Seth Meyers Debuts The New Set…NBC Studio 8G REVISED
UPDATE 2021: Unfortunately the original video of the studio tour is gone, BUT…in it’s place is a fun bit Seth did with now retired NBC veteran Bob Friend, so take a look and laugh along with our friend Bob, the man who kept NBC Studio 8G alive and well for many, many years!
In Studio 8G, that desk platform was called “the shoe”. There are photos of the new set below and a shot of 8G from 1948 with it’s unique NBC built cameras.
Bob Friend and his electrical crew had a very busy couple of weeks rewiring and relighting this space, as did the set designers. Our other friends there, Mike Knarre and Bryan Durr got the time off but as camera and video men, probably had some catch up practicing to do to get used to the new layout.
NBC Studio 8G was 30 Rock’s second studio conversion from radio to television, with the first being NBC’s 3H which was created in 1935. Although the official 8G dedication was April 22, 1948, television had been done there since May of 1946. The “official dedication” date marks the date the studio was self sustaining with permanent lights, it’s own control room and cameras. As a side note, NBC Burbank was actually in operation two years before it was “officially dedicated”.
The first show ever to come from 8G was also television’s first variety show…’Hourglass’, which debuted May 9, 1946 when 8G was still officially a radio studio. Later that year, ‘Let’s Celebrate’ was done here as a one time show on December 15, 1946 with Yankee’s announcer Mel Allen as host. Contestants competed in stunts for prizes. ‘The Swift Show’ (a Swift Company sponsored game show), and ‘Americana’ (a game show about American history) started here in 1947.
I don’t think 8G, as a radio studio, had built in audience seating but it was thankfully three times the size of NBC’s only other television studio, 3H. “Radio Age” states that 8G could handle four consecutive shows, which meant the often fifteen minute and half hour shows, with only one small set, could be staged one after the other from different walls of the studio. Congratulations on the new digs guys!
When the studio floors were redone in 8G and 6B last year, I wish I had thought to ask for a few pieces of the concrete that got jackhammered and dumped. Some amazing history has happened on those floors! Enjoy and share! – Bobby Ellerbee
Never been in 8G.
I have to say that the new set seems to the biggest out of all the Late Night sets (Letterman/O’Brien/Fallon) combined. Then again, isn’t 8G bigger than 6A?
That set reminds me of Letterman’s Late Night set in its final years at NBC and his early years at CBS.
Great history of a great room for sure! I wish there was a kinne of Hourglass but alas!
Yes. You would be surprised how quickly open space suddenly vanishes when you put ped cameras, jibs, cue card writers and catchers, roll around monitors, stage managers, utilities, writers, security, and other show personnel on the floor.
The real estate disappears pretty quick.
Do the other host shows typically contain such a vast space between the host and guest platform, and the audience seating?
Seems awkwardly far away from the audience, so as they wouldn’t “connect” as much.
These pictures were taken with only mercury vapor work lights on (and some LEDs at the top of the audience).
Time off? I wish! 🙂