Don Pardo

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Birthday: Feb 22, 1918

Birthplace: Westfield, Massachusetts, USA

Beloved as the baritone voice of "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ), Don Pardo read the cast roll at the start of that late night comedy juggernaut for several decades, right from its inception in 1975. Aside from the 1981-82 season when the show was in a state of creative flux and hired a new announcer, Pardo rarely missed an episode and became almost as identified with the program as any of the comedic superstars it spawned. In his early days, he had worked for a time as a radio actor and was offered his first announcing job. His considerable aptitude soon earned him employment with NBC and he transitioned from radio to television, enjoying a lengthy run as the announcer for the earliest incarnations of "The Price is Right" (NBC/ABC/CBS, 1955- ) and "Jeopardy!" (NBC/syndicated, 1964- ). The most complicated, alliterative copy flowed smoothly and effortlessly when read by Pardo and his unmistakable delivery made him one of television's greatest vocal talents. That gravitas and professionalism was just what Lorne Michaels desired for his upstart late night program, providing both a perfect contrast to its counter-culture brand of humor and a connection to the classic television the show's talent was weaned on. One of only two performers to ever have a lifetime contract with NBC, Pardo's authoritative, but energetic and joyous delivery was an indisputable part of the network's history and a key component of the legacy of "Saturday Night Live" right up until the beloved announcer's death on August 18, 2014.