Editing Don Pardo

{{short description|American announcer (1918–2014)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Don Pardo
| image         = SNL_Don_Pardo.jpg
| caption       = Pardo announcing ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' in 1992
| image_size    = 
| landscape     =
| birth_name    = Dominick George Pardo Jr.
| alias         = Dom Pardo
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1918|2|22|mf=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Westfield, Massachusetts]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2014|8|18|1918|2|22}}
| death_place   = [[Tucson, Arizona]], U.S.
| occupation    = Voice actor, announcer
| awards        = [[Television Hall of Fame]] {{nowrap|(member since 2010)}}
| known_for     = Announcer for {{nowrap|''[[Saturday Night Live]]''}}
| yearsactive   = 1938–2014
| alma_mater    = [[Emerson College]]
| spouse        = {{marriage|Catherine Lyons|1938|1995|end=d.}}
| children      = 5
| parents       =  
| website       = 
| signature     = DonPardo.png
}}

'''Dominick George''' "'''Don'''" '''Pardo Jr.''' (February 22, 1918 – August 18, 2014) was an American radio and television announcer whose career spanned more than seven decades.

A member of the [[Television Hall of Fame]], Pardo was noted for his 70-year tenure with [[NBC]], working as the announcer for early incarnations of such notable shows as ''[[The Price Is Right (1956 American game show)|The Price Is Right]]'', ''[[Jackpot (game show)|Jackpot]]'', ''[[Jeopardy!]]'', ''[[Three on a Match (game show)|Three on a Match]]'', ''[[Winning Streak (American game show)|Winning Streak]]'' and ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''. His longest, and best-known, announcing job was for NBC's ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', a job he held for 38 seasons, from the show's debut in 1975 until the end of the 6th season in 1981 and again from the season 8 premiere in 1982 until his death in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://oudaily.com/news/2012/sep/15/live-new-york-its-saturday-night/ |title='Saturday Night Live' returns with three new members in its 39th season |publisher=OUDaily.com |date=2012-09-15 |access-date=2013-05-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728142444/http://oudaily.com/news/2012/sep/15/live-new-york-its-saturday-night/ |archive-date=2013-07-28 }}</ref>

==Early and personal life==
Pardo was born in [[Westfield, Massachusetts]], to Dominick George Pardo Sr. and Valeria "Viola" Rominak-Pardo, who were [[Poland|Polish]] immigrants who owned a bakery.<ref name="nyt1">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/19/nyregion/don-pardo-the-voice-of-saturday-night-live-dies-at-96.html?_r=0 |title=Don Pardo, the Voice of 'Saturday Night Live,' Dies at 96 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 19, 2014 |first1=Neil |last1=Genzlinger |first2=Bill |last2=Carter |access-date=August 19, 2014 |archive-date=December 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211130841/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/19/nyregion/don-pardo-the-voice-of-saturday-night-live-dies-at-96.html?_r=0 |url-status=live }}</ref> He spent his childhood in [[Norwich, Connecticut]], and [[Providence, Rhode Island]], and graduated from [[Emerson College]] in 1942.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/don-pardo-iconic-tv-announcer-dies-96-25031570|title=Don Pardo, Iconic TV Announcer, Dies at 96|work=ABC News|date=August 19, 2014|first=Frazier|last=Moore|access-date=August 19, 2014|archive-date=August 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819125609/http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/don-pardo-iconic-tv-announcer-dies-96-25031570|url-status=live}}</ref> Pardo was married to Catherine Lyons from 1938 until her death in 1995 and had five children: Donna, Karen, Paula, David and Michael.<ref name="nyt1"/>

==Career==
===Radio===
Pardo was hired for his first radio position at NBC affiliate [[WHJJ|WJAR]] in Providence in 1938.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Levs |first1=Josh|last2=Leopold |first2= Todd |title=Don Pardo, voice of 'Saturday Night Live,' dead at 96|url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/19/showbiz/don-pardo-dead|access-date=August 19, 2014|publisher=CNN.com|date=August 19, 2014}}</ref>

He joined NBC full-time as an in-house announcer in 1944, remaining on the network staff for 60 years. The radio programs on which he worked as an announcer include ''[[Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator]]'',<ref>{{cite web |date= April 24, 2014 |url= http://radiogoldindex.com/cgi-local/p2.cgi?ProgramName=Barrie+Craig,+Confidential+Investigator |title= Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator |first= J. David |last= Goldin |publisher= RadioGoldIndex.com |access-date= 2014-06-16 |archive-date= May 31, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130531050403/http://radiogoldindex.com/cgi-local/p2.cgi?ProgramName=Barrie+Craig,+Confidential+Investigator |url-status= dead }}</ref> the sci-fi shows ''[[X Minus One]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radiohorrorhosts.com/xminus1.html |title=Radio history of X Minus 1 (x-1) and Fred Collins |publisher=RadioHorrorHosts.com |access-date=2014-06-16 |archive-date=May 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505130927/http://www.radiohorrorhosts.com/xminus1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and ''[[Dimension X (radio program)|Dimension X]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitaldeliftp.com/DigitalDeliToo/dd2jb-X-Minus-One.html |title=The Definitive X Minus One Radio Log with Ernest Kinoy |publisher=DigitalDeliftp.com |access-date=2014-06-16 |archive-date=2015-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923214848/http://www.digitaldeliftp.com/DigitalDeliToo/dd2jb-X-Minus-One.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

During [[World War II]], Pardo worked as a war reporter for [[NBC Red Network|NBC Radio]].<ref>{{Cite web| url= http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/don-pardo-live-from-new-york-still/| publisher= The New York Times {{subscription required}}| date= February 25, 2010| title= Don Pardo Live From New York Still| work= ArtsBeat (blog)| access-date= April 15, 2012| archive-date= March 6, 2012| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120306003037/http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/don-pardo-live-from-new-york-still/| url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://movies.nytimes.com/person/54991/Don-Pardo/biography |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130123130858/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/54991/Don-Pardo/biography |url-status= dead |archive-date= January 23, 2013 |title= Don Pardo |department= Movies & TV Dept. |work= [[The New York Times]] |date= 2013 |access-date=2014-06-16}}</ref>

For most of 30 years, Pardo's recorded voice was one of the announcer introduction inserts for "Ten at Ten", the [[KNBR-FM|KFOG]] [[San Francisco]] radio show appearing at 10 a.m., and in syndication with Dave Morey on KFOG HD Radio, although a few years featured [[Monty Hall]] and [[Larry "Bud" Melman]].<ref>*{{cite web |title=Ten at Ten |url=https://www.kfogforever.com/programs/ten-at-ten |website=kfogforever.com {{!}} KFOG Forever |access-date=5 November 2023 |archive-date=November 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105165016/https://www.kfogforever.com/programs/ten-at-ten |url-status=live }}
*https://www.kfogforever.com/audio/10-at-10-with-don-pardo {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105165016/https://www.kfogforever.com/audio/10-at-10-with-don-pardo |date=November 5, 2023 }}
*https://archive.org/details/dave-morey-kfog-104.5-fm-10-at-10-sf-1986
*https://archive.org/details/fmradioarchive?query=dave+morey+10+at+10
*https://archive.org/details/kfogfmsanfranciscomemorial19822019
*https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2008/12/11/fogheads-in-mourning-as-dave-morey-checks-out/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105165017/https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2008/12/11/fogheads-in-mourning-as-dave-morey-checks-out/ |date=November 5, 2023 }}
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1eag6lJYwc {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105165017/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1eag6lJYwc |date=November 5, 2023 }}</ref><ref name="sfgate/14419139">{{cite news |last1=Moffitt |first1=Mike |title=Fogheads react as KFOG goes off air for good |url=https://www.sfgate.com/music/article/KFOG-Fogheads-react-final-day-rock-alternative-14419139.php |access-date=5 November 2023 |work=SFGATE |date=6 September 2019 |language=en |archive-date=November 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105165016/https://www.sfgate.com/music/article/KFOG-Fogheads-react-final-day-rock-alternative-14419139.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Television===
In the early 1950s, he served as announcer for many of RCA's and NBC's closed-circuit color television demonstrations.<ref name="New York Daily News">{{cite web |last1=Hinckley |first1=David |title=Don Pardo dead at 96: TV and radio favorite was 'Saturday Night Live' announcer for 4 decades |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/don-pardo-dead-96-tv-announcer-spent-4-decades-snl-article-1.1908341 |website=nydailynews.com |date=19 August 2014 |publisher=New York Daily News |access-date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814031826/https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/don-pardo-dead-96-tv-announcer-spent-4-decades-snl-article-1.1908341 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Pardo made his mark on game shows for NBC in 1952 as the announcer on ''[[Winner Take All (game show)|Winner Take All]]'', and as the voice of the original ''[[The Price Is Right (1956 American game show)|The Price Is Right]]'' from 1956 until it moved to [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] in 1963. Pardo's next show was ''[[Jeopardy!]]'', which he announced from 1964 until the original version of the series ended in 1975.<ref name="New York Daily News"/> Pardo also announced New York-based NBC game shows such as ''[[Three on a Match (game show)|Three on a Match]]'', ''[[Winning Streak (American game show)|Winning Streak]]'', and ''[[Jackpot (game show)|Jackpot!]]'', all three of which were [[Bob Stewart (television producer)|Bob Stewart]] productions.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barnes |first1=Mike |title=Don Pardo, the Booming Voice of 'Saturday Night Live,' Dies at 96 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/don-pardo-dead-booming-voice-720129 |website=hollywoodreporter.com |date=18 August 2014 |access-date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814043141/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/don-pardo-dead-booming-voice-720129 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Pardo squeezed in many other assignments at NBC, including the [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]] (until 1999),<ref name="USA Today">{{cite web |last1=Memmott |first1=Carol |title=Don Pardo, longtime 'SNL' announcer, dies at 96 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2014/08/19/don-pardo-dies/14271641/ |website=usatoday.com |publisher=USA Today |access-date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814031447/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2014/08/19/don-pardo-dies/14271641/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[WNBC|WNBC-TV]]'s ''[[Live at Five (WNBC)|Live at Five]]''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Eck |first1=Kevin |title=WNBC Remembers Former Announcer and Voice of SNL, Don Pardo |url=https://www.adweek.com/tvspy/wnbc-remembers-former-announcer-and-voice-of-snl-don-pardo/128249/ |website=adweek.com |date=20 August 2014 |publisher=Adweek, LLC |access-date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814032734/https://www.adweek.com/tvspy/wnbc-remembers-former-announcer-and-voice-of-snl-don-pardo/128249/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and ''[[NBC Nightly News]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baysinger |first1=Tom |title='SNL's Don Pardo Dies at 96 |url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/snls-don-pardo-dies-96-133274 |website=broadcastingandcable.com |date=19 August 2014 |publisher=Future Publishing Limited Quay House |access-date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814032936/https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/snls-don-pardo-dies-96-133274 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Pardo was the on-duty live booth announcer for WNBC-TV in New York and the NBC network on November 22, 1963, and he was the first to announce to NBC viewers that President [[John F. Kennedy]] [[Assassination of John F. Kennedy|had been shot]] in Dallas, Texas.<ref>{{Cite web | url= http://www.atvaudio.com/jfk.php | title= JFK Assassination Coverage | work= atvaudio.com | publisher= Collector's Choice Archival Television Audio | access-date= 2014-06-16 | archive-date= January 25, 2008 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080125225403/http://www.atvaudio.com/jfk.php | url-status= live }}</ref>

His best-known announcing work was for the television series ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. His was the fourth voice heard on the show's premiere episode in 1975, after the first cold open sketch featuring [[Michael O'Donoghue]], [[John Belushi]] and [[Chevy Chase]]. Pardo remained the program's announcer except for one season ([[Saturday Night Live season 7|1981–1982]]), when it was announced by [[Mel Brandt]] or [[Bill Hanrahan]]. After "[[Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!]]", which is cried out at the end of the [[cold open]], Pardo announces the show's title, then names the cast members and musical guests in a voice-over during the opening montage. According to Pardo, his ''Saturday Night Live'' announcing booth during his tenure at [[NBC Studios (New York City)|Studio 8-H]] was almost exactly where [[Arturo Toscanini]] stood when conducting the [[NBC Symphony Orchestra]] in [[Rockefeller Center]]<ref name="New York Daily News"/> from 1937 to 1950.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}

In December 1976, Pardo participated in a musical performance by [[Frank Zappa]], reciting a verse of the song "[[I'm the Slime]]". Pardo reprised this role on the live-recorded version of the song for the ''[[Zappa in New York]]'' album<ref name="USA Today"/> (it was not featured on the first release in 1978, but it appears on the 1993 CD re-release). He also provided narration for the songs "The Illinois Enema Bandit" and "Punky's Whips". A business dispute between Zappa and his record company of the time led to "Punky's Whips" being removed from the 1978 album, but the song was reinstated on the 1993 CD.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}

Pardo appeared in the [["Weird Al" Yankovic]] song "[[I Lost on Jeopardy]]",<ref>{{cite web |last1=Adalian |first1=Joe |title=Legendary Saturday Night Live Announcer Don Pardo Has Died |url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/08/legendary-snl-announcer-don-pardo-has-died.html |website=vulture.com |date=19 August 2014 |publisher=New York Media LLC |access-date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814033458/https://www.vulture.com/2014/08/legendary-snl-announcer-don-pardo-has-died.html |url-status=live }}</ref> from his second album, ''[["Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D]]'', a parody of "[[Jeopardy (song)|Jeopardy]]" by [[The Greg Kihn Band]], and its refrain "Our love's in jeopardy."<ref>{{cite web |title=Lyrics for Jeopardy by Greg Kihn Band |url=https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/greg-kihn-band/jeopardy |website=songfacts.com |publisher=Songfacts, LLC. |access-date=25 October 2021 |archive-date=October 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025160614/https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/greg-kihn-band/jeopardy |url-status=live }}</ref> The song became the fourth music video released by Yankovic, and featured a number of cameo appearances including [[Greg Kihn|Kihn]], original ''Jeopardy!'' host [[Art Fleming]], Yankovic's mentor [[Dr. Demento]], Pardo, and Yankovic's parents. 

In 2009, he appeared in an episode of ''[[30 Rock]]'' ("[[Cutbacks (30 Rock)|Cutbacks]]") as Sid, TGS's announcer.

==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>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
*{{IMDb name|0661094}}
*{{EmmyTVLegends name|don-pardo}}
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110724041012/http://www2.turnto10.com/entertainment/2009/may/14/wjars_pardo_mendes_inducted_into_hall_of_fame-ar-45816/ Video interview]}} on [[WJAR]]
*{{Find a Grave|134557350}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-media}}
{{succession box|before=[[Mel Brandt]]|title= ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' announcer|years=1982–2014|after=[[Darrell Hammond]]}}
{{succession box|before=None|title=''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' announcer|years=1975–1981|after=[[Mel Brandt]]}}
{{Succession box|before=None|title=''[[Jeopardy!]]'' announcer|years=1964–1975|after=[[John Harlan (announcer)|John Harlan]]}}
{{succession box|before=None|title=''[[The Price Is Right (1956 U.S. game show)|The Price Is Right (1956)]]'' announcer|years=November 26, 1956&nbsp;– September 6, 1963|after=[[Johnny Gilbert]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{2010 Television Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pardo, Don}}
[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:Game show announcers]]
[[Category:NBCUniversal people]]
[[Category:NBC network announcers]]
[[Category:People from Westfield, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Radio and television announcers]]
[[Category:American radio personalities]]
[[Category:American male voice actors]]
[[Category:American people of Polish descent]]
[[Category:Emerson College alumni]]
[[Category:People from Norwich, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Male actors from Providence, Rhode Island]]