NBC Nightly News: Don Pardo Dies

Standing on the SNL stage, Brian Williams takes a look back at the career of legendary announcer, Don Pardo, whose spent seven decades at NBC. Pardo died on August 18, 2014 at the age of 96.
(Aired on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams on 08/19/14)

[@MattLeger]

Nine years after his death, Don Pardo's absence from the airwaves is still keenly felt. Nobody in announcing-not his successors on SNL, not elsewhere on the network or anywhere else in TV or radio-has even come close to equaling his talent, his voice or his seven-decade legacy. Just as Don Robertson was "the Voice of CBS" and Ernie Anderson "the Voice of ABC," Don _was_ NBC. He and Bob Hope were the only two people ever given a lifetime contract by the network. I was as surprised as anybody when the show premiered as "NBC's Saturday Night" in 1975 and "that guy from JEOPARDY!" appeared as its announcer, but in time he became an irreplaceable part of the show's mystique. Maybe Lorne Michaels needed that "old-school" voice to emphasize the surreal, renegade comedy of SNL by contrast. Whatever the rationale, it just plain worked for nearly four decades. Rest well, sir, and thank you.

[@ChrisWolff2013]

I remember watching Don Pardo blow out his candles for his 90 birthday, and everyone around him going nuts over it. That is a Don Pardo moment I will never forget. R.I.P. Good sir. You will never be forgotten.

[@kentclark6420]

Don Pardo, Alex Trebek, and Regis Philbin, such cool and gracious personalities from the classic era of TV, now gone. RIP!

[@teeeeeveeeee314]

Guys, you totally forgot all the years he was the announcer for that great game show Jeopardy!

[@thegamesthatrate8233]

Absolutely right. I was stunned by that omission; glad someone else notice it. "Jeopardy presents today's three contestants...and now, here is the star of our show, Art Fleming!" (followed by the real Jeopardy! theme and not the elongation of the Final Jeopardy theme that has been used in the Trebek era).

[@Delivery_Boy_Roy]

Ye glad to see someone noted it :3

[@tyrese3745]

Wow. I didn't realize the voice of NBC had died nearly three months ago. I'm so heartbroken. No can ever fill Don's shoes. RIP Don Pardo. You will be sorely missed.

[@RealTime88]

Don, you were one of the best. Saturday night is so different now without you. I hope God loves your voice like we all did.

[@wrennewman6868]

His voice I'll always remember from the Saturday nights I watched SNL until mom yelled at me to go to bed. When Don Pardo announced you, you had made it. Thank you Don Pardo! RIP. 🎤 ♥

[@cosmicleo3671]

RIP Don Pardo "Saturday night is incomplete without you." You will be missed. You and everyone else in heaven.

[@nathanaelkepler5493]

I remember always hearing his voice, watched it with my grandma many times, I'm 36 so obviously he has many moments before my time. Rip Sir the voice of SNL will never be the same.

[@hoss73ford]

One of the last surviving of the old time game show sidekicks. Even when they changed, he kept working. A legend to the end.

[@StukInBuf]

From WNBC, this is *NEWS 4 LIVE AT FIVE*, with Jack Cafferty, Sue Simmons, Al Roker's Weather, and Len Berman with Sport Shorts.

[@johnpearson3375]

Thank you so much for your Service. Your accomplishments are above and beyond. R I P Sir

[@DucNguyen0131]

For these, Don Pardo didn't announce NBC voiceover promos during credits before split-screen credits on NBC arrive in 1994.

[@pbatommy]

The announcer on the original version of Jeopardy!

[@DRIVEIN101]

Can't believe there was no mention of "Jeopardy!"

[@hoss73ford]

Yeah really. Or any mention he appeared on Weird Al Yankovic's record "I Lost on Jeopardy".

[@markrocovich2234]

From The Price is Right to Jeopardy and the JFK tragedy in Dallas and beyond, Don Pardo's narratives have enhanced my life...R.I.P. you are a legend for the ages...

[@zacheryalderton4552]

Thanks for the memories Don pardo

[@bassmatt4792]

mmmmmmmmmmmusical guuuuest....

[@kayandaeddings4803]

Speaking of musical, he was also an announcer for our radio station here in California called K fog. He did K fogs 10 at 10 with Dave Maury. He did that until Dave Moaury retired off the air back in 2013 or 2012.

[@alexcarlin2581]

I miss him:(

[@garyeisenberg745]

How the report by Williams failed to mention specifically that he was the announcer on Jeopardy! in its original run and that was what got him the SNL job is beyond me.

[@josephrapoza6453]

He was the best. 96 He rang the bell..

[@collegeman1988]

And when Don Pardo announced Chevy Chase’s name, he called him Chevrolet Chase.

[@kayandaeddings4803]

Good God!. These people are dropping like flies. I'm just learning that Don Pardo passed away two years back. Now he is up there with all of the other announcers like Johnny Olsen, Rod Roddy, Charlie O'Donnell, and, I can't forget about gene wood it seems like all the good people die so young. He lived a really good life at age 96. You can't beat that. You will be truly, truly missed. Now it seems like the only oldest to Don Pardo that still living now is Johnny Gilbert who is 91 years of age.

[@nybigboy57]

His voice always scared the sh** out of me, even when WNBC back in the day had Editorial, Editorial Reply and Your Opinion. He could've played the role of God. Wish I could have done a movie with him. He will be missed. RIP Don Pardo.

[@kayandaeddings4803]

Why did his voice scare you?

[@nybigboy57]

+Kayanda Eddings Voice was creepy, but he was well-loved.

[@williamgallucci9913]

His voice was perfect on who his resting place is in my town of spark I'll NY rip sir

[@colettenasielski7128]

Goodbye Don Going to miss you

[@gordonsnell6735]

😮😮 Wow 😮😮

[@TheDizzleHawke]

I remember him from Let’s Make A Deal with Monte Hall.

[@totalmitchart]

On the eve of the ‪#‎SNL40‬ premiere, my tribute to the legendary voice of Saturday Night Live. CLICK HERE>> NOT PARDO: A Tribute to Don Pardo, the Voice of SNL

[@brandoninglin7566]

2:25-2:33 ❤🎉

[@Ladyme218]

Don Pardo Dead Don Pardo Deaf Don Pardo Died NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[@Musicradio77Network]

He was best known for his appearance in the song "I Lost On Jeopardy" by Weird Al Yankovic. "You're a complete loser!"

[@williamhickey3903]

do you remember that Don pardo

[@Lafayette320]

"Thank you friends, thank you Don Pardo. Now, let's play Jeopardy!"

[@tyrese3745]

Only question is... who is DP's replacement?

[@catholicpriest1]

Darrell Hammond

[@RealTime88]

An excellent choice!!!

[@darkjudge8786]

The fact this guy was kept well beyond retirement age, regardless of his achievements is exactly why SNL should have been cancelled decades ago. Nostalgia is not comedy