Ralph Gunderman

Voice artist and actor, union activist, thinker, music lover and singer, cruciverbalist, benefactor, husband, father, brother, many times an uncle by blood and honor, Ralph Gunderman has passed away from complications of pneumonia. Born in Cleveland, the fourth of seven children of Charles and Alice (Hill) Gunderman, he developed an affinity for radio and performing at the University of Akron's WRHA. In 1969 while still in college he worked the summer as a deejay at WING in Dayton, and then back in Akron at WCUE. He moved on to television, WKBF Channel 61 in Cleveland, and later became the booth announcer at WEWS, Channel 5. From there he branched out into being an in-demand voice actor just a few years out of college, working that profession freelance for the next 40-plus years. This work supported Ralph's first love: performing in live theater. Favorite shows included the leads in Cyrano, The Ruling Class, El Grande de Coca Cola, and Talley's Folly. In 1981, he moved to New York where he became a mainstay national voice-over artist for the rest of his career, heard on thousands of commercials, promos, and narrations. Highlights of his work included an over ten-year run as the show announcer on NBC New's Dateline, and being one of the small band of actors contributing sketch voices regularly for the CBS version of The Late Show with David Letterman. Ralph was elected to both the SAG and AFTRA national boards. He found great joy singing in cabaret and, in retirement, as part of the monthly Cover Collective at An Beal Bocht in the Bronx, NY. And as a consummate believer in the power of negative thinking, he had hopelessly wished for a Cleveland baseball championship, since their last one had been the year he was born.

Beloved husband of Pamela Parker, father to Benjamin, Ralph was younger brother to Ann Golier (Joe, deceased), Mary Chase (David, both deceased), Ruth Scheib (Tom), and older brother to Colette Roach, Clare Delventhal (Jerry), and Joseph (April).

A celebration of life for Ralph Gunderman will be held Saturday, April 25, 2:00pm at Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains, 468 Rosedale Ave, White Plains, NY, and livestreamed on Zoom. A memorial in his hometown of Cleveland will be planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to WNYC Radio and the National Resources Defence Council.