DETROIT — The star of “Home Improvement” and the “Toy Story” movies is becoming a pitchman for Chevrolet.

General Motors Co. says Tim Allen will be a spokesman for the brand and will star in a series of TV ads for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze that begin airing on Tuesday.

Allen, 57, is best-known for playing a tool buff in the TV series “Home Improvement.” He was also the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the “Toy Story” trilogy.

The Cruze ads will feature voiceover from Allen and will offer comparisons of the Cruze with competitor models. The Cruze, a compact sedan, is a key vehicle for GM as it aims to compete in the small car segment. That segment is dominated by competitors like the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla.

Nissan is rolling out their new advertising campaign this weekend called “Innovation For All” –replacing the “Shift” tagline that has been used for eight years. “Innovation For All” will be launched with a series of five TV commercials with actor Robert Downey, Jr. at the helm as the new voiceover announcer.

The campaign, showcasing the full-line of Nissan products including the zero-emission, 100% electric Leaf, will debut on August 28 during the ESPN College Football Show with the commercial “Innovations” described as “a celebration of Nissan’s current innovations, including smart phone apps, recycled materials, air purifiers, the Juke — the world’s first Sports Cross — and the 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF.”

A spot dubbed “Polar Bear” and dedicated to the Leaf will hit the airways on Sept. 9 when viewers will watch as a polar bear “journeys from the icy Arctic through forests, highways, train tracks and over bridges to the big city and then on to the suburbs, where the animal finds someone who is trying to help – the owner of an all-electric Nissan LEAF.”

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Sir Sean Connery, who turned 80 today (25.08.10) has retired from onscreen acting but hopes to continue doing voiceover work.

Sir Sean Connery will never act again.

The former ‘James Bond’ star who turned 80 today (25.08.10), said that his onscreen days are behind him, but he will continue to do voiceover work.

He told the Daily Record newspaper: “I don’t think I’ll ever act again. I have so many wonderful memories but those days are over.

“I’ve done a voiceover for an 85-minute animated film called ‘Sir Billi’, which I enjoyed and it will be exciting to see that project finished.”

The ‘Goldfinger’ actor – whose last movie was 2003′s ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ – said that his favourite movie featuring iconic British spy James Bond is ‘From Russia With Love’.

He explained: “The story was intriguing and the locations were intriguing. It was an international movie in every sense of the word.”

However he named ‘Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade’ as his most enjoyable film to make.

He explained: “I was working with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. The teamwork was special. It was a great adventure and Harrison Ford and Denholm Elliot were wonderful actors. I had so much fun.”

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The artists who voice Dug the Dog, Minnie Mouse, Natasha Fatale, Rocky the Squirrel and Winnie the Pooh will sound off at “Voices of Character,” the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 16th installment of the Marc Davis Celebration of Animation, on Thursday, August 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

Hosted by animation historian Charles Solomon, the event will feature onstage discussions with such legendary voice artists as Jim Cummings (Winnie the Pooh), Susan Egan (Meg of “Hercules”), June Foray (Natasha Fatale and Rocky the Flying Squirrel), Yuri Lowenthal (Ben Tennyson) and Russi Taylor (Minnie Mouse), along with animation director Bob Peterson (who voices Dug the Dog in “Up”), animator James Baxter and casting executive Rick Dempsey.

While animators have been called “actors with pencils” who create the “illusion of life,” animated characters equally depend on the unique talents of voice artists to breathe life into their visual components. Vocal range and consistency, comic timing, emotional impact, character definition and song styling are just a few of the very specific choices that can make or break a coordinated effort between picture and sound. The panelists will discuss how they approach their work, as well as what they admire in the work of others.

Tickets to “Voices of Character” are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets are available for purchase by mail, at the Academy box office (8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or online at www.oscars.org. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. All seating is unreserved.

The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at the 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.

“He would very politely ask, ‘May I have a few lozenges?’ ” said Gene Monahan, the Yankees’ head trainer. “And he’s one of those guys who knew how to say that word. It took me 20 years. Other people can’t say that word, but he had a perfect way, as he did with everything else.”

Players have long tried to imitate the rich, authoritative tones of Sheppard, the Yankees’ beloved public-address announcer, who died Sunday morning at 99. But, in the words of Mariano Rivera, his voice is “irreplaceable.”

In a statement, the principal owner George Steinbrenner called Sheppard “a good friend and fine man whose voice set the gold standard for America’s sports announcers.” A moment of silence was held before the Yankees’ game against the Mariners at Safeco Field.

“You think of all the tradition with the Yankees, you think about Gehrig and Yogi and Joe D and Mantle, and I think you mention Bob Sheppard,” Manager Joe Girardi said. “That’s how important he was to this franchise. The first time I heard him was in 1996, the first time I walked out in Yankee Stadium, and you realize that you hit the big lights when Bob Sheppard announces your name.”

It remains that way for Derek Jeter, who requested Sheppard record his voice to play before his at-bats. Jeter grew up a Yankees fan and said he would continue the tradition to honor Sheppard.

“He’s the voice I always heard,” Jeter said. “There were a few times sprinkled in and out when he wasn’t there, and it just didn’t sound right. So I got the idea to record his voice and to always use it.”

The first time Sheppard announced his name, Jorge Posada said he was running in from the bullpen to pinch-run for Wade Boggs in Game 2 of the Yankees’ 1995 division series against Seattle. Sheppard referred to him as “Posado,” which is why Jeter calls him “Sado.” It was a rare error by Sheppard, who apologized the next day and corrected it.

Sheppard announced his final game Sept. 5, 2007, never visiting the new Yankee Stadium. But his voice will live on, in Jeter’s at-bats, and in an animated baseball movie called “Henry and Me.” It is an adaptation of a children’s book written by Ray Negron, a Yankees adviser. Negron realized the film would not be complete without the voice of Sheppard, who agreed to help. A studio was set up in his bedroom, but three months ago, Sheppard backed out because he was feeling too weak.

“At the last minute, he called and said he wanted to try to do it,” Negron said Sunday afternoon. “We sent a crew over there, and on his bed, he did all of his lines. It was classic Bob Sheppard. He sounded weak, but when the sound machines went on, he was powerful. He was powerful one last time.”

New York Times

In the film, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red
Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part
criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the
efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. And
when The Joker falls in the balance between the two forces of justice,
hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened.

DiMaggio gets free reign to play the iconic villain amidst a stellar
voice cast that includes Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek) as the Caped
Crusader, Supernatural star Jensen Ackles as Red Hood, and Neil
Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) as Nightwing.

Best known for his near-100 episodes as “Bender,” DiMaggio has
parlayed his deep, gravelly tones and versatile acting style into a
major force on the voiceover scene for the past decade. DiMaggio’s
credits include roles in Kim Possible, Samurai Jack, Teen Titans,
Batman: The Brave and the Bold, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Duck
Dodgers, Jackie Chan Adventures, The Penguins of Madagascar and
Chowder.

Voiceover has so dominated his time that DiMaggio has virtually
abandoned his on-camera career – despite past work as a regular cast
member on Chicago Hope and a number of guest roles in TV series such as Becker, N.Y.P.D. Blue, Felicity, Bones, Without a Trace and My Name is Earl.

Batman: Under the Red Hood is the next entry in the popular ongoing
series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies from Warner
Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. The full-length film will be distributed by Warner Home Video on July 27, 2010 as a Special Edition version on Blu-Ray™ and 2-disc DVD, as well as being available on single disc DVD, On Demand and for Download.

But before you race to Amazon to pre-order your copy, take a minute to get to know John DiMaggio.

QUESTION:
What were your initial thoughts about assuming this iconic role?

JOHN DIMAGGIO:
I was shocked when I got the role, shocked when I came in to record,
and shocked when I saw the finished product during ADR. I just wanted to honor the real true lunacy of the character. I didn’t want to make him campy, but I wanted to pay a little bit of tribute to the past Jokers – and yet keep it original at the same time. That’s walking a fine line, if there ever was one.

It was a little intimidating because it is such an iconic role. It’s
an honor to get this job — and especially to play the Joker in this
version because it’s so dark and twisted. I felt like I got a really
wonderful opportunity.

QUESTION:
Can you remember your early connections with the Batman mythology, and how any of the previous Joker actors might have influenced your
performance in this role?

JOHN DIMAGGIO:
I think the thing that influenced me the most when I was young is the
television show, which is really sad because there have been so many
great comics and graphic novels and stories about the Dark Knight that I haven’t been able to delve into yet – and yet I know about them. I actually would’ve loved to see Cesar Romero take the role to its darkness. There was a bit of Cesar Romero in what I did, but it’s
Cesar Romero if he was in A Clockwork Orange.

I guess my naiveté in my approach kind of kept it clean. I wasn’t
trying to do a Jack (Nicholson) or a Heath (Ledger). I respect all the
folks that have come before me, and their take on the character. Mark
Hamill is awesome, Heath Ledger was unbelievable, and Jack Nicholson – what can you say? But I wanted to do my own thing.

QUESTION:
How do you interpret the Joker’s mindset?

JOHN DIMAGGIO:
I think the Joker thinks of himself, quite literally, as a necessary
evil. And when I say that, I mean he really feels there is a place for
him, and that he somehow balances the chaos with the non-chaos. It’s a yin and yang thing. And it’s really not personal, it’s business.
Although he can get personal and he enjoys it. That makes it that much more twisted.

QUESTION:
You’ve certainly done more than your share of villains. Do you prefer
to go to the dark side?

JOHN DIMAGGIO:
I love playing the villains. I’ll play anything, I don’t care. As long
as its not tons of walla or gasping, I’m good. I hate the inhale.

QUESTION:
When you were a kid, did you ever imagine you’d be voicing cartoons
for a living?

JOHN DIMAGGIO:
I was a class clown – I basically started acting when I was a kid. I
wanted to play drums, but I couldn’t afford a drum set. It was easier
to be in a play, so it just kind of happened. I walked into voiceover
in New York in 1994. I was doing stand-up (comedy) at the time, and
was looking to get out of it and into acting. An actor buddy of mine,
Zak Orth, said it was a way to make a good living between acting gigs. I moved to LA, because there’s more animation here, and the rest is history. So yeah, thanks Zak – give me a ring.

QUESTION:
Your primary focus is voiceovers these days. Do you have any
inclination to do more live-action acting or stand-up comedy?

JOHN DIMAGGIO:
On-camera acting is fun, but I don’t miss it. Voiceovers are quicker,
and you get to work with such amazing, talented people – it’s a blast
to play in the studio with these actors and writers and directors.
With (on-camera) acting, there so much more waiting around, and my
patience has run thin. Plus it beats the hell out of slinging jokes
six nights a week at a Chuckle Hut in East Bumbleblard.

On the question of which sort is “more forceful,” 48 percent of respondents said a male voiceover is, vs. 2 percent saying a female voiceover is. (The rest said it makes no difference.) The pattern was just the opposite when people were asked to say which is “more soothing,” with the female outpointing the male by 46 percent to 8 percent. There was no significant gap, though, on the question of which is “more persuasive.” Eighteen percent said a male voiceover is, while 19 percent said a female voiceover is.

Elsewhere in the same survey, respondents were asked to say which sort of voiceover is “more likely to sell me a car.” The male was the bigger vote-getter here, 28 percent to 7 percent. The same was true on the question of which is “more likely to sell me a computer,” with 23 percent picking the male voiceover and 7 percent the female voiceover.

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Bioware is one company that takes its voiceover work seriously. For Star Wars: The Old Republic, Bioware hired over 100 actors to voice over 40 novels worth of written material. And now Bioware has announced that it has hired several top-notch voice actors for the heavily-anticipated sci-fi sequel, Mass Effect 2.

Martin Sheen (The West Wing, Apocalypse Now) stars as the mysterious Illusive Man who commands Cerberus, a secretive paramilitary organization dedicated to protecting human interests in the galaxy. Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck) voices Cerberus operative Miranda Lawson, who has been genetically engineered for superior mental and physical traits. Seth Green (Austin Powers, Robot Chicken) and Keith David (Crash) return from the original Mass Effect as Joker and Admiral David Anderson, respectively.

Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) is EDI, the voice of the new Normandy. Carrie-Ann Moss (The Matrix Trilogy) plays Aria T’Loak, the crime lord who rules the planet Omega. Rounding out the cast is Emmy winner Shohreh Aghdashloo, who provides the voice of Admiral Shala’Raan vas Tonbay, Michael Hogan (Battlestar Galactica) as Captain Bailey, Adam Baldwin (Chuck, Firefly) as Kal ‘Reegar, and Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) as Gatatog Uvenk.

How excited are you about Bioware’s choices for the voice cast bringing the characters and story to life for Mass Effect 2?

Mass Effect 2 will be available on the Xbox 360 and PC on January 26, 2010