Final SNL Rarity…The 8H Announce Booth
Final SNL Rarity…The 8H Announce Booth
HAPPY 40TH ANNIVERSARY SNL!
If you are standing on the SNL homebase stage, the announce booth would be on your right, up under the bleechers. Although the interior of the booth has changed over the years, the main occupant didn’t until last month when we lost Don Pardo. This is where Daryl Hammond will be later tonight when he announces the show.
Actually, Don had not been in this booth for several years as he recorded his parts from his home in Arizona. He was there from the start but missed Season 7 after Dick Ebersol took over for a season and Lorne Michaels had stepped away from the show temporarily. Below in the Comment section, I’ll add another photo of Mr. Pardo in this booth from the 1976 season. Thanks to Dennis Degan for the photo. Enjoy and share!
-Bobby Ellerbee
Though Darryl Hammond is a favorite of mine from SNL, he doesn’t emphasize like Pardo did. I was hoping he’d do more Pardo and less Hammond. His announcing is pretty flat to me.
Actually Bobby, if you’re standing on the SNL Homebase set and looking out towards the audience, the booth is under the bleachers at the right, near the corner of the studio. The window shown here views out to the hallway that leads from the studio towards the control room to the right. This is the southeast corner of the studio.
As I recall, Bill Hanrahan and Mel Brandt served as announcers 1981-82, the year after Jean Doumanian was the EP of SNL.
R.I.P Don Pardo(February 22,1918-August 18,2014) “It’s Saturday Night Live!!!:)
Here’s Don Pardo in this booth in 1976.