Jerry Bishop, Announcer on 'Judge Judy,' Dies at 84

The onetime morning drive L.A. disc jockey worked with Judy Sheindlin since the start of her program.

Jerry Bishop, the former Los Angeles morning drive disc jockey who served as the announcer on Judge Judy since the syndicated program's start in 1996, has died. He was 84.

Bishop died Tuesday of heart disease in Los Angeles, his family announced.

Bishop established himself as a prominent morning drive radio host in L.A. in the 1960s through the '80s, working at stations including KFI, KIIS and KLAC.

He then did voiceover work for such companies as Miller Coors, Budweiser and Burger King; handled promos for NBC and ABC; and had a 15-year run as the voice of the Disney Channel before joining the syndicated Judge Judy.

He was the announcer on the show until his final days.

"Jerry Bishop has been the voice of our program for 24 years," Judy Sheindlin said in a statement. "Everybody loved him. He had a golden heart and generous spirit. I adored him and will miss him."

Born Gerald Blume on Oct. 19, 1935, in Hartford, Connecticut, Bishop earned his degree in broadcast journalism from Emerson College in the 1950s. He started out at WDRC in Hartford before coming to California.

His wife of 51 years, Velma, died in 2007.

Survivors include his daughters, Karen, Michelle and Stephanie; grandchildren Allison, Brandon and Zachary; brother Daniel; sister-in-law Joanne; nephew Jared; niece Renee; and great-nephew Micah.

Donations in his name may be made to Chabad of Bel Air.