"My voice is my Achilles' heel,"- Don Pardo, has left for heavenly abode.

Few would recognize his face, but most would know his voice: that booming baritone that for nearly four decades would introduce the lineups on "Saturday Night Live."

Don Pardo, the durable television and radio announcer whose resonant voice-over style was widely imitated and became the standard in the field, died Monday in Arizona at the age of 96.

Pardo, with a strong chin and confident smile that were overshadowed by his majestic delivery, graced newscasts, game shows and TV programs for more than 60 years. During the original version of "Jeopardy!," his answers to the statement, "Tell `em what they've won, Don Pardo," became a memorable part of the program.

Pardo's strong jaw and leading-man smile were seldom on display, but for more than 60 years his elegant pipes graced newscasts, game shows (during the original run of "Jeopardy!," its emcee ritually called on him to "Tell 'em what they've won, Don Pardo") and especially "SNL," where he played an integral role through last season, heralding the lineup, like always, as recently as the May finale.

Dominick George Pardo was born in Westfield, Massachusetts, on Feb. 22, 1918, and grew up in Norwich, Connecticut.

One of his first jobs was that of ticket-taker at a local movie theater; even then, his voice was commanding.

His father, Dominick, owned a small bakery and had wanted his son to join the business. But young Pardo followed his own dream. After graduating from Boston's Emerson College in 1942, he began his vocal career at radio station WJAR in Providence, Rhode Island. Pardo is survived by five children