Don Pardo or Howard Reig

[opimus]

Who has been on the air at NBC longer Don Pardo or Howard Reig?

[Chief-O]

AFAIK, Pardo's been there since 1946-47. Reig [who, I should clarify for those who are wondering, was the voice of NBC Nightly News] has been there since '43, if my math is correct.

[cmjb13]

Interesting timing:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/03/25/t...t.ap/index.html

[tvrandywest]

[quote name=\'opimus\' date=\'Mar 25 2005, 03:34 PM\']Who has been on the air at NBC longer Don Pardo or Howard Reig?

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A great question that is not easily answered. Howard is taking credit for being the first and the last staff voice for GE, but not necessarily for NBC. He started at GE in 1943, on their local WGY in Schenectady. But the date of his start at NBC NETWORK is not clear.  

If you are asking about NBC NETWORK, Don Pardo, now 87, likely spent more time and certainly had the higher profile career. Don started as a newscaster at NBC in 1944, and there are airchecks of his early work that survive to this day. Pardo remembers his first assignment involving an individual program. He was "warming up" the network phone lines that stretched through much of the country just before NBC Radio's "Hour of Charm". Don retired last year after 60 years and 6 months with the net. His present work on SNL continues for that show alone. He is no longer on staff.

Howard Reig is undisputedly the last of his breed at NBC, and some say he kept the job so far past his retirement age simply to trump Pardo. An insider at 30 Rock tells me the two were not on the friendliest terms. But before you lay the blame at Howard's feet for whatever simmering feud the two might have had, know that Reig is a dear man held in high regard at the net. My friend at 30 Rock writes:

>>I saw Howard in the hall today - after seeing the article (tribute) on our in house Website - and wished him the best. He would call me all the time - someone in the announcers lounge would set the TV to the wrong cable input - and he couldn't watch any TV! Otherwise, I'd see him the halls often, and if he had a moment, he would spin the best old radio stories... Today he gave me a hug, and thanked me for all the attention I gave him over the years. I gave him my business card. He said "whenever you are in Florida, you are welcome to visit me." He meant it. A kind and gentle man, Howard will be missed around here. <<


Randy
tvrandywest.com

[dizzy]

Pardo is 87? WOW!!!! He doesn't sound a day over 85. lol   Seriously though he actually doesn't sound old at all. Ask teenagers unfamiliar with Pardo how old that announcer on Saturday Night Live sounds. I bet you that most would guess him to be in his 40's. He's got great pipes! I hope that we all sound as energetic at 87 as Pardo does now. I wonder when he will retire. Saturday Night Live just won't sound the same without him.

 Randy, How much do you know about Pardo? Does he only work on SNL or does he still do other work for the Network? My guess is that he works on SNL for about 6 hours a week and that's it. I bet you that he makes a hansome Dolllar for his 6 hours too!




Dizzy

[Don Howard]

Friday night at 6:58pm, Randy West wrote:

Don retired last year after 60 years and 6 months with the net. His present work on SNL continues for that show alone. He is no longer on staff.

The following day at 7:53am, Dizzy wrote:

I hope that we all sound as energetic at 87 as Pardo does now. I wonder when he will retire.....
Randy, How much do you know about Pardo? Does he only work on SNL or does he still do other work for the Network?

Love it!

[Desperado]

[quote name=\'dizzy\' date=\'Mar 26 2005, 07:53 AM\'] Ask teenagers unfamiliar with Pardo how old that announcer on Saturday Night Live sounds. I bet you that most would guess him to be in his 40's.

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I bet that you are wrong.

[dizzy]

LOL. YEAH I missed the part about Don only working on SNL now. So how much work do you think that amounts too? I still say 6 Hours a week total. I'm sure he's there for dress rehearsal and warm ups.

 Gotta admit that weather you agree with the 40's thing or not, he definitely doesn't sound his age.


Dizzy

[FeudDude]

[quote name=\'dizzy\' date=\'Mar 26 2005, 12:47 PM\']LOL. YEAH I missed the part about Don only working on SNL now. So how much work do you think that amounts too? I still say 6 Hours a week total. I'm sure he's there for dress rehearsal and warm ups.

 Gotta admit that weather you agree with the 40's thing or not, he definitely doesn't sound his age.


Dizzy

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I think he sounds like he's in his 60's, but that's just me.

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'dizzy\' date=\'Mar 26 2005, 11:47 AM\'] Gotta admit that weather you agree with the 40's thing or not, he definitely doesn't sound his age.

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I don't share that opinion (not that I'm trying to pick a fight).  I do happen to think that Pardo's best days are clearly behind him.  There were times last season and this where it just seemed like he was straining to get the cast's names out.

Believe me, I salute him for the wonderful career he has attained.  He set a standard that for the most part has been unmatched by anyone in broadcasting.  But listening to him for the last couple of years at least in my misguided view has been a bit uncomfortable.  Perhaps I'm spoiled by having heard him for years at the top of his game.

Anyway, YMMV.

Doug -- and the countdown to 1100 continues

[johnnya2k3]

One other legendary NBC announcer was Fred Facey, who did Meet The Press, Today Show, WNBC, and sometimes NBC Nightly News. He died in 2003.

There was also Mel Brandt, the voice behind the famous "The following program is brought to you in living color on NBC" open who also announced on SNL's 1981-82 season (Pardo would return the following year). He probably retired many years ago.

Jonathan Allen

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'johnnya2k3\' date=\'Mar 26 2005, 02:09 PM\']There was also Mel Brandt, the voice behind the famous "The following program is brought to you in living color on NBC" open who also announced on SNL's 1981-82 season (Pardo would return the following year). He probably retired many years ago.

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IIRC, Brandt served as announcer for the 1984 COLLEGE BOWL special, hosted by Sajak.

Doug -- and the countdown to 1100 continues

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'johnnya2k3\' date=\'Mar 26 2005, 03:09 PM\']One other legendary NBC announcer was Fred Facey, who did Meet The Press, Today Show, WNBC, and sometimes NBC Nightly News. He died in 2003.

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Ah! That explains why the names of the weekend Today anchors aren't announced by him. It's rather macabre that two years after he passed, that NBC still uses his voice for the open for that show. At least they don't show a Fred Facey claymation like they do for Mel Allen on This Week In Baseball. But then again, why would they? Back to the bar!

[JCGames]

Randy, you mention that Don Pardo's first assignment was 'warming up' the network lines before the Hour of Charm started. He must have been the duty announcer that Sunday night in 1944. He must have just came on at the end of the American Album of Familiar Music to say "This is NBC the National Broadcasting Company" and then pressed the button that started the chime machine. His 'warmup' was perhaps the local WEAF station break(10 PM B-U-L-O-V-A Bulova Watch Time.....).

I seem to recall that Mel Brandt announced GE College Bowl after that show moved from CBS in 1963.

Oh, the Hour of Charm was a musical show that featured Phil Spitalny and his All-Girl Orchestra, featuring Evelyn and her Magic Violin. Oh, the sorbiquets they gave radio performers back then! The show was sponsored by Howard Reig's original(and last) employer, GE.

[tvrandywest]

[quote name=\'JCGames\' date=\'Mar 26 2005, 06:44 PM\']Randy, you mention that Don Pardo's first assignment was 'waming up' the network lines before the Hour of Charm started. He must have been the duty announcer that Sunday night in 1944. He must have just came on at the end of the American Album of Familiar Music to say "This is NBC the National Broadcasting Company" and then pressed the button that started the chime machine. His 'warmup' was perhaps the local WEAF station break(10 PM B-U-L-O-V-A Bulova Watch Time.....).

......Oh, the Hour of Charm was a musical show that featured Phil Spitalny and his All-Girl Orchestra, featuring Evelyn and her Magic Violin. Oh, the sorbiquets they gave radio performers back then! The show was sponsored by Howard Reig's original(and last) employer, GE.

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Kudos JC for the research! Yes, the amazing and legendary chime machine. For those unfamiliar, NBC's 3 note signature (G-E-C for General Electric Corporation) was not struck with a mallet by hand like a high school principal doing the public address announcements. It was generated by a huge rotating drum device. Weird, wild, wacky stuff!

And thanks for the info on "Hour of Charm"! Don Pardo made it clear that he was not the announcer on that show, but that his first non-news assignment was keeping the net phone lines warm  with chatter and countdown so affiliate stations would know the line was hot (phone lines were far less dependable than the distribution systems now in place).

And to the earlier comment about Mel Brandt being the voice on the peacock "living color" show open, I know there were several versions of that animation and voice-over before they settled on the one that was burned into our memory. But is anyone familiar with which of those were voiced by staff announcer Bill Hanrahan?

As Bob Hope would have sung to Pamela Anderson, "Thanks for the mammaries"!


Randy
tvrandywest.com