Superman Voice Silenced; Danny Dark Dead at 65
Danny Dark, the voice of Superman in the SUPERFRIENDS animated series as well as announcer for StarKist Tuna, Budweiser and many other national brands in television and radio commercials, died on June 13, 2004 in Los Angeles at the age of 65.
The cause of death was bleeding in the lungs, said Dark's brother, the Rev. Robert Croskery, according to the NEW YORK TIMES.
In the StarKist commercials, he told Charlie Tuna, "sorry, Charlie." Dark said, "This Bud's for you" in Budweiser spots, and "Raid kills bugs dead," in commercials for Raid Ant & Roach Killer.
"Those were not just anonymous voiceovers, but they are classic lines, a part of pop culture that Danny Dark brought to life with his unique style," said Joe Cipriano, a protégé of Dark who is an announcer for FOX television and other networks.
Born in Oklahoma City and raised in Tulsa with the real name of Daniel Melville Croskery, he graduated from Central High School in Tulsa, a school Paul Harvey and Tony Randall also graduated from.
As a student at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, Dark began a radio career that took him to stations in Tulsa, Cleveland, Miami, New Orleans, St. Louis and finally Los Angeles as the evening D.J. for KLAC-AM from 1963-66.
He broke into voice over work in the mid-1960s with the help of Los Angeles radio pioneer Chuck Blore.
Dark was the voice of Superman in numerous SUPERFRIENDS series and several other characters in the cartoon series produced by Hanna-Barbera Prods.
He is survived by his wife, JoBee Croskery; a son, Jonas; three daughters, Sidney, Caroline Pyle, and Elizabeth; two stepdaughters, JoJami Tyler and Janeen Damian; a sister, Carol; his brother and four grandchildren.
The cause of death was bleeding in the lungs, said Dark's brother, the Rev. Robert Croskery, according to the NEW YORK TIMES.
In the StarKist commercials, he told Charlie Tuna, "sorry, Charlie." Dark said, "This Bud's for you" in Budweiser spots, and "Raid kills bugs dead," in commercials for Raid Ant & Roach Killer.
"Those were not just anonymous voiceovers, but they are classic lines, a part of pop culture that Danny Dark brought to life with his unique style," said Joe Cipriano, a protégé of Dark who is an announcer for FOX television and other networks.
Born in Oklahoma City and raised in Tulsa with the real name of Daniel Melville Croskery, he graduated from Central High School in Tulsa, a school Paul Harvey and Tony Randall also graduated from.
As a student at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, Dark began a radio career that took him to stations in Tulsa, Cleveland, Miami, New Orleans, St. Louis and finally Los Angeles as the evening D.J. for KLAC-AM from 1963-66.
He broke into voice over work in the mid-1960s with the help of Los Angeles radio pioneer Chuck Blore.
Dark was the voice of Superman in numerous SUPERFRIENDS series and several other characters in the cartoon series produced by Hanna-Barbera Prods.
He is survived by his wife, JoBee Croskery; a son, Jonas; three daughters, Sidney, Caroline Pyle, and Elizabeth; two stepdaughters, JoJami Tyler and Janeen Damian; a sister, Carol; his brother and four grandchildren.
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