Tony Verna



Anthony F. Verna (November 26, 1933 – January 18, 2015) was a producer of television sports and entertainment blockbusters.

Biography
Verna was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He died in Palm Desert, California at the age of 81.

Early career
Verna is credited with having invented instant replay, first used by CBS Sports during the Army-Navy game on December 7, 1963.

Broadcast hallmarks
Verna's broadcast hallmark was an ability to continually come up with advances in the use of cameras, program content and creative interplay. It was this skill that prompted him to use a trick left over from radio days in order to outwit the technology of the times and allow for a play on the field to be re-broadcast "instantly."

Verna's varied career includes creating, producing and directing Pope John Paul II's billion-viewer television special "A Prayer for World Peace" and the historic music spectacular "Live Aid." As President of Caesar's Palace Productions, Verna was involved in all their spectacular entertainment projects.

Notables who collaborated with Verna
Verna worked with and or and was friends with such notables as Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush,  Grace Kelly, Mother Teresa, Edward R. Murrow, Larry King, Rod Stewart, Burt Reynolds, Dizzy Dean, Milton Berle, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Mick Jagger, Christopher Reeve, Tom Selleck, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Rocky Marciano, Kirk Douglas, Chevy Chase, Johnny Cash and John Denver.

Major television events
Tony Verna produced and/or directed the following major television events:

1955 - Baseball Game of the Week with Dizzy Dean

1960 - Rome Olympics

1962 - Marshal Titoski jumping---Yugoslavia

1963 - (Dec-7) Invented the Instant Replay during the Army–Navy Game

1964 - Directed Kentucky Derby (first of 12)

1967 - Las Vegas ---Liberace Special

1967 - Johnny Unitas-Instant Quarterback

1968 - Rocky Marciano, Jonathan Winters Jogging

1968 - Directed Super Bowl (first of 5)

1968 - Harlem Globetrotters-Soupy Sales

1968 - Roy Rogers, Dale Evans Special

1969 - Rocky Marciano Tribute

1970 - Created The Battle of the NFL Cheerleaders CBS

1970 - Created Instant Quarterback-John Unitas

1970 - Produced and directed Pro Bowlers Tour

1972 - Directed Mike Douglas Show- Moscow

1974 - Directed Canadian Stanley Cup

1974 - Directed 12th Kentucky Derby

1974 - Directed bios Jesse Owen, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio

1975 - Mexican soccer championships

1975 - Directed Le Mans Grand Prix, France

1976 - Hired by Saudi Arabia for Montreal Olympics

1977 - Created $50,000 Challenge Winner Take All -  Telly Savalas

1978 - Soupy Sales - Harlem Globetrotters

1978 - London World Circus  ---Karl Wallenda

1978 - Celebrity Daredevils, Christopher Reeve

1978 - Battle of the NFL Cheerleaders

1978 - NBC Rock n Roll Classic - Rod Stewart

1978 - Created Pete Rose Roast with Milton Berle--

1979 - Billiards Mosconi-Minnesota Fats-Omar Sharif

1979 - Peoples Choice Award--Tom Selleck -Hawaii

1979 - ESPN--30 interviews with Roy Firestone

1979 - Created Weekend Heroes - Las Vegas

1979 - Directed ABC primetime All American Woman

1979 - President of Caesars Palace Productions

1980 - Ronald Reagan Network Interview

1982 - Charlton Heston-Paul Newman Debate-ABC

1984 - ABC Summer Olympics

1985 - Live Aid

1985 - Christmas Special-Mother Teresa

1985 - Christmas Celebration-Johnny Cash

1986 - Sport-Aid

1986 - Prayer For World Peace, Pope John Paul II

1987 - Omni 14 Great Minds Predict the Future

1989 - Our Common Future Special—Global

1990 - Earth 90 - Japan - John Denver

1990 - White House - George H. W. Bush

1990 - Ted Turner Goodwill Games-Larry King

1991 - Earth Day- Japan- Ray Charles

1994 - Created Superstitions Around The World - London

1996 - 2006 Consultant—Vatican and World Broadcasters

Books
Tony Verna is the author of:

1970 - Playback

1987 - Live TV (commissioned by the DGA)

1993 - Global Television

2006 - Algebra 1 Murder II

2008 - Instant Replay: the Day That Changed Sports Forever

Patents
Verna held U.S. Patents on the following:
 * 2006 - Instant Footballer
 * 2008 -Talking Replays