Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Nigel Wolland MBE

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Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 12-30-2007, 05:43 PM:

Great news from the UK, the former Chief Engineer Nigel Wolland from the Odeon Licester Square has be awarded in the Queens New Year Honnours list a MBE for services to the Exhibition Industy.

Nigel is a great Showman and a great Gentleman that can work with anyone and respects people, every one who knows or have worked with him always have great regard for Nigel and is well respected in the UK.

He only retired just over a year ago from Odeon and still maintains a interest in our Industry and provide valuable assistance to several organizations like the BKSTS.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 01-02-2008, 10:01 AM:

Congratulations to Nigel; I've met him a few times.

That term 'Chief Engineer' always sounds odd to me; was the Odeon Leicester Square the only cinema which had one? It sounds as if he would be more at home on a ship than in a theatre!

Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 1542) on 01-02-2008, 11:59 AM:

Originally there was a Chief Projectionist, and a House Engineer.

When the House Engineer retired the projectionists took over his responsibilities, and the Chief's title changed to Chief Engineer with an increase in salary.

This was in the 1970s. The first was Jack Isaac, then myself, and then Nigel.

Ben, I quite agree with your remarks about Nigel. He deserved the MBE far more than some "celebrities".

For all the non Brits on this Forum, MBE stands for Member of the British Empire.
Rather a quaint honour as we now no longer have an Empire, except the one in Leicester Sq.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 01-02-2008, 12:43 PM:

quote: Hugh McCullough
we now no longer have an Empire, except the one in Leicester Sq.

Don't forget the one in 'ackney mate! [Smile]

So what was the House Engineer responsoble for then, boilers? electrics? Everything except the projection room? Who was responsible for the stage equipment and lighting? The safety curtain? What about the organ?

I've been in the box at the Odeon twice; I think the first time was probably during your time Hugh, the Vic Xs were still there then, with the large Zenith arcs. The second time was with the PPT visit, for Nigel's retirement.

Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 1542) on 01-02-2008, 05:26 PM:

I thought that 'ackney' was a live theatre. If so, then it does not count

The House Engineer was responsible for the heating, ventilation, and other plant. Also for all the electrical wiring in the auditorium, stage, and foyers.
He also used to replace any bulbs that had blown, including the ones in the Box.

The Chief was responsible for the projection box equipment, projectors, sound racks, arcs, lighting dimmers, arc rectifiers, screen, tabs, tabs & masking motors, organ motor, and organ blower, and in the case of the Odeon, the pump for the Artesian Well, before we went over to mains water.

The safety curtain nobody touched apart from raising or lowering it. If it caused any trouble then we called in the experts. Have you seen the counterweights on these things?

As the House Engineer went home at 9.30pm the projection staff had to take over his responsibilities till close down.

When I was there we had Vic 10s, nice machines except when trying to lace 35mm mag through the head, and Zenith carbon arcs. These were converted to xenon in the about 1977.

Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 01-02-2008, 05:41 PM:

quote: Hugh McCullough
The House Engineer was responsible for the heating, ventilation, and other plant. Also for all the electrical wiring in the auditorium, stage, and foyers.
He also used to replace any bulbs that had blown, including the ones in the Box.

Also with H&S Management, Technical support for Film Companies that use the Odeoon for Preview Screenings and Premiers.

At present the Odeon L/S only has two remaining Victoria 8 35/70mm projectors and one Barco 2k Projector, a 2nd 2k or perhaps a 4k will be installed later this year I belive.

Several months ago, their sound System was upgraded with 2 x CP650's and the Dolby CP200 has been removed, unlikely they will ever screen 70mm again.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 01-03-2008, 02:09 PM:

quote: Hugh McCullough
I thought that 'ackney' was a live theatre. If so, then it does not count

I think the Hackney Empire has shown film at some time in its life, but then it's been used for just about everything in its time. There was a proposal several years ago to install film equipment there; it was being discussed when I visited the place on an Open House weekend. I don't think this was ever done, and it would not really be suitable for this use, it's better as a live theatre.

quote: Hugh McCullough
The House Engineer was responsible for the heating, ventilation, and other plant. Also for all the electrical wiring in the auditorium, stage, and foyers.
He also used to replace any bulbs that had blown, including the ones in the Box.

The Chief was responsible for the projection box equipment, projectors, sound racks, arcs, lighting dimmers, arc rectifiers, screen, tabs, tabs & masking motors, organ motor, and organ blower, and in the case of the Odeon, the pump for the Artesian Well, before we went over to mains water.

So basically, everything theatrical, the Chief; everything else, the House Engineer. That makes sense but then you say the Chief was responsible for the well pump, or have I mis-understood you? This seems odd. Why did you have your own well anyway, rather than using mains water? Did it supply all of your water, or just for certain purposes? It's unusual in quite a modern building. Lot's Road power station had its own well, which was used to supply the boiler feed water, and that was still being used when I visited, a few months before final closure. We were shown around by the station chemist, whose main responsibility was to look after the quality of the feed water.

quote: Hugh McCullough
The safety curtain nobody touched apart from raising or lowering it. If it caused any trouble then we called in the experts. Have you seen the counterweights on these things?

Yes, I believe they can weigh several tonnes on a large stage. Nigel had the curtain lowered at his leaving 'do', so we could see the painting on it.

quote: Hugh McCullough
As the House Engineer went home at 9.30pm the projection staff had to take over his responsibilities till close down.

When I was there we had Vic 10s, nice machines except when trying to lace 35mm mag through the head, and Zenith carbon arcs. These were converted to xenon in the about 1977.

That would make sense; I think my first visit was in about 1975, or 76, so it would have been in your time. I can't remember if I met you; I looked very different then, more hair for a start. One of those machines is now at the Enigma Cinema, at Bletchley Park.

Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 1542) on 01-03-2008, 05:53 PM:

The Artesian well was where the cinema obtained all of it's water supply (made lovely tea), and we shared it with the bank in Charing Cross Road.
It was pumped up into the large tank in the tower.

In the box we had a pilot light that if it went out we knew that the Artesian pump was not working, always presuming that the bulb had not blown.
In this case we had to go down the well and repair the pump. Normally this meant just replacing the local fuse.

Now, this was a great inconvenience in the evening when the bank was closed as there were two keys to get into the well room.
These keys were for different locks.
The bank had one, and we had the other key.

The reason for this was that the well room door was in the bank, so we had to get the bank manager out of his warm home to come and use his key to let us in.

Eventually the pump motor got so old it needed replacing.
It was deemed better to cap the well, and go onto Thames Water supply.

The Leicester Square Theatre also had it's own well, but that was capped about 1969.

These wells go back to mediaeval times.

By the way, the River Fleet runs under the Empire.

We used to lower the Safety Curtain every night. This was a Council requirement.

Somewhere I have a photo of the counterweights on the Safety Curtain at the old Odeon Wimbledon.
If I can find it I will post in here.

Posted by Brian Guckian (Member # 1678) on 01-04-2008, 02:33 PM:

Fantastic news - congratulations Nigel, it is a well-deserved and fitting honour.

A more self-effacing, courteous, committed, helpful and above all, meticulously professional person you would be extremely hard pressed to meet, and under his expert supervision, presentations in the Odeon Leicester Square were never less than faultless.

As Ben mentioned, Nigel continues to inspire and pass on his enormous expertise to others, and is probably more busy now than when he worked at Leicester Square (if that's possible!).

A great start to 2008 [beer]

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-06-2008, 11:15 AM:

quote: Hugh McCullough
For all the non Brits on this Forum, MBE stands for Member of the British Empire.

Thank you, Hugh. That was the first question that crossed my mind.

Congratulations to Nigel! [thumbsup]

Posted by Charles Caron (Member # 3247) on 01-06-2008, 08:43 PM:

More than you ever wanted to know about british orders of chivalry.... British honours [beer]