Beautiful downtown Burbank is in mourning with the death Feb. 12 of iconic announcer and voice actor Gary Owens from complications related to diabetes. He was 80.
Owens’ iconic voice brought life to many beloved animated characters — mostly superheroes — including Space Ghost, Roger Ramjet and Powdered Toast Man from Ren & Stimpy.
Owens, a native of Mitchell, S.D., started out as a radio disc jockey at various stations around the country, arriving in Los Angeles in 1961. He landed his best-known role as the announcer on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, which ran from 1968 to 1973.
Since then, Owens worked almost continuously as an announcer and voice over actor on dozens of shows, becoming as much a celebrity in his way as many of the stars he introduced.
Owens had been diagnosed with diabetes at age 9 and fought the disease his entire life.
Owens is survived by his wife of 47 years, Arleta, and two sons, Chris and Scott.
