We often hear that a person who has enjoyed a long and prolific career has “seen it all.”
For voiceover icon Peter Thomas, a more appropriate observation could be: Thomas has “said it all.”
“Wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick?” (General Motors)
“The taste people hate, twice a day.” (Listerine)
“Helping people find the answers.” (IBM)
“Don’t leave home without it.” (American Express)
With a career spanning seven decades, Thomas’ highly recognizable voice has helped to build the integrity of consumer brands and add authenticity to films, television programs and documentaries — all with the goal of boosting the emotional impact of scripted words and screen images.
It’s in the delivery
If a writer’s words are the paint, Thomas’ voice is the brush that enhances the metaphorical canvas: the broad strokes of descriptive adjectives, the thin strokes of whimsy, a long stroke for special emphasis and a short stroke to bring the point home.
Without question, Thomas is an artist. What’s more, the 90-year-old International Television and Radio Association Lifetime Achievement Award winner worked steadily throughout the last decade.
What to hear him today? Simply turn on HLN and chances are good that “Forensic Files,” featuring Thomas’ signature vocal flair, will turn up sooner as opposed to later.
A Pensacola native and Naples resident, Thomas is the son of a Welsh minister — an earnest man who taught his children the importance of both recitation and memorization. Dr. John D. Thomas encouraged young Peter to “see the picture” rather than just “read the words.”
His father’s advice would ultimately serve as the foundation for his dynamic career.
Despite numerous awards, Thomas, a proud World War II veteran, lights up when discussing one specific project: the Oscar-winning HBO documentary “One Survivor Remembers.”
The celebrated movie tells the story of Nazi survivor Gerda Weissmann Klein, who, as a teen, was tragically interred in various labor camps. A topic close to his heart, Thomas’ own unit took part in the liberation of Nordhausen Concentration Camp.
A participant in D-Day at Omaha Beach during World War II, Thomas has continued to lend his vocal talents to programming focused on this important part of our history.
See the picture
Regardless of one’s method of — or reason for — communicating, Thomas recommends, “You have to believe in what you say. It has to be a part of you.” His creative process still tracks back to his father’s early influence: “See the picture in your mind — pause — see the next picture and then speak.”
For those who struggle with finding the right words, Thomas says, “Stop and think about it. Go to sleep, wake up and think about it again.”
What’s more, Thomas intuitively knows exactly when to stop talking.
Now, stop and ask yourself: How many people do you know who carefully consider the impact of their words? Or, equally important, who understand exactly when it’s time to be quiet?
Thomas’ advice for broadcasters: “Think before you speak.”
Thomas’ advice for the rest of us: “Think before you speak.”
A lesson as profound in its simplicity as it is in its significance.
Randall Kenneth Jones is president of MindZoo, a marketing communications firm located in Naples, Florida.
