Speak up on the voices of Trek

[JiNX-01]

Someone over in the Worst Trek Actor thread remarked that he expects to have a seizure whenever he hears Nana Visitor's voice.

So here's the topic:
Trek actors' voices you love to hate and those you just love.

Multiple answers in each category optional.
You can include guest actors.
And for those you love to hate, please explain why.

Love:
Scott Bakula
Connor Trinneer
Leonard Nimoy
Nichelle Nichols
George Takei

Hate:
Nasally Marina Sirtis

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Love:
Avery Brooks, Marc Alaimo (I'll let them duke it out for #1 )
Alexander Siddig (lovely accent!)
George Takei
Michael Dorn
Rene Auberjonois (yeah, it's a character voice, and it's gravelly, but it's distinctive and fun)
Leonard Nimoy

Don't like:
Kate Mulgrew (smoker's voice tends to make me think that person is ill)
Max Grodénchik (while in character as Rom--I'm sure his voice is just fine under normal circumstances)
Chase Masterson (while in character as Leeta--again, I'm sure she sounds just fine in normal conversation)
Wallace Shawn (while in character as Zek--same disclaimer)


So, what have we learned, boys and girls? Unless you're a RARE exception to the rule (René Auberjonois) and you know how to make your character voice sound perfectly natural (honestly, I was surprised to hear him in an interview because I thought that really was his natural voice), you're better off using what God gave you.

 

[Stoek]

The love list is fairly long and includes Avery Brooks, Colm Meany, Alexander Siddig, Patrick Stewart, Nichelle Nichols etc.

The hate list is actually fairly short. It mostly consists of Jennifer Lien. I constantly expect her to start describing what she's wearing after confirming that I'm okay with my credit card being charged 3.99 for the first minute and 1.99 for each additional minute.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Avery Brooks, Patrick Stewart and Michael Dorn are three loves that come to mind, but I know there are more. I must be having an abnormally positive day, because offhand I can't even think of one I dislike.

 

[scotpens]

Does no one have Majel Barrett on their “love” list? Her pleasantly modulated voice got her plenty of voiceover work outside of Trek, in addition to being the computer voice in every Trek series from TOS through Voyager.

And Michael Dorn has a great voice. He sounds like a cross between an FM deejay and James Coburn.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I don't think Majel Barrett was the computer voice for the Cardassian computer on DS9. I believe she only did the voice for Starfleet computers then.

 

[JiNX-01]

I don't think Majel Barrett was the computer voice for the Cardassian computer on DS9. I believe she only did the voice for Starfleet computers then.

Didn't she do any of the computer voices on the Defiant or shuttles? Been a long time since I've seen DS9.

 

[DevilEyes]

Love:
Leonard Nimoy
Marc Alaimo
Patrick Stewart
Avery Brooks
Brent Spiner
Michael Dorn
The actress who played Lindsay Ballard on VOY
Nana Visitor
Nichelle Nichols (nice singing, too)
Rene Auberjonois' voice as Odo

Hate:
Whoever played Droxine in "The Cloud Minders"
Max Grodenchick's voice as Rom
Wallace Shawn's voice as Grand Nagus Zek
Marina Sirtis' voice as Deanna - it's something about the way she talks

 

[plynch]

I love Jen Lien because of her voice. I would pay to hear her read the phone book.

Avery Brooks: great voice. Ditto Patrick Stewart. Must be that Shakespearean baritone thing, though I agree with poster in "worst actor thread" that Brooks' reading of the character (all.the.pauses.) gets old.

Hmm: OHHHH! NEELIX: ARGHHH!!! Oily, squeaky, a tenor Barney the dinosaur. Awe-ful.

 

[Too Much Fun]

Not just in Star Trek, I think Patrick Stewart has the greatest voice ever. Years before "Family Guy" did a very obvious joke about it, I was talking to friends about how he could make anything sound cool with that voice...even our names. We knew our names would sound ten times cooler coming out of his mouth. Beyond that...

Favourite voices
Jeffrey Combs - No matter what character he played, it was always entertaining just to hear the expression and cadence in his vocal performance...this naturally lead to his terrific voiceover work in the DC Animated Universe.
Michael Dorn - The tough, strong voice he did as Worf was always a pleasure to hear, especially when he got angry. Again, worked beautifully in animation.
Casey Biggs - One of the reasons I immediately liked Damar (even when he was basically just a thug in his early appearances) was his voice. It really helped make his speeches as a freedom fighter rousing too.
Siddig & Meany - I love their accents.
Leonard Nimoy - Fantastic deep voice as Spock.
George Takei - Another one of the great deep voices. Lead to some hilarious work on "The Simpsons" and "oh my!" becoming a cool catchphrase.
John De Lancie - Embodied arrogance in his voice better than almost any actor I've heard (maybe second only to David Warner).
Kate Mulgrew - She had a bit of a Katherine Hepburn thing going on. I dug it.
Avery Brooks - Only when he wasn't too over-the-top or doing these line readings full of really corny pauses. Was a blast to hear when he played his character as pissed off. His voice is brilliant in "Facets" when he's embodied by a killer and does this creepy accent.
Connor Trineer - Because he reminds me of Brad Pitt and I think that's fun.
Tim Russ - Because he reminds me of Leonard Nimoy as Spock and I think that's cute.

Voices I don't like so much
Rene Auberjonois - Can't stand that stupid gravelly voice he did as Odo. A big reason it took me a LONG time (several seasons) to like the character.
Max Grodénchik, Wallace Shawn - I disagree with Ghemor about Mulgrew, but I agree that these two had excruciating voices as their Ferengi characters. Quark sounded normal, so I don't think there's a rule that all Ferengi characters have to sound this grating and I don't understand why these two did.
Ethan Phillips, John Billingsley, and Andrew Robinson - Their vocal performances were all similar to me in that they sounded very theatrical and forced. They just didn't sound natural. At least with Robinson, I kind of got used to it and came to enjoy his character, despite finding the voice he used for it annoying.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I don't think Majel Barrett was the computer voice for the Cardassian computer on DS9. I believe she only did the voice for Starfleet computers then.

Didn't she do any of the computer voices on the Defiant or shuttles? Been a long time since I've seen DS9.

She did...so only Starfleet systems as I said.


About Armin Shimerman--don't know if anyone has noticed him in the Atlas Shrugged trailer, but he sounds almost the same as he did as Quark, minus having to talk around those pointy teeth. (Which goes to TMF's point.)

 

[Shatnertage]

In addition to a lot of the people mentioned above, I'll cast a vote for Tony Todd as a great voice, both as Kurn and the Hirogen guy.

There are probably a lot of other people who I can't think of now, too, that I'd add to the list.

 

[Too Much Fun]

Tony Todd is an excellent choice. Totally forgot about him, maybe because I was trying to stick mostly to regulars. I can remember a lot of lines being given a lot of comedic or dramatic power because of his voice. Particularly when he casually mentions that earlier he had to restrain himself from killing Commander LaForge as Kurn and when he says his last words as the older Jake Sisko in "The Visitor".

 

[Smellincoffee]

The Borg voices in Armada 2 are so awful that I won't play them. The Borg sound effects in the original game were far superior.

 

[PianoWizzy]

The best voice I've heard in Star Trek is either Patrick Stewart or Robert Picardo. Close runner ups [for me] are Tim Russ, Leonard Nimoy, Jonathan Frakes, Michael Dorn, Kate Mulgrew [though this one I'm not sure why], and Alexander Siddig

However, as singing is concerned [yes, I'm bringing this in] my favorite Trek singing voices has to be either Brent Spiner or Robert Picardo. Very close tie.

Voices I can't stand... hmm.... Marina Sirtis, Rene Auberjonois, Robert Beltran [reminding me too much of his character], William Shatner [awkward pauses. drive. me. INSANE.], and James Doohan as Scotty [but nothing against Scotty ]

 

[PianoWizzy]

The best voice I've heard in Star Trek is either Patrick Stewart or Robert Picardo.

However, as singing is concerned [yes, I'm bringing this in] my favorite Trek singing voices has to be either Brent Spiner or Robert Picardo. Very close tie.

 

[DevilEyes]

Tony Todd is an excellent choice. Totally forgot about him, maybe because I was trying to stick mostly to regulars. I can remember a lot of lines being given a lot of comedic or dramatic power because of his voice. Particularly when he casually mentions that earlier he had to restrain himself from killing Commander LaForge as Kurn and when he says his last words as the older Jake Sisko in "The Visitor".

Ah yes, I forgot about him. Another one of the best deep, resonant voices in Trek, next to Leonard Nimoy, Marc Alaimo, Patrick Stewart and Avery Brooks.

I also enjoyed Casey Biffs' voice, I should have added him, too.

 

[M'Sharak]

I don't think Majel Barrett was the computer voice for the Cardassian computer on DS9. I believe she only did the voice for Starfleet computers then.

Didn't she do any of the computer voices on the Defiant or shuttles? Been a long time since I've seen DS9.

She did...so only Starfleet systems as I said.

Correct. All of the Cardassian computers were voiced by Judi Durand.

 

[scotpens]

Hate:
. . . Marina Sirtis' voice as Deanna - it's something about the way she talks

It's the phony accent. She sounds much better speaking in her natural London East End accent.

 

[Paradon]

I like all their voices.... They all seem well suited for the roles.... I like Gorkon's voice the best, though...! [laugh]

I am trying to grow out my side burns like him. I hope that makes look older! [laugh] Even though, I've just turned 34 in Oct of last year I still look kindda like Justin Bieber...! lol