Television & The Presidential Inaugurations…Part 2
Television & The Presidential Inaugurations…Part 2
Today, pictures from President Eisenhower’s first and second inaugurations in 1953 and ’57, and the inauguration of President Kennedy in 1961. Although the Kennedy oath and speech was in glorious black and white, the parade was the first to be broadcast in color.
The first two images are from 1953 and show Edward R. Murrow (above) reporting from in front of the White House and the second (below), Walter Cronkite, who is most likely in a backstage area of the parade viewing stand.
Image 3 and 4 are from the 1957 Eisenhower parade with a CBS camera car, complete with microwave and Cronkite again in the parade reviewing stand.
From image 5 on, we see President Kennedy’s inauguration, starting at the White House with he and Eisenhower preparing to leave for the ceremony. Anchoring the Capitol ceremonies, are Chet Huntley and David Brinkley for NBC and Walter Cronkite for CBS. Both are in the newly added anchor booths of the elevated press grandstand, which was the first time mini studios were built into the press position.
The color shot is of the first use of color at an inauguration. I think NBC had 4 TK41s there to cover the parade at the VIP review area. Next we see the camera cars, first NBC’s Cadillac limo and ABC’s white Plymouth stationwagon, and then NBC’s limo with the CBS Mercury behind it.
Dave Garroway started the day for NBC with a live edition of “Today” and a preview of what would come and last, we see NBC reporter Ray Scherer being shot with RCA’s new B/W vidicon camera, the Ultra Cam.
Richard Nixon’s in 1969 would be the first FULL COLOR presidential inauguration for all the networks, covered mostly by Norelco PC-60 cameras (the RCA TK-44 was already brand new by that time).
I love the top hats, even on Kennedy – who is usually credited with killing the hat industry.
This was in a simpler time mid 50’s early 60’s now this country has gone to @#$% in a hand basket
1961 NBC plan
1961
I would think that NBC had a limited number of color remote trucks in 1961, and could not had done the swearing in, and the parade route. Could you imagine the Caddy suspension with a TK-41 on it?
And here’s “Today” news anchor Frank Blair hosting an inaugural ball telecast with actress and socialite Dina Merrill.
I have never seen any color videotape of JFK, which is strange, since there is of IKE and Nixon. Is it possible that none exists? Presidents, once elected, didn’t go on talk shows back then. I find it strange that NBC wouldn’t take advantage of its capabilities and broadcast the 1961 Inaugural in living color.