Charlie O'Donnell

A broadcasting legend has died. You may not know his name, but you definitely know his voice. From this morning's RAMP newsletter...

Legendary announcer Charlie O'Donnell, whose distinctive voice was synonymous with so many shows over the years, from American Bandstand to Wheel of Fortune, died Sunday night in his sleep. He was 78. "Throughout my 40-plus years working as an announcer, I have had the honor to have worked with some of the leading entertainers in the world," O'Donnell had remarked of a career that dated back to 1958, when he worked with Dick Clark on American Bandstand. He later worked as a radio personality on KRLA/Los Angeles and an anchorman on KCOP-TV. O'Donnell also holds the distinction of being the stage announcer for The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl and Dodger Stadium in 1965 and 1966; he also brought The Rolling Stones onstage at the Long Beach Auditorium in 1965. More recently, O'Donnell spent more than 26 years as the voice of Wheel of Fortune, although his impressive resume includes such landmark game shows as The Dating Game, The Gong Show, The Joker's Wild, The Newlywed Game, Tic Tac Dough, To Tell The Truth and many more. He is survived by his wife, Ellen, and four children.