Wheel of Fortunt

[bellbm]

MG Kelly is the worst announcer ever, he acts like he is just improvising all of the reads.
Did he last the entire 88-89 season?

[J.R.]

Nope. He was just the temoporary announcer when Jack Clark suddendly died in the summer of 1988. Charlie O returned mid-early 1989.

Made me think: Why did Charlie O leave and why did he choose to come back ?
-Joe R.

[Don Howard]

Chuck Woolery's explanation on the first show sans Charlie O.
during the summer of 1980 which had Don Morrow in the
announce booth for a week with Jack Clark taking over the
following week was that Charlie left because he thought (as did
much of the rest of us) that WOF was going bye-bye. So Charlie
left to announce on Toni Tennille's five-a-week syndicated variety
show in addition to his weekly VO chores on Dance Fever.
As far as coming back, all three shows on which he was the announcer
on shortly after Jack's passing (The Newlywed Game, The Dating Game
and The Gong Show starring the toast of the hosts True Don Bleu)
had all been canned. He had the chance at coming on board to the daytime
WOF and the syndicated powerhouse, so he jumped at the opportunity.
If any of that is in error, please chime in.

[WorldClassRob]

Although Charlie O. left WoF in 1980, he did fill in for Jack Clark on various occasions while he was the voice of Barry & Enright game shows (1981-86) and the aforementioned Chuck Barris game shows.

Johnny Gilbert also filled in for Jack in the past.

"Machine Gun" Kelly -- I had though he was the guy who replaced Jack Clark B/C Charlie O. was announcing in 1988 during Jack's illness which eventually resulted in his passing.

[DJDustman]

I thought he was a pretty good announcer for that show.

[ChuckNet]

I thought he was a pretty good announcer for that show.

Eh...he could read the copy well, but his style just wasn't right for a GS, just as Alan Kalter's style wasn't right for TTTT.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

[PeterMarshallFan]

[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Nov 16 2003, 08:47 PM\']

I thought he was a pretty good announcer for that show.

Eh...he could read the copy well, but his style just wasn't right for a GS, just as Alan Kalter's style wasn't right for TTTT.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby") [/quote]
 I kinda liked Kalter myself....he was better on Moneymaze, but he wasn't all that bad on TTTT.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'PeterMarshallFan\' date=\'Nov 16 2003, 07:49 PM\']
I kinda liked Kalter myself....he was better on Moneymaze, but he wasn't all that bad on TTTT. [/quote]
 And he kicks ass on Letterman and would give even Randy W. a run for his money on TPIR if he were to be considered for the gig.

[PeterMarshallFan]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Nov 16 2003, 09:13 PM\'] [quote name=\'PeterMarshallFan\' date=\'Nov 16 2003, 07:49 PM\']
I kinda liked Kalter myself....he was better on Moneymaze, but he wasn't all that bad on TTTT. [/quote]
And he kicks ass on Letterman and would give even Randy W. a run for his money on TPIR if he were to be considered for the gig. [/quote]
 That's next season's new pricing game...

[Bob]: Alan, tell us what (s)he's playing for!

[Alan]: You're playing for a brand new car on WILL! IT! FLOAT!

:-)

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'PeterMarshallFan\' date=\'Nov 16 2003, 05:49 PM\'] I kinda liked Kalter myself....he was better on Moneymaze, but he wasn't all that bad on TTTT. [/quote]
 I thought Kalter was EXCELLENT on TTTT...he might not have suited TTTT 90 so well, but the 1980 version was so much different than the other ones, he fit the bill quite well.

[ChuckNet]

I thought Kalter was EXCELLENT on TTTT...he might not have suited TTTT 90 so well, but the 1980 version was so much different than the other ones, he fit the bill quite well.

Good point. :-) Cosmetically, everything about that version seemed different...the chasing red lights, the clamshell doors, the disco-ey theme music, etc...so in that sense, Kalter fit right in.

Don't get me wrong, he was his usual enthusiastic self and far better than the aforementioned MG Kelly at his job, but those enthusiasm-based deliveries just don't gel w/a straight panel show, IMO...although those cosmetic differences made it more acceptable, I'll give you that.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Nov 16 2003, 11:18 PM\'] but those enthusiasm-based deliveries just don't gel w/a straight panel show, IMO...although those cosmetic differences made it more acceptable, I'll give you that.
 [/quote]
 I agree, but I also enjoyed Robin Ward's more-boisterous-than-you-expect-on-TTTT delivery, too, so maybe that's why Kalter's work sits well with me.

[ChuckNet]

I agree, but I also enjoyed Robin Ward's more-boisterous-than-you-expect-on-TTTT delivery, too, so maybe that's why Kalter's work sits well with me.

Ward was OK, but would it have killed him to look into the camera every so often? :-)

BTW, there were actually 2 candidates for the TTTT '80 hosting job; the first host, according to someone who attended both pilots, was great, but they passed on him because he seemed a little stiff.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Nov 17 2003, 12:18 AM\'] Good point. :-) Cosmetically, everything about that version seemed different...the chasing red lights, the clamshell doors, the disco-ey theme music, etc...so in that sense, Kalter fit right in. [/quote]
Didn't Kalter do the last few seasons of TTTT7x as well (succeeding Bill Wendell)?  If that's the case, then having him announce the 1980-81 revival would make sense--as he was familiar with the "house style."

Doug -- soon to celebrate 200 posts

[TV Favorites]

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Nov 17 2003, 01:21 PM\'] Didn't Kalter do the last few seasons of TTTT7x as well? [/quote]
 Yes, I have an episode taped from Breakfast with the Stars featuring his announcing (or at least someone that sounded like him).