Frank Francis Nimz, He was about 27 when I met him in Oct 1969

Frank operated 'Arc Labs" his business name . He contracted to operate the Theaters projection at the Coinema and the telegraph Rep in Berkeley.

Frank was "brilliant " A German  from Kenosha Wisconsin.

Frank came west to work for Lockheed Missile and space.

He worked on the Trident Missile system.

Frank  lived in Pleasant Hill in a nice suburban house.

Frank had an operational Bendix Analog computer at his house, this was a massive thing with 1300+ vacuum tubes an a magnetic drum.

When  I met him, his marriage was over, he had a daughter named Bambi"

Frank  had left Lockheed and seemed to be inured to the counter culture / youth culture of the west coast  "hippie" counter culture.

Frank though was very connected to his traditional values.

Frank had a huge collection of paperback Science fiction.

Lots of Ideas  a very engineering perspective.

Machinery's handbook/

He also had a Hickock card o matic tube tester.

Frank was mu Mentor and became a boss and friend.

We built a periscope projection system that shot through the roof. into the theater using front surface mirrors.

We built a single reel transport system for 35mm film.

Theater photos here()

Cinema theater  on Haste ,

Robbery cashier killed

One night our theater was robbed by 3 armed robbers they stuck the shotgun through the cash window and the cashier screamed and they shot and killed  her. they reached in and took $150.00 . That night was near the beginning of the UA theaters showing of the Godfather  they had a lot more cash across the street.

Big Al, was another projectionist who I liked  he was  a large frame (not fat) guy who was attracted to the cashier who was killed. Al came to the theater and brought his P38  and went searching for the bandits. he was emotionally distraught. I understand the Robbers were captured some days later I never heard what happened.

The Cashier was a young blond female student about 19 years old. Because my primary theater was the Telegraph Rep I did not get very close to the Cinema cashiers. (I was attracted to one named Francesca but it was  just cordial.

Nitrate film fire

We were curating and maintaining a large collection of 35mm films 600+reels of Nitrate film This was part of Pauline Kael's collection . (I was told)  The rule was not more than one full reel out of the vault at a time .Nitrate film is a slow explosive. it burns with an orange flame like a highway flare. Frank was in the booth working at the bench with a reel of nitrate on the transport. Below him was a green steel trash can. the process was to look at the surface of the film as you rolled it and note any fungal deterioration. This deterioration resulted in a breakdown of the nitrate emulsion and this residue was Nitro Glycerine . So we cut out the deteriorated sections and disposed of them. then re spliced the film each time the film got slightly smaller.(seconds shorter)

That night Ron smith and Frank were in the booth Frank was splicing  and cutting. He and ron were talking  and Frank reflexively lit a cigarette , he then flicked the still hot match into the same garbage can holding the film scraps. The Film ignited and quickly erupted int  a major blaze. the theater shutters all dropped and the fire doors closed , Ron grabbed a fire extinguisher and discharged it , unfortunately a nitrate fire will only go out when the film is gone. Ron dropped the empty extinguisher and left through  the inside door. Frank hearing the extinguisher drop ran through the flames trying to save Ron. Frank was severely burned.

The Damage was  amazing , the porcelain was melted from the Light fixtures and there was an instant oxidation of all the metal including the Projectors.

 

LSD dosing

Hash party

2001  spaces out oddity

Francesca (crush)

Pauline Kael film collection.

In 72 I left the theater due to Draft notice.

in 78 Frank invited me to a Job fair at LBL.

1969 Frank Nimz

Frank was from Kenosha Wisconsin He was about 26-27 when we met

He was Married

I think he had a daughter named Bambi

They had a house in Pleasant hill

Frank Ran a small company called Arc Labs

Frank had an engineering background and was good mechanically and electrically

Frank Smoked Camel Straights and drank a lot of Pepsi and a lot of Excedrin he said he had Migraines.

Frank could be very sarcastic and hot tempered.

How I met him

I Came to Piedmont from My stint in New York

At school I often found that I was the guy that made sure the projector was working for school films and assemblies.

I was also volunteering to show movies for the Student mobilization committee benefits on UCB campus.

I thought to myself ‘if I can do this successfully for free I can also do it for pay”

I knew of the Theater since it was right next to the YSA bookstore and I had seen a few films there.

I asked about a Job, they sent me down to the Cinema on Shattuck and Haste, Frank was running th e35mm show there. I introduced myself and asked if they had any work,? He said “yes” but we need to train you and see how you do. I thought wow I can do this” So the next night I showed up and worked with the projectionist there (Bob Silva) The Projectors were Kodak 16mm they were a professional version of the basic 16mm , Much better light source (Xenon) and a more rugged mechanical system.

Anyway I was comfortable with t hem immediately and apparently Bob thought I should get the job.

The Interview, Frank looked at me and said “Are you 18 yet? “ I replied “not yet but soon” He said “ we show some films from time to time that you have to be 18 to see” Well I was 16 and a few months old . So I got the job and I was making more than minimum wage and still living at home.

(Opened my bank account in Piedmont in February 1970 ) this because I was making enough money to save what for me was a lot of money.

About a year later we were having a chat about some upcoming films we were going to show and Frank again looked at me and said, “By the way are you 18 yet these films are kind of pornographic?”

I replied, Soon Frank Very soon well I was still more than 6 months from 18. He smiled and on with the show..

The periscope projection system and large reel 35mm transports .

Photo of booth

Night of the living dead. Premier Shocking

Doug Aley (Describe him) looked a little like Oliver Hardy

Persian Burger

Cinema 3 and 4 construction

Cashier in erotic film festival

Tom Luddy Alice Waters

Ken Kesey

More about Frank (Alcatraz) Analog computer Surplus buying parts sorting Tube testing etc. Perfect environment for me. Lasers (gas)

Frank and Patty Reiland had an apartment on Haste across from the Theater.

Patty Reiland story (Charles Manson witnessed him shooting a drug dealer)

Meg Air line stewardess (world Airways Vietnam) Santana Album and Vietnamese Black Pot)

Theater hash tasting party

LSD dosing 2001 projector repair

Film Fire

2001 a spaced out oddity, Under the boardwalk pirate film edit

Peoples Park Police “there’s one let’s get him”

Also Blue meanies trapped in the park

Over the fence and into the nest of Campus PD

A swing and a miss