NBC Studio 6A…Before And After, Side By Side
These two photos were taken from almost the same spot 18 years apart. This is Studio 6A in 1943 as a radio studio and in 1961 as a television studio.
Notice that even after the break of the lighter and darker parts of the stage floor, there is still a lot of room in the darker area which would have usually been behind the main set or a curtain. Barely visible on the back wall is a double door that opens into the back stage storage area. Enjoy and share!
Too bad you don’t have a Dr. Oz version of the studio for comparison.
You post great photos.
Radio was so much cleaner.
The top picture appears to be reversed. If you watch the Bell Telephone Hour video, the control room is to the left side of the stage as seen from the audience.
Sorry, I got my 6A and 6B confused. They actually appear to be mirror images of each other. That likely put the control rooms back to back.
I believe that Studio 6A and 6B were designed with TV in mind. These are the only two studios in NBC-NY that have a large flat area in FRONT of the audience seating. Notice that in Studio 6B, that flat space is covered with permanent seats. However, by removing those seats, the floor is clear for TV camera movement. In Studio 6A, the floor was always clear, leaving a big space between the audience and the performing stage.
6A. Where Letterman started.