Jerry Bishop, the longtime announcer for “Judge Judy” and a veteran of Los Angeles radio, died April 21 of heart disease. He was 84.
Bishop spent 24 years as the announcer for the popular syndicated court show presided over by Judge Judith Sheindlin. Over his long career, Bishop worked as a morning drive-time host for multiple L.A. radio stations including KFI, KIIS and KLAC, and he spent 15 years as a voice-over announcer for Disney Channel.
Bishop, who was known by the nickname “the Bish,” continued to work on “Judge Judy” until his final days.
“Jerry Bishop has been the voice of our program for 24 years. Everybody loved him,” Sheindlin said. “He had a golden heart and generous spirit. I adored him and will miss him.”
Born Gerald Blume in Hartford, Conn., Bishop earned a degree in broadcast journalism from Emerson College and got his start in radio at Hartford’s WDRC. He moved to the West Coast where his career blossomed in the vibrant radio market from the 1960s through the 1980s. Over the years Bishop interviewed such industry notables as Natalie Wood, Steve McQueen and Frank Sinatra. He also did advertising voice-over work for brands including Coors, Budweiser and Burger King as well as voicing promos for NBC and ABC.
A student of Judaism, Bishop immersed himself in Talmudic studies and attended synagogue every day. He was a big fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Lakers and the PGA tour.
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Bishop was married for nearly 50 years to Velma Leventhal, who died in 2007. Survivors include their three daughters, three grandchildren and a brother.
The family requests that donations be made in Bishop’s name to Chabad of Bel-Air.
