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There is a delightful sequence in the film "The Picture Show Man" (Australia 1977) that
beautifully illustrates the pros and cons of limelight. The scene takes place in a small country hall
back in the mid 1920s. Mr. Pym, played by John Mellion, and his Assistant are setting up their
35 mm projection equipment for the evening's picture show, when the local Police Sergeant
arrives to inspect their plant.

"What's in that?" he asks, pointing to a gas cylinder. "Oxygen", replies the Assistant. "And that?"
pointing to a second cylinder. "Industrial ether". "That's lethal!" exclaims the Sergeant looking
very concerned. "Not if you know what you're doing" replies the Assistant.

At that point Mr. Pym, sensing trouble, hastens to join the conversation.
Pym: "Ah Sergeant, you're having a look at our plant - "
Serg.: "I thought these things were dangerous."
Pym: "Uh! My dear fellow, I've been in the picture show business for - 20 years,
and I've never lost a customer,,
Serg.: "Well, the last town I was in, they had an electric generating plant.
Pym: "Electric! Wouldn't have one if I won it in a raffle."
Serg.: "Why not?"
Pym: "Electricity, too dangerous - it could kill a man!
Serg.: "But these things could explode and the whole place could go up."
Pym: "Electricitycould start a fire at any time - apart from that, it's too hard on the eyes.
Limelight is very soft on the eyes, you ask any audience. Why don't you come
and see it for yourself Sergeant. Bring your wife and - do you have -?"
(The Sergeant raises his hand to indicate 4 children.) "Four kiddies" Pym reluctantly hands out
six free tickets, This superb piece of Australian Cinema tells the story perfectly.
Of course the Sergeant was right. The whole setup was extremely dangerous, as revealed later in
the story when the film catches fire. In fact, at one stage the whole future of Motion Picture
exhibition was threatened when at a Charity Bazaar in Paris, burning film ignited by the explosion
of a limelight burner, resulted in the death of 73 people. Following that event, strict safety
regulations were enforced throughout the world requiring a fire-proof projection booth or "Bio
Box" to be used for all public screenings of nitrate film, and the limelight apparatus was soon

8 REEL DEALS September 2020