Johnny Gilbert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johnny Gilbert
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Johnny Gilbert announcing Jeopardy! in 2019
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John Lewis Gilbert III
July 13, 1928 Newport News, Virginia, U.S.
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| Occupation | Game show host/announcer |
| Years active | 1958–present |
| Known for | Announcer of Jeopardy! (1984–present) |
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| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Army |
| Unit |  Seventh Army Special Services |
John Lewis Gilbert III (born July 13, 1928), known as Johnny Gilbert, is an American television personality. He has worked mostly on game shows. He started as a nightclub singer and entertainer. Gilbert has hosted and announced many game shows since the 1950s. He is best known as the announcer for the popular quiz show Jeopardy!. He has been the announcer for the syndicated version of Jeopardy! since it returned in 1984.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Johnny Gilbert was born on July 13, 1928, in Newport News, Virginia. He began singing as a boy in his hometown church choir. His grandmother was also a church singer.
While in high school, Gilbert decided to become a professional singer. He learned from an opera teacher. He sang regularly with a group called Shelly Harmon and His Orchestra. They toured around Virginia.
Career Highlights
Starting in Show Business
After high school, Gilbert lived in Florida for three months. He worked as an emcee, which is like a host. This job taught him how to perform on stage and speak to a crowd. He also learned to tell jokes and stories.
Later, Gilbert joined a group of young actors called the Dead End Kids. He toured with them for 16 weeks across the southwestern United States.
In the 1950s, Gilbert joined the United States Army. He was part of the Seventh Army Special Services in Germany. He starred in a musical comedy called Xanadu. This show toured around Western Europe for soldiers and civilians.
After leaving the Army, Gilbert kept singing and hosting in clubs. A manager suggested he try out for television. He got his first TV job as a singer and emcee in New Orleans.
Hosting Television Shows
Gilbert moved to New York City and quickly found work. In 1958, he got his first national TV job. He became the host of a new game show called Music Bingo. The show aired for three years on NBC and then ABC. Because he was popular, he even recorded an album and some songs.
He later hosted a local game show in Los Angeles called Words and Music. Gilbert also hosted his own talk show, The Johnny Gilbert Show. This show was live for 90 minutes, five days a week. It featured celebrity guests and a studio audience. He hosted it for two years.
After that, he hosted other game shows like Fast Draw and Beat the Odds. He also hosted a local version of Dialing for Dollars.
Becoming a Famous Announcer
In 1963, Johnny Gilbert became the announcer for The Price Is Right. He also hosted the show once when the regular host was away. From 1974 to 1980, he was the announcer for Dinah Shore's talk show, Dinah!.
His most famous role began in 1984. That's when Jeopardy! returned to TV as a daily show with host Alex Trebek. Alex Trebek had met Gilbert and liked his voice. He asked the show's creator, Merv Griffin, to hire Gilbert. Gilbert has been the announcer and audience host for Jeopardy! ever since.
He is well known for starting each show with, "This is Jeopardy!" He then introduces the contestants and the host. Gilbert also used to announce the sponsors and consolation prizes. As the audience host, he warms up the crowd before the show starts taping.
In 2017, Gilbert was honored by Guinness World Records. He received an award for having the longest career as a game show announcer for a single show. This was after 32 years with Jeopardy!. He even appeared on screen during an episode to celebrate this.
Gilbert has also lent his voice to most of the Jeopardy! video games since 1992. He sometimes voiced all the clues in the games.
After Alex Trebek passed away in 2020, Gilbert thought about retiring. But he decided to continue his role. Since 2020, he has been doing his announcements from a studio built at his home. He has been the only person from the original 1984 Jeopardy! team to still be part of the show through 2024.
Besides Jeopardy!, Gilbert has been a guest announcer on its sister show, Wheel of Fortune. He announced for them on April Fools' Day in 1997. He also filled in for a few weeks in 2010 after the show's regular announcer passed away.
Gilbert has announced for many other game shows over the years. Some of these include The $25,000 Pyramid, Family Feud, and Supermarket Sweep.
Other Appearances
Gilbert's voice has been heard in other places too. He announced for the People's Choice Awards and Emmy Awards. He also voiced characters in cartoons like The Angry Beavers and Johnny Bravo.
He announced a fake Jeopardy! episode for a show at EPCOT Center. He also appeared in the 1992 movie White Men Can't Jump. In that movie, a character tries to pass the Jeopardy! audition. Gilbert also appeared in TV shows like 227, The Golden Girls, and Cheers.
Personal Life
Johnny Gilbert married his wife, Sharee, in 1984.
Awards and Recognition
On September 29, 2022, Johnny Gilbert was honored. He was inducted into the first ever Jeopardy! Hall of Fame. This happened at the first Jeopardy! Honors event.
Images for kids
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Johnny Gilbert announcing Jeopardy! in 2019
See also
In Spanish: Johnny Gilbert para niños
