Five Questions

Peter Thomas has used his voice to make a living for 67 years. He was told by his father at a young age that words must be visualized, understood and felt before they were spoken. That advice has taken the gifted narrator to the top of a career in radio and television.

After he recited a winning poem at a talent contest in Pensacola when he was 13, a radio station hired Thomas to read the local news. In 1948, after serving in World War II, he headed to New York City and landed a job with CBS Television.

He lived and worked in New York for 18 years before moving back to Florida. Thomas and his wife, Stella, settled in Naples. For many years he had to commute to New York. Thanks to technology, that weekly trip is no longer necessary.

Now 80, Thomas shows no signs of slowing down. His voice can be heard on Court TV's Forensic Files, the PBS series Nova, The History Channel and hundreds of national commercials.

Throughout his career he has received many awards-most recently, Humanitarian of the Year from International College. Other notable honors include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Television and Radio Association and the Purple Heart for serving in the Battle of the Bulge.

What advice would you give someone just getting into the business?

Expect to be tough, competitive and patient. Believe in yourself, because you will get a lot of negative feedback. Join the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television & Radio Artists. And train your voice. I've had singing and breathing-control lessons and have worked with a private voice coach.

Is it necessary to have an agent?

No. Most of my work has come from word of mouth. A producer or engineer would mention my name to a client and I would get a call to audition. I've found that if you charge a fair fee and do quality work, clients stick around.

Who handles the business end of your career?

My wife, Stella. I negotiate fees, but she's my trusted adviser. She's vetoed several clients she didn't want me to work with.

How has the industry changed over the years?

It's definitely less personal than it used to be, and technology has made it much easier. In the early days if I made a mistake 10 minutes into the script, I'd have to start over. Now mistakes are easily edited out. I used to have to record everything in New York. Now I can record at any studio.

When did you become a big success?

I always freelanced, even when I worked at CBS. I left CBS after 13 years and started to freelance full-time doing documentaries and commercials. Through the years I've had many successes. I even narrated the 1977 Oscar-winning documentary One Survivor Remembers.