David Frederick Case

David Frederick Case (25 April 1932 – 1 October 2005), alias Frederick Davidson, was a prolific English narrator of over 700 audiobooks, primarily in the 1980s and 90s when the commercial audiobook industry was maturing. He was one of the first inductees into the "Golden Voice" hall of fame started by the trade publication AudioFile.

Early life Case was born in London on 25 April 1932, to a father who made tombstones during the Great Depression. After finishing his schooling he trained to be an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Career In 1976, he moved to San Francisco with his companion, Graham Watts. "When he found out I was doing books on tape, he said, 'That sounds like something I'd like to do'", McCaddon remembered. But he had fans, The Washington Post obituary by Adam Bernstein said "The English-born, classically trained Mr. Case was among the finest". He was nominated for a Grammy Award and received numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards.

Death Case, a lifelong smoker, developed throat cancer in 2000 but kept recording, though his output slowed. He refused to stop smoking and doctors were forced to remove his larynx in May 2005, after which he lost his voice entirely. He died at his home in El Sobrante, California on 1 October 2005, unable to utter a sound. Case once said, "I really believe I was born to record audiobooks."