Gary Owens, best known as the voice of Space Ghost, died yesterday at age 80.
Beginning in 1966, he voiced Hanna-Barbera's first true superhero. Accompanied by Jan, Jace, and Blip, Space Ghost traversed the galaxy defeating alien villains like Zorak, Metallus, and Creature King. So popular was the character that Owens voiced him again in "Space Stars," back in 1981.
Post-SG, Owens was the announcer on "Laugh-In," throughout its network run. He also voiced the narrator of "The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop," Blue Falcon, and Commander Ulysses Feral on "Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron."
RIP, Mr. Owens. You'll be missed by all HB fans. :(
Other Owens' animation roles included "Roger Ramjet", Blue Falcon in "Dynomutt" and "Laff-A-Lympics", the opening announcer on "Garfield and Friends", and narrator of "Mighty Orbots" and "Yogi's Space Race."
Owens was the voice of the Antenna TV digital tv channel in recent years.
Great memorable voice. RIP.
He also was the race announcer in The Love Bug. ("The little car wins first...AND third place!)
I wonder if his health was the reason he didn't reprise his role as the Blue Falcon for Scooby Doo: Mask of the Blue Falcon?
I wonder if this is how Gary Owens got hooked up with Hanna-Barbera? It pre-dates Space Ghost.
Video on Youtube
I also remember Gary Owens from "Garfield and Friends"...
Blue falcon, away... :bigtears::grumpy:[rip]
"Bring me chopper backup." Commander Feral had all of Space Ghost's focus on law and order, but with bloated egotism clouding his judgment. Nevertheless, Feral also uttered one doozy of a rejoinder: "I don't make deals with criminal scum." It's been said that Joe Barbera could be pretty picky about who voiced Hanna-Barbera's characters. Gary Owens must have caught Joe's ear, sounding much like the powerful, unshakable, ironclad stalwart of justice he'd envisioned.
Little late to this thread, even though i was aware of his death. But for my money Gary Owens had one of the most awesome voices ever. It will live on forever in reruns on my tv for sure.
What is it, Is it a Cartoon show?
Blue Falcon, away... :arghh::(
It's very sad .Gary Owens voice was so impressive.
