Jay Stewart
Encyclopedia
Jay Fix known professionally as Jay Stewart, was an American
television and radio announcer
known primarily for his work on game show
s. One of his longest-lasting roles was as the announcer on the game show Let's Make a Deal
, which he announced throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Other shows for which he announced regularly include the Reg Grundy productions Scrabble
and Sale of the Century, as well as the Jack Barry-Dan Enright productions The Joker's Wild
, Tic-Tac-Dough
and Bullseye. Stewart committed suicide
in 1989.
, Stewart broke into show business as a saxophone
player. He attended Butler University
and won a 1939 award as one of the outstanding Sigma Chi
graduates in the United States. After graduation he landed radio announcing jobs at WBOW
in Terre Haute
and WLW
in Cincinnati. In 1943 Stewart moved to Los Angeles
, where he continued his career as a radio announcer. In 1953 Stewart became the host of NBC
radio's It Pays To Be Married.
Stewart was one of the hosts for Town Hall Party, a Los Angeles-based country music
program airing from 1952 to 1961 and carried by KFI
radio and KTTV-TV television. He was also an announcer for The Mike Douglas Show
when production moved to Los Angeles in the late-1970s.
Stewart married the former Phyllis Kiser and the couple had two daughters, Jamie and Julie.
and in the 1980s on Sale of the Century
. Let's Make a Deal host Monty Hall
called Stewart "the best second banana you ever found in your life" and said that "it was a very, very good feeling between us." On Let's Make a Deal Stewart participated onstage as well as announcing, often seen modeling the show's "zonk" prizes (a practice also used by current announcer Jonathan Mangum
).
Stewart was also the primary announcer for all Barry & Enright
game shows from 1977 until 1981, including The Joker's Wild
, Tic-Tac-Dough
, and Bullseye. Charlie O'Donnell
took over the role on the Barry-Enright shows starting in the 1981-82 season, when Stewart left due to his daughter's suicide.
In 1981, Jay was selected by Mark Goodson
to announce approximately two months worth of episodes on Card Sharks
, pairing him with future Sale of the Century host Jim Perry. It was Stewart's only announcing assignment for Mark Goodson Productions, occurring while he was still employed with Barry & Enright. Stewart was brought in to substitute for regular announcer Gene Wood
, who was recovering from a serious automobile accident.
Besides his duties on the NBC and syndicated versions of $ale of the Century, Stewart announced the first two years of Scrabble
before being replaced by Charlie Tuna
in 1986. He also made a cameo appearance on the series finale of The All-New Let's Make a Deal in 1986 alongside original LMaD prize model Carol Merrill
; Stewart's appearance, like many of his on-screen appearances on the original series, was modeling a zonk a player had just won. In addition, between his stints with Barry & Enright and Reg Grundy Productions
, Stewart was the voice-over for National Enquirer commercials, which he continued to do until around 1986.
Stewart left Sale of the Century in 1988. His final announcing position was on Blackout
shortly after his departure from Sale, where he replaced Johnny Gilbert
as the show's announcer for its final two weeks.
to proclaim his newfound faith, which led to him doing voiceover promos for host Pat Robertson's CBN Cable. He returned to the game show arena in 1983 as the announcer of Sale of the Century
, which he held for five years. Stewart also co-hosted with Jim Perry for a week around late 1983, when then-hostess Lee Menning
was on maternity leave, and participated in several Instant Bargains during the course of his tenure on Sale. In 1983, Stewart announced for a pilot of the revival of Jeopardy!
hosted by Alex Trebek
, but the job eventually went to Johnny Gilbert
, who announced for a later pilot and all subsequent episodes.
Stewart could not overcome the pain of his daughter's death and turned increasingly to alcohol, which ultimately led to his departure from $ale of the Century in January 1988. During this time, he moved into the managerial field; one of his clients was Harry Stevens, who announced the syndicated
version of Finders Keepers and the 1989 version of Pictionary
.
Stewart committed suicide
by shooting himself in the carport of his home on September 17, 1989, as the result of severe depression; he had also suffered from chronic, intractable back pain for years, reportedly due to frequent heavy lifting during his work on Let's Make a Deal (Stewart had to carry prize display tables to and from the audience area whenever a game on Let's Make a Deal called for them; he would bring out the prizes, announce them, then take them back offstage when done).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television and radio announcer
Announcer
An announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
known primarily for his work on game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
s. One of his longest-lasting roles was as the announcer on the game show Let's Make a Deal
Let's Make a Deal
Let's Make a Deal is a television game show which originated in the United States and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The show is based around deals offered to members of the audience by the host. The traders usually have to weigh the possibility of an offer being...
, which he announced throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Other shows for which he announced regularly include the Reg Grundy productions Scrabble
Scrabble (game show)
Scrabble is an American television game show that was based on the Scrabble board game. The show was co-produced by Exposure Unlimited and Reg Grundy Productions. It ran from July 2, 1984 to March 23, 1990, and again from January 18 to June 11, 1993, both runs on NBC. A total of 1,335 episodes were...
and Sale of the Century, as well as the Jack Barry-Dan Enright productions The Joker's Wild
The Joker's Wild
The Joker's Wild is an American television game show that aired at different times during the 1970s through the 1990s. Contestants answered questions based on categories that were determined randomly by a mechanism resembling a slot machine....
, Tic-Tac-Dough
Tic-Tac-Dough
Tic-Tac-Dough is an American television game show based on the pen-and-paper game of tic-tac-toe. Contestants answer questions in various categories to put up their respective symbol, X or O, on the board. Three versions were produced: the initial 1956–59 run on NBC, a 1978–1986 run initially on...
and Bullseye. Stewart committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in 1989.
Education and early career
Born in Summitville, IndianaSummitville, Indiana
Summitville is a town in Van Buren Township, Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Stewart broke into show business as a saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
player. He attended Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
and won a 1939 award as one of the outstanding Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
graduates in the United States. After graduation he landed radio announcing jobs at WBOW
WBOW (AM)
WBOW is a radio station broadcasting a Sports radio format. Licensed to Terre Haute, Indiana, the station serves the Terre Haute area. It first began broadcasting in 1983 under the call sign WPFR...
in Terre Haute
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
and WLW
WLW
WLW is a clear channel talk radio station located in Cincinnati, Ohio, run by Clear Channel Communications. The station broadcasts locally on 700 kHz AM...
in Cincinnati. In 1943 Stewart moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where he continued his career as a radio announcer. In 1953 Stewart became the host of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
radio's It Pays To Be Married.
Stewart was one of the hosts for Town Hall Party, a Los Angeles-based country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
program airing from 1952 to 1961 and carried by KFI
KFI
KFI is an AM radio station in Los Angeles, California. It received its license to operate on March 31, 1922 and began operating on April 16, 1922 as one of the United States' first high-powered, "clear-channel" stations...
radio and KTTV-TV television. He was also an announcer for The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that aired in syndication from 1961 to 1982, distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations.The program featured light banter with...
when production moved to Los Angeles in the late-1970s.
Stewart married the former Phyllis Kiser and the couple had two daughters, Jamie and Julie.
Career highlights
Stewart was perhaps best known for his work on Let's Make a DealLet's Make a Deal
Let's Make a Deal is a television game show which originated in the United States and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The show is based around deals offered to members of the audience by the host. The traders usually have to weigh the possibility of an offer being...
and in the 1980s on Sale of the Century
Sale of the Century
Sale of the Century is a television game show format that has been screened in several countries in various incarnations since 1969. The show found its biggest success in Australia, where it aired weeknights from 1980 to 2001...
. Let's Make a Deal host Monty Hall
Monty Hall
Monte Halperin, OC, OM , better known by the stage name Monty Hall, is a Canadian-born MC, producer, actor, singer and sportscaster, best known as host of the television game show Let's Make a Deal.-Early life:...
called Stewart "the best second banana you ever found in your life" and said that "it was a very, very good feeling between us." On Let's Make a Deal Stewart participated onstage as well as announcing, often seen modeling the show's "zonk" prizes (a practice also used by current announcer Jonathan Mangum
Jonathan Mangum
Jonathan Mangum is an American actor and comedian. He was a cast member of the variety show, The Wayne Brady Show and is an announcer for the game show Let's Make a Deal.-Early life:...
).
Stewart was also the primary announcer for all Barry & Enright
Dan Enright
Daniel "Dan" Enright was one of the most successful game show producers in American television. Enright worked with Jack Barry from the 1940s until Barry's death in 1984. They were partners in creating programs for radio and television...
game shows from 1977 until 1981, including The Joker's Wild
The Joker's Wild
The Joker's Wild is an American television game show that aired at different times during the 1970s through the 1990s. Contestants answered questions based on categories that were determined randomly by a mechanism resembling a slot machine....
, Tic-Tac-Dough
Tic-Tac-Dough
Tic-Tac-Dough is an American television game show based on the pen-and-paper game of tic-tac-toe. Contestants answer questions in various categories to put up their respective symbol, X or O, on the board. Three versions were produced: the initial 1956–59 run on NBC, a 1978–1986 run initially on...
, and Bullseye. Charlie O'Donnell
Charlie O'Donnell
Charles John "Charlie" O'Donnell was an American radio and television announcer, primarily known for his work on game shows...
took over the role on the Barry-Enright shows starting in the 1981-82 season, when Stewart left due to his daughter's suicide.
In 1981, Jay was selected by Mark Goodson
Mark Goodson
Mark Goodson was an American television producer who specialized in game shows.-Life and early career:...
to announce approximately two months worth of episodes on Card Sharks
Card Sharks
Card Sharks is an American television game show created by Chester Feldman for Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions. Two contestants compete for control of a row of oversized playing cards by answering questions posed by the host and then guessing if the next card is higher or lower in value than...
, pairing him with future Sale of the Century host Jim Perry. It was Stewart's only announcing assignment for Mark Goodson Productions, occurring while he was still employed with Barry & Enright. Stewart was brought in to substitute for regular announcer Gene Wood
Gene Wood
Eugene Edward "Gene" Wood was an American television personality, known primarily for his work as an announcer on various game shows. From the 1960s to the 1990s, he announced many game shows, primarily Mark Goodson–Bill Todman productions such as Family Feud, Card Sharks, Password, and Beat the...
, who was recovering from a serious automobile accident.
Besides his duties on the NBC and syndicated versions of $ale of the Century, Stewart announced the first two years of Scrabble
Scrabble (game show)
Scrabble is an American television game show that was based on the Scrabble board game. The show was co-produced by Exposure Unlimited and Reg Grundy Productions. It ran from July 2, 1984 to March 23, 1990, and again from January 18 to June 11, 1993, both runs on NBC. A total of 1,335 episodes were...
before being replaced by Charlie Tuna
Charlie Tuna
Charlie Tuna is the stage name of Art Ferguson , a radio personality based in Los Angeles, California currently working at KRTH-FM....
in 1986. He also made a cameo appearance on the series finale of The All-New Let's Make a Deal in 1986 alongside original LMaD prize model Carol Merrill
Carol Merrill
Carol Merrill was a model for the television game show Let's Make a Deal during the show's original run between 1963 and 1977.-Modeling:...
; Stewart's appearance, like many of his on-screen appearances on the original series, was modeling a zonk a player had just won. In addition, between his stints with Barry & Enright and Reg Grundy Productions
Reg Grundy Productions
Reg Grundy Productions was the American wing of the worldwide television production company Grundy Worldwide, which was founded by Australian television producer Reg Grundy. Reg Grundy Productions was responsible for the production of two highly-successful daytime game shows on NBC during the...
, Stewart was the voice-over for National Enquirer commercials, which he continued to do until around 1986.
Stewart left Sale of the Century in 1988. His final announcing position was on Blackout
Blackout (game show)
Blackout is an American game show that aired on CBS from January 4 to April 1, 1988. The pilot was hosted by former Entertainment Tonight anchor Robb Weller, but he was replaced for the series by Bob Goen...
shortly after his departure from Sale, where he replaced Johnny Gilbert
Johnny Gilbert
John L. "Johnny" Gilbert III is an American show business personality who has worked mainly on television game shows. Originally a nightclub singer and entertainer, he has hosted and announced a number of game shows from various eras, dating as far back as the 1950s...
as the show's announcer for its final two weeks.
Later work, decline and death
In late 1981, Stewart's daughter Jamie committed suicide. During this time, he took a year-and-a-half respite from announcing and found religion, appearing on The 700 ClubThe 700 Club
The 700 Club is the flagship news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. In production since 1966, it is currently hosted by Pat Robertson, Terry Meeuwsen, Kristi Watts, and Gordon P. Robertson, two of whom will host on any...
to proclaim his newfound faith, which led to him doing voiceover promos for host Pat Robertson's CBN Cable. He returned to the game show arena in 1983 as the announcer of Sale of the Century
Sale of the Century
Sale of the Century is a television game show format that has been screened in several countries in various incarnations since 1969. The show found its biggest success in Australia, where it aired weeknights from 1980 to 2001...
, which he held for five years. Stewart also co-hosted with Jim Perry for a week around late 1983, when then-hostess Lee Menning
Lee Menning
Lee Menning is an American actress who appeared as a card dealer on NBC game show Las Vegas Gambit, and then as the co-host of NBC's Sale of the Century from 1983 to 1984....
was on maternity leave, and participated in several Instant Bargains during the course of his tenure on Sale. In 1983, Stewart announced for a pilot of the revival of Jeopardy!
Jeopardy!
Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
hosted by Alex Trebek
Alex Trebek
George Alexander "Alex" Trebek is a Canadian American game show host who has been the host of the game show Jeopardy! since 1984, and prior to that, he hosted game shows such as Pitfall and High Rollers. He has appeared in numerous television series, usually as himself...
, but the job eventually went to Johnny Gilbert
Johnny Gilbert
John L. "Johnny" Gilbert III is an American show business personality who has worked mainly on television game shows. Originally a nightclub singer and entertainer, he has hosted and announced a number of game shows from various eras, dating as far back as the 1950s...
, who announced for a later pilot and all subsequent episodes.
Stewart could not overcome the pain of his daughter's death and turned increasingly to alcohol, which ultimately led to his departure from $ale of the Century in January 1988. During this time, he moved into the managerial field; one of his clients was Harry Stevens, who announced the syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
version of Finders Keepers and the 1989 version of Pictionary
Pictionary (1989 game show)
Pictionary was a children's game show based on the board game of the same name, in which two teams of three children competed in a drawing game for prizes. This version was hosted by Brian Robbins, and aired during the summer of 1989...
.
Stewart committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by shooting himself in the carport of his home on September 17, 1989, as the result of severe depression; he had also suffered from chronic, intractable back pain for years, reportedly due to frequent heavy lifting during his work on Let's Make a Deal (Stewart had to carry prize display tables to and from the audience area whenever a game on Let's Make a Deal called for them; he would bring out the prizes, announce them, then take them back offstage when done).
External links
- Jay Stewart at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...