Steven Zirnkilton

Last updated
Steven Zirnkilton
Member of the
Maine House of Representatives
from the 124th District
In office
December 2, 1992 –December 7, 1994
Known forNarrator of Law & Order franchise
Website zirnkilton.com

Steve Zirnkilton (born Stephen Morgan Zirnkilton; August 18, 1958) is an American voice actor and former politician from Maine. Zirnkilton is best known for providing the opening narration of all American series in the Law & Order franchise. [6] [7]

Contents

Early life and education

Zirnkilton grew up in York, Pennsylvania and spent summers in Maine. He graduated from New England College and began working for radio station WDEA in Ellsworth, Maine upon graduation. [8] He later settled in Seal Harbor, Maine. [9] Zirnkilton received a Legislative Sentiment for his work from Maine State Representative Chris Greeley.

Career

Politics

Zirnkilton, a Republican, served for eight years (four terms) in the Maine House of Representatives from 1982 to 1988 and again from 1992 to 1994. [10] He represented part of Hancock County, Maine, including his residence in the village of Seal Harbor in the town Mount Desert. During his final term in the House of Representatives, Zirnkilton served in leadership as Assistant Minority Leader. In 1994, when then-Congresswoman Olympia Snowe decided not to seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives for Maine's 2nd congressional district, Zirnkilton sought to replace her. Zirnkilton lost the primary to fellow State Representative Rick Bennett, who eventually lost the general election to State Senator John Baldacci. [11]

Zirnkilton also provides voiceovers for political ads, notably during Susan Collins's re-election campaign in 2014.

Acting

Zirnkilton is known for providing the opening narration of all American shows in the Law & Order franchise. [6] He was hired by series creator Dick Wolf.[ vague ] Zirnkilton has also provided voices for Family Guy and The Rugrats Movie . He was a narrator for Faith Rewarded: The Historic Season of the 2004 Boston Red Sox . [12] [13] Zirnkilton narrated Ruby Ridge: Anatomy of a Tragedy on Investigation Discovery. [14] [15] He also provided the voice-over for a Sky One advertisement for the channel's Law & Order airings. Zirnkilton was the narrator for TLC's Code Blue: New Orleans and the syndicated series Arrest & Trial . Currently he narrates Blood & Money on Oxygen and CNBC. He has also been the announcer for the Kennedy Center Honors, and for the past twenty-three years he has been the onstage announcer for the Top Cops Awards in Washington, D.C. [ citation needed ]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998 The Rugrats Movie ReporterVoice
2004Law & Order: The First 3 YearsOpening NarratorDVD bonus feature
Faith Rewarded: The Historic Season of the 2004 Boston Red SoxNarratorDocumentary
Ruby RidgeNarratorDocumentary
2008The Stag HuntNarratorShort
2013Summer ColonyNarratorShort
2015Toy SoldierVoice
2016Too Cold to SwimMotel Clerk

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990–present Law & Order NarratorContract role
1997 Duckman Opening NarratorVoice, episode: "Das Sub"
1999–present Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Opening NarratorContract role
2000–2001 Arrest & Trial Narrator TV series documentary / nontraditional court show
2000–2002Code Blue: New OrleansNarratorTV series documentary
2001–2011 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Opening NarratorContract role
2002–2004 Crime & Punishment NarratorTV series documentary / nontraditional court show
2003 Dragnet NarratorEpisode: "The Silver Slayer"
2004 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno VoiceEpisode: "Episode #12.209"
2005 Family Guy Opening NarratorVoice, episode: "Fast Times at Buddy Cianci Jr. High"
2005–2006 Law & Order: Trial by Jury Opening NarratorContract role
2010–2011 Law & Order: Los Angeles Opening NarratorContract role
2017Inside the FBI: New YorkNarratorDocumentary series; 6 episodes
2021-present Law & Order: Organized Crime Opening NarratorContract role
2022 Murderville Opening NarratorContract role
2023Blood & MoneyNarratorContract role
2024-present Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent Opening NarratorContract role

References

  1. ↑ "Legislative Record" (PDF). lldc.mainelegislature.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 November 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  2. ↑ Maine State Legislature mainelegislature.org
  3. ↑ Maine State Legislature mainelegislature.org
  4. ↑ Maine State Legislature mainelegislature.org
  5. ↑ Maine State Legislature mainelegislature.org
  6. 1 2 "'Law & Order' reunion salutes 20th season". Today . Associated Press. September 23, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Ask the Editors". TV Guide . April 19, 2010. p. 6.
  8. ↑ Morton, Spencer (February 2, 2009). "Steve Zirnkilton: The man behind the voice". The Maine Campus . University of Maine. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  9. ↑ "Biography". Steve Zirnkilton Voiceovers. Retrieved December 11, 2007.
  10. ↑ Hale, John (June 11, 1987). "Seal lovers attempt to harpoon whale bill". Bangor Daily News . Bangor, ME: Bangor Publishing Company. p. 1. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  11. ↑ Quinn, Francis X. (June 7, 2002). "Crowded 2nd District contests reminiscent of battles in 1994 Regional strength led the way to victory in contested primary races". Bangor Daily News . Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  12. ↑ O'Neill, Bill (March 28, 2005). "Rave of the Week: "Idiots on film"". Cape Cod Times . Hyannis, MA: Dow Jones Local Media Group . Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Faith Rewarded: The Historic Season of the 2004 Boston Red Sox". New England Sports Network . Fenway Sports Group and Delaware North. ASIN   B005Y1C3TQ . Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  14. ↑ Sparked Media. "Ruby Ridge: Anatomy of a Tragedy". Vimeo. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  15. ↑ Heffernan, Virginia (25 April 2003). "Weaver's Last Stand". Slate. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
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