Forty outstanding actors and recording artists from Orange County, California were cast as the voices of the young Polar Bears who fought in Northern Russia.  Each actor’s task was to re-create and bring to life the individual stories, battle scenes and sacrifices made by these young men.

Each story is taken from the exact words written by the Polar Bears themselves—taken from their diaries and the many books they wrote after their experiences in Northern Russia. The writings of the Polar Bear’s were so eloquent and prolific it can be easily said that theirs was a story they wanted to be told. It was their wish to tell others about their unique experience in war.Often notations are found in their writings stating that they “left this writing for some future historian to see and use”. Voices of a Never-Ending Dawn is the answer to their wishes.

Voice over artist Richard Pitts, a prominent medical doctor in Orange County, CA, took up voice over work to better his skills as an orator as he is often called upon to deliver speeches. Pitts auditioned for Producer/Director Pamela Peak in 2008 giving a tremendously moving performance.

Not knowing Pitts was a doctor in real-life, Peak heard such compassion each time he spoke of the sick and dying soldiers in the story, that she cast Pitts as WWI medic Godfrey Anderson.

“His performance was alive and riveting”, says Peak. “It helps us emotionally understand what all our soldiers go through when they first see and experience the horrors of war.” Richard Pitts’ performance offers great insight into the heart and mind of a young medic coping to save lives with little to no medical supplies or equipment on the battlefield.

Parents Change History

One of the most historic aspects of The Polar Bear’s story is how their parents back home in Detroit also made history. 

Long after WWI had ended, not knowing if their sons were dead or alive for many months and with a mission that had become unclear, the mothers, fathers and wives of the Polar Bears together petitioned The President of the United States. They respectfully asked that at the very least they wanted their sons be given the “same chance at life as all other US soldiers have been given”. 

As the parents spoke in one unified patriotic voice, they made it clear that while they wanted their sons home, they did not want their sons known as “Detroit’s Quitters” but rather brought home with the respect and dignity befitting of all American soldiers.

Over 150,000 citizens signed the petition requestions that the soldiers be brought back home.

Families back home can suffer almost as much as the men on the front lines. The actions, dignity and shining example of patriotism of these parents is something following generations can study and learn from.

These parents made history: they were the first American citizens to bring about a change in US foreign policy.

Each battle, soldier’s triumph, loss of friend and new experience is recounted in a way so we get to know the heart and mind of each young soldier being featured.

Dorothea York was a young woman rumored to be in love with one of the Polar Bear soldiers.  After the soldiers returned home, Dorothea spent five long years interviewing the soldiers from Company A who had seen the most horrific action.  The result was a book written by Dorothea – a book so poetic that it transports us back in time to experience in detail the triumphs and great tragedies of this most unusual mission.  Although Dorothea York spent years compiling this well-written book, there is no evidence found that the soldier from Company A that she loved ever returned her affections. 

Orange County, California

Orange County is home to one of the largest post production communities in the U.S. and is known for its production of commercials, infomercials and corporate videos.

Pamela Peak Productions works with talented sound engineers, sound, film and special effects editors from Orange County, many of whom worked on Pamela's award-winning film Colorblind, which still airs nationally on PBS.

Del Mar Media Arts - Bunny and Bud Barth

Over 90% of all the voice over artists who appear in Voices of a Never Ending Dawn are graduates of Del Mar Media Arts, a voice over and on-camera acting school in Irvine, CA.  Del Mar opened its doors in 1980 and has given birth to successful voice over actors heard everyday on national commercials, films and television. Del Mar was started by the talented husband and wife team of Bunny and Bud Barth prominently known for their own work as voice over actors, producers and directors.