Everybody knows this announcement in the subway system. Whose voice is this? Let's get to know Charlie Pellet at a glance, the man behind this famous voice – and his passion for his job. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the most recognizable voice in New York.
Anyone who rides the New York City subway system is familiar with the friendly-yet-firm command to “stand clear of the closing doors, please.” This deep, sometimes vexing voice—which also apologizes for “unavoidable delays”—belongs to a man named Charlie Pellett. A radio anchor for Bloomberg News, Pellett was raised in London but cultivated an American accent by listening to the radio. His work for the M.T.A., which is done on a volunteer basis, is the only non-reporting voice-over work that he’s done. The filmmaker Andrew David Watson recently spent time with Pellett, to find out what it’s like to have the most recognizable voice in New York. “I’m sorry if you’re stuck in a train,” Pellett says. “I literally share your pain, because I’m probably stuck on that same train wondering, Am I gonna get to work on time?”