Johnny Olson

Infobox Person
name = Johnny Olson


caption = Johnny Olson on "The Price Is Right"
birth_date = birth date|1910|5|22|mf=y
birth_place = Windom, Minnesota
death_date = death date|1985|10|12|mf=y (aged 75)
death_place = Santa Monica, California

John Leonard "Johnny" Olson (May 22, 1910 – October 12, 1985) was an American radio personality and television announcer. His work spanned 32 game shows produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman from the late 1950s through the mid 1980s. He was also the announcer of "The Jackie Gleason Show" from 1962 to 1970.

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.

Early announcing work

Olson's first TV announcing job was on the final year of the original "Name That Tune" in 1958; in that year Olson also announced the Merv Griffin-hosted "Play Your Hunch", which lasted until 1963 and began his long association with Goodson-Todman Productions. In the late 1950s, 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 in the original "Match Game" (hosted by Gene Rayburn) in daytime on NBC until that series ended in 1969.

Olson was also announcer for "The Jackie Gleason Show" from 1962 until its cancellation in 1970. The first few seasons of the variety show were recorded in New York City, while the last few seasons were produced in Miami Beach, Florida (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" after both shows moved from CBS to syndication in the late 1960s; his involvement with both of them ended when he was designated announcer of the 1972 revivals of "The Price Is Right" and "I've Got a Secret", both of which were taped in Hollywood.

The Price Is Right

While "Name That Tune", "To Tell the Truth", "What's My Line", and "The Match Game" put Olson in the upper echelons of television game show announcers, the revival of The Price Is Right cemented Olson's fame. From the first show (airing September 4 1972) to his passing in 1985, his role transcended that of an announcer.

In addition to serving as Barker's sidekick, Olson was a beloved and valued member of the cast. He often "warmed up" the audience prior to taping; during taping, he often had much on-camera exposure (occasionally bantering with Barker) prior to calling out the contestants' names; he also appeared in many of the episodes' Showcases.

His exhortations for contestants to "Come on down!" became a catch phrase, and a "Price Is Right" tradition observed by his successors, Rod Roddy (1986-2003) and Rich Fields (2004-present).

Captain Klutz

Olson's best-known Showcase appearance occurred on November 3, 1975, where he appeared as superhero "Captain Klutz". The superhero was supposedly very clumsy, but still managed to rescue Janice Pennington from the evil Swethlana Swilt (portrayed by Anitra Ford), as Janice was roped to a recliner by Swethlana. After that, Klutz foiled Swethlana's retreat in her 1976 Ford mustang . After the skit was done, Barker commented, "I must say, before I ask for your [contestant Elenor Emerson] bid, I must say that is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen, and I loved it!"Fact|date=September 2008

Match Game, and later career

In 1973, Olson started announcing for a revived "Match Game," another show transplanted from New York to California; the show's "Get ready to match the stars!" became a second catch phrase associated with him for the following nine years. Like executive producer Mark Goodson, Olson filled in on the dais when a scheduled guest failed to appear in time for a taping. [On at least one occasion, Olson filled in for regular panelist Charles Nelson Reilly when Reilly was late for a taping, for example.] .

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", a revival 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, when "Come on _______" was used as a question in the "Super Match" portion of an episode of "Match Game 78" (with "Price" host Bob Barker serving as a panelist), host 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.

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.Fact|date=September 2008 The last Olson-announced episode aired on November 8, 1985.

References and notes

sequence
list = "The Price Is Right" announcer
September 4, 1972–November 8, 1985
prev = Johnny Gilbert
"(in the original version, 1963-1965)"
next = Rod Roddy
1986–2003

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0647692/ Internet Movie Database: Johnny Olson]
* [http://www.jrjgames.com/main/randy/johnny/index.html 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"
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vps0g9H5UFk Rare audio clip of Olson's classic Warm-Up routine for Price is Right audiences.]