Don Pardo says "It's Saturday Night Live" for the last time

[Brian Damage]

Announcer Don Pardo, 91, announced in his induction speech to the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame that last Saturday's show will be his last.

Pardo has been the voice of the show since it hit the airwaves in 1975, minus the 7th season in '81 and '82. He has also been an announcer in a number of game shows, movies, commercials and news shows, and holds the distinction of being the first person on television to announce the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

http://www.pbn.com/detail/41187.html

[robyrob]

he will be greatly missed, he was a constant on the show

[70s show watcher]

im going to miss him alot

[Brian Damage]

Legendary announcer Don Pardo may finally have his Saturday nights back.
It's believed that Pardo is looking at stepping down after 35 years as the voice of "Saturday Night Live."

Pardo, of course, first retired in 2004, but was convinced to come back. He also announced his retirement in 2009, only to return to announce the show's 2009-2010 season. Until next week's 35th season premiere of "Saturday Night Live," anything's possible.

But for now, many believe that Pardo, at age 92, is ready to call it a good night.

Pardo travels each week to New York from his Arizona home to announce the show. Should Pardo once again decide to return to "SNL," his other options include cutting the plane ride and instead doing voiceovers via a home studio (something he tried briefly in 2006).

Pardo has served as a good luck charm of sorts to "Saturday Night Live" exec producer Lorne Michaels. Pardo was there from the first show, and other than a brief period in the early 1980s (when Michaels had departed as well), he has been the show's announcer ever since.

Pardo became the first announcer to be inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame, an honor he received earlier this year. His credits also include shows from the early days of television, such as "The Jonathan Winters Show," on to game shows like the original versions of "The Price is Right" and "Jeopardy."

Pardo has also been seen occasionally on screen on "SNL" (participating in a famous 1976 Frank Zappa music performance, for example). Recently, he was seen in an episode of "30 Rock."

Pardo first joined NBC as an in-house announcer in 1944.




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[TV Knowledge Fan]

...during 1981 (when Dick "Mr. Humor" Ebersol- as Al Franken once referred to him on camera- became the show's producer), NBC staff anouncer Mel Brandt temporarily replaced Pardo [supposedly because Michael O'Donoghue didn't care for him, and insisted someone else handle the announcing chores]. Fortunately, Don returned (as O'Donoghue left), and has stayed with "SNL" ever since.

Perhaps it is time for Don to finally retire. He's already "done his time" as an NBC staff announcer for over 50 years, and commuting from Arizona and back each week, just for "SNL", might finally be "too much" for him. All I ask is that the one who permanently replaces him be someone of the same "stature" and durability- like Howard Reig or Jerry Damon {I know they're not around anymore, but I said, "someone of the same 'stature'"}.

[70s show watcher]

Originally Posted by TV Knowledge Fan

...during 1981 (when Dick "Mr. Humor" Ebersol- as Al Franken once referred to him on camera- became the show's producer), NBC staff anouncer Mel Brandt temporarily replaced Pardo [supposedly because Michael O'Donoghue didn't care for him, and insisted someone else handle the announcing chores]. Fortunately, Don returned (as O'Donoghue left), and has stayed with "SNL" ever since.

Perhaps it is time for Don to finally retire. He's already "done his time" as an NBC staff announcer for over 50 years, and commuting from Arizona and back each week, just for "SNL", might finally be "too much" for him. All I ask is that the one who permanently replaces him be someone of the same "stature" and durability- like Howard Reig or Jerry Damon {I know they're not around anymore, but I said, "someone of the same 'stature'"}.

its funny that you mentioned howard reig because i saw in interview with mr pardo and he made it quite clear that he could not stand mr reig. one bit and the he was the only announcer at nbc that he just did not care for in another bit of irony the very first short film that tom schiller made for snl in 1977 fetured a voiceover by none other than howard reig boy i bet don pardo just loved that film anyway as much as i hate to see mr pardo possably call it a saturday night i can tell you that when i lived in tucson a good friend of mine who is in his 50s used to fly out from tucson to new york city every now and then for business and he would come home just beat from the flying back and forth so i can understand the toll it must be taking on a man of 92

[catlover79]

He's 91??? Wow, I didn't know he was that up there. God bless him!!