Local Pittsburgh Voice-over legend dies.

[Radio_Realist]

George Eisenhauer, who was frequently heard on local radio stations doing voice-overs on promotions of KDKA TV, recently died. Though primarily a television booth announcer, Eisenhauer also did radio voice-over work, including free-lance work in other markets.

He was a fixture in Pittsburgh throughout his career, and though he moved to New England after he retired, nearly his entire working career was spent here in Pittsburgh, his home.

For more about this Pittsburgh talent, please see:

http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_098201546.html

His extraordinary pipes were among the most memorable ever heard in this city.

 

[FreddyE1977]

from back when I was a very young child....I will always remember him doing
the voiceover just before KD's 11PM news...

"The time is now Eleven O'Clock.....do you know where your children are?"

 

[Pratte4Life]

Does anyone have a link to some of his sound bites and air checks?

 

[Kurt Toy]

A voice I idolized is gone. Strangely, his passing comes not long after the passing of one-time KDKA-TV anchor Tom Finn, who I once thought sounded like George. R.I.P. to both.

 

[kenhawk1160]

There will never be another George Eisenhauer. Had they not put him in doing the occasional weather reports, we never would have known what his name was. He was to KD what Bill Cardille was to WIIC/WPXI (aside from Chiller Theater). I say this because TAE had two great booth announcers during the 60's and 70's with very distinct and unique voices, but you didn't know who they were because they were never on camera nor did they announce themselves.

One of those TAE guys sounded a lot like the late Bob Smith (did the intro for the J. Vernon McGee tapes before his death in 1993). Any TAE stalwarts out there to offer input on that?

I still remember George's voice-overs for locally produced programs like Pittsburgh 2Day, Science Fiction Theater, The Marie Torie Show, and Punchline (?) with Dennis Miller.

 

[Boss Radio]

Del Taylor did a lot of the booth announcing for Channel 4. So did Henry Dabecco.

Some of the others who did that duty were also well-known for their on-camera work: Paul Shannon and Nick Perry.

 

[Snafu]

Taylor, Dabecco and Perry were the primary booth announcers. Paul Shannon only did vacation fill in.

I think Taylor and Nick were the only two left when AFTRA finally relented and let Hearst replace them with tape. Of course by then that was the least of Nick's problems.

 

[kenhawk1160]

Del Taylor did a lot of the booth announcing for Channel 4. So did Henry Dabecco.

Some of the others who did that duty were also well-known for their on-camera work: Paul Shannon and Nick Perry.

I remember Nick Perry doing a lot of the sign-off newscasts...simply read over a title card. Boss, you sound like you're pretty familiar with that station during that era...can you identify THIS guy? He's the one I remember best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6SMB49frrA

 

[Interested Observer]

Del Taylor did a lot of the booth announcing for Channel 4. So did Henry Dabecco.

Some of the others who did that duty were also well-known for their on-camera work: Paul Shannon and Nick Perry.

I remember Nick Perry doing a lot of the sign-off newscasts...simply read over a title card. Boss, you sound like you're pretty familiar with that station during that era...can you identify THIS guy? He's the one I remember best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6SMB49frrA

Was that Lynn Hinds, one of the hosts from AM Pittsburgh?

 

[trefdawg]

Wow the WTAE sign off, after listening to that I wonder if, at that time, Sarah "wished" she would have a day job? ;D

 

[Boss Radio]

Del Taylor did a lot of the booth announcing for Channel 4. So did Henry Dabecco.

Some of the others who did that duty were also well-known for their on-camera work: Paul Shannon and Nick Perry.

I remember Nick Perry doing a lot of the sign-off newscasts...simply read over a title card. Boss, you sound like you're pretty familiar with that station during that era...can you identify THIS guy? He's the one I remember best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6SMB49frrA

That's Henry Dabecco. He worked at KQV in the '50s, pre-Top 40. He stayed for a while after the format change, but he hated rock music and left for WTAE, which was playing Mantovani as WRYT in the 1960s. He stayed on as a booth announcer for the TV station.

Very nice man with a smooth mellow voice. He just passed away a couple of years ago.

 

[Parttimer]

Definitely Henry Dabecco on the sign off .....

 

[kenhawk1160]

Del Taylor did a lot of the booth announcing for Channel 4. So did Henry Dabecco.

Some of the others who did that duty were also well-known for their on-camera work: Paul Shannon and Nick Perry.

I remember Nick Perry doing a lot of the sign-off newscasts...simply read over a title card. Boss, you sound like you're pretty familiar with that station during that era...can you identify THIS guy? He's the one I remember best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6SMB49frrA

That's Henry Dabecco. He worked at KQV in the '50s, pre-Top 40. He stayed for a while after the format change, but he hated rock music and left for WTAE, which was playing Mantovani as WRYT in the 1960s. He stayed on as a booth announcer for the TV station.

Very nice man with a smooth mellow voice. He just passed away a couple of years ago.

Sad to hear...nice pipes, though.

 

[kenhawk1160]

Del Taylor did a lot of the booth announcing for Channel 4. So did Henry Dabecco.

Some of the others who did that duty were also well-known for their on-camera work: Paul Shannon and Nick Perry.

I remember Nick Perry doing a lot of the sign-off newscasts...simply read over a title card. Boss, you sound like you're pretty familiar with that station during that era...can you identify THIS guy? He's the one I remember best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6SMB49frrA

Was that Lynn Hinds, one of the hosts from AM Pittsburgh?

Nope...Lynn Hinds was long gone by the time that was made. He left TAE to take a much more lucrative job with WPSX-TV in State College.

 

[Boss Radio]

Plus Lynn Hinds never did booth announcing.

 

[Interested Observer]

Plus Lynn Hinds never did booth announcing.

Okay. Just a thought...

 

[Mr. Geen]

Wow the WTAE sign off, after listening to that I wonder if, at that time, Sarah "wished" she would have a day job? ;D

Perhaps I missed the joke? I really like listening to Sara Lockard. She is an original Pittsburgh girl.

She does a really good job on all the commercials she does in the city and on WISH. I "wish" she'd do more and they stop using their newest "dee-jay", Chris Winter. She doesn't know how to read copy. Every commercial is the same! A WORLD of difference.

 

[Kurt Toy]

Taylor, Dabecco and Perry were the primary booth announcers. Paul Shannon only did vacation fill in.

I think Taylor and Nick were the only two left when AFTRA finally relented and let Hearst replace them with tape. Of course by then that was the least of Nick's problems.

Shannon was also a regular staff announcer, too. KDKA, in addition to Eisenhauer, also had other announcers, too. Including Brace Gilson, Ken Kirk, and one who also was a regular VO, and another who did fill-in work, both in the 60s. Anybody know their names?

 

[Boss Radio]

"Brace Gilson" is one of the all-time great names. He had some involvement in harness racing, too. Big, booming voice. I don't know if he's still with us.

Ken Kirk was also your on-camera Atlantic weatherman. He passed away a while ago. His real name was Warren Kirkander.