Difference between revisions of "Rod Roddy"
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Revision as of 12:11, 5 September 2006
Rod Roddy (September 28, 1937 – October 27, 2003), born Robert Ray Roddy, was a radio and television announcer, best known for his long tenure as the announcer on the game show The Price is Right. Roddy was born in Fort Worth, Texas.
He graduated from Texas Christian University and was a disc jockey and talk show host on KLIF and KNUS-FM (Dallas, Texas). His radio program, Hotline, was one of several used by Oliver Stone as a basis for the movie Talk Radio. Rod Roddy led a protest against the United Way, claiming that persons who declined to contribute were fired from their jobs. He also featured guests who were protesting "lemon" cars. He is known for an episode with guest Maria Fletcher, a former Miss America who threw a cup of hot coffee on him during an interview and for his arguments with "Dixie Leber," District Kleagle of the Ku Klux Klan.
He also announced the situation comedy Soap (1977–1981), where he provided the opening and closing narration ("Confused? You won't be after this week's episode of Soap!"); also, the game shows Whew! (1979–1980), Battlestars (1981–1982), Love Connection (1983–1985), Hit Man (1983) and Press Your Luck (1983–1986).
He replaced Johnny Olson as announcer on Price is Right after Olson's death in 1985 and continued until August 2003. Roddy was known on the show for his excitement and flamboyance. Frequently shown on camera while he announced "the next contestant on The Price is Right," Roddy often wore loud outfits, including particularly colorful and/or sequined sport jackets.
Roddy was diagnosed with colon and breast cancer in 2001. The diagnosis led Roddy to become a spokesperson for early detection of cancer. Roddy: "I could have prevented all this with a colonoscopy and, of course, that's the campaign I've been on since I had the first surgery...to everybody out there, 'Get a mammogram!' It can happen to men, too."
While ill with his cancer for over two years, Rod Roddy continued to do announcing for The Price Is Right as long as he could, right up to his last hospitalization two months before his death at the age of 66.
