CBS Studio 55, In Liederkrantz Hall…1960 Spec Sheets
With just over 2,000 square feet of floor space, Studio 55 was the largest facility in the building. It was directly under 53, and as noted, could be noisy if both were in use at the same time. One of the most notable productions from this studio was ‘Search For Tomorrow’ and there’s a clip below in the comment section. Thanks to our friend Gady Reinhold for these rare documents.
A Guided Tour Of Television’s First Studio…NBC’s 3H, 1939 The things I have learned from NBC vets, and visits to 30 Rock, allow us to see this old video with new eyes. This is an RCA promotional film from 1939 designed to introduce television to the public and would have been broadcast on NBC during […]
The Amazing Center Theater…Gone But Not Forgotten The Center Theater was Radio City Music Hall’s little sister and when it was converted by NBC for television in August of 1950, it became “the world’s largest television studio”. It’s big sister seated 6,000, and while the Center seated 3,000, it was just as opulent and a […]
EMI, The Start Of Something Big… Below is an EMI 203 Image Orthicon camera from 1960, but broadcast was just one area EMI was involved in. Here’s a short course on their history. Electric and Musical Industries Ltd was formed in March 1931 by the merger of the Columbia Graphophone Company and the Gramophone Company, […]
TeleTales #34…Speaking Of CBS Studio 50 Earlier today, we saw this same stage in the story of Elvis Presley’s first network television appearance on this day in 1956. Here’s a great shot of Ed Sullivan in the theater now named after him. Behind him is a scaffold with a camera up top, but with space […]
August 19, 1953, entire 15 minute episode of ‘Search For Tomorrow’ from Studio 55. From ’51-’68 this was a 15 minute weekday broadcast, in 68 it went to a half hour and was one of the longest running soap operas ever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eRnCUYAumY
The first season of “Mama” starring Peggy Wood (1949-50) originated in Studio 55. From ’50-’54 the show came from Grand Central’s Studio 41. The final live season (1955-’56) was from Studio 58 at Ninth Avenue and 55th Street.