Smokey, the Bear
Sam’s deep and powerful voice has been one of the key elements of his long career. It earned him one of his lower-profile roles, one in which he has been doing for over 10 years. Yes, he is the official voice of Smokey Bear. Your favorite public announcements about forest fires, informing you that “Only you can prevent wildfires” are delivered by a man in a bear costume. But Sam just does the voice.
Photo by Egmont Strigl / imageBROKER / Shutterstock.com
This was a natural choice for Sam since he grew up with his dad, who worked in the Fish & Wildlife Service. That and the fact that his voice is just perfectly fit for the role. But this campaign is more than just a gig. It’s a useful public service that helps protect the country’s forests and prevents extremely damaging fires that, unfortunately, are becoming more common.