Seen and not heard

The Alex Theatre, one of Glendale's most renowned landmarks, has recently undergone an important upgrade in its continual effort to improve the quality of the theater-going experience for its patrons.

This upgrade, completed last week, consisted of soundproofing the projection room above the balcony section of the theater to provide a quieter setting for movie-goers, said George Crittenden, projectionist at the Alex.

The funds for the project were donated by Crittenden, the theater's full-time projectionist since 1983. Much of the $1,200 donation went toward soundproofing the projection room by lining the walls with acoustic foam to muffle the reverberations from the theater's projector through the surrounding concrete.

The donation comes from the profit Crittenden earned as a consultant to the popular CBS drama "CSI: New York." The episode he consulted on, which will air on May 2, required the actors to operate a projector and Crittenden made sure the movie reels were threaded and the cast knew how to operate the machine.

Crittenden's long career in projecting made him an excellent candidate for the consultation work on the TV show, said Ted Osborn, chairman of the Alex Regional Theatre Board.

"George is part of the history and tradition of the Alex, and to have others in the industry respect him is a great honor," he said.

Crittenden is indeed part of the Alex, past and present — he's maintained an on-again, off-again work relationship with the theater since his days as a teenage usher in the 1940s.

His duties these days go beyond his job as projectionist.

He is also a board member of the Alex Film Society, which screens older movies at the Alex a few times each year.

The donation to the Alex came in part because of the society's continual search to improve the overall film-viewing experience for movie-goers, Crittenden said.

"The film society wants to present films with utmost quality, just as they were presented originally," he said.

Since 1994, when the Alex was purchased from Mann Theatres by the city of Glendale, millions of dollars have been spent refurbishing the theater, Crittenden said.

The theater allotted a budget for the project more than a year ago and began working on it, but funds needed to complete the project were diverted to more pressing projects, Director of Theater Operations Jack Allaway said.

Some of the projects concurrent to the soundproofing include removing a few aesthetically distracting speakers and bringing back the theater's original lighting, Crittenden said.

Crittenden is excited about these new improvements to the theater. With the soundproofing project complete, he said he's looking forward to the showing of the 1946 classic, "The Best Years of Our Lives" on April 28, the first movie the film society will show after the completion of the soundproofing.