JOHNNY OLSON

'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.
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.
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.
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. Also in 1962, Olson began an eight-year run as announcer for ''The Jackie Gleason Show'' from 1962-1970. 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.
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. Olson was a beloved and valued member of the cast. 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).
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 spent his off time on his spacious farm located at Buckingham Acres in Lewisburg, West Virginia.
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 ''Price'' learned of Olson's condition as CBS Studio 33 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.

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External links

External links

★ Internet Movie Database: Johnny Olson

★ A Tribute to Johnny Olson, written by fellow announcer Randy West

★ http://www.j-shea.com/TPIR/nighttime/ audio of Johnny Olson announcing 1970s nighttime episodes of ''The Price Is Right''

★ Rare audio clip of Olson's classic Warm-Up routine for Price is Right audiences.