Lorenzo Music
The laid-back voice actor who gave a generation the sarcastic, unseen feline Garfield and the hapless doorman Carlton on 'Rhoda'.
1937–2001 (age 64)·American actor, producer, and writer·Birthday: May 2·The Silent Generation
Biography
Lorenzo Music, born Gerald David Music, carved out a unique niche in American comedy as the defining voice of detached, world-weary sarcasm. He began as half of the folk-comedy duo 'Gerald and His Hen' with his wife, Henrietta, before his dry wit found a home writing for the groundbreaking 'Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.' His behind-the-scenes influence grew as a writer and producer on classic 1970s sitcoms like 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' and 'Rhoda,' where he also voiced the unforgettable, never-seen doorman Carlton. But his signature role came from a last-minute audition: the orange, lasagna-loving cat Garfield. Music's delivery—a slow, grumbling monotone dripping with comic disdain—perfectly captured Jim Davis's comic strip creation, defining the character for a decade of television specials and the hit animated series. His voice became the sound of animated cynicism, a low-energy counterpoint to the hyperactive cartoons of the era.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Lorenzo was born in 1937, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lorenzo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1937
#1 Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Best Picture
The Life of Emile Zola
Lorenzo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1937Born
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1942Started school
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1950Became a teenager
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Could drive
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1955Could vote
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Turned 21
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1967Turned 30
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 40
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 50
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 60
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2001Died at 64
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
Key Achievements
- Voiced the title character in 'Garfield and Friends,' the iconic animated series that ran from 1988 to 1994.
- Co-created the landmark sitcom 'The Bob Newhart Show' and composed its theme music with his wife.
- Provided the voice of the unseen doorman Carlton on the television series 'Rhoda.'
- Won two Emmy Awards for his writing work on 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.'
Did You Know?
He was the original voice of Peter Venkman in the first 'The Real Ghostbusters' animated series but was replaced after one season.
Music and his wife, Henrietta, performed their folk-comedy act on 'The Ed Sullivan Show.'
He turned down an offer to write for 'Saturday Night Live' in its first season.
The character of Carlton on 'Rhoda' was only ever shown from the neck down.
“I'm not a cat, I'm a guy in a chair with a microphone.”
