Happy 75th Birthday…NBC Studio 8H

On January 30, 1951, Studio 8H was dedicated as a television studio. I am three months older!

On November 7, 1933, 8H was the home of the first NBC Radio broadcast from the new 30 Rockefeller Plaza headquarters and was then known as the Auditorium Studio.

As early as April 19, 1944, television had occasionally come from here with broadcasts/simulcasts of “The Voice of Firestone”. The 1944 occasion was only a local event, but in 1949 there were a few network television simulcasts of Firestone. All were covered as remotes, even thought they were in the building.

The story continues on the many pages of very rare historical documents and photos, so please click on each. Enjoy and Share! -Bobby Ellerbee

Above and up top is the August 1950 NBC Press Release that announces the 8H conversion news. Notice it also discusses the rebuilding of The Hudson Theater in preparation for ‘The Kate Smith Show’. The Center Theater as well as 3A and B are all in the process of conversions too.

On November 7, 1933 NBC held dedication ceremonies and special programs at its new 30 Rockefeller Plaza head quarters at Radio City. There were 27 studios in service, with 8 more yet to come which would occupy two entire floors (6&7) which were left unfinished till the late ’30s. What we know as 8H was referred to as the “Auditorium Studio” and 8G was called “The Radio Guild Studio”. The first broadcast was at 8PM Saturday night, Nov 11. The inaugurating sound was that of the national anthem performed by the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Frank Black from Studio 8H with 1,200 special guest. This is the story from the December 1933 issue of “Radio Engineering

These are the 8th and 9th floor layouts as it was in 1933

This is 8H during the Apollo 8 mission coverage with Frank McGee in the center. On June 24, 1963, 8H went color using the 4 TK41s from the Ziegfeld Theater which had been the home of Perry Como.

Below is the network debut performance of the ‘Voice of Firestone’ on television, September 5, 1949. FYI, the 8H ceiling is actually three stories high and goes all the way to the 10th floor

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