Tony Verna facts for kids
Anthony "Tony" F. Verna (born November 26, 1933 – died January 18, 2015) was a very important person in television history. He produced and directed many huge sports and entertainment shows. He is most famous for inventing the "instant replay," which changed how we watch sports forever!
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About Tony Verna
Tony Verna was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He passed away in Palm Desert, California, when he was 81 years old.
The Invention of Instant Replay
Tony Verna is known for inventing something amazing: the instant replay. This cool technology lets us watch a moment in a game again right after it happens. The very first time instant replay was used was during a football game, the Army-Navy game, on December 7, 1963. It was shown on CBS Sports.
How Tony Verna Changed TV
Tony Verna was always thinking of new ways to make TV shows better. He was great at using cameras in new ways and creating exciting content. He even used an old trick from radio days to make instant replay possible with the technology available at the time.
Tony Verna's career was full of big moments. He helped create and direct a TV special for Pope John Paul II called "A Prayer for World Peace," which was watched by a billion people! He also worked on the huge music concert "Live Aid." He was even the President of Caesar's Palace Productions, where he helped create many amazing entertainment shows.
Famous People Tony Verna Worked With
Tony Verna met and worked with many famous people throughout his life. Some of these included Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, actress Grace Kelly, humanitarian Mother Teresa, and many entertainers like Larry King, Rod Stewart, Burt Reynolds, Milton Berle, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Mick Jagger, Johnny Cash, and John Denver. He also worked with sports legends like Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, and Rocky Marciano.
Major TV Shows and Events
Tony Verna produced or directed many important television events. Here are some of them:
- 1955 - The Baseball Game of the Week with Dizzy Dean
- 1960 - The Rome Olympic Games
- 1963 - Invented the Instant Replay during the Army–Navy Game
- 1964 - Directed the Kentucky Derby (he directed it 12 times!)
- 1967 - A special show with Liberace in Las Vegas
- 1968 - Directed Super Bowl#2 (he directed 5 Super Bowls!)
- 1968 - Shows with the Harlem Globetrotters and Soupy Sales
- 1970 - Created "The Battle of the NFL Cheerleaders" for CBS
- 1970 - Produced and directed the Pro Bowlers Tour
- 1972 - Directed the Mike Douglas Show from Moscow
- 1974 - Directed the Canadian Stanley Cup
- 1975 - Mexican soccer championships
- 1975 - Directed the Le Mans Grand Prix in France
- 1978 - NBC Rock n Roll Classic with Rod Stewart
- 1978 - Created the Pete Rose Roast with Milton Berle
- 1979 - Billiards game with Minnesota Fats and Omar Sharif
- 1979 - ESPN interviews with Roy Firestone
- 1980 - Interview with Ronald Reagan
- 1982 - A debate with Charlton Heston and Paul Newman for ABC
- 1984 - The ABC Summer Olympic Games
- 1985 - The famous music concert Live Aid
- 1985 - A Christmas Special with Mother Teresa
- 1986 - "Prayer For World Peace" with Pope John Paul II
- 1990 - "Earth 90" in Japan with John Denver
- 1990 - A special at the White House with George H. W. Bush
- 1990 - Ted Turner's Goodwill Games with Larry King
- 1991 - Earth Day in Japan with Ray Charles
Books by Tony Verna
Tony Verna also wrote several books:
- 1970 - Playback
- 1987 - Live TV
- 1993 - Global Television
- 2008 - Instant Replay: the Day That Changed Sports Forever
Tony Verna's Inventions
Tony Verna held special U.S. Patents for his inventions, including:
- 2006 - Instant Footballer
- 2008 - Talking Replays
