Alan Kalter

:"This is about the announcer. For the director, see Allen Coulter." Alan Kalter is an American television announcer from New York City. He is most notable as being, since 1995, the announcer for the Late Show with David Letterman, and for being one of the few remaining national television announcers still based in the city.

Kalter, nicknamed "Big Red" and "TV's Uncle Jerry", began his stint as the "voice" of the "Late Show with David Letterman" on September 5, 1995. He announces the guests at the top of each show and the one-liner during the Worldwide Pants title card after the credits, and regularly acts in comedic sketches. In the past Kalter often did so while wearing an Elvis-style sequined jumpsuit or almost nothing at all.

Kalter has done hundreds of voiceovers for national radio and television commercials and was also the lead continuity voice for the USA Network throughout much of the 1980s (his voice can still be heard on USA when the disclaimer before infomercials is read). Previously, he was the announcer for many New York-based television shows including "To Tell the Truth", "The $10,000 Pyramid", "The Money Maze", and "The $128,000 Question". All of those series (except "The Money Maze") were taped at some point in the Ed Sullivan Theater, where the "Late Show" is now produced. Kalter also replaced Bill Wendell as announcer on both "Truth" and the "Late Show".

On the "Late Show," Kalter regularly performs in scripted comedy bits, in addition to duties which are more typical of an announcer. He is often portrayed alternately as a sexual deviant (often while grinning mischievously) or as a powerless sap who is beaten to within an inch of his life and left rolling on the ground writhing in pain. He is also often compelled to arbitrarily sing, rant in hysteria, or disrobe as he walks off stage. In many of the skits, Kalter's antics will leave host David Letterman in a state of amusement or disgust. (See Sketches on Letterman).

Kalter is a native New Yorker, born in Brooklyn and raised in Little Neck and Cedarhurst. He was an English teacher at Baldwin High School on Long Island in the late 1960s, and was also the voice of the Michelin Man. He attended Hobart College in Geneva, New York and began his broadcasting career on local radio stations.

Kalter resides in Stamford, Connecticut. After his long-time marriage to Carol Cepler ended in divorce, he married for the second time in 2003. He also became a second-time grandfather in 2005, when his daughter gave birth to a son.

Filmography

*"Ed" (2000)
*"Get Well Soon" (2001) as "Announcer"
*"$128,000 Question" (1976) TV Series (uncredited) as "Announcer"
*"The Money Maze" (1974) TV Series as "Announcer"

External links

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* [http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/show_info/bios/cast13.php Official "Late Show" biography]
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ee also

*Late Show with David Letterman
*David Letterman
*Paul Shaffer