December 24, 1948…Perry Como & NBC Studio 6A Debut Together
December 24, 1948…Perry Como & NBC Studio 6A Debut Together
Como had been the Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening host of “The Chesterfield Supper Club” on NBC Radio since December of 1945.
On Christmas Eve of 1948, the radio show was simulcast from NBC Studio 6A where his radio show had always come from, BUT…this was the first time cameras had been brought into 6A! In the video below is the open and close of this show with Perry welcoming the television audience at the top, and vamping to close the show on time at the end.
At the time, 6A was still a radio studio and wasn’t converted to television till May 29, 1950. The show was produced with 3 “remote unit” cameras which moved from studio to studio inside 30 Rock.
The mobile unit had rolling Camera Control Units which were set up in the 6A sound lock leading to the main hallway. The camera feeds were cabled over to the new Studio 6B control room which was converted from radio to TV on June 8, 1948.
These internal mobile units also brought with them a dozen or so scoop lights which were mounted on floor stands, so as you watch, you’ll notice a lot of flat lighting and shadows. At this link is my story on the remarkable “In House” NBC Mobile Units. https://eyesofageneration.com/the-birth-and-rebirth-of-studio-3a/
By the way, Studio 6A was converted to TV in May of 1950. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays -Bobby Ellerbee
That 1948 clip is a great piece of TV history. Incredibly, it looks better than the 1949 clip because of that “flat” eye-level lighting used in ’49. It makes everyone look a bit gruesome. That’s the same odd lighting seen on the early “Texaco Star Theatre” kinescopes.
Like I have said, we didn’t get our first TV until 1953, but. I remember watching Perry Como for many years thereafter
Was that Durwood Kirby in the Chesterfield commercial?