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VOY Captain sounds funny!

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Dave Rohlf

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Jan 13, 1995, 2:55:33 PM1/13/95
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OK I know the show is not even on the air yet but judging from what little
dialog I heard on the "Making of.." Special last night Kate Mulgrew as
Captian Janeway sounds like Kathrine Hepburn! Or even worse like Jane
Curtain as a conehead, "I will bring my crew back to Remulac!!!" I hope
this is not the case> There are so many great female actreses out there I
hope Kate Mulgrew is better than that preveiw showed us! If her voice is
sounds bad then it will not fly very well with me.

Ian T Brown

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Jan 17, 1995, 4:05:33 PM1/17/95
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In article <D2IrE...@news.arco.com>,
Christopher Bowland <cbow...@arco.com> wrote:
>In article <3fe98t$e...@gozer.inri.com> Paul D. Eccles, pde@zymurgy
>writes: She doesn't have "command sounding" voice.
>
>My first impression, too! This is even more apparent when listening to
>the radio spots Paramount has been running today. Her delivery is stiff
>and artificial-sounding. This really interferes with the overall
>acceptance and believability of the character.

You wanna compare her to Sisko? Talk about stiff!!! She'll probably
grow into the role, just give her some time.
--
"What a waste it is to lose one's mind, or not to have a mind is being
very wasteful." -- Dan Quayle

"Book 'em, Dann-o." -- Jack Lord

Gina Goff

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Jan 17, 1995, 5:14:20 PM1/17/95
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In article <D2IrE...@news.arco.com>

Christopher Bowland <cbow...@arco.com> writes:

>In article <3fe98t$e...@gozer.inri.com> Paul D. Eccles, pde@zymurgy
>writes: She doesn't have "command sounding" voice.
>
>My first impression, too! This is even more apparent when listening to
>the radio spots Paramount has been running today. Her delivery is stiff
>and artificial-sounding. This really interferes with the overall
>acceptance and believability of the character.

Mulgrew sounds like she's trying to pitch her speaking voice lower than
is normal for her. Making a conscious effort to alter the sound of her
voice could interfere with a spontaneous delivery, hence the stiffness
in many scenes. Here's hoping that somebody will wake up and realize
that a natural-sounding delivery is more important than timbre before
Mulgrew gets laryngitis. Then again, maybe she already _has_ laryngitis...

Gina

nkb...@mac.cc.macalstr.edu

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Jan 17, 1995, 5:45:10 PM1/17/95
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I noticed that too, but when I actually watched the show it didn't seem as much
of a distraction as I thought it would be. Interesting that you bring up
Kathrine Hepburn. The latest Entertainment Weekly compares her voice to
Hepburn's as well, considering this a complimentary comparison. (As a classic
movie buff, I agree with them.) Mulgrew's voice may take some getting used to,
but she seems to be a decent actress and that, I think, is more important.

James J. Bjorkman

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Jan 17, 1995, 6:12:27 PM1/17/95
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Her whole performance is wooden. She alternates between gagging
sentimentality ("Your parents miss you" - to a Vulcan!) and rigid
stiffness (deciding the fate of worlds without consulting anyone else,
making snap decisions without the slightest sign of emotion - a sure sign
of overcompensating).

Well, Trekkers will watch anything....
JB

Roderick Young

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Jan 17, 1995, 7:35:04 PM1/17/95
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Dave Rohlf (ro...@augsburg.edu) wrote:
: OK I know the show is not even on the air yet but judging from what little

: dialog I heard on the "Making of.." Special last night Kate Mulgrew as
: Captian Janeway sounds like Kathrine Hepburn! Or even worse like Jane
: Curtain as a conehead, "I will bring my crew back to Remulac!!!" I hope
: this is not the case>

Madeline Kahn. But after I get used to the voice, I think it won't
matter.

Sashi Alexandra German

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Jan 17, 1995, 8:34:32 PM1/17/95
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says...

>OK I know the show is not even on the air yet but judging from what little
>dialog I heard on the "Making of.." Special last night Kate Mulgrew as
>Captian Janeway sounds like Kathrine Hepburn! Or even worse like Jane

Anyone who has seen Kate Mulgrew in other shows such as "Mrs. Columbo" and
"heartbeat" are already familiar with that voice. It's simply unusual... and
doesn't have that same low male voice so many people would WANT her to have
to make her sound more authoritative.

Gee, I guess we'll have to, gosh, accept Mulgrew the way she is!!

Did someone say IDIC?


-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,.
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Trek The Internet
[Internet based Science Fiction newsletter - $15 a year]
[For those with too little time to keep up with it all!]
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Sashi Alexandra German

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Jan 17, 1995, 10:30:59 PM1/17/95
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In article <3fe98t$e...@gozer.inri.com>, pde@zymurgy says...
>Dave Rohlf (ro...@augsburg.edu) wrote:
>: OK I know the show is not even on the air yet but judging from what little

>: dialog I heard on the "Making of.." Special last night Kate Mulgrew as
>: Captian Janeway sounds like Kathrine Hepburn! Or even worse like Jane
>: Curtain as a conehead, "I will bring my crew back to Remulac!!!" I hope

>I agree. She doesn't have "command sounding" voice. I think she'll act the
>part of a leader very well but when she speaks I cringe. Maybe I'll get used
> to it.

From the majority of the posts I see here about Voyager, it looks you and
whole lotta other (mostly male) Trek fans feel Kate Mulgrew should have more
of a "Commanding voice."

Now what EXACTLY does that mean? A deeper, more authoritative voice? LIKE A
MAN'S??

Puleeeeeeeeeeeeez.

Learn to live with it, okay?

EyeStephen

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Jan 18, 1995, 12:20:47 AM1/18/95
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I always wondered who supplies the voice of Alvin the Chipmunk.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Stephen J Thomas EyeSt...@aol.com or 7022...@compuserve.com
"No, I am NOT a Clueless Newbie. However, I dwell amongst them."

James J. Bjorkman

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Jan 18, 1995, 12:02:28 AM1/18/95
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Sashi Alexandra German (sa...@feith.com) wrote:
[snip]
: From the majority of the posts I see here about Voyager, it looks you and
: whole lotta other (mostly male) Trek fans feel Kate Mulgrew should have more
: of a "Commanding voice."

: Now what EXACTLY does that mean? A deeper, more authoritative voice? LIKE A
: MAN'S??

Actually, I think we would all be satisfied with a voice that simply wasn't
squeaky, male *or* female. I mean, all she really has to do is say
"engage" and "fire" a few times per episode and her job is half done. I
don't think sexism is the cause of the complaints at all. I mean, her
character's sole requirement is to project authority and command, and
nobody can do that completely effective - no, not even Hepburn - with a
mouseketeer voice.
JB

Stvoyager1

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Jan 18, 1995, 6:28:20 AM1/18/95
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Hmmm.......I was thinking that Kate's voice sounds like Eartha Kitt's way
of speaking........remember Catwoman from the old Batman TV Show????


Purrrrrrfectly!

walter edinger

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Jan 18, 1995, 10:25:46 AM1/18/95
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> Dave Rohlf (ro...@augsburg.edu) wrote:
> : OK I know the show is not even on the air yet but judging from what little

> : dialog I heard on the "Making of.." Special last night Kate Mulgrew as
> : Captian Janeway sounds like Kathrine Hepburn! . . .
>
I agree that Captain Janeway sounds like Kate Hepburn. But that is the
good part! It is not a squeaky voice. It is the voice of command. I heard
concerns but after seeing the show, I was much impressed. GreatStart!

Niranjan Perera

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Jan 18, 1995, 10:00:16 AM1/18/95
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In article <3fgoso$5...@uuneo.neosoft.com>, cdo...@starbase.neosoft.com (Chris Doelle) says:
>
>Dave Rohlf (ro...@augsburg.edu) wrote:
>: OK I know the show is not even on the air yet but judging from what little
>Whew, I'm NOT crazy - I spent an hour after the premiere discussing how
>much I hated her voice.
>
>Chris
>

Well I agree with you here. There is something in her voice, that makes
me feel she does not have the right voice. Sounds a bit nasel to me.
--
self disclaimer printString. | "I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound
| they make as they fly by." - Douglas Adams

just another theatre geek

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Jan 18, 1995, 12:08:19 PM1/18/95
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In article <3fhisr$s...@cmcl2.nyu.edu>,

James J. Bjorkman <jjb...@is.nyu.edu> wrote:
>Her whole performance is wooden. She alternates between gagging
>sentimentality ("Your parents miss you" - to a Vulcan!) and rigid
>stiffness (deciding the fate of worlds without consulting anyone else,
>making snap decisions without the slightest sign of emotion - a sure sign
>of overcompensating).

This is not "woodeness." Jonathon Frakes is wooden. Walter Koenig
is wooden. Kate Mulgrew is NOT wooden.

'Sides......all these traits in James T. Kirk never bothered anyone...

--
Roger Tang, gwan...@u.washington.edu, Artistic Director PC Theatre

The most unAmerican thing you can say is "He/she makes too much money."

Timothy Meisner

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Jan 18, 1995, 3:11:41 PM1/18/95
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I have to admit it, she seemed a bit rigid to start the show, but as soon
as I got used to her character (3/4 into the ep.), I have to admit: I
really liked her! She's definately not like the other captains
(Thankfully; variety is the spice of life), and what the hell do I care
if she's a woman?! She's the CAPTAIN, sex and race don't matter (I just
wanted to add the last comment. It was NOT aimed at anybody!). Anyway, I
didn't expect to like her or the show, and I loved both. I needed a good
surpise like that right now.

-Tim

just another theatre geek

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Jan 18, 1995, 12:06:22 PM1/18/95
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In article <3fi7d4$p...@cmcl2.nyu.edu>,

James J. Bjorkman <jjb...@is.nyu.edu> wrote:
>Sashi Alexandra German (sa...@feith.com) wrote:
>: From the majority of the posts I see here about Voyager, it looks you and
>: whole lotta other (mostly male) Trek fans feel Kate Mulgrew should have more
>: of a "Commanding voice."
>: Now what EXACTLY does that mean? A deeper, more authoritative voice? LIKE A
>: MAN'S??
>Actually, I think we would all be satisfied with a voice that simply wasn't
>squeaky, male *or* female. I mean, all she really has to do is say
>"engage" and "fire" a few times per episode and her job is half done. I
>don't think sexism is the cause of the complaints at all.

No, just a Neanderthal attitude that SURFACE APPEARENCE counts
more than ACTIONS.

Command ability (and acting) is in the head, not the larnyx.

Gina Goff

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Jan 18, 1995, 3:39:48 PM1/18/95
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In article <3fhr78$2...@feith1.FEITH.COM>

sa...@feith.com (Sashi Alexandra German) writes:

>Anyone who has seen Kate Mulgrew in other shows such as "Mrs. Columbo" and
>"heartbeat" are already familiar with that voice. It's simply unusual... and

I have seen her in other roles, and she didn't sound like this. If she
didn't have a cold when they were filming this, then she's either trashed
her voice permanently or is in the process of doing so.


>doesn't have that same low male voice so many people would WANT her to have
>to make her sound more authoritative.

Don't confuse pitch with resonance. Nasal ^= high-pitched. If anything,
I think she's trying to make her voice _too_ low, and that's why she's
lost her normal resonance. She sounds very much like a bass trying to
force a low note.

G.

Karen Baldwin

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Jan 18, 1995, 3:00:00 PM1/18/95
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geez. such complete malarky; reminiscent of the narrow-minded
"how could there *possibly* be such a thing as a black vulcan?!" debate.

so the woman's got a midwestern, nasally twang to her voice that
doesn't suit your personal ideal. big friggin' deal. if *that's*
your problem, i can't say i mind the fact you've restricted yourself
from enjoying the character and/or program. only cost is to you, so
suffer on. or, you might *get over it.*


--
: Karen Baldwin, Intergraph :: The Peter Murphy Principle -- :
: klba...@ingr.com :: "Anyone who gets promoted will go wrong." :
: uunet!ingr!klbaldwi :: -- Scott Jonas :
:-------------------------------::----------------------------------------------:
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Gordon

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Jan 18, 1995, 5:17:46 PM1/18/95
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In article <3fi21j$4...@feith1.feith.com>,

Sashi Alexandra German <sa...@feith.com> wrote:

>From the majority of the posts I see here about Voyager, it looks you and
>whole lotta other (mostly male) Trek fans feel Kate Mulgrew should have more
>of a "Commanding voice."
>
>Now what EXACTLY does that mean? A deeper, more authoritative voice? LIKE A
>MAN'S??

I'd settle for anything that doesn't sound like Alvin the Chipmunk in
bondage.

ggs

no one of consequence

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Jan 18, 1995, 6:05:06 PM1/18/95
to
James J. Bjorkman <jjb...@is.nyu.edu> wrote:
]Her whole performance is wooden. She alternates between gagging

"And so it begins..." -Kosh.

--
|Patrick Chester (aka: claypigeon, Sinapus) wol...@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu|
|Member Lovely Angels Fan Club/Fire Support Team/Cleanup Crew |
|"Weep for the future, Na'Toth. Weep for us all..." G'Kar, "Revelations"|
|Wittier remarks always come to mind just after sending your article....|

Karen Baldwin

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Jan 18, 1995, 7:07:33 PM1/18/95
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in any case, if Kirk was able to project authority in spite of
his beyond-the-outter-limits libido and (later) silly-looking
little paunch, and picard in spite of his diplomat's demeanor
and bald head, (no these don't really bug me but they serve to
point out that one CAN choose to overlook irritating/distracting
mannerisms and characteristics) ...

similarly, i'm sure Janeway can manage to project authority
despite a displeasing voice and, in fact, maybe it'll
even help ... sure got everybody's *ATTENTION* now, didn't it? ;) ;)

in any case, though, describing it as a mousketeer voice is still
arguable, in itself. she actually has a rather medium voice. i
think it must be more the tone, not the pitch, that seems to irritate
people. such a trivial thing can hardly be credited as a VALID basis
to question the ability to convey authority, in and of itself.

Daniel Hartung

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Jan 19, 1995, 1:35:24 PM1/19/95
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James J. Bjorkman <jjb...@is.nyu.edu> wrote:
>
>Actually, I think we would all be satisfied with a voice that simply wasn't
>squeaky, male *or* female. I mean, all she really has to do is say
>"engage" and "fire" a few times per episode and her job is half done. I
>don't think sexism is the cause of the complaints at all. I mean, her
>character's sole requirement is to project authority and command, and
>nobody can do that completely effective - no, not even Hepburn - with a
>mouseketeer voice.

Have you watched the Mickey Mouse Club lately? I don't think you
know what a "Mouseketeer" voice sounds like. Certainly not Mulgrew's.
What she has is a kind of a burr mixed with a drawl, a regional
accent, not a "squeaky voice".

--
Daniel A. Hartung | Support the new Arts/Humanities hierarchy!
dhar...@mcs.com | "I believe we can fly
dhar...@chinet.chinet.com | on the wings that we create"
http//:www.mcs.net/~dhartung | -- Melissa Etheridge

Mark C Mackinnon

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Jan 19, 1995, 12:29:09 PM1/19/95
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just another theatre geek (gwan...@u.washington.edu) wrote:

: This is not "woodeness." Jonathon Frakes is wooden. Walter Koenig

: is wooden. Kate Mulgrew is NOT wooden.

Anyone who says that Walter Koenig is wooden has obviously *not*
seen him play Bester in "Mind War" on Babylon 5. He was smashing!

--
Mark MacKinnon, University of Guelph
aka Guardian of the Unicorn
Prince Laertes of Amber

Kate Orman

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Jan 19, 1995, 10:25:50 PM1/19/95
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In article <D2IrE...@news.arco.com> Christopher Bowland <cbow...@arco.com> writes:
>
>In article <3fe98t$e...@gozer.inri.com> Paul D. Eccles, pde@zymurgy
>writes: She doesn't have "command sounding" voice.
>
>My first impression, too! This is even more apparent when listening to
>the radio spots Paramount has been running today. Her delivery is stiff
>and artificial-sounding. This really interferes with the overall
>acceptance and believability of the character.

Give her time. Patrick Stewart's a knock-out actor, and some of his
earliest scenes as Picard are very stilted.

--
Kate Orman
"You are endlessly agitating, unceasingly mischievous. Will you never
stop?" - Light, in Marc Platt's "Ghost Light", 1989

SCOTTHOL

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Jan 18, 1995, 7:31:35 PM1/18/95
to
James J. Bjorkman (jjb...@is.nyu.edu) wrote:
: Her whole performance is wooden. She alternates between gagging
: sentimentality ("Your parents miss you" - to a Vulcan!) and rigid
: stiffness (deciding the fate of worlds without consulting anyone else,
: making snap decisions without the slightest sign of emotion - a sure sign
: of overcompensating).

It sounds like you're confusing her performance with her dialogue.
The bit about deciding the fate of worlds has nothing to do with her
performance.

Also, if she *alternates* between sentimentality and stiffness, you
can't say her *whole* performance is wooden. (Personally, I didn't
think she was wooden at all.)

-
Scott Hollifield / sco...@cris.com
----------------------------------------
"Upset? UPSET! Jennifer Connolly kisses Kristi Swanson
in a movie, and people are upset! Good god, what is happening
to America?"
-- Paul Moloney, rec.arts.movies

The Traveller

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Jan 22, 1995, 11:43:50 PM1/22/95
to
In article <3fjhqe$f...@nntp1.u.washington.edu>,


Talking about the Capt. Janeway's voice...Maybe we can get the lady who
plays the nurse in Empty Nest to replace her!!! :-)

Gregg Germain

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Jan 23, 1995, 10:54:48 AM1/23/95
to

From what I read, Mulgrew jumped aboard the series after shooting had
just started. So maybe she came off a little stiff in the first show,
but I suspect she'll mellow with time.


--- Gregg
#29 Saville
gr...@hrc2.harvard.edu "A Mig at your six is better than
Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics no Mig at all."
Phone: (617) 496-7713

Rick Ewing

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Jan 24, 1995, 1:23:30 PM1/24/95
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(Chris Doelle) wrote:

> Dave Rohlf (ro...@augsburg.edu) wrote:
> : OK I know the show is not even on the air yet but judging from what little
> : dialog I heard on the "Making of.." Special last night Kate Mulgrew as
> : Captian Janeway sounds like Kathrine Hepburn! Or even worse like Jane
> : Curtain as a conehead, "I will bring my crew back to Remulac!!!" I hope
> : this is not the case> There are so many great female actreses out there I
> : hope Kate Mulgrew is better than that preveiw showed us! If her voice is
> : sounds bad then it will not fly very well with me.
> Whew, I'm NOT crazy - I spent an hour after the premiere discussing how
> much I hated her voice.
>
> Chris

Kate Mulgrew's voice sounds like that because outside of various genetic
traits that make her sound like that, she also smokes about a pack a day
(according to published reports). It'll do it every time.

--Rick

--
--Rick Ewing
Vanderbilt University
ew...@vhp.vanderbilt.edu

marcia goldstein

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Jan 24, 1995, 11:30:50 PM1/24/95
to
Gregg Germain (gr...@hrc2.harvard.edu) writes:

: From what I read, Mulgrew jumped aboard the series after shooting had


: just started. So maybe she came off a little stiff in the first show,
: but I suspect she'll mellow with time.

They missed the most obvious choice! Commander Shelby would have been
perfect! (Anyone remember what the actress's name is?) Does anyone
know what she's been in lately? Any other TV shows? Damn, she's *good*!

--

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}
{ Marcia Goldstein /\**/\ A spotless house }
{ ( o_o )_) is the sign }
{ ba...@vpnet.chi.il.us ,(u u ,), of a misspent life. }
{ {}{}{}{}{}{} }
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack Greenwood

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Jan 27, 1995, 1:31:01 AM1/27/95
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In article <1732ACE...@ricevm1.rice.edu>, GI...@ricevm1.rice.edu (Gina
Goff) wrote:

> In article <3fhr78$2...@feith1.FEITH.COM>
> sa...@feith.com (Sashi Alexandra German) writes:
>
> >Anyone who has seen Kate Mulgrew in other shows such as "Mrs. Columbo" and
> >"heartbeat" are already familiar with that voice. It's simply unusual... and
>
> I have seen her in other roles, and she didn't sound like this. If she
> didn't have a cold when they were filming this, then she's either trashed
> her voice permanently or is in the process of doing so.

I beg to differ. Mulgrew has basically the same voice that she did when
she started her TV career on the soap "Ryan's Hope." I daresay that most
problems people have with her voice are actually problems with poor script
writing and a few corny lines.

I would also venture to say that those hating her voice also dislike:

Deborah Winger
Kim Carnes
Rod Stewart
Mae West
Kirstie Alley

We are so sensitive to anything deviating from what we consider "ideal" or
"normal" that we refuse to acknowledge any positive traits and focus on
one we perceive to be negative.

If the writers of the show are bright, they will find ways to enhance the
good qualities of her voice. A couple examples from "Caretaker" are:

The scene where she informs the Caretaker that "...this minor bipedal
species doesn't take kindly to being abducted..."

The two scenes dealing with Kim calling her "sir" or "maam."

In both these incidences, the writers were able to take advantage of the
qualities of her voice with lines that wouldn't have come out right had
they been spoken with someone having a more "normal" voice.

One more point: Has anyone ever considered taking things at face value? If
everyone got what they wanted (a captain that doesn't fuss with her hair,
a captain with a more "commanding" voice, an explanation to the tear in
the klingon/human woman's robe (the one she wore in the Ocampa "recovery"
room))
then we'd end up with a show we considered "perfect" but would be bored
with in no time flat.

Ask not what has been done to her voice, but what her voice could do for
the success of the show!

(sorry about that one :->)

H. Austin Hummel

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Feb 1, 1995, 10:15:54 AM2/1/95
to

I believe that her voice is a practiced voice by Janeway to be precise
and not easily miss-understood. There have not been any time except
in the pilot when she is talking to here lover/friend, and during
that time her voice is less clipped and strident.

Actually, her voice is re-fresing, as was Picards, one did not
miss-understand either. On the other hand, I find Kirk's voice
easier to miss-understand. (I am ducking now, please no flames ;-) )

Austin

KP2 KP2

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Mar 25, 2023, 8:32:17 PM3/25/23
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That is good to hear.
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