Charlie O'Donnell is best known to game show fans as the voice of Wheel of Fortune, but his career encompassed many other venues. O'Donnell passed away on November 1st 2010, but he leaves behind a legacy that will not soon be forgotten.
Born: August 12, 1932
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Family: Wife Ellen Lerner O'Donnell, four children, two grandchildren
Charlie O'Donnell's Early Work
Charlie O'Donnell began his announcing career as Dick Clark's partner on the iconic musical dance/variety show American Bandstand, from 1958-1968.
O'Donnell also became popular on the radio, working as a DJ and news anchor in New York and Los Angeles. He stood behind the microphone to introduce and welcome some of the biggest bands of the 60s when they toured the United States, including The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
Game Show Announcing
Naturally, Charlie O'Donnell was the perfect fit for game show announcing, and he made his mark on the genre by working on over 20 game shows. Some of these included:
- Everybody's Talking
- The Wizard of Odds
- Stumpers!
- The Cheap Show
- All-Star Secrets
- Bullseye
- Card Sharks
- The Joker's Wild
- The New Tic Tac Dough
- Trivia Trap
- Press Your Luck
- Hot Potato
- Time Machine
- All Star Blitz
- The All-New Dating Game
- The $10,000 Pyramid
- Wordplay
- The New Newlywed Game
- The Gong Show
- Monopoly
- To Tell the Truth
Wheel of Fortune
O'Donnell was the original announcer for Wheel of Fortune when the show began in 1975. At the time, the host was Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford acted as letter-turner. Charlie O'Donnell left the show in 1991, ten years after Pat Sajak took over the reigns as host.
Jack Clark took over from O'Donnell as Wheel's announcer, but when Clark died in 1988 O'Donnell returned to the show. He remained with Wheel of Fortune until his death in 2010.
Other Work
While his 26 years on Wheel of Fortune is certainly a career highlight, O'Donnell provided the voice for many other venues. Some of these include:
- The Academy Awards
- The American Music Awards
- The Emmy Awards
- The Golden Globes
- TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes
- The Richard Pryor Show
- Burt Luddin's Love Buffet
A Legend in Voice Work
Game show announcers often fly under the radar, letting the hosts and contestants take the spotlight. Charlie O'Donnell was always professional, letting his presence be known simply by adding a positive, upbeat voice to each show he worked on. Audience members and contestants on Wheel of Fortune have often recalled what a friendly and kind man he was, making time for photo opportunites and handshakes whenever someone asked him.
O'Donnell will be remembered for his outgoing and generous personality as well as his impressive body of work.
