The Studio 50 Audio Booth
On February 11, 2014
- TV History
The Studio 50 Audio Booth
On the left you see the new audio booth built in 1936 when CBS took over the theater for use as a radio studio. In 1950, it was converted to a television studio. On the right, Lucy is in rehearsal for a 1956 Sullivan show and behind her, you see the audio booth again. Between the booth and stage, some audience seats had been removed to make room for The Ray Bloch Orchestra. The control room was at the back of the house on this same side and would be just behind the RCA TK30.
This is a photo from around 1939 showing what we now call ‘The Ed Sullivan Theater’ as ‘The CBS Radio Theater’. When converted to television in 1950, it became CBS Studio 50. The studios were numbered in the order in which they were acquired by CBS, either as leased or purchased properties.