George Watts, Khrushchev’s translator & golden voice of RT, dies at 88

George Watts, who interpreted for Soviet and Russian leaders during a decades-long career as a translator, and later became RT’s main narrator, has passed away. He was 88.

Watts was born to Russian immigrants in Canada and grew up on a farm during the Great Depression, before moving to his parents’ homeland after the end of the Second World War.

His fluency in English allowed him to pursue a career in interpreting. Watts became the English voice of an incredible range of historical figures, from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to Russia’s first president, Boris Yeltsin. Movie buffs might also recognize his voice, which was used in the English versions of countless Soviet films. He closed out his career with RT, where he worked as the channel’s main narrator.

In a 2019 RT documentary about his incredible life, Watts stressed that he saw himself as both Canadian and Russian – and that people should not be ashamed of loving where they come from.

“I think everybody should love his homeland. I see nothing wrong with that,” he said.

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