Don Pardo On NBC’s Studio 8H…Remembering It’s Grandeur
Don Pardo On NBC’s Studio 8H…Remembering It’s Grandeur
At the link is a very unique perspective on how Studio 8H has changed since the days of radio by none other than NBC best eye witness, Don Pardo.
Below, I have included a diagram of how the 8th floor was laid out in the original 1933 floorplans. When it was built, it was more commonly referred to as “the Auditorium Studio”.
8H was not converted to television until January 30, 1950 but inhouse remotes were done from here as early as November of 1943 with Iconoscope field cameras. Those were ‘The Voice Of Firestone’ radio-TV simulcasts, as is the event in the two photos that are from a 1949 simulcast. Studio 8G was converted in ’48 and the four camera inhouse mobile unit here was switched in the 8G control room.
Enjoy and share! – Bobby Ellerbee
Here is a Your Hit Parade video from 1954, showing the outer doors to 8-H, as the camera and cast goes through the foyer to the elevators. Note the angled flats, that are hiding lights and mics as they sang.
http://youtu.be/TPzhhzkaT24
These are great. I’m interested in the three microphones hung in the center. I’m told that for the NBC Symphony broadcasts just the center one was used, the other two were spares.