Voice of Disney Trailers, Iowa Native, Mark Elliott Dies at 81

If you've ever watched a Disney movie, you've heard Mark Elliott's voice in the trailers that run before them.

Sadly, Mark passed away Saturday in Los Angeles after suffering two heart attacks, according to Charlie Van Dyke told Hollywood Reporter. Elliot was also reportedly battling lung cancer.

"He was one of a kind … and kind is a great word to describe him," Van Dyke said.

Mark was born John Harrison Frick Jr. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on September 24th, 1939. He began his career as a DJ on KPIG in Cedar Rapids, before moving over to KCRG. He continued to move from market to market, upgrading in size every time. He even guest hosted for American Top 40 when Case Kasem would be off.

After 20 years in radio, Elliott dove into the world of voiceovers in 1977. His first paid work was the voiceover for the trailer of Smokey and the Bandit.

Shortly after, he landed the gig to voice the radio commercial George Lucas' Star Wars which pushed him from "some voice over guy" to one of the most sought after voices in Hollywood.

In 1977, he got called by Disney's trailer producer to record a voice over for Disney's Cinderella, which started a relationship that would last through the 2000's. His voice has been heard by an unfathomable amount of people, across multiple generations.

Get our free mobile app

"You think about decisions that were made and paths that were chosen and all that sort of thing, and working for Disney for me is the defining moment in my life, not just my career but in my life. Because it did is give me this identity which … continues to this day," he said about the experience.

Read more at Hollywood Reporter