what are the 2 most powerful moments you've seen on tv?????

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, 2 June 1953. I was nine and it was the first time I'd seen TV - I think that was the case for a hell of a lot of people in Britain; TV never had a larger audience than radio until then, and never a smaller after that.

My mother and I had been invited to friends for the event. We watched it all day (it WAS a long gig). The commentary by the great RIchard Dimbleby made it even more portentous than it actually was. And heightened by the morning papers announcing that Everest had been climbed for the first time.

MG

[kinuta]

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, 2 June 1953. I was nine and it was the first time I'd seen TV - I think that was the case for a hell of a lot of people in Britain; TV never had a larger audience than radio until then, and never a smaller after that.

My mother and I had been invited to friends for the event. We watched it all day (it WAS a long gig). The commentary by the great RIchard Dimbleby made it even more portentous than it actually was. And heightened by the morning papers announcing that Everest had been climbed for the first time.

MG

I was six but remember clearly going round to my grandma's to watch the coronation on her brand new tv, we didn't have one of course. It was quite an event, all the neighbours were crowded into the tiny front room, the men in suits and ties, the women in their best frocks, sherry, beer, salmon sandwiches and coconut macaroons. Just like a Mike Leigh film.

[alocispepraluger102]

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, 2 June 1953. I was nine and it was the first time I'd seen TV - I think that was the case for a hell of a lot of people in Britain; TV never had a larger audience than radio until then, and never a smaller after that.

My mother and I had been invited to friends for the event. We watched it all day (it WAS a long gig). The commentary by the great RIchard Dimbleby made it even more portentous than it actually was. And heightened by the morning papers announcing that Everest had been climbed for the first time.

MG

I was six but remember clearly going round to my grandma's to watch the coronation on her brand new tv, we didn't have one of course. It was quite an event, all the neighbours were crowded into the tiny front room, the men in suits and ties, the women in their best frocks, sherry, beer, salmon sandwiches and coconut macaroons. Just like a Mike Leigh film.

yes yes yes--thanks for the recall.

in the early 50s, there was a small tv in my school's janitor office. they took us to see a few moments of president eisenhower's inaugural parade. that was likely my first look at tv.

[brownie]

The 11/9 attacks was the single event that hit me real hard. It had me riveted to the antique black/white TV set I watched it on. It was the first day of a long-needed vacation in a remote part of southwestern France. Could not believe what I was seeing.

I also watched the OJ Simpson car chase in June 1994 from a few miles away. It was my first day at the press center for the Los Angeles Summer Olympics and it took me some explanations from colleagues to understand what it was all about. Lots of people gathered around the TV sets at the Center to follow the chase!

I also remember the 1953 Queen Elizabeth Coronation. I had permission from my parents to skip class and watch the event at one of their friend's apartment equipped with a TV set. Very few people had TV then.

I was mortified when upon my return to school the following day I was called in by the supervisor to explain my absence, and after replying that I had watched this unique event, was asked 'Is she a parent of yours?'.

I still have somewhere an invitation from the Queen to attend a reception at the British Embassy in Paris during a visit to France in 1992. Could not honor it (was busy working as a journalist on other aspects of the story)!

[rostasi]

Other than the clearly obvious big events, WTC, moon walk, etc.,

there were two similar events - both funeral parades - that had me completely

spellbound with cassette recorders hooked to the TV recording the moment.

In February '84, Andropov had died and the funeral parade was being broadcast.

During the moment when his coffin was lowered, the city erupted into this miraculous

moment of beautiful cacophony of every siren, every factory whistle, every foghorn

blaring as loud as possible. I think there were rounds of gunfire too.

I remember being angry that the newspeople covering it wouldn't shut up,

so I turned the channel over to Charlie Rose who sat completely quiet

during this astounding noise fest that went on for many minutes.

About a year later, I'd get to relive (and re-record) this moment when Chernenko died.

I'm reminded of the inelegant statement by Reagan:

"how can I get anyplace with the Russians if they keep dying on me."

Edited July 27, 2012 by rostasi

[king ubu]

I also remember the 1953 Queen Elizabeth Coronation. I had permission from my parents to skip class and watch the event at one of their friend's apartment equipped with a TV set. Very few people had TV then.

I was mortified when upon my return to school the following day I was called in by the supervisor to explain my absence, and after replying that I had watched this unique event, was asked 'Is she a parent of yours?'.

Those among you who enjoyed that should really watch Terence Davies' film "Of Time and the City"! Though maybe not, his remarks on the "Betty Windsor show" mightn't be suited well for monarchistic ears

[Pete C]

Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald.

My mother proudly said to young Pete C of Jack Ruby, "Ya know, he's Jewish!"

[Pete C]

2) The Beatles on Ed Sullivan.

I remember the train wreck jazz supergroup that appeared on Sullivan after the Rahsaan protests: Mingus, Haynes, Kirk and Shepp doing Haitian Fight Song. I think everybody had time for maybe half a chorus of solo. I can't get videos at work, but it may be on this page:

http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/rashaan-roland-kirk.html

[T.D.]

What about top sports moments in memory? I would even venture to guess Miracle on Ice and Nadia Comenici's 10s should be up there in Olympics history. And Jim McKay reporting on the Israeli athletes gone to terrorists. And Tommy Smith, John Carlos in Mexico City, of course.

For some reason (I'm not even a horse racing fan), Secretariat's annihilation of the field in the Belmont Stakes is my top sports moment.

[Dan Gould]

by the same token how about Ruffian breaking down and being destroyed on the track? I was just a kid but it effected me deeply at the time.

Not the same way as 9/11 but still ...

[Tim McG]

prime for me is president lyndon johnson's speech in 1968 announcing that he would not stand for reelection.

think of that--a man putting his country above his personal goals.

i don't expect that EVER to happen again in this country.

the 1963 sunday morning shooting of lee harvey oswalt by jack ruby is a close second.

-The announcement of John F. Kennedy's death by Walter Cronkite as his voice broke, November 1963.

-The Watts Riots in the Summer of 1965.

-The My Lai Massacre; March 1968.

-Watching as Robert Kennedy was shot to death as he arrived to speak in LA; April 1968.

-The news report on the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr; April 1968.

-The 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention riots.

-News of the Watergate break-in and susequent conspiracy against McGovern presidency; June 1972/July 1973.

-Nixon's resignation; August 1974.

-Watching as the second plane crashed into the WTC; September 2001.

Edited July 27, 2012 by GoodSpeak

[alocispepraluger102]

by the same token how about Ruffian breaking down and being destroyed on the track? I was just a kid but it effected me deeply at the time.

Not the same way as 9/11 but still ...

since then, i have refused to watch any horse or dog races. they must be banned.

[paul secor]

I remember the train wreck jazz supergroup that appeared on Sullivan after the Rahsaan protests: Mingus, Haynes, Kirk and Shepp doing Haitian Fight Song. I think everybody had time for maybe half a chorus of solo. I can't get videos at work, but it may be on this page:

http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/rashaan-roland-kirk.html

by the same token how about Ruffian breaking down and being destroyed on the track? I was just a kid but it effected me deeply at the time.

Not the same way as 9/11 but still ...

Saw the jazz protest on Sullivan. To me, it just came across as a mess and served no real purpose.

Saw the Ruffian race and still remember it vividly. Still think about it sometimes when I watch a horse race.

[Pete C]

Now that I can see the video at the link I posted, it isn't the Ed Sullivan appearance.

[Jazzmoose]

prime for me is president lyndon johnson's speech in 1968 announcing that he would not stand for reelection.

think of that--a man putting his country above his personal goals.

i don't expect that EVER to happen again in this country.

the 1963 sunday morning shooting of lee harvey oswalt by jack ruby is a close second.

-The announcement of John F. Kennedy's death by Walter Cronkite as his voice broke, November 1963.

-The Watts Riots in the Summer of 1965.

-The My Lai Massacre; March 1968.

-Watching as Robert Kennedy was shot to death as he arrived to speak in LA; April 1968.

-The news report on the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr; April 1968.

-The 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention riots.

-News of the Watergate break-in and susequent conspiracy against McGovern presidency; June 1972/July 1973.

-Nixon's resignation; August 1974.

-Watching as the second plane crashed into the WTC; September 2001.

Have trouble counting to two?

Mine would be the second plane, which I can't get past apparently; I still have to check the news immediately before leaving home, just in case, and the moon landing, which I refuse to get past.

[BillF]

Four television moments stick in my mind:

Alcoholic playwright Brendan Behan staggering out of the studio muttering, "Where's the gents?" during an interview by the pompous Malcolm Muggeridge.

The equally pompous David Dimbleby being taken apart by James Baldwin during an interview.

Marcel Duchamp, the iconic art world figure, being interviewed by Joan Bakewell ("the thinking man's crumpet").

The declining Billie Holliday singing live on television during her final months.

[sidewinder]

Churchill's funeral barge on the Thames, with the cranes being dipped out of respect. That's the very first thing I ever remember seeing on TV (on a 10" or 12" B&W English Electric valve set I think).

On a much lighter note, the baby elephant crapping and urinating live on air all over the studio floor on 'Blue Peter', with the keeper slipping on the sludge as he tried without success to haul the beast in, was pretty unforgettable. Children's TV at its best !

Edited July 29, 2012 by sidewinder

[sidewinder]

-The My Lai Massacre; March 1968.

Would very much prefer to forget that one - and Tet. There was footage of a viet-cong getting shot in the head that was broadcast repeatedly over here - and pre-watershed at that. They would never show that on TV these days.

Edited July 29, 2012 by sidewinder

[medjuck]

Elvis on Ed Sullivan in 1956. Also saw him on the Dorsey Bros show but it didn't impress me the same way.

[Larry Kart]

I was thinking of Bill Vukovich's death in the 1955 Indianapolis 500, but I'm not sure I saw that on live TV. In any case, it affected me strongly because it was quite gruesome (I recall images of Vucovich's arm writhing beneath his flaming car) and because he not only was THE star of Indy racing (having already won the 500 twice, he was kind of the Mickey Mantle of the sport) and was leading the race by a huge margin, 17 seconds.

[Eric]

9/11 (by a wide margin) and while it was not a specific "one day" event, the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Edited July 29, 2012 by Eric

[alocispepraluger102]

I was thinking of Bill Vukovich's death in the 1955 Indianapolis 500, but I'm not sure I saw that on live TV. In any case, it affected me strongly because it was quite gruesome (I recall images of Vucovich's arm writhing beneath his flaming car) and because he not only was THE star of Indy racing (having already won the 500 twice, he was kind of the Mickey Mantle of the sport) and was leading the race by a huge margin, 17 seconds.

the 500 wasn't telecast live until 1985.

before that, taped highlights were shown later in primetime. the tragedy you described, and several others, caused the networks' fear of live telecasting the event.

[Tim McG]

prime for me is president lyndon johnson's speech in 1968 announcing that he would not stand for reelection.

think of that--a man putting his country above his personal goals.

i don't expect that EVER to happen again in this country.

the 1963 sunday morning shooting of lee harvey oswalt by jack ruby is a close second.

-The announcement of John F. Kennedy's death by Walter Cronkite as his voice broke, November 1963.

-The Watts Riots in the Summer of 1965.

-The My Lai Massacre; March 1968.

-Watching as Robert Kennedy was shot to death as he arrived to speak in LA; April 1968.

-The news report on the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr; April 1968.

-The 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention riots.

-News of the Watergate break-in and susequent conspiracy against McGovern presidency; June 1972/July 1973.

-Nixon's resignation; August 1974.

-Watching as the second plane crashed into the WTC; September 2001.

Have trouble counting to two?

Mine would be the second plane, which I can't get past apparently; I still have to check the news immediately before leaving home, just in case, and the moon landing, which I refuse to get past.

Nah.

I just couldn't settle on only two.

The 1969 moon landing would have to be up there for me, as well.

Edited July 29, 2012 by GoodSpeak

[Adam]

Probably 9/11 plane 2, and the 1992 LA riots.

Heard Nixon's resignation on radio, and assassination attempt on Reagan announced after the fact by loudspeaker in a school class.

Sports, for me, native Angeleño, probably Kirk Gibson's home run game 1 1988 world series, watching on big screen in common room in college dorm, no one else caring, me yelling.

[Big Wheel]

Being the opposite of a morning person means you miss a lot of news. I slept right through the events of 9/11 and didn't learn about it until a friend called me and woke me up.

For me the ones I remember are...

1) the Music City Miracle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPhONc6xC48

Not being a Titans fan and hating the Bills, I didn't even care about this game, but happened to be at home doing nothing and had flipped it on in the 4th, only to catch this finish. The Wycheck throwback to Dyson seemed much longer at the time than it does on this replay. (Did anyone see the Cal/Stanford "The Play" live?)

2) Probably the Red Sox breaking the curse of the Bambino, but especially the ALCS Game 4 that year against the Yankees.