Don Pardo
His booming, unmistakable voice introduced generations of Americans to Saturday Night Live, becoming a weekly tradition for over three decades.
1918–2014 (age 96)·American announcer·Birthday: February 22·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Don Pardo's voice was an instrument of American broadcasting, a resonant baritone that became synonymous with anticipation. Born in Westfield, Massachusetts, he broke into radio in the 1940s, his authoritative tone landing him gigs as a news announcer. His career seemed to be winding down in the mid-1970s when a young producer named Lorne Michaels called. Pardo's live, slightly theatrical roll call of the cast for the debut of 'Saturday Night Live' in 1975 was an instant signature, a bridge from the old guard of broadcasting to the show's anarchic new spirit. He missed only one season, and his return was celebrated by fans. Pardo worked into his nineties, his final SNL introduction airing just months before his death in 2014. More than an announcer, he was the show's reliable herald, his voice a comforting constant through decades of comedic change.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Don was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Don Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
Don's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 80
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2014Died at 96
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Served as the original and primary announcer for NBC's Saturday Night Live from its 1975 debut until his death in 2014.
- Announced for numerous classic game shows including The Price Is Right, Jeopardy!, and Jackpot.
- Received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 Emmy Awards for his decades in television.
Did You Know?
He was the announcer who famously delivered the news bulletin of the attack on Pearl Harbor on NBC Radio in 1941.
His voice was used in the opening sequence of the film "The Naked Gun" parodying his own iconic style.
He continued to commute from Tucson, Arizona to New York to record his SNL introductions live well into his 90s.
“And now, live from New York, it's Saturday Night!”
