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NBC Legend Harry Coyle…Power Outage Takes All But One Camera!

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Eyes Of A Generation.com


NBC Legend Harry Coyle…Power Outage Takes All But One Camera!

This amazing video starts a few seconds before the NBC Sports truck loses power. It was shot by NBC producer Rick Reed and here is what Rick wrote about this event:

“In 1982, we were producing a pre-game segment for NBC’s Game of the Week on director Harry Coyle. Our battery powered camera was in the truck when the power went out. It is the top of the ninth inning of a shootout between Milwaukee and Boston at Fenway Park. This twelve minute raw segment contains the PL lines of director Harry Coyle and producer Michael Weisman. After power is restored, the truck only has one camera and nothing else.”

The cameramen were Mario Ciarlo, Lenny Basile, Buddy Joseph and Lou Gerard and as you’ll see, it all came down to Mario…his was the only camera working and here’s how he covered the rest of the game…solo.

Director Harry Coyle (1922-1996) pioneered the look of baseball on television. He directed 36 World Series over a 42 year career. Below is a very good New York Times story on Harry and his crew from October 4, 1983.

NEW YORK TIMES/TV SPORTS
NBC AND HARRY COYLE’S BOOK
When the National League championship series between the Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies begins in Los Angeles tonight (Channel 4, New York, 8:20 P.M.), Vin Scully and Joe Garagiola will be NBC’s most audible spokesmen. But the person who will leave the strongest visual impact for millions of home viewers during this series is Harry Coyle, a self-effacing director, who has literally written the book on the way baseball games should be shown on television. Around NBC, that book is known as ”Harry’s Bible.” It is 14 pages of everything a television crew needs to know about following a game – where cameras should be positioned, what cameramen should do in every basic game situation and how to adjust to others. Thus, if the Dodgers have runners on first and third with one out, and a left-handed batter pokes a ball down the left-field line, NBC cameras will be prepared to track ball, fielders and runners with prescribed precision. Because cameramen like Mario Ciarlo, Lenny Basile, Buddy Joseph and Lou Gerard have worked with Coyle for nearly 20 years, they are familiar with his game plan.

Thanks to Steve Mangiaracina for the Rick Reed info. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee

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17 responses to “NBC Legend Harry Coyle…Power Outage Takes All But One Camera!”

  1. Dave Abramson

    This same thing happened again a few years later at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. A small fire in the truck racks left them with one camera…high home again. I never got to work with Harry but one day at the Vet I was directing our little 3 camera operation for the scoreboard. A large, rumpled gentleman wandered in and stood next to me. “Hi, I’m Harry Coyle and just wanted to see how your scoreboard worked.” He just wanted to hang with the control room. Class act. I hope he and Arne Harris don’t mind I stole most of my baseball directing style from the two of them. “Always show the ball being handled!”

  2. Randy Heaviside

    Just relax ! Man in total control.

  3. Debra Oliver

    Having worked in television production during this period of time, all I can say is AWESOME!!!

  4. Maureen Stamm

    Reunion was wonderful. Good to see so many familiar faces. A good time was had by all.

  5. Barrie Wellman

    I worked with Harry on Superbowl XVII. 3 minutes before air, Dick Enberg’s son put a cup of coffee in front of him that he never saw. As we went on the air, Dick swung his arm and knocked the coffee all over the desk, notes and monitors. All hell broke loose in the booth as Dick lost his train of thought and Merlin Olsen tried to cover for him while the rest of us began the clean up. And there was Harry’s cool as a cucumber voice in the headsets telling everyone to just stay calm and keep going, he was truly amazing under fire!

  6. Max A Schindler

    Great camera work and great directing.

  7. Jim Mac Donald

    For anyone who worked with Harry or NBC Sports at that time, there is a reunion coming up. Ken Fouts is the chairperson.

  8. Jim Mac Donald

    There are stories that the Chicago crews would tell about Harry that we can[t tell here. Cgicago trucks CG 3 and CG5 to be exact. I remember being a picket on the Nabet picket line in 1987 in St Louis on a game Harry was trying to do. A lot of politics and negotiations took place.

  9. Bob Newberry

    I kind of like the one camera approach, just like I would be doing in the stands following the action with my eyes.

  10. Lisa J. Kassner

    Amazing camera work and directing… A really great save! I did a lot of sports over the years studio side. I miss playing back commercials and material for live events for NBC air!

  11. Steven Winkler

    Harry Coyle and Arne Harris were the pioneers of all baseball coverage we see today. The very best there was

  12. Steve Phillips

    What combination along with Curt, Tony, Joe, and the “regular team” broadcasters during the World Series! Much better back then as well as baseball!

  13. Mark Smith

    Really enjoyed that clip thanks for posting that’s the way they should be doing all the ball games still today like you’re actually at the game, not watching a bunch of garbage being switched back and forth in and out in the Idents and logos going on. Reminded me of when I used to watch the Cubs on WGN in the late 60s and mid 70s lots of wide angle camera … action everywhere.

  14. Bruce Ferrell

    Wow.. it is like being at the game !!!

  15. Charles Bond

    I had the pleasure to work with Harry Coyle many times….. I was even doing the game when he received his ring from Major League Baseball. He was the best…… Here is a quote that I liked about Harry Coyle that says a lot about him. “He was never pretentious, which you might expect from someone with his success and stature,” Michael Weisman says. “He was a man of the people. He was more comfortable with the crew, the engineers, and the camera guys than with the team owners and network executives that sought out his company.” Coyle’s gruff voice and John Wayne-like demeanor were found more often in trucks than in executive suites.”Instead of eating in the team executive room, he would be happier with a Big Mac and a Coke, sitting in the truck with his boys,” Weisman says. “He called his cameramen his boys, and he was very much one of them.”

  16. Gary Walters

    Amazing video! Wished I could had worked with Harry Coyle. Sounded like he a class act to work with.

  17. Eyes Of A Generation.com

    Here’s a picture of Harry Coyle in the truck on the day he began his 34th World Series broadcast. Thanks to John Schipp for the photo.

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