Alan Kalter, the long-running announcer on the Late Show with David Letterman, has died aged 78.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Kalter passed away in Connecticut on Monday, October 4th. No cause of death has yet been revealed.
The television announcer appeared on the Late Show for two decades, from 1995 all the way until Letterman’s retirement in 2015. It was his job to announce each night’s guests during the show’s opening.
Kalter was also known to pop up in sketches much to the pleasure of the host. One recurring sketch, for example, saw Kalter concurrently host his own rival talk show, Alan Kalter’s Celebrity Interview, off to the side as Letterman conducted his own show. He was also fond of singing occasionally on the show.
Check out Alan Kalter’s Celebrity Interview Collection 2005-2010:
Love Film & TV?
Get your daily dose of everything happening in music, film and TV in Australia and abroad.
Letterman paid tribute to his late friend in a statement: “When our announcer of 15 years Bill Wendell retired, producer Robert Morton came to my office with an audio tape containing auditions for several announcers. Alan’s was the first and only voice we listened to. We knew he would be our choice.”
“Whatever else, we always had the best announcer in television,” Letterman continued. “Wonderful voice and eagerness to play a goofy character of himself. Did I mention he could sing? Yes he could. He enthusiastically did it all. A very sad day, but many great memories.”
Before his time supporting Letterman, Kalter first got started on television announcing game shows such as To Tell the Truth, $128,000 Question, and The $25,000 Pyramid, the latter being where he met Letterman initially. He also voiced the Michelin Man and was the announcer at the 2003 Grammy Awards.
For more on this topic, follow the Film & TV Observer.
