Брайан Кобби: Голос британских часов и актерская судьба

English voice over artist and actor (1929–2012)

Brian Cobby (12 October 192931 October 2012) was an English actor and telephone exchange worker who, in 1985, became the first male voice of the British speaking clock.

Cobby was born in Gravesend, Kent, the son of Amy and Sydney Cobby, a retail manager. Sydney had hoped to serve in the Royal Navy like his father and grandfather before him, but was unable to join due to a ruptured eardrum. He instead joined Woolworths and moved around the country managing its stores, finally transferring from Gravesend to Oxford, where Brian spent most of his early years. Cobby started singing while attending Ealing Academy, before becoming a chorister at Worcester College, Oxford and, later, the City of Oxford High School for Boys, where he won a competition to perform at St Paul's Cathedral. It was during this time that Cobby's love for acting grew, and he visited the Oxford Playhouse every week. One day he noticed an advertisement for a job for a young boy or girl at the Playhouse; this turned out to be sweeping the stage, but the manager encouraged him to continue his studies and later return to acting. After completing his education, Cobby was called up for National Service at the age of 18, during which time he initially served with the Royal Engineers Postal Service before becoming a corporal and running the officer's mess. He also raised money for the Red Cross by performing puppet shows. He was then approached to work for the British Forces Network radio station in Hamburg, Germany, where he became a disc jockey, interviewer and announcer.

Upon his return to England, he decided to pursue acting, and attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. Cobby's first theatrical part was that of God in a newly translated Strindberg play at the Watergate Theatre, London. During the 1950s, he acted in repertory theatre and toured with productions of Ladies for Hire, Intimate Relations, Peter Pan, Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2 and Macbeth. During the 1960s, Cobby voiced many television advertisements, including ones for Stork margarine, Surf washing powder and Big Fry, for which George Lazenby's voice was dubbed over with Cobby's. He appeared, albeit briefly, in the film version of Evita (1996), standing next to Madonna in the balcony scene. In 2004, he guest starred in the Doctor Who audio drama The Creed of the Kromon.

When the machinery behind the speaking clock was due to be replaced in the mid 1980s, British Telecom (now BT plc) launched a search for a new voice from among its employees. More than 5,000 staff entered the "Golden Voice" competition, which ended on 5 December 1984 when Cobby, an assistant supervisor at a telephone exchange in Withdean, Brighton, was selected from 12 finalists. The selection was broadcast live on BBC Breakfast Time from the top of BT Tower. The speaking clock had been voiced by female employees since 1936, and the other 11 finalists were female. Interviewed much later for BBC radio, Cobby recalled the selection event and his pessimism in the company of 11 female candidates. Perhaps recalling his leading role in the 1960 film The Nudist Story, he wryly remembered hoping that the selection panel in 1984 would choose "a clock with a pendulum". Cobby's speaking clock was inaugurated on 2 April 1985 and his voice was used until 2 April 2007, when it was replaced with that of Sara Mendes da Costa.

Cobby died on 31 October 2012, aged 83, following a series of health problems.

Year Title Role Notes 1960 The Tell Tale Heart 1960 The Nudist Story Bob Sutton Lead Role 1961 The Breaking Point Peter de Savory a. k. a. The Great Armored Car Swindle 1961 The Pursuers Daly Season 1: Episode 37: "The Contract" 1961 The Cheaters First Mate Season 1: Episode 10: "The Schemers" 1961 Another World: Island of the Solan Goose Narrator Documentary for Granada Television 1961 Another World: Folk of the Sea Narrator Documentary for Granada Television 1962 Richard the Lionheart Captain Season 1: Episode 21: "A Marriage of Convenience" 1962 Fate Takes a Hand Mark 1963 Calculated Risk Police Constable 1964 Sir Basil Spence Narrator Associated British Pathé 1964 Men of our Time – Hitler Narrator Documentary for Granada Television 1965 The New Men Narrator Associated British Pathé 1965 Crane Lev Season 3, Episode 12: "The Death of Karloff" 1966 The British Motor car Narrator Associated British Pathé 1972 The Man Outside Season 1, Episode 1: "The Last Target" 1973 The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes De Beers Director Season 2, Episode 2: "Five Hundred Carats" 1974 Death or Glory Boy Rifles Major Season 1, Episode 3: "Early Breakfast" 1985 The Detective Newsreader Season 1, Episodes 1 and 5 1988 Paris By Night Foreign Secretary 1996 Evita Hortensio Quijano 2011 Danziger Studios: The Untold Elstree Story Himself