Theatre Design & Technology - Oct 1969 - 25

When Ernest Lehman's movie production of
"Hello, Dolly!" premieres, it will reveal a
stage set that is larger in size and more
lavish in design than any that has appeared
before the cameras of 20th Century-Fox.
Some 12,000 pounds of sheet plastic were
used to construct the translucent side walls
and dome for this 150' x 280' set. Th e
Eastman Tenite butyrate plastic extruded
into 100-mil sheets measuring 5' x 10',
was molded and thermoformed at the 20th
Century-Fox Prop and Miniature Shop under
the direction of R. H. Spies-an experienced
production man who joined Fox in 1940
primarily to handle the studio's work in
plastics. The Lustro Corporation of Valencia,
Cal ifornia, handled the extrusions and supplied the studio with clear sheet cut to size
for vacuum forming.
Each wall section for the Gardens measures
32' high and 9' wide. Some 30 different
dies were cut into designs from tempered
compressed hardboard appl ied to a laminated plywood matrix. Ornament for the fancy
neoclassic design was cut from hard engraver's rubber. The extruded Tenite butyrate was then vacuum formed over the
dies. "The material enabl ed us to pull
sharp corners with very good definition so
that the formed sheet simulated French cut
glass," Spies said. Depth of draw varied
all the way from 1" to 18" in certain sections of the dome.

Only three colors-amber, clear and milkwere used in the panels. While some coloring dies were sprayed on, others had to be
applied by hand with an air brush or hand
brush and still others were stippled onto
the formed panels with a sponge.
The whole unit was mounted onto welded
frames of square tubular steel placed on
casters for decorating and moving. After
the panels were moved onto the stage, they
were set into a standing position so that
a special truck and jack could move them
into place.
In addition to the ceil ing dome and side
panels for the Harmonia Gardens, Tenite
butyrate was used to fabricate theatre marquees, exterior windows and signs for the
New York street scene, which is probably
one of the largest Illovi e sets that was ever
built.

Some 30 persons were involved for a period of 12 weeks in cutting the molds,
vacuum forming and trimming the extruded
sheet, constructing the steel frame and
mounting the formed sheet onto the frames.
The techniques that were used to create
the Harmonia Gardens had been used for
a number of years for small-scale fabrication of sets. "This is the first time that it
has been tried on a project of such scope,
and the fact that it has been so successful
may well mark a turning point in popular
techniques for set construction," Spies
said.

Formed panels of butyrate sheet are mounted
on welded steel frame which is placed on
casters for decorating and moving at 20th
Century-Fox studio. Translucent dies and
paints are sprayed, air brushed or hand
brushed to give set a glowing effect during
shooting.

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