- Prolific announcer of over 20 game shows.
- Most famous as Dick Clark's announcer/sidekick on American Bandstand (1952).
- Charlie is best known as the "voice" of Wheel of Fortune, a job he had done for a total of 28 years on both the daytime Wheel of Fortune (1975) show from 1975-1980 and 1989-1991 and the syndicated Wheel of Fortune (1983) show from 1989-2010.
- Children: Son Dennis O'Donnell works in music publishing; daughter Patricia O'Donnell-Rough manages the Instructional Media Collections and Services for UCLA; son Michael O'Donnell is a set dresser for the movie industry; and youngest child Bridgid O'Donnell is a digital motion picture restoration artist.
- Married Ellen Lerner O'Donnell, May 7, 1989. Knew each other for years in the music business then reconnected years later. Fixed up by director Jeff Margolis and wife Leslie.
- He is also featured on the Simon & Garfunkel song "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night" as the news announcer.
- The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia posthumously inducted O'Donnell into their Hall of Fame in 2011.
- Was of English, Irish and Scottish ancestry.
- Was a resident of Sherman Oaks, California, for several years.
- He made a full-time career as an announcer on many television shows throughout the decades, with such series as The Joker's Wild, Tic-Tac-Dough, Bullseye and The $100,000 Pyramid (again working with Dick Clark). He also served as announcer for the American Music Awards, the Emmy Awards, and the Academy Awards.
- He was survived by his second wife, Ellen Lerner, 4 children and two grandchildren.
- O'Donnell also contributed announcing to the 2010 video game based off of Wheel of Fortune, which was released just a day after his death. His voice can still be heard on Wheel of Fortune slot machines.
- Upno O'Donnell's death, his body was cremated, and his ashes given to his surviving family.
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