Obituary of Ralph Saya

Nashua, NH – WBZ-TV film department legend, Ralph Saya, died on Thanksgiving day November 25, 2011 of respiratory failure at the age of 94. One of the first to oversee and steward the way people viewed early television, Saya developed and incorporated a number of film editing techniques used for commercials and their interaction with feature movies and news stories. A number of these very techniques continue to be used within modern digital film editing software. Saya was brought in to emergency surgery to remove an intestinal blockage caused by scar tissue from an earlier 2006 surgery. Critical care doctor Michael Remar of St Joseph’s hospital in Nashua, New Hampshire, performed the emergency surgery on Sunday at around 2:30pm. Immediately after surgery, Saya was placed on a mechanical ventilator within the intensive care unit of St Joseph’s with acute reparatory distress syndrome. At 11:09 am surrounded by family members on Thanksgiving morning, Saya passed away comfortably ironically in ICU room number 4. While at WBZ, Saya spear-headed numerous corrections in early film inspection equipment with the Harwald Company of Chicago. Back then, Harwald was the company of choice for national network and local televised broadcasts, and weak film splices were a major interruption with televised programming. Ultimately, Harwald’s Model ‘K’ Inspect-O-Film design incorporated features devised by Saya through a number of phone discussions with Harwald design engineers in Chicago. In addition,Saya’s attention to technical timing and commercial sequencing revolutionized seamless broadcasts of feature films to the viewing public. Coined the father of early film editing, techniques devised by Saya are now routinely used within modern digital editing software. A native of the old west end of Boston, Saya started his career in the early forties as a projectionist and stage light operator at the Casino within Old Scollay square, Boston. David Kruh, author of the public television documentary ‘Boston The Way It Was’, featured Saya within the filmed documentary and the book covering Old Scollay square. While well known within the New England picture film industry and a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Saya traveled throughout New England and New York running feature films for colleges and the U.S war effort, accompanied with his best friend Israel (Izzy) Katz, whom would later become dean of Northeastern University’s Center for Continuing Education. Through the early to mid forties, Saya became friendly with those responsible for developing Boston’s first television station, WBZ-TV. Where, he worked at Cinema Incorporated, an RKO Radio Pictures production and distribution company controlled by Radio Corporation of America (RCA). In 1926, RCA launched the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), and in 1938 NBC launched WBZ-TV. Saya’s reputation with RKO radio Pictures and relationship with those within RCA ultimately landed him at WBZ-TV, where he would make his career. In the late 50’s as a side job to his BZ position, Saya ran private movies for Massachusetts Governor Alvan Fuller, and was proud to have fulfilled the former governor’s request to view his last private movie just before his death in 1959 from a stomach illness. After joining WBZ-TV, then the second television station in the country behind WNBCTV New York, Saya supported such early television programs as Boston Movie time, the Rex Trailer and Big Brother Bob Emery weekend children shows, and news editing that supported film editing techniques still in existence today. Saya also worked side-byside supporting such early New England news and weather icons as Jack Chase and Don Kent, and admired ‘the new guy’ Jack Williams, before his retirement in 1983. He is survived by his children, Wayne and his wife Nancy of Nashua, NH and Scott L. Saya of California, a daughter, Lynne Saya of Chicopee, MA, five grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Michael Saya, Lucy Diaz and Mary Stone. A visitation will be held on Monday from 4:00 until 8:00 PM at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home at the 82 Lynn St., Peabody, MA facility. His Funeral Services will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 1:00 PM with Rev. John Hunter officiating the Services. Burial will be in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, West Peabody. Relatives and friends are kindly invited.