What's Up with Tom Selleck's voice?

[Sisophous]

Last night, I came across a nature documentary on the Discovery channel called "North America" and it is narrated by Tom Selleck. What instantly struck me as odd to say the least is Tom Selleck's voice. He had a higher than average voice for a man back in the 80s but now he has a baritone voice. Of course people change as they age but this is the first time I recall someone's voice changing so much over time. Usually the voice you have as a young adult remains the same into late adulthood, or if it does change, it becomes higher, not lower.

Perhaps he is a heavy smoker or had an operation?

[Stelth]

Maybe screaming at Higgins all those years finally took its toll.

[Danno]

Selleck is well known for his love of cigars, that's for sure.

[ThomasMagnum]

Maybe screaming at Higgins all those years finally took its toll.

[ConchRepublican]

Selleck is well known for his love of cigars, that's for sure.

Very true.

I have also noticed more of a "Scottso" aspect to his voice as he's gotten older. (Scottso refers to Scott Muni, a classic rock DJ and NY legend)

It seems to me he's speaking "further back" in his throat if that makes sense. As TM he was acting and playing a role that involved a bit of, umm, drama at times. I think over the years as he started to more voice over, I wouldn't be surprised if he took voice lessons and worked on his diction.

I remember reading a while back about how actors now, singers as well I believe, tend to speak through there noses as opposed to from their diaphragm using their whole system. I would think Selleck, as a professional, studied the best way to do his job which more and more included voiceovers and went that route. Which would explain the deeper presence his voice now has.

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if this is his more natural voice, he was just talking wrong, and lazy, all this time!

[Sisophous]

Thanks for the feedback guys, the only thing that doesn't make much sense is Tom Selleck is doing the narration in this documentary on North America. If you are doing a narration, voice only, I would think it would be his natural voice, no sense in altering it.

Perhaps he smoked too many cigars, that very well may explain the voice change. Knowing Tom Selleck and how private he is, he could have had an operation as a consequence of smoking cigars, I mean had cancer and had to have tissue removed. I'm not trying to spread rumors, just speculation on my part but the tabloids may pick up on this..........

[Kevster]

Thanks for the feedback guys, the only thing that doesn't make much sense is Tom Selleck is doing the narration in this documentary on North America. If you are doing a narration, voice only, I would think it would be his natural voice, no sense in altering it.

Perhaps he smoked too many cigars, that very well may explain the voice change. Knowing Tom Selleck and how private he is, he could have had an operation as a consequence of smoking cigars, I mean had cancer and had to have tissue removed. I'm not trying to spread rumors, just speculation on my part but the tabloids may pick up on this..........

A couple of other things to note...

His voice has been slightly deeper in Blue Bloods. That is normal as men get older.

The recording of an individual in a recording studio often enhances certain frequencies giving additional enhancement to the bass in a man's voice. A really good example. Someone (male) who is interviewed on live TV or over the phone is then interviewed in the radio studio, and the studio mics and production produce a deeper, richer timber to his voice. That's the way it works. It can depend on a lot of variables, but not uncommon.

[Pahonu]

Usually the voice you have as a young adult remains the same into late adulthood, or if it does change, it becomes higher, not lower.

My understanding is that men's voices actually become lower as they age and the vocal cords stretch and lengthen. It is vocal cord length that partially determines general pitch, longer/lower, shorter/higher. Also, my doctor told me scar tissue can develop on the vocal cords over time for various reasons, and this can lead to changes in the voice. After many years of coaching with lots of yelling, my voice has changed significantly according to my wife. She says it's definitely deeper and a bit raspier than when we met nearly twenty years ago. Selleck smoking (and aging) could seemingly have that kind of an effect on his vocal cords.

[Sisophous]

my doctor told me scar tissue can develop on the vocal cords over time for various reasons, and this can lead to changes in the voice. ........Selleck smoking (and aging) could seemingly have that kind of an effect on his vocal cords.

Perhaps the doctor got it right, scar tissue on the vocal cords may be the cause for such a change. I thought about people in late adulthood and their voices tended to become more frail sounding and higher, not lower.

I am thinking it is related directly to smoking cigars. I recall Bert Sugar, the boxing writer and sports commentator with a cigar in his mouth 24/7. His voice did get much deeper over the years. He also got lung cancer from it but died from cardiac arrest just over a year ago.

[Stelth]

Jack Klugman is the perfect example of what cigars can do to one's voice.

[Sisophous]

Jack Klugman is the perfect example of what cigars can do to one's voice.

Yes, good example. From what it seems about Tom Selleck, he tried to stay in shape over the years. On Wikipedia, it is mentioned he hated going to the gym, and preferred sweating outdoors. In that way he is just like myself, I never joined a gym but am active outdoors. Still, it begs the question, why someone who values their health would smoke cigars knowing it will do harm to their health?

I think I got the answer to my question in the thread question. Smoking cigars routinely is likely the reason for the radical voice change. It now makes sense.

[MagnumILWU]

I'm always amazed and amused at some of the conclusions, people come up with! Tom Selleck is almost 70 yrs old! Of course his voice is going to change! But if you listen to him on talk shows, he sounds nothing like the "CHARACTER" he plays on "Blue Bloods"! You act like all he does all day is smoke one cigar after another! George Burns smoked cigars all his life! He lived to be 100,and still sounded pretty good!

[Stelth]

Saying daily cigar smoking is safe by citing George Burns' long life is like using Ozzy Osbourne to refute that prodigious recreational drug use will kill you...they're both outliers in the data.

[IKnowWhatYoureThinking]

Anyone that has read interviews from Tom will see he isn't a daily cigar smoker. He admits to an occasional cigar, and says if he thought that what he smokes was detrimental to his health he would not do it. You can't equate the occasional cigar smoker with a chain smoking cigarette smoker.

[MagnumILWU]

Saying daily cigar smoking is safe by citing George Burns' long life is like using Ozzy Osbourne to refute that prodigious recreational drug use will kill you...they're both outliers in the data.

The George Burns reference was a joke! Sometimes you guys try so hard to make something out of nothing, or take everything so seriously, I think this is "Higgins Mania"!