Most of us know the story of Lorne Greene, his history on CBC radio as "The Vocie of Doom," and his subsequent career as Ben Cartwright in the smash NBC western "Bonanza."

But it was his radio experience that originally drove the tech crew on the TV series crazy. Show creator David Dotort loved the Canuck's voice, but kept tell him not to yell when he was delivering his lines. Greene adamantly denied he was raising his voice and told Dotort that was the way he spoke. 

So Dotort took matters into his own hands - and Greene's ears.

"The problem was, he spoke with so much strength. The microphone is very sensitive—it picks up everything, even a whisper—but Lorne would come in with that booming voice. I’d say, ‘Lorne, you don’t have to shout.’ ‘Who’s shouting? I’m not shouting.’

So one day I said, ‘Come with me.’ I took him to the projection room and let him hear what he sounded like. The other actors were speaking normally—just enough to communicate—and then there was Lorne with this big, overpowering voice. He listened and said, ‘Oh my God.’ I told him, ‘You don’t have to yell. Undercut it. Underplay it a little.’

So he went the other way—he got so soft I could barely hear him. I said, ‘No, no—you don’t have to go that far. Just speak normally. Be yourself. Relax and enjoy the part.’ And to his credit, that’s exactly what he did. He became a superb actor for that role.” 

The job was literally a Bonanza for Greene, who played the role for 14 seasons and 431 episodes, and it made him a star. 

The Incredible Life of Lorne Greene: From ‘Voice of Doom’ to TV’s Beloved ‘Bonanza’ Dad