Broadcast Pioneers

Westbrook Van Voorhis (1903-1968) was a radio broadcaster and narrator for television programs and movies. He is perhaps best known for his work on the Blue Network's "March of Time" radio and newsreel series. His trademark was his powerfully strong voice which led to his becoming known as the "Voice of Doom" depending on the news' subject. His oft-parodied booming catchphrase, "Time...marches on!" was another trademark.

Van Voorhis became a radio broadcaster late in the 1920s, working for station WOR and the CBS and NBC networks. Based on Van Voorhis' "March of Time" radio news series from 1931 to 1945, it became a fifteen to thirty-minute newsreel series that aired prior to the theater's main feature to keep American audiences abreast of select news stories. Sponsored by Time Inc., the series ran from 1935 to 1951. He narrated each episode of the 1954–1956 NBC series Justice, and the narration for the 1957 television series Panic!. 

Van Voorhis was originally scheduled to be the announcer for The Twilight Zone television show but only narrated the television pilot, "Where is Everybody?." His narration was however revoiced before broadcasting by the show's creator and writer, Rod Serling. 

Twentieth Century Talkers

Bud Collyer (Clayton Johnson Heermance Jr., 1908-1969) was an American radio actor and announcer who became one of the nation's first major television game show stars, known for his numerous bow-ties. 

By 1940, Collyer had become a familiar voice on all three major radio networks in starring or major supporting roles. He was the announcer for a number of radio soap operas, including The Guiding Light and The Goldbergs. But his most lasting radio starring role was for The Adventures of Superman on the Mutual Broadcasting System, a role he also performed in the subsequent Superman cartoons with his dashing pencil mustache. Collyer supplied the voices of both Superman and Clark Kent. Collyer conveyed the "costume switch" while speaking a phrase like, "This looks like a job for Superman!" His voice would drop to a lower register to become the superhero.

For television fans, though, he is best remembered as the first host of the game shows Beat the Clock (1950) and To Tell the Truth (1956). The former show pitted couples to beat the clock in a series of stunts, sometimes messy fun, in order to hopefully win cash or home appliances. More popular and longer-lasting was, To Tell The Truth, where a panel of four celebrities questioned three challengers all claiming to be the same person. 

A devoted man to God, Collyer contributed to various Christian works, including authoring at least one book and making a recording of the New Testament of the Good News Bible. He wrote two inspirational books, Thou Shalt Not Fear (1962) and With the Whole Heart (1966). He also recorded a number of Bible story record albums for children.

The Collyer family in 1953, above.

Television Talkers

Don Pardo (Dominick George Pardo, 1918-2014) is noted for not only his distinct vocal tone and delivery but his seventy-year career with NBC, most famously as the voice of Saturday Night Live for thirty-eight of those years. A few scripts had him participate, occasionally on camera. Prior, he was the announcer for early versions of such notable shows as Jackpot, Jeopardy!, Winning Streak and NBC Nightly News.

The Massachusetts native got his start in radio in 1938 with an NBC affiliate in Providence, Rhode Island. Pardo joined NBC full-time as an in-house announcer in 1944 and worked as a war reporter for NBC Radio. He made his mark on game shows for NBC television in 1952 as the voice of the original The Price Is Right from 1956 until its move to ABC in 1963. His many assignments included announcing for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the NBC Nightly News, and he participated in the "Weird Al" Yankovic song "I Lost on Jeopardy," a parody of "Our Love's in Jeopardy" by The Greg Kihn Band. Pardo was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2010.

Television Talkers

 

John Lewis Gilbert III (1928-) aka Johnny Gilbert, was originally a nightclub singer and entertainer. He has worked mainly on television game shows as far back as the 1950s. He is known primarily for his work as the announcer and audience host for countless game shows. Gilbert was selected by Mark Goodson to replace Don Pardo as the announcer and audience host for the original version of The Price Is Right when it moved from NBC to ABC in 1963. Merv Griffin's quiz show Jeopardy! was reintroduced to television in 1984. Its new host, Alex Trebek, convinced Griffin to hire Gilbert as the announcer. His list for hosting game shows is staggering and can be found elsewhere online.

Gilbert's voice was heard on the CBS ceremonies, the People's Choice Awards and Emmy Awards. In addition, he added his distinct voice to episodes of the animated series, The Angry Beavers and Johnny Bravo.

Above, Gilbert was Dinah Shore's announcer and sidekick for Dinah!, beginning in 1974.

Television Talkers

 

Hugh Downs (1921-2020) held the certified Guinness World Record for the most hours on commercial network television from 1984-2004. The congenial Downs was adept as a radio and television broadcaster, announcer and programmer, television host, news anchor, television producer, author, game show host, talk show sidekick, author, and pilot. A television presence from the mid-1940s until the late 1990s, Downs was one of the most trusted voices on television.

Downs made his first television news broadcast in September 1945 in Chicago and moved to New York City in 1954. He became popular as announcer and sidekick for The Tonight Showing starring Jack Paar from 1957-1962, the host of the game show Concentration from 1958 to 1969, the co-host of the NBC News program Today from 1962-1971, and the anchor of the ABC News magazine 20/20 from 1978-1999.

Details of Down's amazing career can be found at https://wikimili.com/en/Hugh_Downs

Television Talkers

 

Johnny Olsen (1910-85) was an American radio personality and television announcer. Before hearing his tenor voice on television, Olson was ensconced in radio. He joined WTMJ in Milwaukee in early 1933, organizing a five-piece jazz band called The Rhythm Rascals, and became one of the station's most popular personalities. He would later create the first iteration of Johnny Olson's Rumpus Room, which attracted major national performers. After World War II, he revived the show in 1949.

Olson began his tenure as a television announcer in 1949, but few knew about it. By the Sixties, his voice was closely associated with game shows, particularly the work for Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions, the original To Tell the Truth and What's My Line? He spent over a decade as the announcer for both Match Game and The Price Is Right, where his high-pitched enthusiastic, "Come on down!" became legendary and often parodied. From 1962 to 1970, he was the announcer for The Jackie Gleason Show. During the peak of his announcing duties in the 1970s and early 1980s, his distinct voice was heard on more than six other game show productions.

A Man of Many Firsts

 

Dennis James (Demie James Sposa 1917-1997) was an American television personality and commercial spokesman. He had appeared more times and for a longer period than any other television star, until 1976. Referred to as the "Godfather of Gameshows", he was the host of television's first network game show in 1956, the DuMont Network's Cash and Carry. James was the first to host a telethon, raising more than $750,000,000 for United Cerebral Palsy throughout his nearly five-decade run as host, the first to appear in a television commercial, the first to emcee a variety show and the first to appear on videotape. In all, he garnered more than twenty-five "firsts" in his career.

Outside of sports, game shows, and his periodic acting on television and film,  James' congeniality, warmth, and distinct voice was held in high esteem as a commercial spokesman. He had a vast list of national clients, as well as local and regional companies and businesses around the country through his own production company. His expression "Okay? Okay!" became a trademark in many of James's commercials.

Note: The Cash and Carry game show (left above) has been described as an early television adaptation of Truth or Consequences. Set in a market, James asked contestants questions attached to cans of the sponsor's products, with correct answers worth $5, $10, or $15. Other tasks were stunts, such as the wife, being blindfolded, and having to feed her husband, who work together for a common goal.

Audio Celebrity

 

Mostly heard and not seen, if you owned a television set by the late Fifties, Jack Haskell (1919-1998) was a familiar voice as an announcer for numerous broadcasts. In those early days, when he was not pitching a product or introducing a guest, Haskell would grace the radio airwaves as a singer. While in college, Haskell sang on the Chicago radio stations WBBM, and WGN, and was showcased on the Dial Dave Garroway show at WMAQ. After college, he sang with Les Brown and his orchestra. Haskell moved from Chicago to New York City for his television transition on NBC's Today, again with Garroway. Among other shows, he was an announcer on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Mike Douglas Show, The Garry Moore Show, Garroway at Large, The Dave Garroway Show, The Jack Paar Show, Stop the Music, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Haskell was also active in summer stock theatre. Among his album recordings was “Jack swings for Jack" a popular solo project for the Strand label. 

It's Durward Not Durwood

 

Durward Kirby (Homer Durward Kirby, 1911-2000) was an American television host and announcer. Born in Covington, Kentucky, his family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana when he was 15. He graduated from Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis before entering Purdue University to study engineering. The lure of being a radio announcer won out. 

Though Kirby appeared as a host, announcer, or guest on other television programs, most notably as co-host on Allen Funt's show, Candid Camera, his tenure as a regular on television's The Garry Moore Show brought him national attention as did another regular, Carol Burnett. The versatile performer acted in sketches, sang, and danced, transitioning with ease from slapstick to suave product pitchman. He and Moore joined forces for humorous skits, spoofing a historical event, or portraying any number of comical characters. The 6' 4" Kirby's mellow personality served him well, often becoming a foil in skits. Kirby authored three books: My Life, Those Wonderful Years; Bits and Pieces of This and That; and a children's book, Dooley Wilson.