Gene Wood

Gene Wood in an on-camera appearance as a Match Game panelist

Gene Wood, full name Eugene Edward Wood (October 20, 1925 - May 21, 2004), was an American television personality. He was best known as the announcer of over 20 game shows -- most of which were Mark Goodson-Bill Todman productions -- from the late 1960s through the 1990s.

Born in Quincy, Massachusetts, Wood majored in speech and theater in Emerson College. His early career included stand-up comedy, television commercials, and writing for Bob Keeshan of Captain Kangaroo fame. His first role as a game show announcer came as a substitute on Password in 1965. He announced Beat the Clock in 1969 and hosted that show (replacing Jack Narz) from 1972 until its cancellation in 1974. Wood also hosted the short-lived game show Anything You Can Do, which featured teams of men competing against teams of women in stunts similar to Beat the Clock. Wood hosted the show for the 1971-1972 season before turning the hosting reins over to Don Harron for its final two years.

From 1976 through 1985 and again from 1988 through 1995, Wood was the announcer of Family Feud under hosts Richard Dawson and Ray Combs. He became noted for his introductions of the two families on that show, culminating with "On your marks... let's start... the FAMILY FEUUUUD!" He also made several on-camera appearances on Feud while exchanging jokes and performing stunts with the hosts during their opening monologues.

He was an interim announcer on The Price is Right after the death of Johnny Olson in 1985 and before the selection of Rod Roddy as Olson's successor. Other shows that Wood announced included Card Sharks, (on both the NBC and CBS runs) Password Plus, Super Password, Tattletales, Classic Concentration, and the 1990 version of Match Game. Wood also announced on Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak, the only announcing assignment from Reg Grundy Productions for Wood.

The first run of Card Sharks on NBC (from 1978 to 1981, with Jim Perry as host) would provide Wood with one of his unique announcing roles. In addition to providing the usual host intro, commercial plug and closing-credit roles, Wood read the catchy poem that accompanied the opening visuals...often one sent in by viewers. For example: "Shuffle, deal, cut and play / Someone's going to win today / Onnnnn...Card Sharks!"

Wood would later announce Family Challenge and then announced for Game Show Network in the late 1990s before retiring.

Wood died of cancer in Boston, Massachusetts, at age 78.

External links

[Column on Gene Wood's death] (from tvgameshows.net)
[A Conversation with Gene Wood], originally posted to the alt.tv.game-shows newsgroup in 1996

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