree, but it's definitely NOT Eric Pohlmann's voice in Thunderball. The voice of Blofeld is completely different in Thunderball from From Russia With Love. I have seen Eric Pohlmann is numerous films and it's definitely his voice used in From Russia With Love, it is easily recognisable.
It used to be common knowledge it was Joseph Wiseman's voice used for Blofeld in Thunderball, it is correctly stated in serveral books about the making of the films. But in the last couple of years people have suddenly started saying it's Eric Pohlmann in both films. It isn't!!

[–] thelastfaceyouwillsee 11 years ago

I am with the OP and andy_1976 on this. In Thunderball the voice is clearly not Eric Pohlman - it is Joseph Wiseman. The differences are quite clear.

"Remember, you have to make it home to get paid" (The Dogs of War)

[–] baheidstu-351-733122 10 years ago

I don't care if you are with me or not, reliable sources all indicate that Eric Pohlmann provided the voice for Blofeld in both From Russia With Love and Thunderball.

[–] tonycarr 10 years ago

This is news to me. Everything I have says Blofeld was played by Anthony Dawson (Dent in Dr No) and voiced by Eric Pohlmann. No mention of Joseph Wiseman at all but I don't have the latest BluRay set.

Anyway, why would Wiseman want to do a small voice over when he was the co-star in Dr No and why would the producers want to pay him when I'm sure Eric Pohlmann would have been much cheaper (no offence, Mr Pohlmann)

[–] thelastfaceyouwillsee 11 years ago

[–] MrLuthor89 11 years ago

I believe this Blofeld WAS Eric Pohlman. Sure there is a difference but you have to remember the audio engineers put a filter on his voice as he was speaking through the metal shutters.

[–] pawtrax67 11 years ago

Two million three?

Our expectations were significantly higher....

Don't care who it was. His voice sounded menacing, maybe they should never have revealed Blofeld in YOLT?

Then reveal him in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Ah well.

[–] Eric-62-2 10 years ago

It sounds more like Wiseman to me, and I think this notion that it's Pohlmann in "Thunderball" started with one production person's declaration on a commentary track for "From Russia With Love" (I forget who it was) that Pohlmann voiced Blofeld in all the "voice only" parts. Until I see a cast sheet or a contract, I am still going to stick with those who say Wiseman.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] editor-161 9 years ago

I can assure everyone here that the voice of Ernst Stavro Blofeld in 'From Russia With Love' (1963) and 'Thunderball' (1965) *IS* most definitely Eric Pohlmann.

Graham Rye
Editor/Designer/Publisher/Archivist
007 MAGAZINE & ARCHIVE Limited
007 MAGAZINE

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] dominicshaw-80761 8 years ago

Your wrong. I just spoke with Joseph WiseBerrys Son and he confirmed it was him on ThnderBall. Looks like you just lost another one, Rye.

[–] mistermycroft 8 years ago

I don't know how people can debate this

Blofeld's voice in FRWL doesn't sound like his Thunderball voice at all. Clearly it is not the same actor

However, his voice in Thunderball sounds exactly like Joseph Wiseman in Dr. No.

[–] HorrorMetal (864) 6 years ago

The voices in FRWL and Thunderball do sound different, but in this movie it kind of sounds like they distorted it somehow, which could explain why it doesn't sound the same. I wanna believe that Eric Pohlmann did the voice both times, but I guess we'll never know for sure.