About
"[There was] the test pattern, which was an Indian head with the words, 'Experimental television station W6XYZ' underneath it. An announcer would say, 'Now we'll go on with the show,' and then there would be a switch to a guy sitting at a desk. There was no name. It was just television. Period."
In his four-and-a-half-hour interview, Ed Resnick (1915-2002) recalls being a cameraman for 26 years with local Los Angeles television station KTLA, starting in 1944 when the station was experimental W6XYZ. He talks about his work behind the camera on in-studio shows such as Time for Beany and Musical Adventure with Korla Pandit as well as on-location shows such as City at Night. Resnick describes in detail two landmark KTLA news stories: the Kathy Fiscus story of 1949, in which a three-year-old girl fell down a well and the cameras stayed on the story for over 20 hours, and the atomic bomb tests at Nevada's Yucca Flats in 1952. He details other remotes done for the station, including sports events and big band shows. He recounts in detail the pioneering efforts of Klaus Landsberg, who was in charge of KTLA and who was its key innovator until his untimely death in 1956. Michael Rosen conducted the interview on March 31, 2000 in Palm Springs, CA.
Highlights
Ed Resnick on shooting the atomic bomb tests in Las Vegas for KTLA
Ed Resnick on being hired by Klaus Landsberg to work on an experimental television test stage
Ed Resnick on KTLA's early use of a helicopter for reporting news stories
Ed Resnick on the conclusion of the Kathy Fiscus story, the effect it had on television, and Klaus Landsberg's direction of the broadcast
Ed Resnick on advice to aspiring cameramen
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his family living through the Great Depression; on realizing he wanted to be a cameraman as a child
On his career as a meteorologist; on getting into working at the movie studios
On being hired by Klaus Landsberg to work on an experimental television test stage; on working for early experimental television station W6XYZ under Klaus Landsberg; on getting on camera for the first time at W6XYZ and how the station worked
Chapter 2
On the technological state of television in 1944; on the programming of early television; on the mechanics of operating a camera in the early days of television and early remotes
On being cameraman for the local Los Angeles series City at Night; on Klaus Landsberg directing shows for W6XYZ; on W6XYZ becoming commercial station KTLA; on KTLA covering a factory explosion in its early days
Chapter 3
On the erection of KTLA's transmitter on Mount Wilson; on KTLA covering the factory explosion in 1947 and the Kathy Fiscus story in 1949
On the conclusion of the Kathy Fiscus story, the effect it had on television, and Klaus Landsberg's direction of the broadcast; on the early KTLA shows Judy Splinters and Time for Beany; on KTLA's early broadcast facilities
Chapter 4
On KTLA's early use of a helicopter for reporting news stories; on shooting the Rose Bowl for KTLA; on shooting Korla Pandit's Adventure in Music; on the advent of videotape in 1956 and how it was used by KTLA in the early years
On shooting the atomic bomb tests in Las Vegas for KTLA; on the logistics of shooting the atomic bomb tests, which were broadcast live on KTLA; on the crew of KTLA's broadcast of the atomic bomb test
Chapter 5
On technological advances in television cameras over the years and the advent of color; on shooting stories for KTLA's news broadcasts; on KTLA after the death of Klaus Landsberg, and Landsberg's legacy
On news events he shot for KTLA news in the '60s; on leaving KTLA in 1970; on shooting television commercials; on advice to aspiring cameramen
Shows
City at Night
Ed Resnick on being cameraman for the local Los Angeles series City at Night
Judy Splinters
Ed Resnick on the early KTLA show Judy Splinters
Time for Beany
Ed Resnick on the early KTLA show Time for Beany
Topics
Cold War
Ed Resnick on shooting the atomic bomb tests in Las Vegas for KTLA
Ed Resnick on the logistics of shooting the atomic bomb tests, which were broadcast live on KTLA
Ed Resnick on the crew of KTLA's broadcast of the atomic bomb test
Historic Events and Social Change
Ed Resnick on shooting the atomic bomb tests in Las Vegas for KTLA
Ed Resnick on the logistics of shooting the atomic bomb tests, which were broadcast live on KTLA
Ed Resnick on the crew of KTLA's broadcast of the atomic bomb test
Technological Innovation
Ed Resnick on being hired by Klaus Landsberg to work on an experimental television test stage
Ed Resnick on working for early experimental television station W6XYZ under Klaus Landsberg
Ed Resnick on getting on camera for the first time at W6XYZ and how the station worked
Ed Resnick on the technological state of television in 1944
Ed Resnick on the mechanics of operating a camera in the early days of television and early remotes
Ed Resnick on the erection of KTLA's transmitter on Mount Wilson
Ed Resnick on KTLA's early broadcast facilities
Ed Resnick on the advent of videotape in 1956 and how it was used by KTLA in the early years
Ed Resnick on technological advances in television cameras over the years and the advent of color
War
Ed Resnick on shooting the atomic bomb tests in Las Vegas for KTLA
Ed Resnick on the logistics of shooting the atomic bomb tests, which were broadcast live on KTLA
Ed Resnick on the crew of KTLA's broadcast of the atomic bomb test
Professions
Camera Operator
Ed Resnick on advice to aspiring cameramen
Production Professionals
Ed Resnick on advice to aspiring cameramen
Genres
Children's Programming
Ed Resnick on the early KTLA show Time for Beany
Ed Resnick on the early KTLA show Judy Splinters
Commercials
Ed Resnick on shooting television commercials
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Ed Resnick on shooting Korla Pandit's Adventure in Music
News and Documentary
Ed Resnick on KTLA covering the factory explosion in 1947 and the Kathy Fiscus story in 1949
Ed Resnick on the conclusion of the Kathy Fiscus story, the effect it had on television, and Klaus Landsberg's direction of the broadcast
Ed Resnick on shooting the atomic bomb tests in Las Vegas for KTLA
Ed Resnick on shooting stories for KTLA's news broadcasts
Ed Resnick on news events he shot for KTLA news in the '60s
Sports
Ed Resnick on shooting the Rose Bowl for KTLA
People
Bob Hope
Ed Resnick on W6XYZ becoming commercial station KTLA on a broadcast hosted by Bob Hope
Klaus Landsberg
Ed Resnick on being hired by Klaus Landsberg to work on an experimental television test stage
Ed Resnick on working for early experimental television station W6XYZ under Klaus Landsberg
Ed Resnick on Klaus Landsberg directing shows for W6XYZ
Ed Resnick on the conclusion of the Kathy Fiscus story, the effect it had on television, and Klaus Landsberg's direction of the broadcast
Ed Resnick on the death of Klaus Landsberg and his legacy