City Confidential Narrator Paul Winfield’s Magic Touch
September 21, 2009 by: Tracy Pattin
They say the best way to develop your craft is to study excellence. And the late Paul Winfield is just that. As I sit here and watch another episode of A&E’s docudrama , City Confidential, I continually marvel at Winfield’s ability to entice and engage the audience with his voice. Perhaps we can take a page from Winfield’s style for our own careers. Listening to him, I feel like I found those “Veins of Gold” that Marice Tobias talks about. Those nuggets that can catapult us to soaring voice over success. It’s that star quality that gets a voice actor noticed and hired, over and over again.
When the episode begins, we hear Paul Winfield describing the City where a heinous crime occurred. Listening to him, it’s like he’s in on a secret and eventually he’ll let us in on it too. But first, he takes us on a little tour of the town, giving its history and highlights. His voice is as relaxed and quaint as the surroundings he describing. But, all along, you know he’s leading up to something. You can’t stop watching…and listening. Then, he takes us to and through the crime in all its gory details to it’s conclusion.
Winfield passed away in 2004, but his voice lives on in the episodes of City Confidential. Although there is a new narrator, who does a good job, he doesn’t have that magical, intoxicating quality of Paul Winfield.
-Tracy Pattin
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Industry Mixer - Los Angeles
I couldn’t agree more about your comments on Paul Winfield. Thanks for honoring a truly talented man and his work. Doing so allows him to live on in our hearts and memories. And it inspires me to focus on those “Veins of Gold” in my own work. Thanks Tracy.
Agree with the wonderful comments about Paul Winfield. Although I usually know the story endings (after watching many repeats)still enjoy his voice and will so miss his not being able to continue doing narrations of any nature. Thanks Paul!!!!
I’m totally in agreement. I am drawn to City Confidential, not for the crime, not for the mystery, but because of Mr. Winfield’s voice. There are many other shows that talk about murder, like Snapped, but when listening to Paul Winfield, one feels as though they’re in a comfy home. He made every city in America seem quaint and wonderful. He will never be forgotten.
This show is a classic and Paul Winfield could not be replaced, which is the main reason the show was discontinued. His voice is unique and captivating,the story lines were fascinating, and the music score was just as good. But when Paul Winfield died the show was never the same.
I loved Paul Winfield’s voice. I loved City Confidential. But when Mr. Winfield passed away the show lost its magic. No narrator, regardless of how good he is, could take me with him on an exciting journey to a city in America and keep me fascinated throughout as Paul Winfield did. I used to say his voice was my favourite voice. Six years later it’s still my favourite voice. He made me smile, and he is, oh, so missed.