|  A Previous Fire Hazard in American Movie Theaters By Larry Brian Radka
Big-screen motion pictures nor their operators would have debuted for a second time, in the nineteenth century, had it not been for the electric carbon arc light—a source of illumination utilized in antiquity, forgotten for a thousand years in the Dark Ages, and then finally brought back to mind. When its arc is set between a concave mirror and certain lenses, the combination can squeeze its light into a powerful beam that can light up a strip of cellulose images enough to portray reality on a distant screen. However, one of the problems with this arrangement is that the translucent cellulose film used in professional projectors is highly flammable. Although its flexibility solved the motion-creating problem with the stiff glass plates of the magic-lantern age, the arc light's heat added a fire hazard to any unprotected projection room—not to speak of the theater proper and its unwary occupants, who were apt to trample each other to death upon hearing “there is a fire in the house!”  One example, which slowed the movie industry’s early progress, beside the patent wars generated by Edison and others at the turn of the century, had been the bad publicity it received from the Charity Bazaar fire in Paris on May 4, 1897. That blaze took the lives of 180 people, and the cause was assigned to a movie projector.  After this catastrophe, many theater owners, perhaps with the thought of lawsuits in mind, moved toward installing new movie projectors with devices to prevent such accidental fires. The use of fireproof magazines, automatic fire shutters, flame shields, loop setters and other devices regulating the film’s progress to keep the film rolling so it would not burst into flames, all reduced the fire hazard; and a happy by-product was sharper, clearer, and steadier pictures. Improvements in projection booths, such as exhaust fans, vent pipes, fireproof walls. projection portals, better lighting, and more operating space also contributed to fire safety.  Of course, some reckless entrepreneurs always lagged behind, but regulations inspired them to comply. Terrell Croft, in his 1929 commentary citing the National Electric Code, emphasized that
“Motion-picture projectors and equipment should be enclosed in a fireproof booth, except machines of the miniature or non-professional type, which employ only slow-burning film. The walls of the booth should preferably be constructed on hollow tile, brick, or concrete. Asbestos millboard and sheet metal, although fireproof, transmit sound too well for the purpose. The construction of enclosures for professional projectors must conform to the requirements of Sec. 3503.” He went on to include the illustration of the projector with the hand crank above, which he called “a typical professional projector,” and stated that it “consists chiefly of an arc lamp, lenses, and film operating mechanism. The arc lamp should be enclosed in a compartment, as shown, to lessen the danger of fire from the arc.”
This page was last modified on Sunday, January 15, 2012 | |