TV History

By Request…A Wonderful Minute From NBC NY and Burbank & Good CommentsShort But Sweet…NBC NY & Burbank Quick Shots, Early 70s Thanks to our friend John Schipp, we are able to see a little over a minute’s worth of rare footage inside 30 Rock and Burbank. This is from a behind the scenes episode…

This Just In! Ultra Rare Photos Of The Colonial Theater Marquee Thanks to Tom Gauer, here are two rare photos of The Colonial with “The Price Is Right” on the marquee. These are the first, and only two images I have ever seen of the outside during the NBC/RCA color years which began in…

Once, This Was The Heart Of KNBC News Thanks to Chuck Snitchler, here is a shot of the KNBC news room at the old Burbank location as it appears today. This is where the reporters, editors and producers desks were. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee Source

By Request…Historic Kinescope Footage & The Machine Itself Several people asked to see more on the kinescope process, so here from NBC’s KNBH in Hollywood, is a look at some early kine images starting with some of the first Iconoscope images from 1938. I think this report was probably done in early 1949. Also…

TeleTales 26…The Gray Research Sound Effects Console This is kind of a followup to posts earlier in the week that showed portable turntables from the 1930s, This was the big boy unit and CBS had a lot of these in their radio studios across the country. RCA had a similar model. These were originally…

TeleTales 25…My How Thing$ Have Changed As you look at these numbers, consider this. What cost $100,000 in 1975 dollars now costs $440,030. If you remember from a few days back, “Miami Vice” cost almost $1.3 million per episode when it debuted in 1984. Anyone have a chart like this for today’s shows? Enjoy…

TeleTales 24…Just For Fun! Here’s great shot of Mitch Miller dropping his pants as part of a practical joke during rehearsal at NBC Brooklyn Studio 2. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee Source

January 22, 1947…KTLA Becomes The 1st Commercial Station In The West THIS IS A MUST SEE HISTORY OF EARLY LOS ANGELES TELEVISION! I’ve put up only two stories today so you can have the time to see them. This amazing video is packed with ultra rare historical footage of not only KTLA, but from…

The Adelphi Theater…By Request, A Replay Of The Famous Theater’s History Adelphi Theater Stage Is Now…New York Hilton’s Grand Ballroom If you ever want to conjure up the ghosts of ‘The Honeymooners’, make your way to the Grand Ballroom of the New York Hilton as that is where the stage of the Adelphi Theater…

TeleTales #22…A True Classic Here’s Jackie Gleason at CBS Studio 50. Behind him is legendary cameraman Pat McBride. Enjoy and share. -Bobby Ellerbee Source

TeleTales #20…A True Rarity. Television’s Only Six Shooter This is the six lens EMI Emitron camera from 1951. That I know of, no other camera had a six lens turret. There were a couple of five lens turrets over the years, but I think this is the only six shooter. This is a monochrome…

Otis Redding’s Final Appearance…The Day Before The Plane Crash While searching for something else, I found this and thought you may enjoy seeing it. This video is from the syndicated music show “Upbeat” that was done at WEWS in Cleveland on December 9, 1967. Redding’s next stop was Madison, Wisconsin; the next day they…

TeleTales #19…”Captain Kangaroo” Debuts On CBS From Dumont When the show debuted on October 3, 1955, CBS was in a crunch for studio space and for several years rented studio space at The Dumont Telecenter at 205 East 67th Street. Notice the Dumont cameras in this photo from the first month of the show.…

TeleTales #18…CBS Studio 59, Gary Moore’s Second Home 256 W 47th Street is the location of what was The Mansfield Theater and later, CBS Studio 59. Now, this is the Brooks Atkinson Theater. CBS used the theater from 1950 till 1960 and this was the home of both “I’ve Got A Secret” and “The…

January 20, 1989…The 100th Episode Of “Miami Vice” Airs On NBC At $1.3 million per episode, it was the most expensive show on television. Here’s a short story about the money, the music, the fashion and the stars. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee Source

January 20, 1965…The Rolling Stones Debut On “Shindig” Actually, the Stones had been on the show two or three times before this, but this the debut of “Heart Of Stone” on American TV, which here. Above is a rare color photo from that day with Keith Richards and Brian Jones with a TK60 behind…

January 20, 1961…President Kennedy Inaugurated; “Camelot” Begins Today, I am going to tell you a story you have never heard. It would be best if you watch this short clip fist to set the mood. The second half is especially rich for those of us who remember these years. On November 8, 1960, Massachusetts…

Remembering Tony Verna…Inventor Of Instant Replay PALM DESERT, Calif. — Tony Verna, a television director and producer who invented instant replay for live sports 51 years ago, has died. He was 81. Verna died Sunday at his Palm Desert home after battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia, daughter Tracy Soiseth said. CBS used instant replay for…

TeleTales #16…The Rube Goldberg Magic Of Busby Berkely At the 48 second mark in this video you’ll see this contraption on the big screen in the “By A Waterfall” scene of “Foot Light Parade” from 1933 staring Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. If you start about 3 minutes earlier, you will see some of…