- Klieg light
.
Film
The carbon-arc source was so bright that it allowed film directors to make "day" at night, which also heralded the era of blinding actors—a term coined as "Klieg eye".
Stage
In the early days of spotlights, the name "Klieg light" became synonymous with any ellipsoidal reflector spotlight, another carbon-arc source or any bright source. Initially developed for film, the Klieg light was adapted to an
incandescent stage fixture in 1911.Although not completely certain, the title of the first ERS (Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight - abbreviated to ERS), often goes to the 1933 Klieglight, which was first used to light an outdoor pageant in New York.
Century Lighting introduced theirLekolite in the same year.The Universal Electric Stage Lighting Company, Kliegl Bros. Props. was founded in 1896 and grew to be the largest stage lighting company. The company closed in the 1990s.
Tradenames often become part of backstage vernacular. Leko, Klieg, "six-by", etc are terms all referring to an ERS.
ee also
*
Actinic conjunctivitis - eye condition caused by overexposure to these lights
*Limelight External links
* [http://www.klieglbros.com/ Kliegl Bros]
* [http://livedesignonline.com/mag/show_business_history_project_5/ Joel Rubin interview]
* [http://www.bartleby.com/61/42/K0084200.html/ American Heritage Dictionary]
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