David Letterman says announcer Alan Kalter was always game to do Late Show comedy stunts: “I don’t recall the guy ever saying no to anything"

The New York Times

“If you’re going to have a talk show, you’ve got to have a strong announcer, and he filled that way beyond what is required," Letterman recalled Tuesday of his longtime Late Show announcer Kalter, who died Monday at age 78. When Letterman and his then-executive producer Robert Morton saw Kalter's audition tape, the Late Show host said: “It was like, ‘Oh, my God, here we go.'" Longtime Letterman producer Barbara Gaines said Kalter fit right in with the Late Show's zaniness. “Alan would good-naturedly do almost anything we asked of him,” she told The Times via email, “which is how we like our people.” Letterman remembered that Kalter was game for anything. “I don’t recall the guy ever saying no to anything,” he said, “and I guess that tells us something about his judgment.” Letterman added: “It wasn’t begrudgingly — it was, ‘I’m all in.’” Letterman said he considered Kalter and bandleader Paul Shaffer to be steadying influences. “He and Paul, to me, they were fixtures every night,” he said. “You’d look over and see Alan and see Paul and know that it’s going to be OK just like last night.” ALSO: Watch frequent Letterman guest Brian Williams' tribute to Alan Kalter on MSNBC.