PROJECTION
From arc lamps to laser:
A projectionist’s journey
Fred running the projection booth at Disney’s preview theatre in London — a role he’s enjoyed for the past 20 years
I
Since the 1960s, Fred Fullerton has been a feature in some of the best cinemas — including Disney’s own one. This June he says goodbye after 54 years in the booth. CT tracks his time in the business.
T WAS THE SUMMER OF 1965, when
the classic grounding for a future projectionist. There was an
the tills were alive with the sound of
air of modernity in the cinema, including the projectormatic
Julie Christie ringing up the box office,
automation system that worked by putting a small piece of
and a young Fred Fullerton — aged just
foil strip on the edge of the movie at the appropriate place
15 — landed his first job in the cinema,
near the end of the reel. This foil, on making contact on a
leaving school and starting as a
pick-up device would complete a circuit. The projectormatic
probationary projectionist at the Gaumont Cinema in Dingle
drum would move one line, which was pinned up to hit a
South Liverpool, in England’s north-west. Thanks to his age,
micro switch which started the incoming projector. The next
Fred clutched a signed letter from his mother allowing him
pulse would revolve the drum to the next line, which was
to work with X certificate movies. The cinema was installed
then programmed (with pins) to hit the changeover shutter
with a pair of the best-looking projectors ever — Gaumont
and sound changeover micro-switches, continuing on
Kalee 21s with elephant (foot) base and lightmaster carbon
throughout the movie. Futuristic stuff.
arc lamps on 20 (single reel) minute changeovers. This was 7 4
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At the time, the projectionists in the Mersey area all www.cinematech.today
22/05/2019 13:36
