Alexander Scourby
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Alexander Scourby (November 13, 1913 – February 22, 1985) was an American actor and voice actor noted for his deep and resonant voice.
He was born in Brooklyn to Greek immigrant parents. He studied journalism briefly at West Virginia University at Morgantown and became interested in campus theater. He started as a Shakespearean actor in the 1930s (his Broadway debut was as the Player King in Hamlet; he appeared in four different productions of the play over the years, playing a different role in each), and was active in radio drama in the 1940s. He is particularly remembered for his landmark recording of the entire King James Version of the Bible. From the 1950's onward he became known as the narrator of documentaries such as the theatrical film version of Victory at Sea (1954), and remained much in demand into the 1980s, notably on National Geographic specials and finally the series of CBS medical specials entitled The Body Human. He also hosted the PBS series Live from the Met for a time. Among his lesser known works, the independent 1977 documentary, Hell Gate: The Watery Grave was a favorite. His last narrating assignment was the documentary Toscanini: The Maestro, in 1985.
He was married to stage and soap opera actress Lori March, with whom he appeared in 1956's Ransom! and in the 1970s on The Secret Storm. They had one daughter, Alexandra. Scourby later created the role of Nigel Fargate on the ABC soap opera All My Children. He made many other appearances on television as well.
Usually cast as a smooth villain in the movies, his film roles included Lagana, the head mobster, in Fritz Lang's The Big Heat, Rita Hayworth's duplicitous brother-in-law in Affair in Trinidad, and the sadistic island governor in The Devil at 4 O'Clock.
Although Scourby made voice recordings of over 500 different books, he considered the Bible to be his most important. He describes why in the following letter.
| “ | ...it is the one book that has the power to inspire, encourage, comfort and change the life of the person who hears it. I know this because during the many years since I narrated the Bible, numerous people have written thanking me for creating such a beautiful reading. I have been greatly humbled and moved by the many letters I have received from people around the world telling me how God used the Bible narrations to change their lives and the lives of their loved ones, encourage them in their hour of need, and even healed them as the listened to the Words of Life. | „ |
Scourby died in Newtown, Connecticut at the age of 71.
