Whirlybird: Live above LA
A Storyville documentary that revisits how a daring husband-and-wife team became the first journalists to invest in a helicopter, changing the way the news is covered forever.
Flying high above Los Angeles in a whirling news helicopter, Marika Gerrard and Zoey Tur (then known as Bob) spent the 80s and 90s capturing the city’s most epic breaking news stories. Before the advent of the 24-hour news cycle, this daring husband-and-wife team invested in a helicopter and pilot’s licence, taking their cameras to the sky and changing broadcast news forever.
The cameras not only captured the adrenaline of live news culture, but also the subsequent strain on their relationship and an identity struggle that eventually culminated in a major life transition for Zoey.
A wholly unique take on the story of Los Angeles, told through stunning aerial footage and remarkable home videos, Whirlybird reframes many of the city’s pivotal moments of the 1990s, including the OJ Simpson pursuit and the 1992 riots.
Last on
More episodes
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
-
![]()
01:28Fred Neil
The Dolphins
Credit
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Director | Matt Yoka |
Broadcasts
- Mon 15 Feb 2021 21:00
- Fri 19 Feb 2021 00:35
Featured in...
![]()
Storyville
Amazing, shocking, inspiring and award-winning - the best in international documentaries.
![]()
Thought-provoking Global Stories
Learn more about the world we live in with these thought-provoking documentaries.
![]()
Documentary Films
Compelling stories from around the world - captured on camera.
