I can’t say much about CityTV’s Mark Dailey (1953-2010) that hasn’t already been said: transplanted American, crime reporter, news anchor, voiceover actor, Toronto television mainstay, sometime truck driver.  Dailey died December 6, 2010 of cancer at the age of 57.

Perhaps Dailey’s greatest achievement was as CityTV’s longtime announcer.  Few announcers are as synonymous with Canadian channels as Dailey was with CityTV.  Dailey regularly took the piss out of the shows and films CityTV would screen at any given time.  “CityTV…everywhere” is one of Canadian television’s great catchphrases.

The best way to eulogize Dailey is with a few clips, featuring him in his element.  I don’t even care that this is a Toronto-centric story.  Dailey was to CityTV what, say, Bob Boving was to CBC Television from 1985-2002.  You might not have known his name, but you knew his voice – the difference, of course, being that Bob Boving wouldn’t have panned Happy Gilmore or The Raccoons on-air.  CityTV didn’t care much for reverence back in the bad ol’ days.

Here’s the first part of “Muscle Magician,” from Spümcø’s The Ripping Friends (2001-02.)  Mark Dailey was one of two Crag Friends, and the best one.

Aside: Harvey Atkin, the voice of Leon’s, voiced Crag for four of thirteen episodes.  Atkin’s a voiceover legend in his own right, but the voice of CityTV trumps Judge Alan Ridenour from Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.  It’s the Voice Fist Way.

Up next is a by-now-overshown 1986 Great Movies promo.  As an aside, that is a very good animated bumper for the Great Movies film block.  The clip also features Dailey “hyping” a Late Great Movie.

1985, and CityTV wants to sell you on two martial arts films.  The two films are Jin bei tong (Kid with the Golden Arm, to the roundeyes) and Five Deadly Venoms.

Mark Dailey and gingers.

Finally, here’s “Cube Whacked,” from Spliced!  Dailey voices Calcuhorse’s online avatar OmegaSteed.  IMDb doesn’t list this in his filmography, but it’s hard not to recognize Dailey’s voice.  Also, I don’t get many excuses to feature Spliced!