35 mm film (movie) projectors. Projectionists.

[Telecolor 3007]

Some one found 2 old projectors and repaired them: https://www.digi24.ro/regional/digi2...a-viata-478345
It's in Romanian, I know, but al least you can see the images.

[Tim Tress]

Back in the 1980s, I worked as a projectionist for a second job, and worked as a bench technician during the day. Eventually, I wound up servicing that equipment as a regular job, working as a field engineer for what had been RCA Service; that lasted 23 years, until I wrecked my knee on the job and "got retired". I am currently working for a company that makes high-tech safety instruments, which will carry me until I can finally retire for good.

I saw the theatre business decline a little more every year; it's nothing like it was 30-40 years ago.

[WISCOJIM]

Originally Posted by Tim Tress

I saw the theatre business decline a little more every year; it's nothing like it was 30-40 years ago.

I was the manager (& projectionist) of a large 700+ seat theater in downtown Neenah, Wisconsin in the late 1970's. https://oldneenahtheater.weebly.com/tour.html We showed Grease in the summer of 1978, sold out for weeks. Many of the kids saw the movie more than a dozen times. But business was so slow in the 1990's the theater closed and was torn down. At that time there were about a dozen screens in the valley.

Now however, the theaters have made an amazing comeback. Decades ago we only showed matinees on Sundays (and Saturday kid's matinees). Now there are over 30 screens in the multiplex theaters here and they show movies starting at 9AM weekdays. Can't believe how many cars are in the parking lots throughout the afternoon. I'd reckon there are a lot more people going to the theaters here now than there were in the 1970's.

.

[Popester]

I bought a 35mm print on 4 reels at a garage sale and thought it was pretty neat that I got to see it at the duplex theater about a mile from my house. One of the neighbor kids worked there in the consession stand. The print turned out to be some kind of documentary that was kind of boring. But I do have that memory of the projectionist agreeing to show the film after theater hours. Back in the day a projectionist had to know what he was doing. Now it's all automated. It's sad how technology can takeaway jobs that at one time was specialized. Yes, I was an AV geek in junior high, but everything we had was on 16mm film no 35mm films. Are our projectors were Bell and Howell Filmosound units. Solidly built projectors.

[old_tv_nut]

Originally Posted by Popester

...Yes, I was an AV geek in junior high, but everything we had was on 16mm film no 35mm films...

One of the consequences of nitrate base film - a 35mm projection room had to be fireproof with barrier walls separating it from the audience. So, classroom use was 16mm acetate base "safety" film only.

[Telecolor 3007]

Tryed to set on fire some triacetate film... it dind't burned.
But oh heck, I've seen some nitrocelulose one buring (on youtube). Rocket fuel. Or gun cotton how it was nicknamed.

Originally Posted by WISCOJIM

I was the manager (& projectionist) of a large 700+ seat theater in downtown Neenah, Wisconsin in the late 1970's. https://oldneenahtheater.weebly.com/tour.html We showed Grease in the summer of 1978, sold out for weeks. Many of the kids saw the movie more than a dozen times. But business was so slow in the 1990's the theater closed and was torn down. At that time there were about a dozen screens in the valley.

Now however, the theaters have made an amazing comeback. Decades ago we only showed matinees on Sundays (and Saturday kid's matinees). Now there are over 30 screens in the multiplex theaters here and they show movies starting at 9AM weekdays. Can't believe how many cars are in the parking lots throughout the afternoon. I'd reckon there are a lot more people going to the theaters here now than there were in the 1970's.

.

Why the business was so slow in the '90's? Home video.
Romania has less movie theater attence per 100,000 people then Hungary...