Don Pardo, RIP

[oscar]

Don Pardo, famous TV announcer, died Aug. 18 at age 96.

The Washington Post obituary emphasized his role at "Saturday Night Live" announcer.  But what I most remember was his announcing for "Jeopardy".  He also was the announcer for the Weird Al Yankovic's parody "I Lost On Jeopardy", and the obituary reprints the scolding he gave after Weird Al's humiliating defeat.

[US71]

Don Pardo, famous TV announcer, died Aug. 18 at age 96.

The Washington Post obituary emphasized his role at "Saturday Night Live" announcer.  But what I most remember was his announcing for "Jeopardy".  He also was the announcer for the Weird Al Yankovic's parody "I Lost On Jeopardy", and the obituary reprints the scolding he gave after Weird Al's humiliating defeat.

\
He was also the original Jeopardy announcer back when Art Fleming was host.

[golden eagle]

To tell you the truth, I thought he was already dead.

[US71]

To tell you the truth, I thought he was already dead.

Well, Abe Vigoda is still alive

[Stephane Dumas]

Don Pardo, famous TV announcer, died Aug. 18 at age 96.

The Washington Post obituary emphasized his role at "Saturday Night Live" announcer.  But what I most remember was his announcing for "Jeopardy".  He also was the announcer for the Weird Al Yankovic's parody "I Lost On Jeopardy", and the obituary reprints the scolding he gave after Weird Al's humiliating defeat.

\
He was also the original Jeopardy announcer back when Art Fleming was host.

Speaking of the original Jeopardy, here the "I lost on Jeopardy" from Weird Al Yankovic.

[briantroutman]

To tell you the truth, I thought he was already dead.

I can imagine some alternate, dystopian future where NBC owns Don Pardo's likeness and has created a machine to parrot any text in his voice on cue–so they can continue using him on Saturday Night Live long after his body has returned to the soil. Kind of like the Empire Carpet Man or those creepy commercials with Orville Redenbacher a few years ago.

Anyway, another of his notable announcing gigs was the original Price is Right with Bill Cullen, and his incredible talent for ever suspensefully modulating his voice as the opulence of prize packages escalated with each added item really made the showcases–back in the days when they included such extreme prizes as new Jaguars and fully-furnished suburban homes.

[Scott5114]

Pardo was also the first person to announce the Kennedy assassination on television. NBC didn't have a newscaster on hand ready to go, so Pardo read the bulletin, voice only, over an art card.

[SidS1045]

Pardo was also the first person to announce the Kennedy assassination on television. NBC didn't have a newscaster on hand ready to go, so Pardo read the bulletin, voice only, over an art card.

But he read it only to a New York-area audience.  The full NBC network was "down" at that time (not originating any programming) and the affiliates were running their own programming.  Don's voice interrupted a rerun of "Bachelor Father" on WNBC-TV with the news, but it would be another ten minutes or so before all affiliates were alerted to join the network when Chet Huntley, Frank McGee and Bill Ryan took over for Don.

[DeaconG]

He did Laugh-In too, IIRC...

[US71]

He did Laugh-In too, IIRC...

That was Gary Owens

[DeaconG]

He did Laugh-In too, IIRC...

That was Gary Owens

Obviously I'm having a senior moment.
Rebooting...