Carbon Arc Lamp Projector at Roseland Theatre

[tworth1953]

Good job, Bill. I ran a pair of old Motiograph's for about 10 years, still one of the best jobs I ever had. Keep up the good work.

[NJPurling]

I saw the thick metal door of the projection booth that suggested nitrate based film was still in use because the place would have to be a fireproof vault.

Could you quench the arc fast if you had a film break & prevent a fire?

[musickeys8]

those are 20 minute film reels not 40. So the changeover was at 20 or less minutes between projectors.They had "doors" over the reel in case of a film fire of old nitrate film burning. I ran Carbon Arcs too and know all that equipment running it. Good video to show it in operation.

[synergy021]

Interesting how the older technology seems to be built to last much longer than all the fancy technology of today which is basically built with a short planned obsolescence. Thanks for sharing this video.

[jbeebrylle]

how much does a "theater projector" cost?

[jmartis2]

Amazing stuff, are the carbons automatically adjusted as they burn away? How fast are they comsumed?

[bvick777]

Thank you very much for posting. My dad was a projectionist in Chattanooga, Tennessee for a great part of his life, as was my grandfather. My dad used to take me down to the drive in on the weekends and he`d show me how to set up the projector to get the show going, then show me what to do when it was close to change over time, how to watch for the "dot" on the screen, timing was everything, I goofed it up one time and didn`t turn the little switch fast enough when he said go, but all was ok.

[bvick777]

Also on the weekend him, myself and my mom in the afternoon on either saturday or sunday would go around post to post and change out speakers that had been ripped off the night before, plus he`d let me walk the whole grounds looking for money, mostly I`d just find change, and a couple of times my mom told me later that he had planted a $5.00 bill for me to "find". Thanks again for the memories. Oh, my dad and I closed down the 23rd st. drive in in chattanooga, I was the last one out predemo.

[atroby91]

I work with newer Strong Simplex 35 projectors, Its interesting to see the internal film gate area hasn't changed much through the years!

[mrrcolson]

great vidio. I own an old movie theater and the projectors are still there from 1948. do you know if they have any value? I would consider selling them.

[southjk]

don't know about value but I sure hope they fall into the hands of someone who keeps them going..

[stinkpotbaby]

Thank you both very much for this. You are showing one of the critical parts of

a theatre's success. Without great quality equipment, great lenses, employees who

care a lot -- you have nothing to sell, including snacks. Love the bomb-proof door from pre 1950 when nitrate was being used. Wonder if they have removed the fire rollers. I love simplex. Since they have an oil bath (like a car or truck) them will drop a bit of oil in time, but last forever. Great machines! Thanks again!

[EETech]

Great video. I used to work with changeover systems back in 1977-79 (actually just watching my father) and again in 1987 (ran the projectors). I can smell the carbon burning now! Thanks for posting this.

[278371]

This is a wonderful video - it brings back lots of fond memories. It was great to work with carbon arcs - I learned to improve their burning by keeping a few rods inside the bottom of the lamphouse to help remove moisture - makes them burn much steadier. You're so lucky to have your generator set in a separate room. Mine was in the corner of the projection room - lots of noise! Thanks for this video.

[Ampex196]

Thanks for posting this.

I operated very similar equipment up until 2002 (Westar 2001As with Western Electric 2002 Soundheads and Peerless Magnarcs).

Happy days indeed.

I will never be convinced that a short-arc Xenon can come close to matching the quality of a properly trimmed Carbon-Arc.

I have used both !!

[BaltoJoey]

Thanks for the video, I was apprenticed on a projector that used the Peerless carbon arc lamphouse and a Simplex projector. Alas, the theater closed in the 80's and was torn down in 2002. I always thought that carbon arcs threw the strongest and whitest light.

[southjk]

thanks for comments...I hope this theatre continues forever

[steverabb]

Thanks to the theaters still running carbon arcs & 2000 ft reel changeovers. These machines will never wear out. Platters and xenon lamphouses made the job of the projectionist obsolete and it's a shame, a true art was lost! So nice a few still survive! Beautiful piece!

[mrniceguy28431]

We run Cinemaccanica V8's. They are as old as the hills but you can't break them. We changed from carbon out years ago

[southjk]

thanks for comments mrniceguy. I love going into the projection booth when I go back home. It hasn't changed since the 1940's except for the sound amp

[chinesegirl88]

wow!! classic!! christie projector:D

[pegbars]

Ummm... try a Century C projector. There ain't a Christie nuthin' in THAT booth!

[fp30e]

Excellent. Great to see Carbons again and a two projector Box (Booth). Thanks for sharing this video. FP30E

[southjk]

thanks for comment...this theatre is in my old hometown in Il. I go there every time I return there. They have been in operation since 1940 ans Bill has been the projectionist since 1951

[retrochad]

That is just absolutely amazing!