You most probably wouldn’t know Bob Gentil by sight. But it is highly likely you would recognise his voice. Bob’s one of New Zealand’s premier voice-over artists, whose voice features in lots of different ways in the New Zealand media scene. It has for decades. Bob’s neutral silky New Zealand accent sees him being used for multi-market campaigns and lots of different voice-overs.
Growing up, I remember Bob Gentil being one of the ‘cool’ DJs we listened to on radio. Pre-internet, I loved listening to him. His broadcasting heritage goes back to the early days of the history-making, with Radio Hauraki – the pioneers of private radio in New Zealand.
I also remember Bob being a champion promotor of disc (frisbee) golf in New Zealand. He’s now an International Hall of Famer and a life member of the sport in New Zealand.
These days the Takapuna father of three specialises in voice work; in fact that’s the name of his business. He also spends many a morning walking, swimming and socialising on Takapuna Beach. I caught up with Bob for a chat in late July.
How long have you lived on the Shore?
Bob Gentil: Pretty much all my life. I was born in Milford at the old obstetrics hospital that used to be on Beach Road. My three brothers and I grew up in the family home on Minnehaha Avenue. Thorne Bay was our playground. After leaving school I flatted for years on Takapuna Beach.
The first house I brought was actually in Mt Eden, but I couldn’t wait to get back over the bridge. The first Shore home I owned was an old villa on Birkenhead Point. I then brought a hunk of Fern Glen Native Gardens on Kauri Road in Birkenhead off the Fisher family before they bequeathed the rest to the city. We built a steel and glass house there where we raised our boys.
In 2017 it was time to downsize, and I shifted back to my ‘happy place’, Takapuna. Just up from the beach!
What do you love about the Shore that has kept you here for so long?
Possibly because it’s the spot where I arrived on the planet, it just feels like home, it’s my village, especially Takapuna. I love this community. The beach and the sea is my happy place. To me the Shore has a laid-back feeling about it.
I’ve read that you’re still mad about disc golf. How did you get into it, how often to you play and why do you enjoy it
so much?
I’ve chucked frisbee as far back as I can remember. The flight of the piece of plastic has always intrigued me. It was always just a game up until I was doing a yacht delivery to the US back in the late 70s. While in Hawaii I heard an ad on the radio promoting the Hawaiian Champs hosted by the International Frisbee Association. I attended, met global movers and shakers, and came away with a whole new enthusiasm as my ‘game’ had just evolved into a ‘sport’.
Upon my return to New Zealand, I formalised the New Zealand Frisbee Association which became the New Zealand ‘Flying Disc’ Association. Frisbee is a brand name. Now there is NZU (New Zealand Ultimate, the team sport) and NZDG (New Zealand Disc Golf), both standalone associations. We’ve held 47 annual NZDG championships, and I’ve attended every one.
When we started, we’d only have 15-20 competitors, but the sport has grown so fast we’ve now gone to two courses and tee times to cope with the numbers. Even then, most events have a wait list. At this stage we have six public plus a few school courses in Auckland with just one on the Shore at Rosedale Park. But… watch this space. Every month in New Zealand there are new courses going in the ground. There are already over 100 courses throughout the country.
I read that you were inducted into the Professional Disc Golf Hall of Fame. How did that come about?
Yeah! It was a real honour. At that stage there weren’t too many people outside the USA in the DG HOF. The induction ceremony was at the 2012 World Professional Disc Golf Championships in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was very special. It seemed more people than I realised had an idea of the time and energy I’d put into getting the sport up and running in New Zealand.
I still play disc golf very casually once or twice a week and play a few tournaments. In fact I won my division at the ‘Aussie Masters’ last month, but most of the chucking I do is on Takapuna Beach with a couple of buddies. We were chatting about it the other day and realised we’d been doing it for 53 years. Same guys, same beach.
I have a website with a lot of New Zealand disc golf history on it along with discs etc. for sale (discgolf.co.nz).
Have you always been an action and sports-mad man? I see your other interests I are sailing, fishing and skydiving.
Yeah! Even a good game of tiddlywinks will grab my attention. I guess that’s ‘sports mad’. I’ve spent most of my life sailing, mainly blue water with my brother. Our last adventure was the South China Sea coast off Borneo. Gotta love the tropics over our winter.
I also enjoy getting the tinny out. The Shore gives us easy access to the most amazing harbour. I enjoy fishing, but to me it’s really just a great excuse to get out on the briny. If I come in from a day on the water and have caught dinner, that’s a bonus.
I got addicted to jumping out of planes back in the 80s when it was suggested I jump in a radio station promotion – a big dig on Milford Beach. I was only planning on just doing the one jump, but it was 20 years and 1500 jumps later before I tamed the adrenalin rush. I still think about it from time to time.
You obviously still do voice work. Is that still fulltime?
I’m still used quite a bit for voice work. I’m in the studio two or three times a week doing everything from TV and radio commercials to docos and sales presentations.
I was the voice of Sky Sport for many years from its launch in 1990, and then TV2. My voice has been really good to me over the years. At one stage I was flying to the States regularly to voice international campaigns for the likes of Air New Zealand.
Do you still do any radio these days?
Yup! 56 years on I still love the great medium of radio. I’ve tried to retire a couple of times but still seem to be doing shows on Media Works, on their adult brands ‘Magic’ and ‘The Sound’, pretty much every day. I consider myself blessed having had a five-going-on-six decade career that I’ve loved every day of. It’s not really a job, it’s a way of life.
Did you train to achieve your silky voice or were you born with it?
Ha! Na! I never had any formal broadcasting training. For me it was just a matter of being a 16-year-old at the right place at the right time when Radio Hauraki needed a gofer (go for this go for that). It was a totally accidental career.
How often are you on Takapuna beach?
I’m at my ‘happy place’ every day. Starts with a walk, a coffee at Takapuna Beach Café and a swim most days. Then more often than not when the tide’s out you’ll find me chucking disc with my buddies or whoever I can find.
Where do you love to go on holiday in New Zealand and overseas?
I love holidaying here in paradise. It’s always great to head south and experience the alpine environment of Central Otago. I had a brilliant holiday a while back in the Marlborough Sounds, but being a salt water and sand on my feet sort of dude my most memorable holidays are in the warmth of the winterless north. In saying that I’ve tied holidays in with disc golf events all over the world and for heaps of years escaped the worst of winter by joining my brother on his yacht in the tropics and had some amazing adventures.
What are your favourite eateries on the Shore?
There are so many great restaurants and cafes on the Shore. A trip to Devonport for dinner at Café Hung Viet never disappoints and Botticelli in Takapuna is always a great night, especially when they have live music, and is there a better way to start the day than breakfast or brunch with the view at Takapuna Beach Café. Oh! If the call is for pizza we’ll happily head to Highbury to dine-in or takeaway at Blitza.
With the benefit of decades of life experiences, what key piece of advice would veteran Bob give to teenage Bob of many summers ago?
Stand tall, be confident but respectful, be honest, especially to yourself, treat everyone as you would like to be treated and never give up on finding your happy place.
Complete the following; A perfect day for Bob Gentil is to…
…get up with the sun and head out for a fish on the outgoing, on return a stop at the Beach Café for coffee and brunch, before jumping on my bike and heading back to the beach for the low tide to catch up with mates for a beach frisbee session and a swim, and… maybe a beer! Then home to sit at the table with the ones I love for a fresh fish dinner. Doesn’t get much better than that. Chur!
