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'Price is Right' announcer Rod Roddy dies at 66
Monday October 27, 2003
By RYAN PEARSON
Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) Rod Roddy, ``The Price is Right'' announcer who invited audience members to ``Come on down!'' and play on the game show, died Monday. He was 66.
Roddy, who suffered from colon and breast cancer, died at Century City Hospital, according to his longtime agent, Don Pitts. He had been hospitalized for two months.
``He had such a strong spirit. He just wouldn't give up,'' Pitts said Monday.
Roddy had been ill for more than two years but continued to work as much as possible and for as long as he could, said Bob Barker, host of CBS' ``The Price is Right.'' Roddy had been with the game show for 17 years.
``The courage he showed during those difficult times was an inspiration to us all,'' Barker said in a statement Monday.
Last week, Barker recounted a recent visit to his friend: ``I went to the hospital and sat on the edge of his bed and we laughed the whole time we were talking. He was still having fun.''
Roddy, who taped his last show about two months ago, had colon cancer surgery on Sept. 11, 2001, and his left breast removed last March. He also had prostate cancer, CBS said.
The diseases appeared under control following chemotherapy but flared up again, Pitts said. The two cancers, which Roddy had said were unconnected, prompted him to become a spokesman for early detection.
``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,'' he said in a recent interview on a CBS Web site.
Breast cancer, although typically associated with women, is diagnosed in about 1,500 American men a year, Roddy said in the CBS interview: ``To everybody out there, 'Get a mammogram!' It can happen to men, too.''
Roddy, whose real name was Robert Ray Roddy, was born Sept. 18, 1937, in Fort Worth, Texas, Pitts said.
He was a graduate of Texas Christian University and a popular disc jockey in Texas who also worked on music and talk radio shows in Florida, Louisiana, Illinois, New York and elsewhere, CBS said.
Roddy decided to expand his career in Hollywood, his agent recalled, and his versatility made him a popular voice-over artist for commercials in Los Angeles. He got his big break in television with the 1977-81 satire ``Soap.''
Disc jockey Casey Kasem, who was the first announcer on the risque series, decided he didn't want to stay with it and asked Pitts if he knew someone who could take over.
``I said, 'I've got a guy who's terrific,''' Pitts said. ``Rod started with 'Soap' and then his career took off.''
His announcing stints included ``Love Connection'' (1981-85) and ``Press Your Luck'' (1983-86), but ``The Price is Right'' earned him his greatest fame. He was known for his booming, jovial voice and flashy attire.
``He started wearing those jackets when he joined the show,'' Barker said. ``He was quite a character. He was important to the success of the show. He had the spirit of `The Price Is Right.' It's a fun show. We did it with the hope people will forget their problems for awhile.''
Roddy was single. The only family member he talked about his mother, who died several years ago, Pitts said.
Private funeral services will be held in Texas, with a memorial service planned in Los Angeles in several weeks, CBS said.
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Associated Press Writers Jeff Wilson and Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Source: KCAL-TV Channel 9 Los Angeles, California
Monday October 27, 2003
By RYAN PEARSON
Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) Rod Roddy, ``The Price is Right'' announcer who invited audience members to ``Come on down!'' and play on the game show, died Monday. He was 66.
Roddy, who suffered from colon and breast cancer, died at Century City Hospital, according to his longtime agent, Don Pitts. He had been hospitalized for two months.
``He had such a strong spirit. He just wouldn't give up,'' Pitts said Monday.
Roddy had been ill for more than two years but continued to work as much as possible and for as long as he could, said Bob Barker, host of CBS' ``The Price is Right.'' Roddy had been with the game show for 17 years.
``The courage he showed during those difficult times was an inspiration to us all,'' Barker said in a statement Monday.
Last week, Barker recounted a recent visit to his friend: ``I went to the hospital and sat on the edge of his bed and we laughed the whole time we were talking. He was still having fun.''
Roddy, who taped his last show about two months ago, had colon cancer surgery on Sept. 11, 2001, and his left breast removed last March. He also had prostate cancer, CBS said.
The diseases appeared under control following chemotherapy but flared up again, Pitts said. The two cancers, which Roddy had said were unconnected, prompted him to become a spokesman for early detection.
``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,'' he said in a recent interview on a CBS Web site.
Breast cancer, although typically associated with women, is diagnosed in about 1,500 American men a year, Roddy said in the CBS interview: ``To everybody out there, 'Get a mammogram!' It can happen to men, too.''
Roddy, whose real name was Robert Ray Roddy, was born Sept. 18, 1937, in Fort Worth, Texas, Pitts said.
He was a graduate of Texas Christian University and a popular disc jockey in Texas who also worked on music and talk radio shows in Florida, Louisiana, Illinois, New York and elsewhere, CBS said.
Roddy decided to expand his career in Hollywood, his agent recalled, and his versatility made him a popular voice-over artist for commercials in Los Angeles. He got his big break in television with the 1977-81 satire ``Soap.''
Disc jockey Casey Kasem, who was the first announcer on the risque series, decided he didn't want to stay with it and asked Pitts if he knew someone who could take over.
``I said, 'I've got a guy who's terrific,''' Pitts said. ``Rod started with 'Soap' and then his career took off.''
His announcing stints included ``Love Connection'' (1981-85) and ``Press Your Luck'' (1983-86), but ``The Price is Right'' earned him his greatest fame. He was known for his booming, jovial voice and flashy attire.
``He started wearing those jackets when he joined the show,'' Barker said. ``He was quite a character. He was important to the success of the show. He had the spirit of `The Price Is Right.' It's a fun show. We did it with the hope people will forget their problems for awhile.''
Roddy was single. The only family member he talked about his mother, who died several years ago, Pitts said.
Private funeral services will be held in Texas, with a memorial service planned in Los Angeles in several weeks, CBS said.
=
Associated Press Writers Jeff Wilson and Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Source: KCAL-TV Channel 9 Los Angeles, California
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I used to watch the Price Is Right all the time. He and his voice will be missed.
