The Talented Maurice LaMarche

[on:]

Maurice LaMarche does a PERFECT Reverend Jim Ignitowski (sp?) from the 1970s television series, Taxi.  Is that a copyrighted voice or could he use that for another peripheral character?

He also does an exquisite William Shatner impression.  Could they use that voice in a Scarey Door episode or an illegal Star Trek re-run?

[Reply #1 on:]

copyrighted voice

Is that even possible?

[Reply #2 on:]

In the US it's OK as parody but not in advertising that suggests celebrity endorsment.

[Reply #3 on:]

You can trademark a specific sound, such as the roar of the MGM lion or the rumble of a Harley Davidson motorcycle's exhaust.

[Reply #4 on:]

And you can own the rights over an actor using a specific voice - although, this is more of a contractual agreement than a rights issue. I'm pretty sure Nancy Cartwright isn't allowed to use her Bart Simpson voice without Fox's go ahead, for instance.

But no, you can't copyright a voice - that's absurd.

[Reply #5 on:]

I think his is good enough, he's a wonderful voice actor .

And you can own the rights over an actor using a specific voice - although, this is more of a contractual agreement than a rights issue. I'm pretty sure Nancy Cartwright isn't allowed to use her Bart Simpson voice without Fox's go ahead, for instance.

But no, you can't copyright a voice - that's absurd.

[Reply #6 on:]

So, if a character sounds like somebody else then they have to pay that somebody royalties or whatever?

When Maurice LaMarche was doing "Pinky and the Brain", did Warner Brothers have to pay Vincent Price a royalty?  Did Hanna-Barbera have to pay Jackie Gleason for ripping off the Honeymooners?

Just wondering...

[Reply #7 on:]

No, you can't copyright a voice - you can only have contractual agreements in place to stop an actor from playing a character in something other than what they've agreed to play it in.

And for the record, the Brain's voice was far more of an Orson Welles impression than a Vincent Price one, although whilst there was a lot from column A there was a little from column B.

[Reply #8 on:]

His voice acting abilities are so good that they make it possible to copyright voices just because of him and Billy West.