Alexander Scourby (November 13, 1913 – February 22, 1985) was a distinguished American actor of stage, screen, and radio, but his most enduring legacy is his magnificent and resonant voice, which made him one of the most celebrated narrators of all time.
On screen, Scourby was a formidable character actor, best known for his chilling and authoritative performance as the ruthless crime boss Mike Lagana in Fritz Lang’s classic film noir, The Big Heat (1953). His other notable film roles include playing a Greek-American police detective in The Shaggy Dog (1959) and a supporting part in the epic drama Giant (1956).
It was his voice, however, that made him a legend. He is renowned for his landmark 1966 recording of the entire King James Version of the Bible for the American Foundation for the Blind, a monumental work that is considered a masterpiece of narration. He recorded over 400 audiobooks for the blind, work that he considered the most important of his life, and his unparalleled skill has led many to herald him as having “the greatest voice ever recorded.”
