Dominick George"Don"Pardo Jr.(February 22, 1918 – August 18, 2014) was an American radio and television announcer whose career spanned more than seven decades.
Don Pardo | |
|---|---|
 Pardo announcingSaturday Night Livein 1992 | |
| Born | Dominick George Pardo Jr. February 22, 1918 |
| Died | August 18, 2014(aged 96) Tucson, Arizona,U.S. |
| Other names | Dom Pardo |
| Alma mater | Emerson College |
| Occupation(s) | Voice actor, announcer |
| Years active | 1938–2014 |
| Known for | Announcer forSaturday Night Live |
| Spouse |
Catherine Lyons
(m.1938; died 1995) |
| Children | 5 |
| Awards | Television Hall of Fame(member since 2010) |
| Signature | |
 | |
A member of theTelevision Hall of Fame,Pardo was noted for his 70-year tenure withNBC,working as the announcer for early incarnations of such notable shows asThe Price Is Right,Jackpot,Jeopardy!,Three on a Match,Winning StreakandNBC Nightly News.His longest, and best-known, announcing job was for NBC'sSaturday Night Live,a job he held for 38 seasons, from the show's debut in 1975 til the end of the 6th season in 1981 and again from the season 8 premiere in 1982 until his death in 2014.[1]
Early and personal life
editPardo was born inWestfield, Massachusetts,to Dominick George Pardo Sr. and Valeria "Viola" Rominak-Pardo, who werePolishimmigrants who owned a bakery.[2]He spent his childhood inNorwich, Connecticut,andProvidence, Rhode Island,and graduated fromEmerson Collegein 1942.[3]Pardo was married to Catherine Lyons from 1938 until her death in 1995 and had five children: Donna, Karen, Paula, David and Michael.[2]
Career
editRadio
editPardo was hired for his first radio position at NBC affiliateWJARin Providence in 1938.[4]
He joined NBC full-time as an in-house announcer in 1944, remaining on the network staff for 60 years. The radio programs on which he worked as an announcer includeBarrie Craig, Confidential Investigator,[5]the sci-fi showsX Minus One[6]andDimension X.[7]
DuringWorld War II,Pardo worked as a war reporter forNBC Radio.[8][9]
For most of 30 years, Pardo's recorded voice was one of the announcer introduction inserts for "Ten at Ten", theKFOGSan Franciscoradio show appearing at 10 a.m., and in syndication with Dave Morey on KFOG HD Radio, although a few years featuredMonty HallandLarry "Bud" Melman.[10][11]
Television
editIn the early 1950s, he served as announcer for many of RCA's and NBC's closed-circuit color television demonstrations.[12]
Pardo made his mark on game shows for NBC in 1952 as the announcer onWinner Take All,and as the voice of the originalThe Price Is Rightfrom 1956 until it moved toABCin 1963. Pardo's next show wasJeopardy!,which he announced from 1964 until the original version of the series ended in 1975.[12]Pardo also announced New York-based NBC game shows such asThree on a Match,Winning Streak,andJackpot!,all three of which wereBob Stewartproductions.[13]
Pardo squeezed in many other assignments at NBC, including theMacy's Thanksgiving Day Parade(until 1999),[14]WNBC-TV'sLive at Five[15]andNBC Nightly News.[16]
Pardo was the on-duty live booth announcer for WNBC-TV in New York and the NBC network on November 22, 1963, and he was the first to announce to NBC viewers that PresidentJohn F. Kennedyhad been shotin Dallas, Texas.[17]
His best-known announcing work was for the television seriesSaturday Night Live.His was the fourth voice heard on the show's premiere episode in 1975, after the first cold open sketch featuringMichael O'Donoghue,John BelushiandChevy Chase.Pardo remained the program's announcer except for one season (1981–1982), when it was announced byMel BrandtorBill Hanrahan.After "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!",which is cried out at the end of thecold open,Pardo announces the show's title, then names the cast members and musical guests in a voice-over during the opening montage. According to Pardo, hisSaturday Night Liveannouncing booth during his tenure atStudio 8-Hwas almost exactly whereArturo Toscaninistood when conducting theNBC Symphony OrchestrainRockefeller Center[12]from 1937 to 1950.[citation needed]
In December 1976, Pardo participated in a musical performance byFrank Zappa,reciting a verse of the song "I'm the Slime".Pardo reprised this role on the live-recorded version of the song for theZappa in New Yorkalbum[14](it was not featured on the first release in 1978, but it appears on the 1993 CD re-release). He also provided narration for the songs "The Illinois Enema Bandit" and "Punky's Whips". A business dispute between Zappa and his record company of the time led to "Punky's Whips" being removed from the 1978 album, but the song was reinstated on the 1993 CD.[citation needed]
Pardo appeared in the"Weird Al" Yankovicsong "I Lost on Jeopardy",[18]from his second album,"Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D,a parody of "Jeopardy"byThe Greg Kihn Band,and its refrain "Our love's in jeopardy."[19]The song became the fourth music video released by Yankovic, and featured a number of cameo appearances includingKihn,originalJeopardy!hostArt Fleming,Yankovic's mentorDr. Demento,Pardo, and Yankovic's parents.
In 2009, he appeared in an episode of30 Rock( "Cutbacks") as Sid, TGS's announcer.
Last years
editPardo nominally retired from NBC in 2004. However, he continued to announce forSaturday Night Liveat the behest of executive producerLorne Michaels,initially under the assumption that a permanent replacement would be found quickly.[20]In 2006, he began prerecording his announcements from a studio in his Arizona home. That arrangement lasted only a few episodes before producers insisted that they needed him in Studio 8H, and he resumed weekly flights to New York.[21]On Saturday, February 23, 2008, Pardo appeared at the closing ofSaturday Night Liveto blow out the candles on his 90th birthday cake. During this period, Pardo missed about five episodes due to illness; cast memberDarrell Hammond(who would succeed Pardo after his death) filled in for him but was uncredited.[22]
Upon his induction into the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame on May 14, 2009, Pardo suggested that the May 16, 2009, episode ofSaturday Night Livewould be his last.[23]However, he subsequently returned for the show's 35th season. Starting with the 36th season, Pardo once again began pre-recording his parts from his home in Arizona instead of performing live in New York City.[21]
In 2010, Pardo was inducted into theTelevision Hall of Fame.[24]
Pardo died in his sleep on August 18, 2014, inTucson, Arizona,at the age of 96.[2][25]
References
edit- ^"'Saturday Night Live' returns with three new members in its 39th season ".OUDaily. September 15, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon July 28, 2013.RetrievedMay 21,2013.
- ^abcGenzlinger, Neil; Carter, Bill (August 19, 2014)."Don Pardo, the Voice of 'Saturday Night Live,' Dies at 96".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on December 11, 2018.RetrievedAugust 19,2014.
- ^Moore, Frazier (August 19, 2014)."Don Pardo, Iconic TV Announcer, Dies at 96".ABC News.Archivedfrom the original on August 19, 2014.RetrievedAugust 19,2014.
- ^Levs, Josh; Leopold, Todd (August 19, 2014)."Don Pardo, voice of 'Saturday Night Live,' dead at 96".CNN.RetrievedAugust 19,2014.
- ^Goldin, J. David (April 24, 2014)."Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator".RadioGoldIndex. Archived fromthe originalon May 31, 2013.RetrievedJune 16,2014.
- ^"Radio history of X Minus 1 (x-1) and Fred Collins".RadioHorrorHosts.Archivedfrom the original on May 5, 2012.RetrievedJune 16,2014.
- ^"The Definitive X Minus One Radio Log with Ernest Kinoy".DigitalDeliftp. Archived fromthe originalon September 23, 2015.RetrievedJune 16,2014.
- ^"Don Pardo Live From New York Still".ArtsBeat (blog).The New York Times(subscription required).February 25, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on March 6, 2012.RetrievedApril 15,2012.
- ^"Don Pardo".Movies & TV Dept.The New York Times.2013. Archived fromthe originalon January 23, 2013.RetrievedJune 16,2014.
- ^*"Ten at Ten".kfogforever | KFOG Forever.Archivedfrom the original on November 5, 2023.RetrievedNovember 5,2023.
- https:// kfogforever /audio/10-at-10-with-don-pardoArchivedNovember 5, 2023, at theWayback Machine
- https://archive.org/details/dave-morey-kfog-104.5-fm-10-at-10-sf-1986
- https://archive.org/details/fmradioarchive?query=dave+morey+10+at+10
- https://archive.org/details/kfogfmsanfranciscomemorial19822019
- https:// eastbaytimes /2008/12/11/fogheads-in-mourning-as-dave-morey-checks-out/ArchivedNovember 5, 2023, at theWayback Machine
- https:// youtube /watch?v=x1eag6lJYwcArchivedNovember 5, 2023, at theWayback Machine
- ^Moffitt, Mike (September 6, 2019)."Fogheads react as KFOG goes off air for good".SFGATE.Archivedfrom the original on November 5, 2023.RetrievedNovember 5,2023.
- ^abcHinckley, David (August 19, 2014)."Don Pardo dead at 96: TV and radio favorite was 'Saturday Night Live' announcer for 4 decades".nydailynews.New York Daily News.Archivedfrom the original on August 14, 2019.RetrievedAugust 14,2019.
- ^Barnes, Mike (August 18, 2014)."Don Pardo, the Booming Voice of 'Saturday Night Live,' Dies at 96".hollywoodreporter.Archivedfrom the original on August 14, 2019.RetrievedAugust 14,2019.
- ^abMemmott, Carol."Don Pardo, longtime 'SNL' announcer, dies at 96".usatoday.USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on August 14, 2019.RetrievedAugust 14,2019.
- ^Eck, Kevin (August 20, 2014)."WNBC Remembers Former Announcer and Voice of SNL, Don Pardo".adweek.Adweek, LLC.Archivedfrom the original on August 14, 2019.RetrievedAugust 14,2019.
- ^Baysinger, Tom (August 19, 2014)."'SNL's Don Pardo Dies at 96 ".broadcastingandcable.Future Publishing Limited Quay House.Archivedfrom the original on August 14, 2019.RetrievedAugust 14,2019.
- ^"JFK Assassination Coverage".atvaudio.Collector's Choice Archival Television Audio.Archivedfrom the original on January 25, 2008.RetrievedJune 16,2014.
- ^Adalian, Joe (August 19, 2014)."Legendary Saturday Night Live Announcer Don Pardo Has Died".vulture.New York Media LLC.Archivedfrom the original on August 14, 2019.RetrievedAugust 14,2019.
- ^"Lyrics for Jeopardy by Greg Kihn Band".songfacts.Songfacts, LLC.Archivedfrom the original on October 25, 2021.RetrievedOctober 25,2021.
- ^"Don Pardo, iconic TV, radio announcer, dead at 96".CBS News.cbsnews. August 18, 2014.Archivedfrom the original on August 20, 2014.RetrievedAugust 20,2014.
- ^abSchneider, Michael (September 17, 2010)."'SNL' retirement for announcing legend Don Pardo? ".Variety.Archived fromthe originalon January 5, 2013.RetrievedMay 24,2011.
- ^Carter, Bill (September 18, 2014).Darrell Hammond to Replace Don Pardo as the Announcer for ‘Saturday Night Live’ArchivedSeptember 7, 2018, at theWayback Machine.The New York Times.Retrieved September 18, 2014.
- ^"Blog Archive" Live, From Rhode Island! ".NTS MediaOnline. May 15, 2009. Archived from the original on May 20, 2009.RetrievedNovember 3,2010.
- ^"Television Hall of Fame Honorees: Complete List".Archivedfrom the original on May 1, 2016.RetrievedMarch 10,2014.
- ^Barnes, Mike (August 18, 2014)."Don Pardo, the Booming Voice of 'Saturday Night Live,' Dies at 96".The Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on November 24, 2020.RetrievedAugust 19,2014.
External links
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