Gene Wood

Eugene Edward Wood or Gene Wood (October 20, 1925 – May 21, 2004) was an announcer on many Mark Goodson shows as well as a host on a few others. When he retired from game shows in 1996, he did voice overs for the Game Show Network until 1998.

Early Life
Wood was born in Quincy, Massachusetts. He majored in speech and theater at Emerson College.

Career
His early career included stand-up comedy, television commercial and writing for Bob Keeshan of Captain Kangaroo fame. This work included a Terrytoons-produced cartoon series The Adventures of Lariat Sam which aired on the Captain Kangaroo show. Wood supplied voices and sang the theme song. Wood also had a comedy career, often pairing with partner Bill Dana, performing their comedy act at nightclubs.

His first role as a game show announcer came as a substitute n the ABC version of Supermarket Sweep in 1966 (though EOTVGS Vol. 2 says his first work as announcer was on the daytime version of Password); three years later, he began a long association with Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions where he worked on Beat the Clock as its announcer from 1969-72; after the departure of the show's host Jack Narz, Wood then took over as host of Beat the Clock with Nick Holenreich serving as announcer. Wood hosted the 1971-72 season of the short-lived Anything You Can Do which featured team of men competing against teams of women in stunts similar to Beat the Clock. He also appeared as a celebrity panelists on one week of Match Game in 1974.

By 1976, Wood had become a regular announcer for Goodson-Todman, working as a voice-over for many of the company's game shows. In addition to his role as announcer, Wood regularly served as a warm-up act for the audiences on these shows, and often performed a series of comedy skits. Among his most popular jobs was an announcer on the original version of Family Feud. The original version, hosted by Richard Dawson ran on ABC from 1976 to 1985 and when Family Feud was revived in 1988 with Ray Combs as host, Wood announced on that version as well through the 1994-1995 season during which Dawson returned as host. Another show for which he announced on both the original and a revival of Card Sharks. The show's first incarnation, starring Jim Perry ran from 1978-81 on NBC while two concurrent revivals (one on CBS and another in syndication hosted by Bob Eubanks and Bill Rafferty respectively) ran from 1986 to 1989. Wood also announced the first few weeks of Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak on ABC before being replaced by Double Dare's Marc Summers.

After the 1985 of the original announcer Johnny Olson on the Bob Barker version of The Price is Right Wood was one of the four interim announcers on that show until Rod Roddy was chosen as Olson's successor. At that same time, Wood also announced on the nightly syndicated version hosted by Tom Kennedy that ran for the season. According to former producer Roger Dobkowitz between Barker, Goodson & Dobkowitz, himself felt that his voice was a little on the harsh side and was unsuitable for the show despite his experience.

Wood returned to Price briefly in 1998 to read the summer rerun fee plugs. He also filled-in for Olson during the final weeks of the Tom Kennedy-hosted version of Body Language Other shows on which Wood served as a regular announcer were Tattletales (CBS, 1974-78), Double Dare (CBS, 1976-77), The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour (NBC, 1983-84), Password Plus (NBC, 1979-82), Super Password (NBC, 1984-89), Love Connection (Syndication, 1985-1988), Classic Concentration (NBC, 1987-91) and Win, Lose or Draw (Syndication, 1987-90). Prior to his retirement in the 1990s, he also did voiceovers for Game Show Network.

Wood wrote the narration for the 1965 film The World of Abbott and Costello.

Death
Wood retired to Adamsville, Rhode Island, in the 1990s. He died of lung cancer in Boston, Massachusetts on May 21, 2004 at the age of 78.

Goodson-Todman Shows Hosted
Beat the Clock (1972-1974)

Goodson-Todman Shows Announced
Beat the Clock 1969-1972

Family Feud 1976-1985

Family Feud 1987 pilot, 1988-1994, 1994-1995

Family Feud Challenge 1992 pilot

Now You See It 1974 (sub), 1985 pilot

Tattletales 1974-1978

Showoffs 1975

Double Dare 1977

Password Plus 1979-1982

Child's Play 1982-1983

The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour 1983-1984

Super Password 1984-1989

The Price is Right 1985 (sub)

Body Language 1985-1986

On a Roll 1986 Pilot

Card Sharks 1978-1981

Card Sharks 1986-1987

Concentration 1985 pilot

Classic Concentration 1987-1991

Match Game 1990-1991 (was also a panelist in 1974)

Cash Tornado (1994 Pilot)