ILEA000516269: THE PANIC ROOM

PROJECTION ROOM - also known as the Operating Box or

PROJECTION ROOM - also known as the Operating Box or [in the US and in the US owned cinemas in Britain] the Projection Booth. This photo shows the 'box' of the CITY CINEMA, George Street, Aberdeen which had the city's largest cinema seating capacity at 2,700. The photo shows the back of the projectors which are Westar picture heads, and Westrex 2002 model soundheads mounted on Westar pedestals all made by the Western Electric Company and which were on a lease/maintenance contract. At the rear of the projectors are the Peerless Magnarc lamphouses with flexible tubing chimneys to carry away the smoke and fumes of the burning carbon rods which supplied the light to project the film image on to the screen. The nearest machine is running a film, the beam of light visible on the window in front. The area on the wall behind is the dimmer board which controlled all the auditorium and stage lighting. On the extreme right of the picture is the Western Electric sound amplifier rack. The cinema was run by the Donalds, a local independent cinema grouping run by four Donald brothers through one of their companies, Aberdeen Picture Palaces Ltd. Date of picture 1951 -2 PROJECTION ROOM - also known as the Operating Box or