Who is Robert Clotworthy? The iconic voice of Oak Island
Robert Clotworthy’s friendly narrative voice is instantly recognisable. Here’s why it’s ideal for Sky HISTORY treasure-hunt series The Curse of Oak Island.
Image: The Curse of Oak Island
You might not recognise the face, but you’ve almost definitely heard the voice. It’s featured in countless small-screen adverts, big-screen films and even popular videogames. Jim Raynor, the hero of the StarCraft sci-fi strategy games? It’s the legendary actor Robert Clotworthy who brings him to vocal life.
The Los Angeles native has also carved out an impressive career as a TV narrator. Since 2014, he’s regularly commentated on the riveting exploits of the treasure hunters on Sky HISTORY’s hit reality series The Curse of Oak Island.
Robert Clotworthy’s distinctive voice on the show is just the right fit, conveying both approachability and authority. His catchphrases have also become a hit with fans.
‘Could it be’ that there is much more to Robert Clotworthy than what meets the ear? Join us at Sky HISTORY as we take you through his prodigious career, including his especially influential role on The Curse of Oak Island.
How Robert Clotworthy’s voice made his name
It might be a cliche to say that someone was born to be a Hollywood star, but Robert Clotworthy practically did grow up in Hollywood. He was born on 24th October 1955 in Los Angeles to a father who worked in advertising.
Bill Clotworthy was a producer of radio adverts - and his young son Robert accompanied him to recording sessions. There, Robert observed many of the era’s most acclaimed voice talents, including Jerry Stiller (Ben Stiller’s father) and Mel Blanc (of Looney Tunes fame).
As a young actor, Robert had bit parts in TV dramas, including Emergency!, Columbo and M*A*S*H. However, building on his childhood love of reading books aloud, Robert increasingly tried his hand at TV narration. His big breakthrough here was narrating the 2004 documentary Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy at the behest of George Lucas.
How Robert Clotworthy became involved with The Curse of Oak Island
‘Could it be’ that Robert Clotworthy became famous for narrating a different, similarly popular Sky HISTORY show before joining The Curse of Oak Island? ‘Ancient astronaut theorists say yes.’
That’s one of Robert’s best-known catchphrases on Ancient Aliens, where he has been a mainstay since the series started way back in 2010. It’s also where he honed ‘could it be’ - and for very good reason.
On the Could It Be Oak Island Podcast in 2021, Robert revealed that the line was originally written by Ancient Aliens producer Kevin Burns. However, Burns was so pleased with the vocal delivery that he decided to make Robert the narrator for The Curse of Oak Island, too.
Robert told the podcast that Burns ‘would plug me into things all the time. He called me his good luck charm.’ Though Burns passed away in September 2020, The Curse of Oak Island remains unremittingly faithful to his vision - right down to the Clotworthy voiceover!
Is Robert Clotworthy as engrossed by treasure hunting as he sounds?
Robert told the Could It Be Oak Island Podcast how much he enjoys pondering various theories about the treasure purportedly still on the island. He is particularly fond of the idea that the treasure may have been deposited there by the Knights Templar.
This enthusiasm shows through in the voiceover, too. In a 2019 interview, Robert explained: ‘When I go into the recording session, I don’t get the script in advance. I don’t want to know what is happening in advance. I don’t want to have a preconceived idea as to how I’m going to say a particular line.’
As a result, what Robert does say in the voiceover comes across as natural and spontaneous. It’s like he’s watching the action unfold - and reacting to it - at the same time as the viewers. It’s a special magic that not every narrator can replicate.
Why Robert Clotworthy thinks the Oak Island mystery continues to captivate
There’s certainly no shortage of places to search for treasure - or people keen to do the searching. Robert believes this is key to the enduring appeal of The Curse of Oak Island, which has routinely attracted millions of viewers week after week.
Robert has also praised the on-screen crew as ‘legitimate’. ‘This is not something they did just for television. No, this was their childhood dream.’ Robert thinks viewers appreciate ‘the sincerity that’s there, that these guys are really trying to do something.’
When can you next expect to hear Robert Clotworthy’s dulcet tones on your TV? One way to find out is to subscribe to the Sky HISTORY newsletter.
