Dave Dorsett, who spent 18 years as the primary camera operator at Late Show with David Letterman passed away Friday. He was 90 years old.
Dorsett began his 46-year career at CBS in 1965, putting in time behind the camera on various network shows from soap operas to sports to the evening news, where he was a cameraman for both Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather.
He won eight Emmys over the course of his career, and was beloved by his colleagues, who fondly described him as a gentlemen, a mentor, and a great storyteller.
Though he spent most of his time on Letterman’s CBS show behind Camera #2, like so many Late Show staffers, he was an on-camera presence at times, too.
In a 20-minute tribute video posted to Letterman’s YouTube channel over the weekend (below), Dorsett could be seen participating in a number of comedy bits for the show, including one that saw him flirtily showing three women how to work the camera. Asked by Letterman who the women were, the then-septuagenarian Dorsett responded with the scripted reply, “Oh them? They’re hookers.”
Upon his retirement in 2011, Letterman himself paid tribute to Dorsett on the air, saying of him,”He’s the guy you want to be, and he’s helped us out in many many ways.”
Dorsett is survived by two sons, and was predeceased by another. Our condolences to his family and to all who knew and loved him.
I am watching it now. Wow! What a great career Mr. Dorsett had. Forty-three years with CBS! His son played with the Chicago Cubs. This is a great article.