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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Topic: Theatre in upstate NY wants to revive booth
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Stephen Furley
Film God
Posts: 3059
From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England
Registered: May 2002
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posted 06-20-2003 08:31 AM
Loads ok for me. (Windows 2k SP2, IE6 pictures open in Apple Quicktime)
I replied on R.A.M.T before I read this post here, apart from a new motor in one of the pictures, and the Ashcraft rectifier, this place is in pretty much its original state, and not at all bad condition. Even if it is not used it ought to be preserved as a complete example of a box of this period.
The sound would be more of a problem than the picture, the photocells are probably past their best, and, obviously, you will only ever get Academy mono out of it. Maybe they could install a modern analogue SR rack, but leave the original in place, and maybe even give occasional demonstrations of the original equipment, run 1930s films on apprpriate period equipment! They seem to have a fair number of spare valves (tubes). The original heads would read dye+silver tracks ok, but not cyan.
Mr Norwood is still running Western bases and Enarcs at one of his places, isn't he? When I met him in April he was talking about the possibility of installing stereo cells in the Western base.
If this place is only going to do an occasional film show I don't see why they shouldn't use the original machines, unless there is some really major fault with them which doesn't show up in the photographs. They could run programmes of classic films on classic equipment.
It was working elier, but I've just gone back for another look at the pictures, and I can't get them now ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
[ 06-20-2003, 11:05 AM: Message edited by: Stephen Furley ]
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Scott Norwood
Film God
Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 06-20-2003 12:24 PM
It looks suspiciously like the booth that I will run tonight (see the pics of the Avon Cinema, which has basically the same equipment, save for Century heads instead of Simplex and Brenkert rectifiers instead of Ashcrafts). I don't know anything about the original Western Electric sound system, however, as the Avon stopped using the original system in the '80s (I assume that the box on the wall with the needle that points to two scales numbered 1-15 is for sound changeover purposes). I still haven't found anyone who has managed to fit a stereo solar cell into those bases. The motor shown in one of the pics is definitely not original, as Stephen pointed out.
In general, though, the equipment looks like it could be serviceable with a bit of volunteer effort and maybe some minor sound upgrades (probably add a modern preamp and amp), particularly if they only need it for occasional screenings. If I lived closer, I'd definitely stop by and see the place.
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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster
Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 06-20-2003 02:36 PM
What you have is a very sought after Western Electric Booth in its entirety. This equipment, especially the amplifiers and speakers are collected by audio enthusiests around the world. I wouldn't operate that booth as a money making venture(and for safety reasons) as the reliability factor is not going to be there. Also parts are non-existant.
What you can do is to sell that equipment to an appropriate collector and E-Bay would be a good place to start trying to sell it off. Set a VERY HIG RESERVE on it all!!! I've head of the amp racks alone going for well over 10K, and the stage speakers and booth monitor speaker netting another 5K at least! The projectors are typically worth quite a bit less less. It is all but impossible to find these booths complete, untouched and in this (probably working) condition anylonger. The total number of booths in this state of preservation can be counted on one hand......
With Western Electric equipment selling for what it does on todays market, you would then have a large chunk of money to install decent, used, modern equipment that will be reliable and not nickle and dime you to death.
If you'd like names and numbers of people that deal in this sort of collectible stuff give me a call and I will be happy to give you names and numbers. The main thing is to not be rushed and hold out for the highest offer!!!!
Also, if the original Turn Tables are still in the theatre that went on the back ends of the projectors then you have another gold mine in and of itself..... Can't find em...look in the attic, in the basement, look everyplace till you are absolutely sure they are NOT there ![[thumbsup]](graemlins/thumbsup.gif) .
Mark @ CLACO
Salt Lake City, Utah
801-355-1250
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Stephen Furley
Film God
Posts: 3059
From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England
Registered: May 2002
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posted 06-20-2003 04:35 PM
I would be against selling off the equipment; what is so unusual about this place is not just a couple of old projectors, there are a fair number of those around, but that a complete installation has survived, largely unaltered, from the day it went in. If the equipment was disposed of there would be a couple of projectors preserved somewhere, an amplifier rack somewhere else, and none of it in its proper setting, an original projection room of this period. Even the colour of the paint on the walls is right, I don't know why, but projection rooms always seemed to be this sort of colour.
I think it would be possible to run this equipment for occasional shows, I assume that this place is not intending to run film all day, every day.
The last machines of this vintage I know of in this country were taken out of use just a few years ago, if they are in good condition there is no reason why they shouldn't run. If they were taken out of use in the '70s, then they probably only have about 40 years of use on them; there are plenty of 50 year old machines running today, often as a single machine with a tower for 30 years or so, therefore running twice as many hours per day. The design of projector mechs has actually not changed a great deal in the last 75 years, unless you are looking at something with an electronic intermittant, like a Kinoton FP-30E.
The relatively small carbons which these arcs use are still available new, they are not cheap, but not very many would be used, and it is quite likely that some could be picked up cheaply from, or even donated by, a theatre that no longer uses them. There are old projector heads around from which spares could be obtained, if needed.
The new motor would look much less obvious with a coat of black paint.
Certain concessions would have to be made to the modern age. I can't claim to be an expert on, or indeed know anything about, American electrical regulations, but I doubt that this place would meet the requirements, it might even be unsafe now, so a full re-wire would be needed, but the modern wiring could be contained within the original trunking and conduit, so it would look no different.
It would be worth investing in some good modern lenses, but the old ones could be kept for show, the new ones put in for use.
You would probably want to install a new sound rack, but the original one could be retained as well. I don't think any of the original equipment should be removed.
The Ashcraft rectifiers are not original, probably '50s, but they don't look too out of place.
This is a great, and probably unrepeatable opportunity to preserve an original projection room of the period, with nearly all of its original equipment, neither modified for more modern use, nor exposed to damage by vandals, rain, bird droppings etc. which often happens at disused places. It would be a great shame to let it go. You could even make a bit of money by giving projection room visits for a couple of Dollars a time.
Show classic films, one or two shows per month; The Loew's Jersey pulled in about 800 for the Saturday of the Frankenstein weekend. Show material that is not available elsewhere, advertise your shows widely, and people will come, some of them from a considerable distance. There are plenty of places showing modern films in a modern setting; there is nothing wrong with that, but why not do something different.
Serve the dual purpose of being both a theatre and a museum.
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