Man who worked as cameraman for Johnny Carson turns 106
MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - It may be a dying art -- but Louis Benvenuto is a Morse code master.
“If you don’t practice every day -- you lose it,” said Lou -- as most call him.
At 106 years old -- Lou’s still got it. Growing up in Nebraska -- he went to radio school in California.
“I got my license... W6OTB,” said Lou.
When he returned to Nebraska -- Lou married and started working in radio. But his dream was to work in Hollywood. Eventually the couple made the move to California, where he landed a job at KFI Radio Station. He would eventually make the move to television working for NBC.
“It was about four us... And we said -- well -- we’ll transfer over... Into TV,” recalled Lou.
It was a gamble -- but it paid off. He’d work for NBC for 34 years, including on the “Bob Hope Show” -- “Nat King Cole” -- “Hollywood Squares” -- “Dinah Shore” -- and was the original cameraman on “Days of Our Lives.” His experience eventually landed him a job on the “Johnny Carson Show” when it moved to the West Coast.
“I was a cameraman for Johnny. I worked the #2 camera. ... It was a fantastic position because he was known all over the world,” said Lou.
He recalls Ed McMahon being quite the jokester.
“He was very nice. If he had a joke -- he’d say -- ‘hey guys I got a joke I can tell you but I can’t tell it over the air’ ... (laughs) Lee: So it was a good joke? (laughs) Yeah!”
When it comes to celebrities -- he had a front row seat -- but one guest stands out!
“Luciano Pavarotti. And my name used to be Luciano and I changed it legally, when I was 16. He was on the show one night... So I went up to him and I said -- ‘Luciano -- I’d like to have you meet Luciano.’ And he was very kind,” said Lou.
Surrounded by his family -- his son and daughter -- recall the TV days.
“He had me on a show -- ‘The Pinky Lee Show’ at nine months old -- he said I cried. But I would sit in the audience. He’d tape me off some seats. And I’d sit there in the audience it was very fun,” said Jan Timmons, Lou’s daughter.
He was also the cameraman for 29 rose parades. An amazing career -- retirement wasn’t easy -- but he found a new passion -- cruising around the world. He’s been on 110 cruises. His favorite spot?
“The North Pole, where the penguins would come right up to you and they would beg for food,” said Lou.
He lived by himself until he was 103 -- moving to Daphne a year ago with his daughter and son-in-law. He’s settled into life at Baldwin House Assisted Living, where he’s this month’s “Resident Spotlight.”
He especially loves bingo! “O--75″ just happens to be his lucky number.
“I don’t know for some reason -- it seems like 75 comes out all of the time. And everybody agrees with me,” said Lou.
Set to blow out the candles Tuesday, June 6th for the 106th time -- we asked -- what his secret to longevity is?
“Eating a lot of ice cream (laughs),” said Lou.
His father owned a confectionary store when he was a boy and he recalled staying up late to wait for his dad to bring home ice cream (chocolate is his favorite). In addition to all that ice cream -- his granddaughter tells us he used to tell her the secret to a long life is lifting something heavy every day.
He has a son Gary, daughter Jan, 2 granddaughters: Heidi & Holly; 3 great granddaughters: Elena, Elexia, & Ivy.
From all of us at FOX 10 News -- Happy Birthday Mr. Lou!
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