True Story!

I hosted AM New York for a short time during the Winter of 1974 at WABC-TV. ABC News offered me an Anchor position at KABC-TV from this show.

One morning the Producer, Director and Floor Manager took me out to a late breakfast at an eatery across from Lincoln Center. We had a great time trying to get a word in edgewise with the usual TV talk.

We soon learned all four of us had something in common. All of us had started in this business as NBC Pages.

I can assure you rest of the shows we did together were great fun.

That's when I was a Page at NBC in NYC.

Former NBC Page, Richard Benjamin directed a wonderful film about a 1954 TV Show similar to "Your Show of Shows," and a comedy star like Sid Caesar - "My Favorite Year."He recreated the feel, and look of the NBC Studios at the then RCA Building during the mid-fifties.

He even placed a Page as a 'stay' in the back of a studio audience. Only another Page would know what that means.

In 1952, and 1954, I had the great fun of working as an NBC PAGE at NBC's New York Studios in the RCA Building, and frequently, at various theatres NBC used to produce network Radio and Television Shows.

You managed desks on the various studio floors, answered phones, took messages to actors and executives. Many times you actually worked on LIVE shows.

Menial work? Not for those of us who wanted to be in the business; we would have paid them to let us work there.

The pay scale was not too far off that arrangement. I think I was getting about 40-dollars a week. It was paid on the 1st and 15th of the month. Many times you'd go through three weekends on about 80-bucks.

Thank God the beer was cheaper in those days! Much cheaper!

Money wasn't the reason for taking the job.

It was a foot in the door - a way to be allowed into the daily workings of a major network, and connections for future employment. It allowed us, first hand, to watch what would be called the Golden Age of Television, and the last throes of Network Radio.

I ushered such shows as The Hit Parade, The Voice of Firestone, The Telephone Hour (radio), Howdy Doody, Cavalcade of America (radio), The Original Amateur Hour, The Kate Smith Hour, Mr. Peepers, Bride And Groom, and numerous game shows. And, I even got a chance to work with the staff of NBC Radio's Road Show.

Later in '54, I moved up to 101 West 67th Street, and worked around The Home Show with Arlene Francis and Hugh Downs. Their Floor Manager was a guy named Roone Arledge.

101 West was great because it was like working at a small local TV station. My fondest memories are of the two NBC Protection Officers I worked with - Dan Harrington and Dan Cash. Two of NYPD's best. They had retired from the force and worked at NBC.

The late Gene Rayburn was our host!

"Indubitably!" That was Gene's reaction when I asked him if being on the NBC Page Staff helped him in his career. He said he came to New York to be an actor. Instead he became a Page, and then got into radio. Gene ushered the first Broadcast of the NBC Symphony, in 8-H, conducted by Arturo Toscanini.

The great baritone, and former Page, Earl Wrightson, told me a funny story at the '83 Reunion.

He said one of his first jobs was working with Key Page Efram Zimbalist, Jr. on the Eighth Floor in the late Thirties.

Zimablist at one point is on the phone ordering lunch, and Earl leaned over and asked that he order for him, too.

Zimbalist put his hand over the phone and asked, "Do you rely on your Page earnings to live?" And, Earl said, "Yes."

Zimbalist said, "You can't afford this - I'll tell you where you can eat."

Earl said he quickly learned that Ephram Zimbalist, Jr. came from a far different social class than he did.

Zimabalist, of course, was the son of one of the World's great Concert Violinists.

Most New Yorkers will remember the late Jack McCarthy from years of covering the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Jack said he was a Guide when they opened the RCA Building and became an NBC Announcer, "at the ripe old age of 21."

Regis Philbin followed me as a Page. Later, we worked together at KABC-TV. We both loved working the 8th Floor. "It's where the action was!"

Actor Ken Howard was both a Page, and a Guide. He remembered ending some Sunday tours by taking part of the tour to Mass over at St. Pat's. Ken was there in '65, and '66. He also ushered the Carson Tonight Show.

Just to name a few more: ABC's Lara Spencer, Michael Eisner, Dave Garroway, Eva Marie Saint, Gordon MacRae, Efram Zimbalist, Jr., Kate Jackson, Don Galloway, Willard Scott, Earl Wrightson, Tex Antoine, Bob Keeshan, Ted Koppel - and old friends Bob Howard and Ray Timothy. Bob was an NBC Spot Salesman when I knew him and Ray was a Guide when I was a Page in 1954. Both became NBC top executives. Two good guys! And, sadly enough, both are gone.

Actors, Executives, Producers, Writers, News Anchors, Hosts, who started their careers on the NBC Page/Guide staff in numerous NBC O&O's.

Gordon was an NBC Page back in 1940 and used to sing at the top of his lungs in the Page Locker Room on the Second Floor. Directly across from the locker room was the office of Band Leader Horace Heidt who was doing shows on NBC. His secretaries fell in love with Gordon's voice and convinced Heidt to audition him.

He did, and hired him!

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