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December 3, 1968…NBC Airs ‘Elvis’, The Year’s Top Special

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Eyes Of A Generation.com

December 3, 1968…NBC Airs ‘Elvis’, The Year’s Top Special


Here is the whole show, and the Elvis we all like to remember…funny and playful. Notice the great color…this was one of the last big shows done with the RCA TK41s at Burbank.

In the photo below, we see a rarity…Burbank’s modified TK41 viewfinder with Emmy winning cameraman Roy Holm. I’ve heard the original VF was damaged on a remote and since production stopped in 1966, Burbank engineers make their own VF using a Conrac monitor and building a new housing for it. You may have seen this camera before and wondered…now you know.

This 90 minute special was taped in Studio 4 over a period of four nights starting June 26 and ending June 30 with two shows a night with an hour break between so eight audiences saw the show and all of them were taped. The first shows each night were the sit down performances in the round. The second shows were the stand up performances.

These were the first live shows Elvis had done in four years. The show was a smash hit and after it aired, Elvis returned to the road with a record breaking sting of sold out shows and to the charts with “Suspicious Minds” and “The Wonder Of You”. Enjoy and Share! Bobby Ellerbee

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17 responses to “December 3, 1968…NBC Airs ‘Elvis’, The Year’s Top Special”

  1. James Patrick

    I wonder how many tk-41s were used and where they are now??

  2. David Fredericks

    On the set of wabc news early 1970’s w/Norelcos. In the fall I worked for Robert Halmi as a film cameraman shooting documentaries and shorts.

  3. Lisa J. Kassner

    Pretty amazing… I wonder what machines they recorded this on? Ampex 2000’s?

  4. John Roger Bolin

    This show was directed by the legendary Steve Binder. He started at KABC TV directing Soupy Sales when he was 22. Then to the Steve Allen Show and at the same time did the T.A.M.I. show. By 1968 he was at the top of his game.

  5. Don Newbury

    What amazes me is that he was singing live. Today they lip-sync their asses off.

  6. Russell Ross

    I remember Roy also. He was a really great cameraman and a really nice guy. I first met Roy when NY sent me to Burbank for a few weeks in 71 (I think) when Burbank ran a little short of manpower. Roy was very nice to me and understood I was only there for a few weeks. I never forgot his kindness to me. I also recall Karl Messerschmit and Bill Levitsky.

  7. Vernon Swygert

    Have a guitar strap like that one. Just like the one Hendrix had at Woodstock.

  8. Dennis Degan

    It amazes me how good those TK-41s could look. But there have been a lot of improvements over the years that got them there. I’m sure the Burbank engineers did a lot of mods to keep the cameras looking this good. In addition, high-band quad recording (available at the time for 4 years) allowed us to see the cameras’ picture quality 45 years later. Finally, kudos to whoever saved these outtakes and got them onto Youtube in such good condition.

  9. Bruce A Johnson

    I look at that and all I can think is… “what a nightmare to edit.”

  10. David Crosthwait

    The TK-41’s were augmented by one Norelco PCP-70 “borrowed” from the sports department at NBC.

  11. Gary Walters

    Curious as to how it was damaged on a remote… (Oakland?)

  12. Mike Mecartea

    The camera operator in the background is long time NBC NABET engineer Roy Holm ! I had the pleasure of working with him for many years ! A gifted cameraman and a true gentleman !

  13. James M Patterson

    Really looks good!

  14. Russell Ross

    Loved it !!!!

  15. Leon Zetekoff

    The video is so good

  16. Maureen Carney

    Singer ad for the show from TV Guide

  17. Eyes Of A Generation.com

    Here’s a ticket to one of the taping sessions.

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