Steven Zirnkilton Explained

Steven Zirnkilton
Birth Name:Stephen M. Zirnkilton
Birth Date:18 August 1958
Birth Place:York, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Residence:Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Office:Member of the
Maine House of Representatives
from the 124th District
Termstart:December 2, 1992
Termend:December 7, 1994
Predecessor:John H. Carroll[1]
Successor:Robert E. Stanwood[2]
Termstart2:December 5, 1984
Termend2:December 7, 1988
Predecessor2:District established
Successor2:John H. Carroll[3]
Office3:Member of the
Maine House of Representatives
from the 43rd District
Term Start3:December 1, 1982
Term End3:December 5, 1988
Predecessor3:Meredith E. Bordeaux[4]
Successor3:John H. Carroll[5]
Party:Republican
Education:New England College (BA)
Known For:Narrator of Law & Order franchise
Spouse:Stephanie Zirnkilton
Children:2

Steve Zirnkilton (born Stephen Morgan Zirnkilton; August 18, 1958) is an American voice actor and former politician from Maine. Zirnkilton is best known for providing the opening narration of all U.S. series in the Law & Order franchise.[6] [7]

Early life and education

Zirnkilton grew up in York, Pennsylvania and spent summers in Maine. He graduated from New England College and began working for radio station WDEA in Ellsworth, Maine upon graduation.[8] He later settled in Seal Harbor, Maine.[9] Zirnkilton received a Legislative Sentiment for his work from Maine State Representative Chris Greeley.

Career

Politics

Zirnkilton, a Republican, served for eight years (four terms) in the Maine House of Representatives from 1982 to 1988 and again from 1992 to 1994.[10] He represented part of Hancock County, Maine, including his residence in the village of Seal Harbor in the town Mount Desert. During his final term in the House of Representatives, Zirnkilton served in leadership as Assistant Minority Leader. In 1994, when then-Congresswoman Olympia Snowe decided not to seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives for Maine's 2nd congressional district, Zirnkilton sought to replace her. Zirnkilton lost the primary to fellow State Representative Richard A. Bennett, who eventually lost the general election to State Senator John Baldacci.[11]

Zirnkilton also provides voiceovers for political ads, notably during Susan Collins's re-election campaign in 2014.

Acting

Zirnkilton is known for providing the opening narration of all US shows in the Law & Order franchise.[6] He was hired by series creator Dick Wolf. Zirnkilton has also provided voices for Family Guy and The Rugrats Movie. He was a narrator for Faith Rewarded: The Historic Season of the 2004 Boston Red Sox.[12] [13] Zirnkilton narrated Ruby Ridge: Anatomy of a Tragedy on Investigation Discovery.[14] [15] He also provided the voice-over for a Sky One advertisement for the channel's Law & Order airings. Zirnkilton was the narrator for TLC's Code Blue: New Orleans and the syndicated series Arrest & Trial. Currently he narrates Blood & Money on Oxygen and CNBC. He has also been the announcer for the Kennedy Center Honors, and for the past twenty-three years he has been the onstage announcer for the Top Cops Awards in Washington, D.C.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998The Rugrats MovieReporterVoice
2004Law & Order: The First 3 YearsOpening NarratorDVD bonus feature
Faith Rewarded: The Historic Season of the 2004 Boston Red SoxNarratorDocumentary
Ruby RidgeNarratorDocumentary
2008The Stag HuntNarratorShort
2013Summer ColonyNarratorShort
2015Toy SoldierVoice
2016Too Cold to SwimMotel Clerk

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990–presentLaw & OrderNarratorContract role
1997DuckmanOpening NarratorVoice, episode: "Das Sub"
1999–presentOpening NarratorContract role
2000–2001Arrest & TrialNarratorTV series documentary / nontraditional court show
2000–2002Code Blue: New OrleansNarratorTV series documentary
2001–2011Opening NarratorContract role
2002–2004Crime & PunishmentNarratorTV series documentary / nontraditional court show
2003DragnetNarratorEpisode: "The Silver Slayer"
2004The Tonight Show with Jay LenoVoiceEpisode: "Episode #12.209"
2005Family GuyOpening NarratorVoice, episode: "Fast Times at Buddy Cianci Jr. High"
2005–2006Opening NarratorContract role
2010–2011Law & Order: Los AngelesOpening NarratorContract role
2017Inside the FBI: New YorkNarratorDocumentary series; 6 episodes
2021-presentOpening NarratorContract role
2022MurdervilleOpening NarratorContract role
2023Blood & MoneyNarratorContract role
2024-presentOpening NarratorContract role

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Legislative Record . lldc.mainelegislature.org . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191110171623/http://lldc.mainelegislature.org/Open/LegRec/115/House/LegRec_1990-12-05_HP_pH0001-0041.pdf . 10 November 2019 . dead.
  2. http://lldc.mainelegislature.org/Open/LegRec/117/House/LegRec_1994-12-07_HP_pH0001-0037.pdf Maine State Legislature
  3. http://lldc.mainelegislature.org/Open/LegRec/114/House/LegRec_1988-12-07_HP_p0001-0023.pdf Maine State Legislature
  4. http://lldc.mainelegislature.org/Open/LegRec/110/House/LegRec_1980-12-03_HP_p0001-0007.pdf Maine State Legislature
  5. http://lldc.mainelegislature.org/Open/LegRec/112/House/LegRec_1984-12-05_HP_p0001-0019.pdf Maine State Legislature
  6. News: Associated Press. Today. 'Law & Order' reunion salutes 20th season. September 23, 2009. July 28, 2013.
  7. News: Ask the Editors . . April 19, 2010 . 6.
  8. News: Steve Zirnkilton: The man behind the voice. Morton. Spencer. February 2, 2009. The Maine Campus. University of Maine. 1 August 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140808062433/http://mainecampus.com/2009/02/02/steve-zirnkilton-the-man-behind-the-voice/. 8 August 2014.
  9. Web site: Biography . Steve Zirnkilton Voiceovers . December 11, 2007.
  10. News: John . Hale . . . Bangor Publishing Company . Seal lovers attempt to harpoon whale bill . 1 . June 11, 1987 . July 28, 2013.
  11. News: Crowded 2nd District contests reminiscent of battles in 1994 Regional strength led the way to victory in contested primary races. Quinn. Francis X.. June 7, 2002. Bangor Daily News. 1 August 2014.
  12. News: Bill . O'Neill. . Hyannis, MA. Dow Jones Local Media Group. Rave of the Week: "Idiots on film". March 28, 2005. July 28, 2013.
  13. Web site: Faith Rewarded: The Historic Season of the 2004 Boston Red Sox. B005Y1C3TQ. Fenway Sports Group and Delaware North. New England Sports Network. November 10, 2016.
  14. Web site: Sparked Media. Ruby Ridge: Anatomy of a Tragedy. Vimeo. 18 May 2015.
  15. Web site: Heffernan. Virginia. Weaver's Last Stand. Slate. 25 April 2003 . 18 May 2015.