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| Brian Cobby obituary | Brian Cobby obituary |
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| Brian Cobby, who has died aged 83, could boast that he was once Britain's best-known and least-known voice. For more than 20 years, after his acting career had been put on hold, he was the voice of British Telecom's speaking clock service, which had up to 300m calls a year. From his chirpy but dignified baritone, listeners might have imagined him as a diligent butler, a learned teacher or a polite bus conductor; Cobby thought of himself as "Britannia's wristwatch". Selected in 1984, he was the first man to signal the time on the service, which was launched in 1936. He replaced Pat Simmons, whose voice had been used since 1963. Cobby received £5,000 when he won the competition to find her successor. Simmons was on the panel of judges alongside the actors Robert Morley and Susan Hampshire. | Brian Cobby, who has died aged 83, could boast that he was once Britain's best-known and least-known voice. For more than 20 years, after his acting career had been put on hold, he was the voice of British Telecom's speaking clock service, which had up to 300m calls a year. From his chirpy but dignified baritone, listeners might have imagined him as a diligent butler, a learned teacher or a polite bus conductor; Cobby thought of himself as "Britannia's wristwatch". Selected in 1984, he was the first man to signal the time on the service, which was launched in 1936. He replaced Pat Simmons, whose voice had been used since 1963. Cobby received £5,000 when he won the competition to find her successor. Simmons was on the panel of judges alongside the actors Robert Morley and Susan Hampshire. |
| Cobby believed the reason for his victory was that his voice sounded "well-educated without being prissy". BT had been looking for a voice that held the middle ground between the classes and would not date with the passing of time. Cobby thought that, as a child, his voice had been like AA Milne's Christopher Robin, but he pointed out that it had altered since. "A good voice ought to have warmth, clarity and sometimes authority," he said. | Cobby believed the reason for his victory was that his voice sounded "well-educated without being prissy". BT had been looking for a voice that held the middle ground between the classes and would not date with the passing of time. Cobby thought that, as a child, his voice had been like AA Milne's Christopher Robin, but he pointed out that it had altered since. "A good voice ought to have warmth, clarity and sometimes authority," he said. |
| In the 1950s, when commercial television took off in Britain, Cobby had voiced commercials for Stork margarine and Surf washing powder. But his acting career had become what he termed "an expensive luxury" that threatened to bring him to bankruptcy. He had been working as a night supervisor at the Withdean telephone exchange in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, for 16 years when he was one of more than 5,000 BT staff who entered the Golden Voice competition to become the speaking clock. Telephone callers heard Cobby's voice for the first time at 11am "precisely" on 2 April 1985. Twenty years later, before Sara Mendes da Costa took over the role, Cobby said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I never ring the speaking clock except at new year, when I put it on speakerphone and have a little glass of champagne." | In the 1950s, when commercial television took off in Britain, Cobby had voiced commercials for Stork margarine and Surf washing powder. But his acting career had become what he termed "an expensive luxury" that threatened to bring him to bankruptcy. He had been working as a night supervisor at the Withdean telephone exchange in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, for 16 years when he was one of more than 5,000 BT staff who entered the Golden Voice competition to become the speaking clock. Telephone callers heard Cobby's voice for the first time at 11am "precisely" on 2 April 1985. Twenty years later, before Sara Mendes da Costa took over the role, Cobby said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I never ring the speaking clock except at new year, when I put it on speakerphone and have a little glass of champagne." |
| Cobby was a child chorister at City of Oxford high school for boys during the second world war. He did his national service with the British Forces Network radio station in Hamburg, where he perfected his technique of speaking clearly and in appealing tones. He went into repertory theatre; appeared in the open air Shakespeare productions at Regent's Park; featured in a 1959 film, The Nudist Story, billed as a Technicolor nude water ballet; and was cheered by his success in the early days of ITV, when he was a prince of the voiceovers. | Cobby was a child chorister at City of Oxford high school for boys during the second world war. He did his national service with the British Forces Network radio station in Hamburg, where he perfected his technique of speaking clearly and in appealing tones. He went into repertory theatre; appeared in the open air Shakespeare productions at Regent's Park; featured in a 1959 film, The Nudist Story, billed as a Technicolor nude water ballet; and was cheered by his success in the early days of ITV, when he was a prince of the voiceovers. |
| In 2006, he remembered gleefully that a Shakespearean actor was "pretty rude" about his work in commercials, but changed his mind when he saw the size of the car Cobby drove away in. | In 2006, he remembered gleefully that a Shakespearean actor was "pretty rude" about his work in commercials, but changed his mind when he saw the size of the car Cobby drove away in. |
| He is survived by his brother, Clive. | He is survived by his brother, Clive. |
| • Brian Cobby, voice artist and actor, born 12 October 1929; died 31 October 2012 | • Brian Cobby, voice artist and actor, born 12 October 1929; died 31 October 2012 |
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