Voice artist Don LaFontaine dead at 68
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. voiceover artist Don LaFontaine has died at the age of 68, his agent said.
FoxNews.com said LaFontaine's memorable voice was heard in thousands of movie trailers, as well as in nearly 350,000 commercials.
The Minnesota native and former recording engineer for the U.S. Army Band and Chorus recently appeared in a Geico Insurance commercial in which he was described as "that announcer guy," the news Web site said.
ET.com reported that LaFontaine died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Monday of complications from a collapsed lung.
FoxNews.com said Tuesday no official cause of death had been released.
LaFontaine is survived by his wife, singer and actress Nita Whitaker, and three children -- Christine, Skye and Elyse.
His Web site said LaFontaine helped create some of the most popular catch phrases used in film trailers. Among the lines he made famous through the years are "In a world...," "A one-man army," "No where to run, no where to hide and no way out..."
He spent a number of years as a head of production for Kaleidoscope Films, Ltd., a trailer production house and, in 1976, started his own production company, Don LaFontaine Associates where his first assignment as an independent was the trailer for "The Godfather, Part II."
He later spent several years in charge of the trailer department at Paramount Pictures, but left in 1981 to go back to being an independent producer.
"Over the past 25 years, LaFontaine cemented his position as the 'King of Voiceovers,'" his Web site said. "Aside from his continuing work in the trailer industry, he has also been the voice of NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and UPN, in addition to TNT, TBS and the Cartoon Network."
Mirren stands by controversial remarks
LONDON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- British actress Helen Mirren says one should read the whole GQ article before judging remarks she made about using cocaine and having been date-raped.
The Oscar-winning star of "The Queen" said in a recent interview she used cocaine in her younger days, but stopped in the early 1980s.
She also said she had been date-raped more than once when she was a student.
Mirren said a woman who engages in sexual activity with a man, but says "no" at the last moment and is still forced to have sex is a rape victim.
However, the actress added: "I don't think she can have that man into court under those circumstances. I guess it is one of the many subtle parts of the men/women relationship that has to be negotiated and worked out between them."
Quoted by media outlets all over the world this week, her words drew criticism from some advocates for rape victims, the BBC said.
While Mirren doesn't try to rescind the remarks, E! Online said the actress has issued a statement urging people to read the entire article before forming an opinion based on the salacious tidbits repeated in the media.
"Helen Mirren does not dispute the accuracy of statements attributed to her in an upcoming GQ article," Mirren's publicist, Stan Rosenfield, said in a statement issued to E! Online.
"She merely asks that people read the article in its entirety before drawing conclusions. If they do that, she says, their conclusions will likely be far less sweeping and sensational than those drawn by some in the popular press. She does not wish to qualify any of her remarks. She just wants to avoid having them presented in inflammatory language."
'Deal or No Deal' has first $1M winner
BURBANK, Calif., Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A pregnant woman from Utah has become the first $1 million winner on the TV game show "Deal or No Deal," NBC announced.
Jessica Robinson from Sandy, Utah became the first contestant in the show's three-year run to take home the top prize of $1 million. She won the cash in the episode that aired Monday.
"This is truly a dream come true for my husband and me," Robinson said in a statement. "I have been a fan of the show and have watched every season, playing at home from my living room. I still can't believe I won $1 million but I feel like my lucky green shirt had something to do with it. It was the same shirt I wore to fill out the application and to my audition. I can't wait to move to Texas to buy our first home and be closer to my family and friends."
The episode began with a model wheeling a baby carriage on stage and holding the number 5.
Host Howie Mandel then announced Robinson was playing in the Million Dollar Mission, with five $1 million cases -- upping her chances of becoming the show's first $1 million winner.
NBC thrilled Aniston's dropping by 'Rock'
NEW YORK, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- NBC says it is a thrill to have actress Jennifer Aniston guest star on an upcoming episode of the U.S. network's sit-com "30 Rock."
Aniston won an Emmy for her work on "Friends," the former NBC sit-com she called home for a decade.
She is to appear in one episode of "30 Rock" as the "free-spirited, 'Fatal Attraction'-like stalker Claire Harper, Liz Lemon's (Tina Fey) former roommate from Chicago who randomly shows up in New York and attaches herself to Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin,)" the network said in a news release.
The announcement was made Tuesday by Teri Weinberg, executive vice president of NBC Entertainment.
"What a thrill to have Jennifer back on NBC on a Thursday night. She is the perfect comedic talent to work with the Emmy-winning '30 Rock' cast," Weinberg said in a statement. "This promises to be a memorable, hilarious night of comedy."
"Jennifer is not only incredibly lovely to have around, she also has what the young people would call 'mad skills.' We're very excited that she's joining us," added Fey, creator, executive producer and star of "30 Rock."
Aniston's movie credits include "Bruce Almighty," "Along Came Polly," "The Good Girl" and "The Break-Up."
