Don Pardo, the Booming Voice of 'Saturday Night Live,' Dies at 96

[rdmtimp]

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Don Pardo, the magisterial announcer of Saturday Night Live for nearly 40 years — the highlight of seven heard and hardly seen decades at NBC — has died. He was 96.

Pardo died Monday evening, an NBC spokesperson confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. No details of his death were immediately available.

He broke his hip in March 2013, causing him to miss two episodes of the SNL season, but he was back introducing the cast starting in September.

In 2010, the booming baritone became the first announcer to be inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in recognition of a lifetime in broadcasting that included work on game shows including the original versions of The Price Is Right and Jeopardy, soap operas and news programs.

Read more: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/don-pardo-dead-booming-voice-720129

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RIP to an iconic voice.

[LloydS of New London]

1. Iconic indeed!

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

2. Cant imagine the show without him

He's been the one constant since Day One.

Here he is, working with Zappa in the 70s (He comes in after the first minute):

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. I Lost on Jeopardy - Weird Al Yankovic

Parody of "Our Love's in Jeopardy" by Greg Kihn, with Don Pardo announcing.

RIP Don.

[nolabear]

4. He told me about everything important. I'll miss that voice, but what a life!

[RufusTFirefly]

5. Strange, but I always looked upon the SNL stint as a lark

To me, it was a little like Carl Kasell's doing "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me." A tongue-in-cheek performance. Amazing that he did it for almost 40 years. I'm old enough that I will always think of Don Pardo as the Jeopardy announcer.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

6. He broke the news of JFK's assassination to NBC viewers

Strange hearing a voice so associated with comedy announcing something so grim.

[calimary]

7. Stunning to think he was the voice of SNL for almost FORTY years.

SHEESH. Almost 40 years?! Dayum. First episode date: October 11, 1975.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Pardo. I bet Don LaFontaine was up there announcing your arrival at the Big Announce Booth in the Sky.

[tonekat]

8. I remember seeing him onstage with Zappa

This was shortly before the SNL. Or maybe after, I'll have to find my ticket stub to be sure. But Don was onstage at the Palladium, with Zappa and one of his big bands, (possibly a Halloween concert). He came out in lame top hat and cape, proudly belting out the lyrics of "I'm The Slime", and acting the part!. He got into the spirit of the song "I'm the slime, Frank, I'm the slime!". R.I.P. to someone I grew up listening to!

[JimDandy]

9. Aww...nuts. A great saturday night voice silenced. n/t

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. Checking.....

Nope,...Dick Cheney is not dead yet.

(Don, of all people, would appreciate this. It's the 21st century "Generalissimo Francisco Franco" reference)

[alp227]

11. i've watched SNL since 2006 but had no idea the announcer was THAT old!

RIP Don.

[Auggie]

12. That voice ... like an old friend, you know?

[davidpdx]

13. That is sad

I didn't know who he was until I saw he was the announcer for SNL. He does have a booming voice. What a gift! RIP

[BumRushDaShow]

14. R.I.P.

Wow. I didn't realize his age... He has been a "presence" for decades and decades and you just got used to his voice-overs for so many things. At least his name was out there though - "Don Pardo"- as so many voice performers were and continue to be, anonymous.

Condolences to his family and he will be sorely missed.

[former9thward]

15. Amazing someone that age had a voice like that.