John Facenda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Facenda
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Publicity Photo of John Facenda
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| Born | August 8, 1913 |
| Died | September 26, 1984 (aged 71) |
| Other names | The Voice of NFL Films |
| Occupation | broadcaster, sports announcer, news anchor, disc jockey, radio personality |
| Years active | 1935–1984 |
John Thomas Ralph Augustine James Facenda (fuh-SEN-duh; August 8, 1913 – September 26, 1984) was a famous American broadcaster and sports announcer. He was well-known on Philadelphia radio and television for many years. He became famous across the country as the narrator for NFL Films and Football Follies. Because of his work with NFL Films, many National Football League fans called him "The Voice of God."
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The Early Life of John Facenda
John Facenda grew up with a big family, having six brothers and six sisters. His father moved from Italy to help build the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia. John went to Roman Catholic High School in Center City, Philadelphia. Later, he attended Villanova University but decided to leave before finishing his studies.
John Facenda's Career in Radio and TV
In 1948, John Facenda started working as a news anchor at WCAU-TV. This was a TV station in Philadelphia that was part of CBS. He stayed in this job until 1973. While he was there, he started the station's 11 p.m. news shows.
Becoming the Voice of NFL Films
One evening in 1965, John Facenda visited a local club. They were showing videos made by NFL Films. He really liked the slow-motion parts of the games, which were a special part of NFL Films' style. He later remembered how beautiful he thought the footage was.
Ed Sabol, who started NFL Films, happened to be at the same place. He heard John talking and asked him if he could narrate a script if given one. John said he would try.
This was the start of John Facenda's work with NFL Films. He continued working with them until he passed away. John narrated many highlight films for the company. His deep, smooth voice was perfect for the exciting football videos. This is how he earned the nickname "The Voice of God."
One famous phrase that sounds like John Facenda, "the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field" was actually made up by sportscaster Chris Berman. He was imitating Facenda's voice when he said it. Steve Sabol, Ed's son, said that John could make a game seem more important than it was. This was because he read his lines with a very serious and direct style. Bob Costas, another famous broadcaster, called Facenda's voice "one of the most remarkable instruments in the history of broadcasting."
The Autumn Wind Poem
In 1974, John Facenda was at his best when he narrated "The Championship Chase." He recited a football poem called "The Autumn Wind," which was written by Steve Sabol. This poem describes the autumn weather as a pirate:
The Autumn wind is a pirate
Blustering in from sea
With a rollicking song he sweeps along
Swaggering boisterously.
His face is weatherbeaten
He wears a hooded sash
With a silver hat about his head
And a bristling black mustache
He growls as he storms the country
A villain big and bold
And the trees all shake and quiver and quake
As he robs them of their gold.
The Autumn wind is a Raider
Pillaging just for fun
He'll knock you 'round and upside down
And laugh when he's conquered and won.
This poem and its music became a special song for the Las Vegas Raiders team. It is also known as the "Battle Hymn of the Raider Nation."
John Facenda's Unique Speaking Style
Even today, John Facenda's speaking style is what most people connect with NFL Films. It's even how many people imagine football narration sounds. His style is often copied, sometimes in a funny way, in sports news, commercials, and other sports entertainment. For example, Green Day used a similar voice in their music video for the 1999 song "Nice Guys Finish Last."
Because his voice is so strongly linked to the NFL, a room in the online Professional Football History Museum is named "The Facenda Audio-Visual Room" in his honor.
In 1982, Facenda narrated a documentary about Notre Dame Football called "Wake Up the Echoes." This was one of the few times he used his voice for something not directly about the NFL. A few months before he passed away, Facenda narrated the highlight film for the 1983 Miami Hurricanes football team. This team won their first national championship.
Leaving the News Anchor Role
In the early 1970s, a rival TV station, WFIL-TV, started a new news format called Action News. This format was fast-paced, like popular radio stations. WCAU's news ratings dropped. The station decided they needed a younger anchor to work with the 60-year-old Facenda. In 1972, Judd Hambrick, who was 27, joined as a co-anchor. John Facenda decided it was time to step down and let a new generation take over. His last newscast as anchor for WCAU was on March 23, 1973. Many viewers were sad to see him go.
After leaving his anchor job, Facenda continued to work for WCAU in different ways. He was a narrator, a program director, and hosted special reports. He was a co-anchor for the station's coverage when Pope John Paul II visited Philadelphia in 1979. For many years, he was also the familiar voice of the John Wanamaker Department Store's Christmas Light Show. In 1983, he narrated an NFL Films production about the rock band Journey's tour.
Twelve days before he died, John Facenda received the Governor's Award for Lifetime Achievement. This award was given by the Philadelphia chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He was named Person of the Year by the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia in 1971. In 1992, he was added to their Hall of Fame.
John Facenda's Passing and Legacy
John Facenda passed away from cancer on September 26, 1984, when he was 71 years old.
In 1986, Facenda was honored after his death with the Ralph Hay Pioneer Award. In 2021, he was honored again with the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award. This makes him and Joe Browne the only two people to receive two separate special honors from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As of 2024, neither has been fully inducted into the Hall of Fame in Canton.
