Editing Don Pardo (section)

==Last years==
Pardo nominally retired from NBC in 2004. However, he continued to announce for ''Saturday Night Live'' at the behest of executive producer [[Lorne Michaels]], initially under the assumption that a permanent replacement would be found quickly.<ref name="cbs news">{{cite web|title=Don Pardo, iconic TV, radio announcer, dead at 96|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/don-pardo-iconic-tv-radio-announcer-dead-at-96|work=CBS News|publisher=cbsnews.com|date=August 18, 2014|access-date=August 20, 2014|archive-date=August 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820033146/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/don-pardo-iconic-tv-radio-announcer-dead-at-96/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, he began pre-recording 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.<ref name="variety">{{cite web|title='SNL' retirement for announcing legend Don Pardo?|url=http://weblogs.variety.com/on_the_air/2010/09/legendary-announcer-don-pardo-may-finally-have-his-saturday-nights-back-its-believed-that-pardo-is-looking-at-stepping-d.html|work=Variety|date=September 17, 2010|first=Michael|last=Schneider|access-date=2011-05-24|archive-date=2013-01-05|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105040238/http://weblogs.variety.com/on_the_air/2010/09/legendary-announcer-don-pardo-may-finally-have-his-saturday-nights-back-its-believed-that-pardo-is-looking-at-stepping-d.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> On Saturday, February 23, 2008, Pardo appeared at the closing of ''Saturday Night Live'' to blow out the candles on his 90th birthday cake. During this period, Pardo missed about five episodes due to illness; cast member [[Darrell Hammond]] (who would succeed Pardo after his death) filled in for him but was uncredited.<ref>Carter, Bill (September 18, 2014). [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/business/media/darrell-hammond-to-replace-don-pardo-as-the-announcer-for-saturday-night-live.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&bicmp=AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1409232722000&bicmet=1419773522000&abt=0002&abg=0&_r=0 Darrell Hammond to Replace Don Pardo as the Announcer for ‘Saturday Night Live’] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907032239/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/business/media/darrell-hammond-to-replace-don-pardo-as-the-announcer-for-saturday-night-live.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&bicmp=AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1409232722000&bicmet=1419773522000&abt=0002&abg=0&_r=0 |date=September 7, 2018 }}. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved September 18, 2014.</ref>

Upon his induction into the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame on May 14, 2009, Pardo suggested that the May 16, 2009, episode of ''Saturday Night Live'' would be his last.<ref name="blog">{{cite web|url=http://www.ntsmediaonline.com/?p=5703|title=Blog Archive " Live, From Rhode Island!|publisher=NTS MediaOnline|date=2009-05-15|access-date=2010-11-03|archive-date=May 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520011604/http://www.ntsmediaonline.com/?p=5703|url-status=usurped}}</ref> 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.<ref name="variety"/>

In 2010, Pardo was inducted into the [[Television Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/hall-of-fame-honorees|title=Television Hall of Fame Honorees: Complete List|access-date=March 10, 2014|archive-date=May 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501211810/http://www.emmys.com/awards/hall-of-fame-honorees|url-status=live}}</ref>

Pardo died in his sleep on August 18, 2014, in [[Tucson, Arizona]], at the age of 96.<ref name="nyt1" /><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Barnes |first=Mike |date=August 18, 2014 |title=Don Pardo, the Booming Voice of 'Saturday Night Live,' Dies at 96 |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/don-pardo-dead-booming-voice-720129 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=August 19, 2014 |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124183919/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/don-pardo-dead-booming-voice-720129 |url-status=live }}</ref>