The BSO and Master Control (1957)

From Faith Klein

“You Tell Me!”

Reading other anecdotes reminded me of the time I was floor manager for a remote at Kresge Auditorium when Charles Munch was conducting the Boston Pops.

Bob Larsen told me over the ear phones — as I was backstage watching CM before the performance was to begin — “Ok … cue him. Send him onstage.”

So I approached Mr. Munch and as I indicated my cue, a gentleman standing close to him intervened, cutting me off from Mr. Munch, and said imperiously … “You do not talk to Mr. Munch. You tell ME, and I will cue Mr. Munch.” Ok, Ok. And so he did!

The First Controller

I was floor manager a lot, because it became obvious early on that I would never make it as a camera(wo)man. At just over 5 feet, I couldn’t see the viewer if craning or tilting was needed.

Dave Davis — DD2 or “DD squared” as Gene Nichols had dubbed him — gave me the (at the time dubious) honor of being the first person ever to operate as Master Controller at WGBH-TV, which was a big deal transition.

I was a little nervous, but I loved pushing buttons and it went without a hitch. We thought that was so sophisticated an electronic move (1957). How far we’ve come. That was when kinescopes were awesome!