Customer Reviews

How to Make a Million Dollars with Your Voice

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This book is padded with a lot of anecdotes--including a liberal amount of name-dropping--from Gary Owens' career. (And it's only a little over 200 pages at that.) If you look forward to reading some of his reminiscences (which admittedly can be amusing at times), then you might enjoy this book. But if you are hoping for much in-depth discussion or expert advice about the voiceover business, it's best to look elsewhere.

It's a shame, really--with Owens' experience and long career, he should have been able to produce a much better "how to" manual than this collection of self-indulgent musings. Although, it seems by his own narrative he came by most of his jobs through serendipity or knowing other people in show business, so maybe he just didn't have that much practical advice to impart to modern voice acting students. Anyway, he should have written a much different book, or at least given this one a title more indicative of the actual contents.

What could be better than an educational book that is hysterical? Gary Owens has accomplished this with his great new book. Not only do you learn the tricks of the trade from one of the greatest voices in the business, but also you'll laugh out loud doing it.


Gary tells the real story of how to break into the voice over business with expert advice. This one book can tell you everything you need.

In addition, you get to experience the star power Gary has accomplished in his career. This book contains stories and pictures about every major star in Hollywood. From Bob Hope to David Letterman, Bill Cosby to Lucille Ball, Gary has worked with them all. Plus, you'll get great insights into the groundbreaking comedy "Rowan & Martin's Laugh In".

Gary Owens has taken us inside the many ways using your voice can make millions. Now, let's see what I have learned.
Place hand over my ear and repeat "Live from Beautiful downtown Burbank! It's Gary Owens great new book". You'll love it!

Sorry Gary but this is not what I wanted. A "how-to" book it's not. This book skims over the industry and is mostly all "Gary" and his wonderful past. Okay, I concede, he's had a excellent career and I'd enjoy reading his bio but I did not intend to get it out of this book! I think Gary owes me a free VO session!

I've never met Walt Disney, Larry King, Lucille Ball, Mickey Mantle, Don Rickles, or Bill Cosby. Gary Owens has, though, and he's not at all shy about telling you. In fact, Gary Owens has met lots of incredible people, done many wonderful things, and made vast amounts of money. Good for him. However, those of us interested in finding a single useful piece of advice, the smallest crumb of wisdom, just one quantifiable technique for developing a career in VO work, would be wise to look elsewhere.

This book is an autobiography poorly disguised as a "how to" manual, its chapters positively bulging with self-aggrandizing photographs and anecdotes. Honestly, how is seeing a picture of Gary Owens getting his star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame going to help me be a better voice actor? Most annoying are the constant lists of talented people Mr. Owens rubs shoulders with. Here is a direct quote: "Recently, Animation magazine, for its fifteenth-anniversary issue, named the 'fifteen top TV voice actors' of all time. Rounding out this prestigious list were Lucille Bliss, Daws Butler, Mel Blanc, June Foray, Stan Freberg, Paul Frees, Don Messick, Gary Owens, Bill Scott, John Stephenson, Jean VaderPyl, Janet Waldo, B.J. Ward, Frank Welker, and Paul Winchell. I'm so happy to have made that wonderful list." Well, congratulations Gary, I'm glad you're happy.

Lists like the one above are frequent throughout the book, often ending with a little bit of faux humbleness from the author expressing his gratitude and good fortune. Occasionally, Mr. Owens seems to remember that this is supposed to be an informative guide, and attempts to proffer some bits of wisdom. In a way, these are the most offensive parts of the book, as they are merely more stories from the author's life dressed up as advice. A particularly painful read was "the Gary Owens Twelve Steps To Superstardom, Success, and Other Big Words Starting with the Letter S" -- oh, and that's a common thread by the way, silly jokes used to cover Owen's lack of practical advice. Included in Gary's list is "Step 4: Know Station Call Letters When Seeking Employment". Seems like common sense, right? Well, it's also a great way to pad out a chapter with yet another goofy story. How about "Step 5: Develop A Great On-Air Personality"? Great advice, absolutely top shelf, goes along great with "Step 8: Have A Sense Of Humor." Perhaps Mr. Owens should have added another step to his list: Write A Completely Useless Book And Advertise It Falsely So It Sells Lots Of Copies And You Can Laugh All The Way To The Bank.

I know I may seem bitter about my experience reading "How To Make A Million Dollars With Your Voice," but I have good reason. Hollywood is a tough town, no breaking news there, and when people who have made it to the top want to offer tips to the rest of us, that's great. But they have an obligation, particularly if they're charging money, to provide good, sound advice, not a trumped up resume. Those who have "made it" know more than anybody that there are hundreds of thousands of people in this town who are desperate for a break, and to take advantage of them by fobbing off nonsense like this is shameful.

So if you're a Gary Owens fan, that's fine, but before you click on "not helpful" in a blind rage after reading my review, take a moment to consider the responsibility that an author assumes when they ask time and money of their readers, particularly when dubbing themselves an expert in their field. What are the implications of that responsibility, and what do they owe their audience? Thanks for reading.

This is one of the most illuminating and funny books I've read in years. As someone who makes a living with my voice, it's a pleasure to read the musings and goings-on from a true classic pioneer, Gary Owens, revealed in this masterpiece of literary shenanigans.

Upbeat, immensely readable, and very useful with tips and insights from one of the greats (who has a terrific sense of humor!), this was both uplifting and educational ... and really really fun - thanks Gary!

Do you still precede a mention of a city with the words
"beautiful downtown"? Are you a fan of goofy cartoon superheroes?
If so, you're a Gary Owens fan, and this book is for you whether you actually want a broadcast career or not. That's because Gary Owens is one of the greatest voice artists ever, and a most erudite, witty fellow to boot. Most of us outside L.A. know him from his work on "Laugh-In" and cartoon characters like "Roger Ramjet" and "Space Ghost". But Gary does it all- deejay, video game narrator, Hollywood emcee, sportscaster (of sorts), promo/
ad voiceovers- and has been at it since high school. Best of all, his booming voice is perfect for the bad (and good) puns, double-entendres and Groucho-esque wisecracks he's graced the airwaves with for nearly half a century. This book is Gary's tour of the unique voice-work field, packed with great Hollywood anecdotes and inside poop about how to handle the mike. Did I mention he's very witty, too? If you have any interest in radio, voice-overs, great comedy, Hollywood, cartoons, bloopers, classic humorists- did I leave anything out?- or you'd just like to learn about it with a most personable and clever guide, don't miss the one and only Gary Owens- whose voice has been somewhere in my brain for over 30 years. Come to think of it, a CD/DVD of Gary's greatest bits and characters would be very welcome, too!

I already had this book. Gary Owens had sent me a copy in thanks for some
thing I had given him. I am 74 so Gary's career has spanned most of my lifetime. This is a great book to read for the fun of it. His sense of humor sparkles on every page. Lots of pictures; it is nostalgic for me
too because I remember him on Laugh-In, and many other T.V. shows over the years.
So when a friend of mine, told me that he wanted to get into doing "voice overs" professionally, I told him I have the PERFECT
book for you to read, and I bought him a copy of Gary's book. The book is very informative and offers suggestions and tips as well as Gary's personal experiences . Chapter by chapter, it outlines different aspects of the business of making a Million Dollars with your Voice by one of the most famous and successful fellows in the entertaiment industry who has been there, done that.

I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining and informative Gary Owens book. Interspersed with sound advice of a personal nature (including health issues and human relationships), together with an insiders career counsel for those with aspirations in the highly competitive voice over industry based upon Owens' own intensive and extensive real life experience, the humor throughout the book often made me laugh out loud.