Climbing the Ladder of Television

Don Pardo did more than “tell them what they won” on The Price is Right. Pardo wasn’t just the show’s announcer during its NBC days in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. He warmed up the audience, too.

He had an unusual method, as revealed in this unbylined story in the La Crosse Tribune of January 28, 1961.

Pardo remained on The Price is Right until 1963. The show moved to ABC, but Pardo remained loyal to NBC. The following year, the network picked him to announce and warm up the New York studio audience for a new game show called Jeopardy.

Don Pardo Is High Man On The TV Totem Pole For 'Price Is Right'
Don Pardo, amiable six-footer whose well-modulated tones introduce "The Price Is Right" to over 60 million viewers weekly, has had to call upon one of man's oldest props to get the show properly on the air. So unique is Pardo's technique other professional television announcers visit "The Price Is Right" set just to watch him perform.
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About 15 minutes before "Price" goes on the air, Don Pardo hauls out a 12-foot ladder, climbs same while the startled 600 people in the theater audience wonder what kind of stunt is going to be pulled. Swaying atop his perch, Pardo hooks one lanky leg over the side for natural support and proceeds to "warm up" his audience. His easy style seems to make the use of such an out-of-place prop perfectly acceptable in the maze of television cameras and assorted electronic gear spread across the set.
The fact that "The Price Is Right" is aired from an old-fashioned theater on upper Broadway in New York, makes it necessary for Don to use his tall perch . . . simply to be seen by the 3-tiered theater audience. Friends of Pardo's think he would use the unusual prop regardless of the theater set-up to crack the ice in getting the audience to be friendly and join into the atmosphere of the show.
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Don and his 12-foot prop seem to fit into the easy-going atmosphere of "The Price Is Right." From Bill Cullen, popular emcee, throughout the entire man-woman cast and crew—the climate on the set is precisely what is seen by over 60 million viewers each week ... a fun group, having a good time putting together some of TV's best entertainment. Don personifies this air of informality from his opening statements to the theater audience. It is quite important to the tempo and tone of the show to have the audience relaxed and to actually become a part of the show—and, while a pro like Pardo makes it look simple—it's no easy job to get 600 strangers to join together as one interest, fun-loving unit.
One evening, while Don was in the middle of his warm-up act, a chimp being used on the show climbed up Don's ladder behind him. To make matters worse, (if not shakier), the chimp was waving a crew members hat, swiped while running through his act. Don almost fell off his tottering ladder before the crew members finally coaxed the chimp (and waving hat) down again. At one point, the front row audience gasped when they thought Don, ladder and chimp would land in their laps. It's too bad little, colorful human incidents like this can't be caught by the cameras for the benefit of the national audience. In any event, sometime when you're watching The Price Is Right—should a tall man and a very tall ladder crash down on the set . . . you'll know what happened —another chimp is loose!
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Don started out to be an announcer in the first place and seems born to the job. His early start following college groomed him well for his later bigtime jobs on television. He did such early successes as Four Star Revue, Firestone Theater and Colgate Comedy Hour. Later work included the Martha Raye, Sid Caesar and Perry Como summer shows, Max Liebman spectaculars Kate Smith Hour, Arthur Murray Show, World of Mr. Sweeney, Producer's Showcase, plus many NBC special colorcasts. Don has, among other professional awards, a Sylvania TV award for top narration—winning this one for his participation in Ford's two-hour 50th Anniversary Show.
Don reflects the same easy-going personality in personal life at home his do-it-yourself projects sometimes overlap each other, but they get done, he says. Just finished a nice new patio—that was simple ... no 12-foot ladder work involved! Don lives in Demarest, N.J., with a pretty young wife and five children.