Here’s A BIG SURPRISE! The First Time I Have Every Heard Of This!
Here’s A BIG SURPRISE! The First Time I Have Every Heard Of This!
When Bud Yorkin presented ‘An Evening With Fred Astaire’ October 17, 1958, he used the entire NBC Burbank facility….all four color studios and control rooms and all 16 TK41 cameras were used to fed the show live to the east coast and, to the video tape room there where a master and backup were recorded in color for playback to the west coast. The clip starts at the point Mr. Yorkin gives us this amazing detail.
A week or so ago, I posted a story on ‘An Evening With Fred Astaire’ which is the oldest surviving color videotape of an entertainment show. I had said it was done live to tape…broadcast live to the east and was the first big special ever recorded on color tape for playback on the west coast. Some argued that it was edited, but it wasn’t and here is the proof.
Granted, this was a big deal, but I have never heard of a production taking up a whole network facility for a show before. After the live portion, the cast went to The Beverly Hills Hotel to watch the color playback for the west coast. As Astaire arrived, he received a phone call from President Eisenhower, and one from Ed Sullivan. Astaire could not believe Sullivan had called with congratulations. The President, yes, but Sullivan’s call amazed him. Thanks to John Butler for the Yorkin clip. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee
https://vimeo.com/261611927
By the way, at the link above is the full restored color video tape of the show with thanks to Kris Trexler.
We once did a series of local Chevy commercials and the agency producer had been a producer on the Dinah Shore Chevy Show in the late 50s. He said that they had their own studio and crew next door for the two live commercials in each show.
Here is the NYT review the next day.
Here is that Friday night’s ad from The New York Times. Thanks Tim Cronin.
What a great interview! Bobby you do such a phenominal job of digging up this priceless cornucopia of television history! Thank you!