SAG-AFTRA Remembers Actor and Union Leader Mel Boudrot

SAG-AFTRA mourns the loss of Mel Boudrot, a former National Board member of Screen Actors Guild and president of the New York Branch, who passed away Oct. 29 at the age of 87.

Boudrot, a resident of Englewood, New Jersey, had occasional roles in New York-based television shows, but his work was largely behind the microphone; he had an unmistakable voice and audiences throughout the years heard him as the voice for Heineken, Lufthansa, Burger King, IBM, Dunkin’ Donuts and more. According to an article in a 1982 New York magazine, the deep timbre of his voice was so well known in the ad industry that agencies were known to look for “Mel Boudrot-type” voices.

Boudrot joined SAG in 1964 and AFTRA in 1966. He served on the SAG National Board for 11 years, from 1988–99. During this time, he served terms as a 2nd and 4th vice president, and as the SAG New York Branch president from 1995–99. Throughout the ’90s, Boudrot participated in more than two dozen SAG local and national committees, including Commercials Negotiating, Communications, Finance, Awards, Legislative and New Technologies.

The actor was also a former SAG Foundation Board member, Actors Federal Credit Union trustee, proctor on the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Scholarship Committee and trustee for the SAG-AFTRA Motion Picture Player Welfare Fund up until his death.

“Mel Boudrot truly wanted to make a difference in all that he did,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “When it came to his union, Mel stepped up and served wherever he was needed, with experience, passion and a spark in his eye. Our thoughts are with his wife, Jane, and his family at this time.”
 
“Mel was a mentor and a friend to so many in the industry, and we honor his commitment to his fellow union members, which continued up to his passing,” said SAG-AFTRA Executive Vice President and New York Local President Rebecca Damon. “We will miss him beyond belief and are so grateful for the work he did that has shaped SAG-AFTRA for generations to come. Mel and his wife, Jane, were avid sailors and we wish him fair winds.”