Alan Kalter
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Alan Kalter on the Late Show with David Letterman |
Alan Kalter, or "Big Red", 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, the
one-liner during the
Worldwide Pants title card after the credits and acts in occasional 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. Of note: 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. A further coincidence: Kalter replaced the same man,
Bill Wendell, as announcer on both
Truth and
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.
On
The Late Show with David Letterman, Kalter often performs in comedy bits where he is portrayed alternatively as a sexual deviant or as a powerless sap who is often beat-up to within inches of his life. Usually in these skits, Letterman will set up a premise based on a current event and ask Kalter about it. Kalter then begins a monologue where he speaks directly to the camera in a sexually provocative manner. Letterman then interrupts Kalter and chides him for behaving inappropriately. Kalter then says the punch-line of the bit by making a provocative quip to Letterman.
In a similar segment, Kalter is introduced with the intent that he will provide a short commentary on current political events but instead begins to sing a sexually provocative pop song, ironically from the female perspective. Songs thus far have included "
My Humps" on "Alan Kalter's Political Roundup" and "
Don't Cha" on "Alan Kalter's Mideast Update".
Kalter resides in
Stamford, Connecticut. He got married for the second time in
2003.
Lately, Alan has been referring to himself as "TV's Uncle Jerry", much to Letterman's delight at first, but recently, Letterman has regarded the moniker with faux-irritation, which appears to be part of the joke.
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*
Alan Kalter at IMDB*
Official Late Show biography*
A San Francisco Chronicle article about Alan Kalter*
Late Show with David Letterman*
David Letterman*
Paul Shaffer
