Vale: Don Pardo

Legendary US announcer Don Pardo, best known as the voice of Saturday Night Live, has died, aged 96.

Pardo served as SNL‘s announcer from its inception in 1975 until 2014, with the exception of the 1981-82 season.

He retired from NBC in 2004 but would often pre-record the SNL intros from his home in Arizona.

Traditionally, Pardo would announces the show’s title, then the cast members and musical guests in a voice-over during the opening montage.

Wikipedia notes he also worked as an announcer for The Price Is Right, Jackpot, Jeopardy!, Three on a Match, Winning Streak and NBC Nightly News.

A dedicated newsman he was also the first to tell NBC viewers that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas in 1963.

In 2010, he was inducted into the US Television Hall of Fame.

Source: Variety