Don Pardo
Announcer
About This Interview
In his three-and-one-half hour Archive interview, Don Pardo talks about joining NBC in 1944. He defines his duties as a staff announcer and lists several of the radio and early television series on which he worked. He describes his trademark announcing style and speaks of his long association with several game shows, including the original The Price Is Right, Choose Up Sides (where he appeared on-camera as "Mr. Mischief"), and the original Jeopardy! (which launched the pop culture catchphrase: "Don Pardo, tell her what she's won!"). Lastly, Pardo details the series with which he is most closely associated, Saturday Night Live. He then recalls leaving his post as staff announcer at NBC, having held the position for a record 60 years and 6 months. David Schwartz conducted the interview on August 18, 2006 in Tuscon, AZ.
Related To This Video
Featured Content
Don Pardo has been inducted into the 19th Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame.
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Highlights
Don Pardo on the catch-phrase "Thank you, Don Pardo", first mentioned on Jeopardy! by Art Fleming
Clip begins at: 15:55, Duration: 01m 44s
Don Pardo on working with Fred Allen on The Price is Right and how he got the job announcing on that show
Clip begins at: 07:36, Duration: 03m 11s
Don Pardo on a skit where he plays "Ron Lardo" and recites his famous line "It's Saturday Night Live"
Clip begins at: 05:14, Duration: 01m 43s
Don Pardo on his announcing style and keeping his voice in shape
Clip begins at: 14:35, Duration: 02m 54s- Don Pardo on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and having to read the announcement of his death
Clip begins at: 05:22, Duration: 03m 22s
Interview
- Part 1
- On his family, growing up in Massachusetts
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On high school and college memories
Clip begins at: 05:10 - On meeting resistance from his father in choosing a vocation: he wanted to be a dentist
Clip begins at: 05:49 - On how deciding he wanted to pursue a career in acting
Clip begins at: 09:28 - On how he got into radio, working at WJAR in Providence, R.I.; on getting hired as a radio announcer
Clip begins at: 12:25 - On how his wife convinced him to take his first job in announcing for radio at WJAR; his job duties as an announcer
Clip begins at: 17:22 - On his first trip to New York and meeting other announcers: Hal Sims, Mark Goodson
Clip begins at: 19:47 - On becoming a "hitchhike" announcer for commercial radio, along with Mark Goodson as the main announcer
Clip begins at: 21:11 - On first working for NBC radio in New York; meeting Patrick J. Kelly
Clip begins at: 23:01 - On hearing Frank Gallup and Charles Stark announce when he visited NBC and approaching Patrick Kelly about a job there
Clip begins at: 26:01 - Part 2
- On meeting Patrick Kelly at NBC
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On getting a job offer from NBC to become an announcer
Clip begins at: 04:40 - On the announcer's role to the story on radio
Clip begins at: 07:37 - On delivering a news announcement and having to double as an engineer
Clip begins at: 11:20 - On first working in early television; on the process of broadcasting early television
Clip begins at: 13:12 - On announcing a baseball game in 1946 on television; on not being interested in working in early television
Clip begins at: 19:37 - On working on children's television: Animal Fair
Clip begins at: 24:40 - Part 3
- On meeting and working with with Bill Cullen; on working on Follow Your Heart, an early soap opera on NBC
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On working with Fred Allen and regretting not having taken a photograph with any of the Hollywood stars
Clip begins at: 03:19 - On working with Fred Allen on The Price is Right and how he got the job announcing on that show
Clip begins at: 07:36 - On the children's show Choose Up Sides (does voice); on "continuous performance" (speaking over a B movie); on how he preferred radio over television
Clip begins at: 10:47 - On The Price is Right; on a typical day and his duties as announcer; on appearing on-camera while filling in for Bill Cullen; on blowing the surprise of a contestant winning a trip to "Rooooooome" on an early Price is Right episode
Clip begins at: 14:26 - On rehearsing for The Price is Right; on doing a lot of readings
Clip begins at: 23:25 - On Sid Caesar and working on Caesar's Hour, Your Show of Shows; on the Jonathan Winters Show and meeting Carol Burnett
Clip begins at: 25:39 - Part 4
- On a sample announcement: Use Shorter Words!
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On Stanley; on working with Buddy Hackett, Carol Burnett, Paul Lynde, and Max Liebman
Clip begins at: 01:39 - On the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and having to read the announcement of his death on-air
Clip begins at: 05:22 - On his decision not to follow The Price is Right to ABC; on becoming the announcer on Saturday Night Live
Clip begins at: 08:44 - On Jeopardy! and working with Art Fleming; on how the catchphrase "Thank you, Don Pardo" developed on that show
Clip begins at: 14:44 - On how Senator John McCain appeared on Saturday Night Live , and told him he had actually met him as a contestant on Jeopardy! when Pardo was the announcer
Clip begins at: 17:55 - On working with Bill Cullen on Jeopardy!
Clip begins at: 19:39 - On his various jobs at NBC radio and TV remotes: Peppy's Young Family, Magnificent Montague, and Monitor
Clip begins at: 21:19 - On becoming the announcer on Saturday Night Live; on meeting Lorne Michaels
Clip begins at: 26:57 - Part 5
- On the beginning of Saturday Night Live and how the announcer gig was described to him; on flubbing the opening for the very first show- misstating the Not Ready for Prime Time players
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On Lorne Michaels; on appearing on-camera occasionally on SNL; on a skit where he plays "Ron Lardo" and recites his famous line "It's Saturday Night Live"; on the initial reaction to SNL; on what rehearsals were like
Clip begins at: 04:48 - On working at Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center for SNL
Clip begins at: 10:40 - On his SNL recollections; on Tina Fey, and Dick Ebersol; on Lorne Michaels leaving the show and his replacement, Jean Doumanian
Clip begins at: 17:29 - Part 6
- On working with Frank Zappa; on a music video with Weird Al
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On his work in commercials; on his announcing style; on his then-current projects
Clip begins at: 06:41 - Part 7
- On special moments from his career; on getting recognized; on how microphones have changed over the years
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On advice to aspiring announcers; on how he'd like to be remembered
Clip begins at: 11:20 - Part 8
- On advice to aspiring announcers
Clip begins at: 0:0
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So often, these video transfers are sub-par. The sound track is out of sync. The sound quality is poor (at times unintelligible). The video itself is fairly faded-looking, too. Too much volunteer, unpaid labor.
Great to see Don. I miss his work on Live at Five, on WNBC. His discourse, of course, is great.
Its always great when we can put a face to one of the greatest voices in history!!!
Being 90+ isn't an excuse to be irritable and disrespectful. What an arse
This is the first time I've ever seen Don Pardo -- also didn't know his real name is DOM -- as in Dominick! Who knew? :-) Thank you SO MUCH for taping this!
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