On August 10, 1965, a fire erupted in Vault 7, a storage facility, at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio (MGM) backlot (now Sony Pictures Studios) in Culver City, California.[1] It was caused by an electrical short explosively igniting stored nitrate film. The initial explosion reportedly killed at least one person, and the resulting fire destroyed the entire contents of the vault, archived prints of silent and early sound films produced by MGM and its predecessors. The only known copies of hundreds of films were destroyed.
The storage vaults, located on Lot 3, were spaced out to prevent fire from spreading between vaults. Studio manager Roger Mayer described the vaults as "concrete bunk houses" and stated that it was considered at the time as "good storage because [the films] couldn't be stolen". The vaults were not equipped with sprinkler systems and had only a small fan in the roof for ventilation. Despite this, Mayer stated that he believed a sprinkler system would have made little difference because "the amount [the studio] lost by fire was minimal".[2]: 12-13
Unlike most major studios, MGM sought to preserve its early productions, that of its predecessors Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, and Louis B. Mayer Productions,[3]: 22 and prints of films purchased for remake value.[3]: 39 The studio did not participate in the common practice of purposeful destruction of its catalog and even sought to preserve films of little apparent commercial value. Beginning in the 1930s, MGM gave prints and negatives of its silent films to film archives, predominantly George Eastman House, and in the early 1960s, it began a preservation program led by Mayer to transfer nitrate film prints onto safety film.[3]: 22
Fire
Shortly before 10:00 PM on the evening of August 10, 1965,[1] an electrical short ignited nitrate film stored in Vault 7 located on Lot 3, triggering a major explosion and fire which caused the ceiling of the vault to collapse onto the stored cans of film. The initial explosion could be heard from Lots 1 and 2, as recounted by Rudy Behlmer, who was walking between them at the time.[2]: 12 Executive Roger Mayer stated that at least one person died in the explosion[2]: 12, though a contemporary newspaper article states that there were no fatalities.[1] The fire was extinguished by responding firefighters, but none of the films stored inside the vault were able to be salvaged.[2]: 12
Due to prior concerted efforts by MGM to preserve its catalog of silent and early sound films, the fire did not result in the total or near-total loss of its library. Despite the fire, 68 percent of silent films produced by MGM survived, the highest rate from any major studio.[3]: 22 Nevertheless, the fire destroyed the only known copies of numerous silent films, including Lon Chaney's A Blind Bargain (1922)[2]: 12 and London After Midnight (1927), both of which have become highly sought-after,[4] as well as Greta Garbo's The Divine Woman (1928).[2]: 12
^ abcd"Explosion Hits MGM Film Vault". Evening Vanguard. August 11, 1965. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
^ abcdefPierce, David (1997). "The Legion of the Condemned - Why American Silent Films Perished". Film History. Australia: Indiana University Press; John Libbey & Company. 9 (1, Silent Cinema). ISSN 0892-2160. JSTOR 3815289.
^Soister, John; Nicolella, Henry; Joyce, Steve; Long, Harry (2012). American Silent Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Feature Films, 1913–1929. McFarland. p. 333. ISBN978-0786435814.
January 06, 2023
1965, vault, fire, august, 1965, fire, erupted, vault, storage, facility, metro, goldwyn, mayer, studio, backlot, sony, pictures, studios, culver, city, california, caused, electrical, short, explosively, igniting, stored, nitrate, film, initial, explosion, re. On August 10 1965 a fire erupted in Vault 7 a storage facility at the Metro Goldwyn Mayer studio MGM backlot now Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City California 1 It was caused by an electrical short explosively igniting stored nitrate film The initial explosion reportedly killed at least one person and the resulting fire destroyed the entire contents of the vault archived prints of silent and early sound films produced by MGM and its predecessors The only known copies of hundreds of films were destroyed 1965 MGM vault fireDateAugust 10 1965 1 LocationMetro Goldwyn Mayer studio Culver City CaliforniaCauseIgnition of stored nitrate film by electrical shortOutcomeDestruction of archived Metro Goldwyn Mayer silent and early sound filmsDeaths1 reported Non fatal injuries0 Contents 1 Background 2 Fire 3 See also 4 ReferencesBackground EditThe storage vaults located on Lot 3 were spaced out to prevent fire from spreading between vaults Studio manager Roger Mayer described the vaults as concrete bunk houses and stated that it was considered at the time as good storage because the films couldn t be stolen The vaults were not equipped with sprinkler systems and had only a small fan in the roof for ventilation Despite this Mayer stated that he believed a sprinkler system would have made little difference because the amount the studio lost by fire was minimal 2 12 13 Unlike most major studios MGM sought to preserve its early productions that of its predecessors Metro Pictures Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B Mayer Productions 3 22 and prints of films purchased for remake value 3 39 The studio did not participate in the common practice of purposeful destruction of its catalog and even sought to preserve films of little apparent commercial value Beginning in the 1930s MGM gave prints and negatives of its silent films to film archives predominantly George Eastman House and in the early 1960s it began a preservation program led by Mayer to transfer nitrate film prints onto safety film 3 22 Fire EditShortly before 10 00 PM on the evening of August 10 1965 1 an electrical short ignited nitrate film stored in Vault 7 located on Lot 3 triggering a major explosion and fire which caused the ceiling of the vault to collapse onto the stored cans of film The initial explosion could be heard from Lots 1 and 2 as recounted by Rudy Behlmer who was walking between them at the time 2 12 Executive Roger Mayer stated that at least one person died in the explosion 2 12 though a contemporary newspaper article states that there were no fatalities 1 The fire was extinguished by responding firefighters but none of the films stored inside the vault were able to be salvaged 2 12 Due to prior concerted efforts by MGM to preserve its catalog of silent and early sound films the fire did not result in the total or near total loss of its library Despite the fire 68 percent of silent films produced by MGM survived the highest rate from any major studio 3 22 Nevertheless the fire destroyed the only known copies of numerous silent films including Lon Chaney s A Blind Bargain 1922 2 12 and London After Midnight 1927 both of which have become highly sought after 4 as well as Greta Garbo s The Divine Woman 1928 2 12 See also Edit1937 Fox vault fire 2008 Universal Studios fire List of lost films List of incomplete or partially lost films List of rediscovered filmsReferences Edit a b c d Explosion Hits MGM Film Vault Evening Vanguard August 11 1965 p 1 via Newspapers com a b c d e f Pierce David 1997 The Legion of the Condemned Why American Silent Films Perished Film History Australia Indiana University Press John Libbey amp Company 9 1 Silent Cinema ISSN 0892 2160 JSTOR 3815289 a b c d Pierce David September 2013 The Survival of American Silent Feature Films 1912 1929 PDF Council on Library and Information Resources ISBN 978 1 932326 39 0 Retrieved March 21 2018 Soister John Nicolella Henry Joyce Steve Long Harry 2012 American Silent Horror Science Fiction and Fantasy Feature Films 1913 1929 McFarland p 333 ISBN 978 0786435814 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1965 MGM vault fire amp oldid 1126106758, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
