Johnny Olson

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Johnny Olson
Johnny Olson on The Price Is Right
Born	May 22, 1910(1910-05-22) Windom, Minnesota
Died	October 12, 1985 (age 75) Santa Monica, California

John Leonard "Johnny" Olson (May 22, 1910 – October 12, 1985) was an American radio personality and television announcer, most notable for announcing 32 game shows from Mark Goodson-Bill Todman productions, from the late 1950s through the mid 1980s.

1 Early career
2 Early announcing work
3 The Price Is Right
4 Match Game, and later career
5 Death
6 External links

[edit] Early career

Born in Windom, Minnesota, while landing jobs at WIBA and KGDA in and nearby Madison, Wisconsin after 1928, Olson enrolled in pharmacy classes at the University of Minnesota. He also worked a string of odd jobs, from soda jerk to singer. His first network job on radio was in 1944, announcing the musical-game show, Ladies Be Seated, a stunt game like "Truth or Consequences" broadcast on the Blue Network; as late as 1956, Olson had a crack at another radio quiz, the short-lived Second Chance, somewhat similar to the earlier hit Queen for a Day in that this show, too, focused on guest contestants' tribulations, in this case a chance at rectifying a mistake or a loss in life.

[edit] Early announcing work

Olson's first TV announcing job was on the final year of the original Name That Tune in 1958; also in that year Olson announced the Merv Griffin-hosted Play Your Hunch, which lasted until 1963 and began his long association with Goodson-Todman Productions. He was also a substitute announcer on the ABC version of Supermarket Sweep.

Beginning in 1960, Olson announced the CBS prime-time panel game To Tell The Truth (on which he greeted each team of challengers with the question, "What is your name, please?"). The following year, he added duties on sister show What's My Line?, and in 1962 began announcing The Match Game with Gene Rayburn in daytime on NBC until that series ended in 1969.

Olson was also announcer for Jackie Gleason's variety show from 1962 until its cancellation in 1970. The first few seasons were recorded in New York City, while the last few seasons were produced in Miami Beach, Florida, or as Olson would say at the beginning of each show, "The sun and fun capital of the world."

Olson continued to announce Line? and Truth when both shows moved from CBS to syndication in the late 1960s, but his stint on both shows ended when he was designated announcer of the 1972 revivals of The Price Is Right and I've Got a Secret, necessitating a move to Hollywood.

[edit] The Price Is Right

Johnny Olson announcing on "The Price is Right"

Olson was best known for his work on the CBS and syndicated versions of The Price Is Right beginning with its debut on September 4, 1972, until his unexpected passing in October 1985. In addition to serving as Barker's sidekick, Olson was also a beloved and valued member of the cast. He also had a lot of on-camera exposure prior to calling out the contestants' names, on each of the episodes. More than just an announcer of prize copy, Olson appeared on camera as various characters in many of the episodes' Showcases, and made the words "Come on down!" a catch phrase carried on by his successors, Rod Roddy (1986-2003) and Rich Fields (2004-present).

[edit] Match Game, and later career

In 1973, Olson returned to Match Game, another show transplanted from New York to California, and began another nine-year association with that series. During the 1970s and early 1980s, while going strong with his announcing duties on Price and Match, he announced nine other shorter-lived game shows, including Now You See It, Mindreaders, Double Dare, the second version of Tattletales, and his final non-Price assignment, Body Language. Olson's name was occasionally the solution to clues and puzzles on shows he announced for; this happened on both Now You See It and Body Language. Additionally, "Come on _______" was used as a question in the Super Match portion of an episode of Match Game with Price host Bob Barker serving as a member the panel, and Gene Rayburn called Olson to center stage to read the top answer ("Come on down!"). Olson spent his off time on his spacious farm located at Buckingham Acres in Lewisburg, West Virginia.

[edit] Death

Olson died on October 12, 1985 from a cerebral hemorrhage he had suffered several days earlier, in Santa Monica, California. The staff and crew of The Price Is Right learned of Olson's condition as Studio 33 at CBS was being prepared for another day's taping. Production was canceled for the rest of the week (shows were recorded several weeks in advance of broadcast). There was no on-air mention of Olson's death until October 29, 1985. The last Olson-announced episode aired on November 8, 1985.

Preceded by Johnny Gilbert (in the original version, 1963-1965)	The Price Is Right announcer September 4, 1972–November 8, 1985	Succeeded by Rod Roddy 1986–2003