WASHINGTON -- The legendary announcer Don Pardo died Monday, CBS News reports.

Pardo lent his legendary deep voice to everything from news to sports to game shows to, most famously, "Saturday Night Live" in a career that lasted nearly 60 years.

Even after his retirement, he continued to provide the voice-over for SNL. "Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon, an SNL alumnus, says "there was nothing like the moment when Don Pardo said your name."

Pardo's daughter confirmed his death to CBS. He was 96


Read more: http://www.wtop.com/541/3684467/Announcer-Don-Pardo-dies-at-96#ixzz3Ao4PWjge

Pardo was also the original announcer on the original The Price is Right with Bill Cullen on NBC from 1956 to 1963. The final two seasons, from 1963 to 1965, were on ABC.

Of all the darn luck. :(

:rip: Don

http://www.salon.com/2014/08/19/it_didnt_come_alive_until_you_heard_his_voice_lorne_michaels_on_the_epic_legacy_of_snl_announcer_don_pardo/

James Andrew Miller, author of "The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live,” recalls how Pardo (http://t.co/X4q9TeHVbO) didn’t think “Saturday Night Live” would last past its 1st season. He also notes that when a new producer took over “SNL” (http://www.salon.com/2014/08/19/remember_snl_announcer_don_pardo_by_watching_his_best_appearances/) for one year in the early ‘80s (https://twitter.com/wjcarter/status/501586207164600320), Pardo was let go in order to “blow up the show.” Miller also spoke to Lorne Michaels (https://twitter.com/wjcarter/status/501594349797666816), who recalls hiring Pardo from a list of staff announcers. “I said, ‘Don Pardo?!’,” Michaels said, adding: “I was so excited by the possibility because he connected us really to the history of television. It turned out to be a fantastic ride, I think, because he was our connection to the beginnings of NBC (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0Oec1Gm1ew).”
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#dUE3UF7P2tHqtkgP.99

It was Michael O'Donoghue (under executive producer Dick "Mr. Humor" Ebersol) who didn't want Don continuing as "SNL"'s announcer in the fall of 1981. Mel Brandt {"The following program is brought to you in 'Living Color'....on NBC."} was chosen to replace him that season. After O'Donoghue left, Pardo returned.

:tv: