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Alan Kalter, the “voice” of CBS’s “Late Show With David Letterman” for most of its airing, has passed away, Variety confirmed. He was 78 years old.
According to Rabbi Joshua Hammerman of Temple Beth El in Stamford, Connecticut, Kalter died in Stamford Hospital, with his wife Peggy and daughters Lauren Hass and Diana Binger by his side.
Kalter took over as Letterman’s announcer on September 5, 1995, replacing the retired Bill Wendell. Kalter stayed with “The Late Show” until Letterman ended his tenure in May 2015.
While the concert focused on announcing the guests at the top of each show and other introductory elements, Kalter quickly became a central part of “The Late Show,” often in scripted segments in which he s. satirically flew off and stormed the stage; played out as deviant and frightening; and often being the butt of jokes.
“When our 15-year-old announcer, Bill Wendell, retired, producer Robert Morton came into my office with an audio cassette containing auditions for several advertisers,” Letterman said in a statement. “Alan was the first and only voice we heard. We knew it would be our choice.
“Regardless, we’ve always had the best announcer on TV,” he added. “Wonderful voice and eagerness to play a wacky character of himself. Did I mention he could sing? Yes, he could. He did it all with enthusiasm. A very sad day, but a lot of fond memories.
Nicknamed “Big Red” and “TV’s Uncle Jerry,” Kalter could be seen in an Elvis jumpsuit or ripping his shirt to sing a song. Other tracks included “Alan Kalter’s Celebrity Interview”. Kalter’s full commitment to the track usually elicited a big smile and a chuckle from Letterman.
Either way, Kalter was still up for it. “To us ‘Late Show’ writers, Alan was so much more than the ‘From New York …’ guy,” said former ‘Late Show’ writer Carter Bays, who then co-created “How I Met Your Mother”. “He was our muse. We loved writing for him. Such a joyful presence on the show. And around the office. Rest well, Big Red.
Added Bays writing partner, “HIMYM” co-creator Craig Thomas: “Oh man, @CarterBays and I loved writing for Alan – some of my best Late Show memories are the absolutely crazy songs we wrote for Alan, who was always willing to let us drive him crazy… rest in peace, Alan, and thanks for the laughs.
Said former writer Bill Scheft, who first shared the news of Kalter’s passing on Twitter: “RIP Alan Kalter. A lovely man, and as my former boss would say, a ‘perfect sidekick …’.
Former chief writer Eric Stangel added, “It’s incredibly sad. Alan was always fun to write and was always up for anything. Rest in peace…”
Beyond “The Late Show,” Kalter had done hundreds of voiceovers for national radio and television commercials. He has also been the announcer of New York-based television shows including “To Tell the Truth”, “The $ 25,000 Pyramid”, “The Money Maze” and “The 100,000 Question”. He was the voice of USA Network and appeared on NBC’s “Ed,” which was produced by Letterman’s Worldwide Pants.
A native of New York, Kalter was born in Brooklyn and raised in Little Neck and Cedarhurst, NY
Besides his wife and daughters, Kalter is also survived by a brother, Gary, two sons-in-law, grandchildren Samantha, Ethan and Jordan Hass, Isabelle and Owen Binger; and several nieces and nephews.
The family requests, in lieu of flowers or food baskets, that memorial donations be made to Temple Beth El / Rabbi’s Mitzvah Fund, SilverSource in Stamford, or to any charity of your choice.
“Beyond his fame and golden voice, Alan was a former president of TBE and a true mensch, deeply attached to Jewish values and the Jewish people and particularly devoted to his home community,” wrote the Rabbi Hammerman in a note. to his congregation. “For the past year or so, he has attended our daily Zoom minyan so religiously that he even joined Rockrimmon Golf Course.”
According to Hammerman, a private funeral will be held at Temple Beth El on Wednesday at noon. The public is invited to watch it live, at this link.
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