That thread about hosts guest starring on other shows inpired me to start this thread. Have you seen any announcers outside of their natural surroundings? I'm not talking about their Music Of Your Life shows or regular gigs. I'm talking about stuff like:

- Johnny Jacobs as the host of a LMAD ripoff on Sanford & Son
- Charlie O'Donnell as the news reporter in an episode of Batman, OR one of the golf commentators in a Buick commercial from a few years ago.
- Gene Wood on the Pepsi Challenge commercials from the '70s
- Jack Clark for National Geographic World

It's bound to be a smaller list than the hosts guesting on other shows, but I'm all for equal time.

I swore Charlie O'Donnell was doing a commercial recently for a kids board game...

-There was an episode of "Martin" where Charlie O'Donnell was an announcer for a basketball game.

-Randy West has done a number of commercials.

Bob Hilton hosting LMAD.

(oops. did I say that out loud?)

Johnny was the announcer for that segment. John Barbour played the host. Johnny did play a talk show host in an episode of Leave It To Beaver, however.
Does Johnny Olson's cameo as The Town Crier in a late 1970s Honeymooners special count?

Judges? (ding) Yes! We'll take that. We'd also accept Johnny O as the announcer on The Jackie Gleason show.

Strikerz: I saw a couple of 10- or 15-second spots for a couple of University Games (Worst Case Scenario and some other one) during Wheel this week. Those must be the ones you're thinking of, and if so, that's Charlie O. I almost brought that up in the original post but wanted to be sure I wasn't hallucinating.

Might as well mention the Sunday Night At The Movies bumpers Charlie O did for NBC.

Charlie O also played the role of a newscaster reporting the news events of 1965 while Simon and Garfunkel sang a beloved Christmas carol in "Silent Night/6 O'Clock News." I got the S&G box set a few months ago and even with 40 years' distance, that cut still delivers a solid punch.

Then we'd also have to accept Jay Stewart introducing Jimmy Durante Presents The Lennon Sisters Hour (call it a guilty pleasure--I'm a sucker for late 60s/early 70s variety series).

Kudos to Mark J. for pointing out Charlie O.'s "news" reading in the Simon & Garfunkel tune--I got the cut a la carte (via iTunes) and had no idea it was him on the recording; I just liked the melding.

Doug -- and the countdown to 900 continues

I remember that episode, it was called Wheel-N-Deal that Harry Monty (John Barbour) hosted (years before Real People). Grady's a fairy princess, Fred's a gorilla & Bubba's a viking.

HARRY: What is your name sir?
BUBBA: Leif Ericson & I am a Viking.
HARRY: OK Viking, I'll give you $500 if you have...a tube of lipstick!
BUBBA: What would I do with a tube of lipstick? I'm a Viking, not a VIQUEEN!

Would've been funny if Aunt Esther had been on the show.

HARRY: Wow! That's some mask! Let's see your face.
ESTHER: Watch it sucker!

If we're thinking of the same Batman episode (an international hoohaha at a museum ifrc), look carefully to see a bevy of voicers. Coincidence? No. one of the writers on Batman, Stanley Ralph Ross, was also a VO talent of great distinction in the "larynx fellowship". ;-)


One of my less recognizeable gigs was providing the serious narration for CourTV's "Hollywood and Crime". I miss that gig; I did it at home in my underwear with the producer in my ear.


Randy
tvrandywest.com

What you do with a producer in your underwear is YOUR business, thank you very much. :)

Man, this conjures up images a man just should NOT think about another man. :)

Q-tips are easier.

Making money, at home and in your underwear. With someone whispering in your ear.

Heidi Fliess on Line 2.

Aha! You ARE the other Randy West after all!

Johnny Jacobs had an on-camera part ina "Munsters" episode in which he draws the winning contestant for a contest in which the kid gets to spend the day with the local monster movie host.
As the plot goes, Eddie is the winner and he finds out that the host is a 'fake' ghoul.


Then of course, we have John Cervenka, who became a host of a spectacular show called "Burt Luddin's Love Buffet" ... (ducking)

...and is now playing a character named after a femenine hygeine product. Proving that the not-so-mighty can fall just as far as the mighty. :)

A couple of stupid questions (I've started my New Year's party one day early ;-) ):

1. Was S.R. Ross the V.O. heard on the 1966 BATMAN series?

2. We know Randy's vocal exploits are well-documented (and being way too straightlaced for the room, I won't even add to the "producer in the ear" bit), but, Mr. West, have any of the spots of recent you've done been on-camera? There's one spot out there that I'd swear there's a guy on who looks very similar--maybe the early start on my New Year's party is getting to me.

Sorry in advance if I've crossed anyone's line. Not intentional.

Doug -- and the countdown to 900 continues (maybe)

The narrator on the 60s Batman series was the show's producer, William Dozier. But Randy might know - are we talking the same Stan Ross who put out a 1960s album on Del-Fi of song parodies ala Allan Sherman called "My Son The Copy Cat"? I had that years ago and wish it were still in my collection. It really was quite clever - the same kind of wit one would need to be a writer on Batman.

Thanks, TOG. Somewhere in the back of my head I had heard that, but forgot it.

My other question still stands, though. :)

Doug -- and the countdown to 900 continues

Witch actually made a funny?

(looks outside) Did Hell just freeze over?

Seems to me that they are one and the same. Ross also wrote some humor books for the Price Stern Sloan people, IIRC.

I haven't done much on-camera work in commercials; I just have one of those faces (it was on sale).




Yes, I also think that was Stanley's comedy album. Does anyone have a copy?

Stanley was a great wit. A former New Yorker, over 6 feet tall and an imposing presence with a basso profundo voice. Lesser known fact: Stanley was a part owner of the now gone (and missed) Hampton's restaurant on Highland Blvd a few blocks south of Sunset.

Stanley's voice and presence was greatly diminished by his bout with cancer in the 90s; a cancer that ultimately silenced him.

If you check out the Archives section, you'll get a link to part of an ep of the animated Captain Kangaroo segment that Gene Wood wrote/created/produced/sang theme music for, The Adventures of Lariat Sam ("Yippee-yi, yippee-yo, yippee-yippee-yi-ay...").

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

So THAT's where Snoop Dogg got one of his catch phrases from! ;) Who knew, Gene Wood- influence of rap stars today.

Tyshaun

I'd like to track down a copy of Gene's comedy album "What Would Have Happened IF?" I hear it's bad but still it'd be neat to have if only to hear Gene outside the game show realm, and contrast his comedic style to his friend Bill Dana's.

If you want to hear the actual Lariat Sam theme, swing on over to THIS SITE, and click on the mp3 link near the top.