Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Old Timers

This is topic Old Timers in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 2038) on 11-25-2003, 12:19 PM:

Since I'm new here, I thought I'd inquire as to the oldtimers in residence.

I started in 1972 (at 17 years of age) as the relief projectionist in the Asbury Park NJ area. We had 13 theatres in our IATSE jurisdiction (plus 3 more in the next local's area I worked). They were ALL single-screen, two-projector, arc lamp operations. A few were circa 1929, the last updates were Western Electric sound systems. Some of the places were old palaces from the 1920-1930s, balconies, full stages, etc., plus 3 drive-ins. As relief man I got to work in all of them before being assigned my "own" booth. Wouldn't trade those days away for anything.

Posted by Gordon Bachlund (Member # 124) on 11-25-2003, 12:26 PM:

Gary, I started in much the same way in the 1950s, and continued working relief through my college days and for a while thereafter. Then, in 1972, a friend and I re-opened two closed neighborhood houses and ran them successfully for several years, finally closing down in 1976. Both had carbon arc changeover booths.

Those were the days!

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 2038) on 11-25-2003, 12:54 PM:

Yessir Gordon, I miss those days!

We had 2 in the area that still had 3 projectors. Run the cartoons and coming attractions on #3. They also had effects machines that STILL WORKED! One place was an atmospheric and the two Brenographs still worked and we projected moving clouds on the ceiling.

Every last one of the places (except for the drive-ins of course) had working curtains. Something about presenting a SHOW (as opposed to just showing a movie) in those old barns! Those old places had charm.

We have a modern Loew's monster-plex near here that I visited to pick up a print. I was not impressed. That place had all the charm of an airport terminal.

Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 11-25-2003, 02:49 PM:

Started in '45 as an usher and "Marquee Boy" at the California theatre (later named the UA) in Pomona, California where my dad was projectionist. Became a union operator (I.A. Local 577 San Bernardino, CA) and got my own booth at the State theatre in that same city in '50. After service in the Air Force I chose to work as a relief operator for various locals up and down the west coast from Long Beach, CA to Santa Maria, Sacramento, San Jose, Seattle and Everett in both drive-ins and hardtops. Operated just about every brand of projector and lamphouse you can name. All were carbon arc/changeover two machine operations except the Crest in Sacto which had three machines. I used the third for trailers and shorts. Left the booth in '70 but occasionally worked and kept abreast of the changes in the industry through trade journals. Currently planning to re-inter the field by opening theatres in rural and small town areas.

Posted by Paul Goulet (Member # 297) on 11-26-2003, 12:48 PM:

HEY OLD-TIMERS! How about posting this in the "WHo the Heck Are you Thread"? [Big Grin]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-26-2003, 12:55 PM:

Yes, please do.

Thread closed

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 11-26-2003, 04:43 PM:

You mean, 'The "WHO THE HECK ARE YOU??" guy...' with NO MEMBER PHOTO! [evil]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-26-2003, 06:03 PM:

Yup, that's the guy. Clearly an evil fellow. [Razz]

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-26-2003, 06:37 PM:

I think he should send in a member photo, or we delete his thread. [evil]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-26-2003, 09:10 PM:

Hey, that's a good idea. What does everyone else think?

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 11-26-2003, 09:28 PM:

I think we should make the forums run slower for people who don't have member pics. [evil]

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 11-26-2003, 09:45 PM:

We should re-institute the member pic requirement for the chatroom.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 11-26-2003, 09:47 PM:

That won't annoy people that don't go in the chatroom though.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-26-2003, 10:46 PM:

Who's for throttling the bandwidth down to about 5kbps for anyone without a member picture?

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 11-26-2003, 11:10 PM:

Everyone should experience 300 baud at least once in their lifetime.

No, wait. Members without photos should only be able to access the site with Lynx. [evil]

Or ... we should make them browse the forums with this color scheme:

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-27-2003, 12:14 AM:

I think we could probably give specific members their own color scheme. [evil]