Legends Behind the Lens: Cory Leible One of sports TVs greatest camera operators was a daredevil with a handheld By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital
Monday, May 11, 2020 - 12:00 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The story of American sports television is engrained in the history of this nation, rising on the achievements of countless incredible men and women who never once appeared on our screens. During this pause in live sports, SVG is proud to present a celebration of this great industry. Legends Behind the Lens is a look at how we got here seen through the people who willed it to be. Each weekday, we will share with you the story of a person whose impact on the sports-television industry is indelible.
Legends Behind the Lens is presented in association with the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund. In these trying times - with so many video-production professionals out of work - we hope that you will consider (if you are able) donating to the Sports Broadcasting Fund. Do so by visiting sportsbroadcastfund.org.
___________________________
By Jason Dachman
During more than four decades at NBC, Cory Leible revolutionized the use of the handheld camera on everything from NFL sidelines to U.S. Open putting greens to presidential inaugurations. He elevated the role of the handheld operator to an art form, offering viewers a new perspective for watching live sports.
For over 30 years, Cory Leible was a cameraman's cameraman and a director's dream, says fellow Hall of Famer and legendary sports-TV executive Don Ohlmeyer. He was in the vanguard of those hearty souls that lug around not only a handheld camera but about 90 lbs. of gear that goes along with it.
A Long Island, NY, native and the son of a long-time vaudeville performer, Leible studied ballet and dramatics at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City. It was there that he put down creative roots and developed the legendary endurance that would serve him so well as a camera operator.
Cory had such amazing energy, stamina, and balance that his nickname was Iron Legs,' says former NBC Sports Executive Producer Mike Weisman.
After two years in the military, Leible entered the RCA School of Broadcasting in 1964 and got his first break when NBC needed vacation relief crew. Over the next two years, he worked off and on at the Peacock network in a variety of production roles, while also handling camera duty for WPIX-TV's New York Yankees coverage.
By 1965, he had been brought on full-time at NBC and was assigned to the network's NFL coverage in a variety of hard camera positions. The handheld camera was not yet popular for live sports production, but that was about to change, thanks to Leible and a fellow Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer.
For over 30 years, Cory Leible was a cameraman's cameraman and a director's dream. He was in the vanguard of those hearty souls that lug around not only a handheld camera but about 90 lbs. of gear that goes along with it. Don Ohlmeyer
[Longtime NBC director] Ted Nathanson asked if I wanted to do the handheld when another guy dropped out, recounts Leible. I did it, and, by halftime, I started suggesting a few ideas to Teddy. He said, Cory, let's do it. I'm going to isolate a camera to you, and we'll see what happens.' After that, I pretty much had free rein over anything I wanted to do with the handheld.
He had a knack for capturing the perfect shot and would go on to cover three decades of NFL football and 14 Super Bowls.
One of the goals of every network was to make the coverage more intimate, says Ohlmeyer. And Cory was one of the guys who was a real master on the sidelines. He had an instinctive presence that told him somehow where that next interesting moment was going to come from.
Leible's mastery of the camera reached nearly all of NBC Sports' live telecasts, including MLB, NBA, NHL, tennis, and Olympics coverage. However, it was on the golf course that he made his most indelible mark, pioneering the use of helicopter-facilitated aerial shots for hole previews, as well as close-up ground-level shots of putts.
Leible's reputation as a daredevil became legend. Having first strapped himself to the bottom of a helicopter at the 1972 Bob Hope Classic, he perfected the shot over the next two decades - often flying just 5 ft. above the ground.
He always told the story, notes NFL VP of Media Operations Glenn Adamo, who came up through the NBC ranks during the Leible era. Whether hanging from a helicopter in golf to shoot the holes or hanging upside down at the Superdome for a Super Bowl to get a live shot [of all 22 players at once], Cory got the shot everywhere he went, and I know we were all better for it.
The aerial shots may have garnered the most attention, but Leible's work around the green had the most significant impact on modern golf coverage, allowing viewers to see the trajectory of the putt from ground level.
I was criticized a lot for standing behind a golfer, Leible says of this angle. People said I might end up getting in the way of his line. But I never did, and that shot offered such perspective. You could actually see the golfer looking at the green with the pin in front. That shot became part of the framework of golf [coverage] after that.
A father to three daughters and grandfather to seven, Leible resides in Southampton, NY, with his wife of 49 years, Valley. Although he may be long retired, his sense of humor and storied work ethic make him one of the most beloved characters ever to grace a live sports production.
Cory was one of those artists who helped drive this business forward, says Ohlmeyer. He made the coverage more intimate and more exciting. It allowed the viewer to be brought from their home to insi
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
Legends Behind the Lens: Cory Leible One of sports TVs greatest camera operators was a daredevil with a handheld By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital 
