Frank Chirkinian

Frank Chirkinian (June 3, 1926 – March 4, 2011) 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 United States Open Tennis Championships, college and professional American football, auto racing, and the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.

Early life Chirkinian was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was of Armenian descent.

Career Chirkinian was known as the "father of televised golf" for the impact he had on golf broadcasting. During his time at CBS, he was nicknamed "The Ayatollah" for his brusque, uncompromising approach to directing broadcasts. 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 to ensure they were satisfied.

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. At the induction ceremony, a message Chirkinian videotaped shortly before his death was broadcast to the assembled golfing luminaries. In 2011, he was elected and inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.