Jim Nettleton, 69, a Boss Jock of WFIL

Jim Nettleton, 69, a longtime radio announcer and prolific voiceover artist who was one of the "Boss Jocks" on "Famous 56" WFIL-AM, died of lung cancer yesterday.

The Cherry Hill resident also worked for Philadelphia's WCAU-FM in the 1970s as a disc jockey and program director, and more recently at WOGL (formerly WCAU) and WPEN-AM. His advertising clients ranged from Cadillac to Yuengling beer.

A native of Boston, Mr. Nettleton moved to New Jersey and enrolled at Rutgers University to study journalism. In a 2007 interview on the Web site www.wdrcobg.com, he recalled how he had gotten his start in the business.

A friend urged him to try out as an announcer for the college radio station's weekend show Knightlife, named after the school's Scarlet Knight mascot.

"I had always enjoyed listening to radio, but never gave it a thought as a career," he said. "I auditioned, got the spot, and immediately fell in love with the business."

Mr. Nettleton left college after three months and did some odd jobs, working his way onto the air during the heady early days of rock-and-roll. He first worked at WPAZ-AM in Pottstown, then at stations in Eatontown, N.J., and Connecticut, where he earned the nickname "Diamond Jim."

He came to Philadelphia to join WFIL in 1966 as one of the original Boss Jocks.

He recorded thousands of commercials and other voiceovers for hundreds of clients, said Walt Mocrytzki, a longtime friend who met Mr. Nettleton when both worked at WCAU in 1972.

Mocrytzki had an advertising agency in the 1980s and often turned to his deep-voiced friend for voiceovers.

"He must have been a speed-reader," Mocrytzki said, "because I would give him a piece of copy and he could just glance at it without reading it aloud. He would do it in one take perfectly."

From 1984 to 1993, Mr. Nettleton worked in Florida as a radio announcer and a production manager, consulting and programming for clients in 33 states.

He is survived by his wife, Diane; sons Todd and Tedd; daughter Tammy Aleski; seven grandchildren; his first wife, Janine; and his second wife, Adele.

Funeral arrangements were pending.