PROPS: Poor stage weapon practices... Another close call

[kmc307]

Seems these are getting more frequent.  From WFTS in Tampa, FL:

Bradenton police say Bill Bordy had borrowed a .32-caliber Smith and Wesson from a cast member to use in a scene of "Of Mice and Men."  Bordy was following the play's script when he pointed the gun at the back of the head of another actor.

He pulled the trigger and a bullet flew out of the gun, grazing actor, Fred Kellerman in the left ear.

Kellerman was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital and was in stable condition Monday night.

Bradenton Police Lt., Darrell Akeman says the accident could have been deadly.  Akeman says no one checked the borrowed gun before the rehearsal to see if it was loaded.

Full article text here

Scary, scary stuff.  


Edit:  Made part of the news quote bold because it's seriously unbelievable that nobody said: "Hey, just for kicks, let's make sure that gun is empty"

[ewharton]

Scary, scary! Both actors are incredibly lucky that nothing worse happened. It is frightening that events of this kind seem to be happening with more frequency.

[loebtmc]

and THIS is why strong, tactful but firm stage managers are essential to have around - a good SM would have stopped the director/actor/lead as soon as the gun was spotted, held onto the gun until a weapons check was run with both actors, including safely testing the load, making a weapons master taught the actors (and SM) the gun's care and feeding and use, including where the heck to point the thing on stage, etc etc etc

[AmieBaj]

This makes me cringe all over!!!!

[PSMKay]

I wonder if this type of thing happens more often and we're just seeing more of it at the moment.  There's a lot of little theatres out there like the Sarasota Senior Theater who may have someone handling the tech (but not very likely) and a lot of accidents that can happen when exuberance is matched with exhibitionism and very little else.

I've noticed that news stories on a certain gory topic tend to pop up more frequently if there's one first major story that builds hype.  The one from December certainly drummed up quite a bit of attention - I hope that this doesn't become the next "big thing" for parents to freak out and protect their children from.

[AmieBaj]

I wonder if this type of thing happens more often and we're just seeing more of it at the moment.  There's a lot of little theatres out there like the Sarasota Senior Theater who may have someone handling the tech (but not very likely) and a lot of accidents that can happen when exuberance is matched with exhibitionism and very little else.

I've noticed that news stories on a certain gory topic tend to pop up more frequently if there's one first major story that builds hype.  The one from December certainly drummed up quite a bit of attention - I hope that this doesn't become the next "big thing" for parents to freak out and protect their children from.

Agreed.  And though we, as stage managers, would like to believe we all employ common sense, safety and responsibility, it's good to have a bit more awareness (a small scare to remind us) not to take certain tasks lightly.

[Lizzie]

There's a lot of little theatres out there like the Sarasota Senior Theater who may have someone handling the tech (but not very likely) and a lot of accidents that can happen when exuberance is matched with exhibitionism and very little else.

Certainly in the UK, and maybe elsewhere (?), it's quite the norm for amateur/community theatre groups to rehearse shows for months, one or two evenings a week, and nobody from the tech side is involved until the show moves into the theatre, or maybe the week before. And even when they do get into the theatre, there might only be a lighting board op, and no SM/DSM/ASM at all, and the cast and director deal with all the props.

[Srlaupan]

I saw of video clip of this story on a news segment...It was at a Senior theatre in Florida doing Of Mice and Men...
Seems like the actor using the gun usually checks it but didn't and they were using a real gun because they couldn't find a fake in time for the show...
Here's a really good article about the story. About half way through they speak to an executive director of a local theatre speaking about what usually happens with weapons in theatrical productions, the safety precautions that should be taken and such.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090122/ARTICLE/901220380/2055/NEWS?Title=Senior_Theater_actor_takes_blame_for_gun_accident

[dee4156]

Not only scary but pure stupidity.

[loebtmc]

what's even more shocking is the perpetrator - Bill Bordy ran the theater-based Drama-Logue newspaper in LA for years and years, and he knows better!!! Yikes indeed!

[SMrose]

Recently a community theatre (which shall remain nameless in my posting) used a pistol that fired blanks.  The SM lost the gun one night (no one assigned to collect it after it's used on stage and the SM didn't have a clue that it should ultimately fall on her to secure it--now THAT scares me). I was not involved w/ that show but suggested from the sidelines that the theatre implement a procedure for weapons (like: they get locked up by the SM after each performance, taken outside and properly checked before each show and handed off to the actor just before that actor's cue to enter with it).
Now: SM's have a key to a safe where weapons are stored between performances.

[AmieBaj]

Recently a community theatre (which shall remain nameless in my posting) used a pistol that fired blanks.  The SM lost the gun one night (no one assigned to collect it after it's used on stage and the SM didn't have a clue that it should ultimately fall on her to secure it--now THAT scares me). I was not involved w/ that show but suggested from the sidelines that the theatre implement a procedure for weapons (like: they get locked up by the SM after each performance, taken outside and properly checked before each show and handed off to the actor just before that actor's cue to enter with it).
Now: SM's have a key to a safe where weapons are stored between performances.

Guns were not locked up?!  Yikes! Isn't that commmon knowledge.

[SMrose]

Guns were not locked up?!  Yikes! Isn't that commmon knowledge.
[/quote]

No, it's apparently not common knowledge although you'd think it would be common sense!!

[LCSM]

In the video in the first link the reporter says something like "Well, you'd think the show would be cancelled, but it turns out these amatures are pretty professional and the show must go on." That actually makes me feel kind of sick, I can't believe anyone could be that careless. It's scary.