Please Join Me In…Remembering Don Pardo
On August 19, 2014
- TV History
Please Join Me In…Remembering Don Pardo
Instead of me posting a lot of clips and history, I would like to invite you to contribute your stories, photos and videos here in the comments section. Let’s make this a celebration of a life well lived!
I’ll start with a brief note on one this photo, one of Don’s first NBC publicity pictures. It was taken in 1944, the year Pardo joined NBC as radio staff announcer. WEAF was not only NBC’s flagship radio station, but the first in New York City, signing on March 2, 1922. In 1946, the call letters were changed to WNBC, then to WRCA in 1954, and back to WNBC in 1960. Thanks to John Schipp for the photo. – Bobby Ellerbee
The first time I ever heard Pardo on TV was when I was a child……he was announcing “Wheel of Fortune” in about 87-88 or so, when they were doing a week of nighttime shows from Radio City Music Hall. But SNL was always where he was at his best. I loved “Don Pardo: The First 50 Years” from SNL Season 2….the first time the show really included him in a sketch. And of course, you have Jeopardy 1999. NBC really has some big shoes to fill.
Brian Williams ended Nightly News from 8-H on Tuesday evening
http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/brian-williams-remembers-nbc-colleague-voice-snl-don-pardo-n184371
I clearly remember seeing him in 1961 at the NBC Colonial Theater warming up the audience for the nighttime “The Price is Right” with Bill Cullen. He was standing on a stepladder so that the people in the balcony could also see him. That big voice is unforgettable. I also vaguely recall that he had reddish hair before the gray set in. Rest in peace, Don.
This was my only encounter with Mr Pardo; unfortunately, I did not speak with him at that moment. I missed my chance . . . :
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dennisdegan/515373763/
I think I can honestly say my one “brush with greatness” was in meeting Don Pardo in 2007. I had him alone for 15 minutes in the lobby of the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn at Studio City during the Game Show Congress that year; he told me stories of “The Price is Right,” of “SNL,” and his lifetime contract with NBC. Then other people joined in, and within half an hour the lobby was filled and he held court for more than three hours, telling stories. And it all started with him asking me where the elevator was!
“This has been ‘Live at Five’, a presentation of WNBC-TV New York. I’m Don Pardo.”
Really was a great touch on Saturday Night Live!
Great speaking voice
Often imitated, yet one of a kind. He will be missed.
I was in the audience for the final episode of the original run of Jeopardy. I still want to be Don Pardo when I grow up.
The guy was a superlative in this business. Staying with the slight technology bent of this page, he got hired when image orthicon cameras were still in the experimental/prototype stages [and NBC was still mostly a radio network!], and stuck around well into high definition’s phase of maturity. I doubt anyone else in TV can boast that distinction, and if anyone does, then I bet they’d be hard to find!
A master of his craft…RIP
His Masters Voice. As a 10 year old, saw him announcing the old version of The Price Is Right in August 1962. He did a great warm up before they rolled tape.
The most recognizable voice of the television generation!
I personally got to see Don Pardo in person on stage at the tapings of “Jeopardy!” and “Jackpot!” during the 1970’s at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios in New York City. He had indeed a truly majestic delivery that was just so amazing to watch inside the studio and hear later back at home.
Don was a friendly, kind man who also enthusatic and eager to answer any questions from the studio audience during the breaks. Rest in peace, Don, for the remainder of your eternity to a better place in spirit. You will be dearly missed.
Rest In Peace Don Pardo, you set the standard for all of us who use a microphone…
Don Pardo made a cameo and did voiceover on this Weird Al Yankovic video from 1984.
http://youtu.be/BvUZijEuNDQ
The first time I met him was at a bus stop outside of 30 Rock. Yes, a bus stop! This was many years ago… but he was already a huge star… no limo, no car service… he took the bus! He was just a “regular guy”!
RIP Don!
Loved him on “Jeopardy!”
A very nice guy, met and worked with him years ago…
A Legend! Someone I sincerely looked up to as a kid wanting to be in this business. What a voice!
A legendary voice.
Handsome, and a voice to match!
A legend. RIP Pardo.