California Primary June 4, 1968: Robert Kennedy Assassination
With the California Primary underway today, this sad occasion came to mind.
The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles was the scene of the crime that so many of us saw unfold on television that night. These are rare photos from the Los Angeles Fire Marshall’s office taken there that day.
All the networks were there, as well as the local stations, as this was not only the Kennedy HQ hotel, but three of the hotel’s ballrooms were being used by other Democratic candidates that night. Among them were Kennedy in the big ballroom, Senator Alan Cranston in a medium ballroom, and someone running for a state office in the smallest. -Bobby Ellerbee
NBC logo on a Norelco camera, right?
The calm before the storm. Somewhere in that mix is a fellow I worked with at KTLA, Hector Highton.
The CBS Radio Netalert went off at 2:06am eastern. The next break was at 7:39am with the CBS cue but most stations weren’t paying attention so listeners heard “Attention stations, this is a not for broadcast advisory from CBS News…”
My 1st wife and I had shot pictures of Bobby in San Francisco just a week or so before he went to LA, so much life and energy, what a what a tradigy.
Think I sent a picture of Jimmy Cassin up in the rafters. As I wrote before KTLA covered this event. Dick Watson stationed by the kitchen door got the shot that went out to the world of Kennedy. KTLA fed the world and somewhere all got lost or maybe it was never recorded? Stan Chambers, News station manager that nite had gone home. Next day Hal Fishman and all devoted entire day to cover. Every time I think about that nite and of course, like millions of others I was watching on my tv I cannot accept the fact that the FBI was so stupid as to never search the employees beforehand.
Get TV just ran an old Merv Griffin show (last night) that Bobby was on… I’m sure it was from 1967 and they discussed how he was NOT going to run…
I was there that night. I had a camera head on to Kennedy. He walked off and at first we thought balloons were popping but later realized he was shot. We notified NBC B.O.C. in NY that something was happening. The next day we were on a plane back to NY to set up St. Pat’s Cathedral for Bobby’s mass.
WOW! I think RCA had TK-44 cameras in 68.
So cool!
Hi Bobby, I’m producing a radio documentary for the BBC about RFK and would love to chat to you. Could you drop me an email – ashley@madeinmanchester.tv – best Ashley Byrne