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Author Topic: Back in the days of Showmanship Peter Kerchinsky Master Film Handler Posts: 326 From: Seattle, WA, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-21-2005 02:27 PM                     Monte Can't remember why we used the clothespin rather than the pliers. Too far back. We had a small metal trash can underneath the lamphouse that had to have a lid on it, the type you open with your foot. Only carbon stubs were allowed. The firemarshall used to check those to prevent us from burning the place down. Fat chance. I also remember the changeover devices were old Ford starters on the floor.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 03-21-2005 03:40 PM                        At one indoor ("hardtop") theater I worked at, the owner would actually measure the carbon stubs I discarded, and remind me if they were too long. But heaven forbid if I ever had a "flame out" or burned jaws if I mistimed a trim. Not much has changed, has it? "Why can't you get 4000 hours out of that xenon lamp? No one will see the flicker, and the picture is dark anyway."  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 03-22-2005 02:02 AM                     quote: Peter Kerchinsky I also remember the changeover devices were old Ford starters on the floor. ...Like these Motiograph "foot" dowsers mounted here on the floor of a drive-in that I used to work at? quote: John Pytlak But heaven forbid if I ever had a "flame out" or burned jaws if I mistimed a trim. LOL, been there and done that, but doing that with the carbon savers-measuring a rod a bit too short for the reel length. We kept our positive stubs for the cartoon and any 10 minute short/subject reel. Then, I had the dubious honor to peel off the remaining copper from both rods to collect as much copper as I could. Made some decent spending money that way recycling that copper. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 03-22-2005 09:16 AM                        Monte, you mean you didn't send those drippings off to Will Rogers?  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 03-23-2005 02:51 AM                     Hell no! that was free money to have. Of all of the theatres that I ran in my earlier days, I made a good wad of extra change from all of the copper drippings/skins that I could muster. I almost gagged myself out seeing all of those Will Roger tags that I've ran in my times. And to see those poor floorstaff people begging for the dough with those plastic quart jars to the public..LOL That is one thing that I DON't miss. ...just like that "Hearts club" thing...phew..! -Monte  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-24-2005 11:42 AM                       quote: Jim Spohn They ran the theatre with an "IRON-FIST". Ahh, yes... those were the days. quote: John Pytlak quote: Jim Spohn The main projectionist would put a frozen dinner in the lamphouse In hindsight, not a healthy thing to do, since carbon ash contained "rare earth" elements that... weren't good to ingest or breathe in. [Eek!] A tablespoon from inside the top of the lamphouse, sprinkled over your grub, was good seasoning. Thanks for ruining a beautiful moment.  |  IP: Logged Justin West Master Film Handler Posts: 271 From: Peoria, IL, USA Registered: Jul 2001 posted 03-24-2005 09:49 PM                     Well and in the old days of TV dinners in aluminum foil, it probably was a plus for light reflection in those lamphouses, eh?  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 03-25-2005 08:01 AM                     The man who taught me how to run carbon arcs, many years ago at the long defunct Hackensack Drive-In, used to open the running lamphouse and light his cigarettes in the arc flame.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 03-26-2005 05:08 AM                     quote: Mitchell Dvoskin used to open the running lamphouse and light his cigarettes in the arc flame. I also used to do that at my drive-in that I used to work at. I don't smoke, but with the men's room next to the booth and the booth door was open to the men's room (so we could keep an eye out in case of riff-raff in there on some busy nights..), some fellows would ask me for a light, in which I didn't have the flame what he was expecting. (We had Ashcraft CoreLites) I would strike up the arcs, let it heat up a few seconds, throw the knife to shut it down, open up the door, then pull out the negative rod in the pliers and hold it to him so he could light up. That patron got a little startled about this, but really had a kick out of this unique way to "light up." Some of these fellows would give me a tip for this unique way of service to them, since they'll never forget it. -Monte  |  IP: Logged John T. Hendrickson, Jr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 889 From: Freehold, NJ, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 03-26-2005 03:33 PM                     Hey Mitchell- Was that guy wearing welder's glasses, or did he retire on disability?  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-26-2005 08:45 PM                       quote: Mitchell Dvoskin light his cigarettes in the arc flame Haha! Funny how we all did similar things. I used to "light up" off the carbons, too. Later, I did the same thing with xenon lamphouses.  |  IP: Logged Kurt Zupin Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 989 From: Maricopa, Arizona Registered: Oct 2004 posted 03-26-2005 10:36 PM                     Do I dare ask how you light up off of the Xenon lamphouses? lol  |  IP: Logged

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