The ED SULLIVAN SHOW, The RCA TK30 ERA…Part 1 (of 7)
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THE RCA TK30 ERA: About the only way I could think of to present these 120+ images from one of television’s most storied shows, is to break the batches down based on the cameras in use. At the time this multi-decade epic began in 1948, the show was called TOAST OF THE TOWN and was broadcast live from CBS Studio 51 (The Maxine Elliot Theater at 109 W 39TH Street, photo above) using RCA TK30 cameras.
These historical images are from the CBS Photo Archives available through Getty Images and are presented here to assist researchers and television historians in identifying the television equipment in use over the decades and is offered here in a purely educational/instructional forum.
To start us off, this photo is from dress rehersal of the debut show, June 30, 1948 and among the guests on stage are composers Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstien II (center behind Ed) and circled are Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin.
NEW YORK – AUGUST 20,1950: Producer Marlo Lewis (L) follows the acts during rehearsal for “Toast of the Town” hosted by Ed Sullivan at the Maxine Elliott Theater in New York, New York.(Photo by Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 18,1951: Ed Sullivan listens to young Paul Schon play “Army Air Corp” on his clarinet during rehearsal for “Toast of the Town” hosted by Ed Sullivan at the Maxine Elliott Theater in New York, New York.(Photo by Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)NEW YORK – OCTOBER 28,1951: Anne Jeffreys sings “Dance My Darling” on “Toast of the Town” show hosted by Ed Sullivan at the Maxine Elliott Theater in New York, New York.(Photo by Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)NEW YORK – OCTOBER 28,1951: Anne Jeffreys sings “Dance My Darling” on “Toast of the Town” show hosted by Ed Sullivan at the Maxine Elliott Theater in New York, New York.(Photo by Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)NEW YORK – JUNE 29,1952: Guest Hosts Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy perform on the “Toast of the Town” show hosted by Ed Sullivan at the Maxine Elliott Theater in New York, New York.(Photo by Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)NEW YORK – JULY 18: CBS television variety show, “Toast of the Town” (alt.: The Ed Sullivan Show). The program features host and emcee Ed Sullivan (pictured). Photo Dated: Sunday, July 18, 1948. New York, NY. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – JULY 18: CBS television variety show, “Toast of the Town” (alt.: The Ed Sullivan Show). The program features host and emcee Ed Sullivan. Guests include jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald (pictured right) and tap dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson (pictured left). Photo Dated: Sunday, July 18, 1948. New York, NY. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – JULY 18: CBS television variety show, “Toast of the Town” (alt.: The Ed Sullivan Show). The program features host and emcee Ed Sullivan. Guests include, Toy and Wing, Ella Fitzgerald and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. Photo Dated: Sunday, July 18, 1948. New York, NY. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – JULY 18: CBS television variety show, “Toast of the Town” (alt.: The Ed Sullivan Show); the program features host and emcee Ed Sullivan, guests include Toy and Wing (pictured: acrobatic tap dance duo of Dorothy Takahashi and Paul Wing). Photo Dated: Sunday, July 18, 1948. New York, NY. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – JULY 18: CBS television variety show, “Toast of the Town” (alt.: The Ed Sullivan Show). The program features host and emcee Ed Sullivan (pictured left). Pictured with host Ed Sullivan is jazz vocalist, Ella Fitzgerald (right) Photo Dated: Sunday, July 18, 1948. New York, NY. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – JULY 18: CBS television variety show, “Toast of the Town” (alt.: The Ed Sullivan Show). The program features host and emcee Ed Sullivan. Pictured: Bill “Bojangles” Robinson (tap dancer) – after a solo dance, does a “Hard Shoe” encore with The Toastettes. Photo Dated: Sunday, July 18, 1948. New York, NY. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – JULY 18: CBS television variety show, “Toast of the Town” (alt.: The Ed Sullivan Show). The program features host and emcee Ed Sullivan. Pictured: Bill “Bojangles” Robinson (tap dancer) – after a solo dance, does a “Hard Shoe” encore with The Toastettes. Photo Dated: Sunday, July 18, 1948. New York, NY. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 12: CBS television variety show, ‘Toast of the Town’ (alt.: The Ed Sullivan Show). The program features host and emcee Ed Sullivan. Pictured here at left is orchestra conductor Ray Bloch with with The Dennis Sisters (a vaudeville song-and-comedy duo). New York, NY. September 12, 1948. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: CBS television variety show, ‘Toast of the Town’ (alt.: The Ed Sullivan Show). The program features host and emcee Ed Sullivan. Pictured is the Ray Bloch (standing with headset on), musical director of The Ed Sullivan Show, with musicians. September 19, 1948. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: CBS television variety show, ‘Toast of the Town’ (alt.: The Ed Sullivan Show). The program features host and emcee Ed Sullivan. Pictured is a cameraman filming Emerson radios. Emerson Radio Corporation was an early sponsor of the program. September 19, 1948. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – JULY 2: Staff and crew members work on the broadcast of an episode of the CBS television program, Toast of the Town (The Ed Sullivan Show). Image dated: July 2, 1948 New York, NY. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – JULY 2: Crew members work on the broadcast of an episode of the CBS television program, Toast of the Town (The Ed Sullivan Show). Image dated: July 2, 1948 New York, NY. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)NEW YORK – AUGUST 20,1950: Ray Bloch leads his orchestra during rehearsal for “Toast of the Town” hosted by Ed Sullivan at the Maxine Elliott Theater in New York,New York.(Photo by Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
“NBC Studio 1H”…Hurely’s Bar As you can see in the photo below, Hurley’s Bar (which opened in 1892) was just a half a block away from NBC’s studio entrance, making it the nearest watering hole for everyone from stars to stage hands. It became the favorite for radio, television, newspaper and sports celebrities as well […]
It would be extremely interesting to hear the stories Dennis Patrick McBride could tell about his 40 plus years at CBS behind their cameras. This photo was taken in February of 1955 at a rehearsal of ‘The Jackie Gleason Show’ at CBS Studio 50, better known as The Ed Sullivan Theater. Pat worked on the […]
From the David Sarnoff introduction to the history highlights at the end, this is one of the best short study resources you will ever find. Every angle of the how, when and why are in this special December 1953 publication from RCA. http://www.visions4.net/journal/wp-content/uploads/Sarnoff1-PDF.pdf
Here are about 16 images from Georgia’s first TV station, WSB-TV in Atlanta, showing their RCA TK30s at work. The station signed on September 29, 1948 and use the TK30 till around 1954, when a few TK11s were added. In the early ’60s, WSB went to the RCA TK60s, then got the first delivered TK42s. […]
