{{Short description|Television producer (1926–2011)}} {{More citations needed|date=December 2022}} '''Frank Chirkinian''' (June 3, 1926 – March 4, 2011)<ref name="PGAobituary">{{cite web |url=http://www.pgatour.com/news/2011/02/10/dolch-column-chirkinian.html |title=Chirkinian's impact on televised golf can't be overstated |first=Craig |last=Dolch |date=February 10, 2011 |publisher=[[PGA Tour]] |access-date=March 4, 2011}}</ref> was an American television sports producer and director. He is most notable for his work on [[golf]] coverage though he also directed coverage of the [[Winter Olympics]], the [[US Open (tennis)|United States Open Tennis Championships]], [[college football|college]] and [[American football|professional American football]], [[auto racing]], and the [[Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing]].<ref name="NYT">{{cite news |title=Frank Chirkinian, 84, Father of Televised Golf |first=Richard |last=Goldstein |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/sports/golf/06chirkinian.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 5, 2011 |access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref>
==Early life== Chirkinian was born in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]].{{Cn|date=December 2022}} He was of Armenian descent.
==Career== Chirkinian was known as the "father of televised golf" for the impact he had on golf broadcasting.<ref name=NYT/> He came to the attention of [[CBS]] after he impressed with his direction of the 1958 [[PGA Championship]].<ref name=NYT/> Recruited by the network, who had no one with expertise in the relatively new field of golf broadcasting, he went on to be executive producer of CBS's golf coverage from 1959 until 1996.<ref name="CBS">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6267041/27755460 |author=Steve Elling |title=Father of golf broadcasting dies at 84 |work=CBS Sports |date=March 4, 2011 |access-date= March 5, 2011}}</ref><ref name="Chronicle">{{cite news |title=Masters Tournament golf broadcasting pioneer dies |first=John |last=Boyette |url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/sports/golf/2011-03-04/golf-broadcasting-pioneer-dies?v=1299331642 |newspaper=[[The Augusta Chronicle]] |date=March 4, 2011 |access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref> During his time at CBS, he was nicknamed "The Ayatollah" for his brusque, uncompromising approach to directing broadcasts.<ref name="GolfDigest">{{cite magazine |first=Guy |last=Yocom |title=My Shot: Frank Chirkinian |magazine=[[Golf Digest]] |date=September 2003 |url=http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/myshot_gd0309?currentPage=1 |access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref> Chirkinian was particularly well regarded for the coverage of the [[Masters Tournament]] that he oversaw for four decades, working closely with the authorities at [[Augusta National Golf Club|Augusta National]] to ensure they were satisfied.<ref name="GolfObserver">{{cite web |first=Sal |last=Johnson |url=http://www.golfobserver.com/blog/blognews/buzz/2011/03/05/storyoftheday |title=Story of the day for March 5th, remembering Frank Chirkinian |work=GolfObserver.com |date=March 5, 2011 |access-date=March 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711113027/http://www.golfobserver.com/blog/blognews/buzz/2011/03/05/storyoftheday |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Chirkinian was responsible for a number of innovations in the filming and presentation of golf. He made sure that as many microphones as possible were placed around the golf course to pick up the sounds of the tournament and golfers' conversations, rather than having commentators talk over silent footage.<ref name=PGAobituary/> He showed as many golf shots as possible, cutting quickly from player to player to keep up the pace of the broadcast, unafraid of focusing on the game's stars.<ref name=PGAobituary/><ref name=Chronicle/> The use of multiple cameras was introduced during Chirkinian's tenure, including high-angle cameras mounted in trees and on [[blimp]]s for the first time.<ref name=Chronicle/>
Chirkinian said that he was most proud of being the first to display golfers' scores relative to par, rather than cumulatively, making it simpler to work out how they were faring relative to the rest of the field.<ref name=PGAobituary/> Most of all, Chirkinian thought it important to allow coverage to focus on golfers and the shots they made, and was critical of recent innovations{{examples|date=November 2013}} in golf broadcasting that he saw as distracting and unnecessary.<ref name=PGAobituary/><ref name=NYT/>
== Death and legacy == He died at his Florida home after suffering from [[lung cancer]].<ref name="PGAobituary" />
Shortly before his death, Chirkinian was elected to the [[World Golf Hall of Fame]]; he was inducted posthumously.<ref name="Induction">{{cite web |date=May 9, 2011 |title=Els, five others complete journey into Hall of Fame |url=http://www.pgatour.com/2011/r/05/09/halloffame-ceremony/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513230243/http://www.pgatour.com/2011/r/05/09/halloffame-ceremony/index.html |archive-date=May 13, 2011 |access-date=May 10, 2011 |publisher=[[PGA Tour]]}}</ref> At the induction ceremony, a message Chirkinian videotaped shortly before his death was broadcast to the assembled golfing luminaries.<ref name="Induction" />
==In popular culture==
* Chirkinian appeared as himself in the [[Kevin Costner]] film ''[[Tin Cup]]''.{{Cn|date=December 2022}}
==Awards and honors== * Chirkinian won four [[Emmy Award]]s during his career.<ref name="Chronicle" /> * He also won two [[Peabody Award]]s.<ref name="Chronicle" /> * In 2007, Chirkinian was awarded the [[Sports Lifetime Achievement Award]] and inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.<ref name="SBHOF">{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsvideo.org/portal/hof/articles/publish/Frank_Chirkinian.shtml |title=Frank Chirkinian |work=Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame |publisher=Sports Video Group |access-date=March 4, 2011 |archive-date=January 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107023648/http://www.sportsvideo.org/portal/hof/articles/publish/Frank_Chirkinian.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> * In 2011, he was elected and inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.<ref name="PGAobituary" /><ref name="WGHOF">{{cite web |url=http://www.pgatour.com/2011/r/02/10/chirkinian-wghof/index.html |title=TV pioneer Chirkinian inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame |date=February 10, 2011 |publisher=[[PGA Tour]] |access-date=March 4, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110214141456/http://www.pgatour.com/2011/r/02/10/chirkinian-wghof/index.html |archive-date=February 14, 2011}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{World Golf Hall of Fame|frank-chirkinian}}
{{Golf on CBS}} {{Sports Lifetime Achievement Award}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chirkinian, Frank}} [[Category:Television producers from Pennsylvania]] [[Category:World Golf Hall of Fame inductees]] [[Category:Sports Emmy Award winners]] [[Category:Peabody Award winners]] [[Category:American people of Armenian descent]] [[Category:Deaths from lung cancer in Florida]] [[Category:Television personalities from Philadelphia]] [[Category:1926 births]] [[Category:2011 deaths]]