The iconic red-headed Alan Kaltar, who previously served as an announcer on David Letterman‘s CBS “Late Show” has passed away at the age of 78.
Kalter joined Letterman on the “Late Show” in 1995. He remained a member of the show until its conclusion in May of 2015. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Letterman tossed Kalter into a pool during his first day on the job.
The news outlet further stated that the iconic announcer often participated in humorous sketches during the show’s airing. He most popularly made appearances during “Alan Kalter’s Celebrity Interview.”
During an earlier interview near the conclusion of the “Late Show,” Kaltar expressed his gratefulness at being so involved.
“I’ve had such a great 20 years,” he said. “It’s been a blessing every single day.”
He further shared during that interview that while everyone has bad days, on the days during which the “Late Show” filmed, “I laugh, I smile, every day.”
Further, Kaltar is most known for his role on the “Late Show.” Although, he served as a popular announcer across other shows and networks. These included “To Tell the Truth,” “The $25,000 Pyramid,” and “The Money Maze.”
Per Kalter’s wife Peggy, the comic and “Late Show” announcer passed away on Monday in Stamford Hospital in Connecticut.
‘Late Show’ ‘Cue Card Boy’ Dies at 76
While Kalter is memorable for his quirky announcements and frequent appearances, July saw the death of another “Late Show” favorite.
Prominently known as David Letterman’s “Cue Card Boy,” Tony Mendez passed away just months ago, during the height of summer. He was 76 and Deadline reported Mendez’s death occurred July 29th. While sad, we took solace knowing Mendez passed away in within the comfort of Miami Beach home. He died with the company of his longtime companion, Andrew Corbin.
He typically intended to work behind the scenes of the “Late Show.” However, Mendez made frequent appearances on the screen, to the joy of numerous fans.
Mendez had quite a ride within television and entertainment. Alongside 21 years spent with “Late Show” host David Letterman, he additionally had a series of his own. The online videos saw Mendez at the center of his series, “The Tony Mendez Show.”
Additionally, Mendez served as a cue card handler on “Saturday Night Live.”
Fans frequently enjoyed the appearance of the longtime cast member on Letterman’s show. However, his career with the network came to an unfortunate end. While the “Late Show” concluded in 2015, Mendez was actually fired in 2014. After more than two decades on the late night show, his career ended after he assaulted Bill Scheft, a writer for the show.
Nevertheless, prior to his career’s end on the “Late Show,” he remained vigilant in his efforts to best accommodate show personalities. During a 2001 interview, he said of his time on “Saturday Night Live,” “It was the most stressful job I ever had…[The hosts] would all try to memorize, and I would tell them that the script was going to be changing until the last minute, so they had to follow me.”
