Kliegl Brothers Universal Electric Stage Lighting Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Stage lighting, electrical engineering, manufacturing |
| Predecessor | Myerhofer Electric Stage Lighting Company |
| Founded | 1896 in New York City, United States |
| Founder | Anton Kliegl, Johann Kliegl |
| Defunct | 1996 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy and closure |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | United States, international exports |
Key people | Anton Kliegl, Johann Kliegl, Herbert Kliegl, John H. Kliegl II, Richard Davisson, Al Vitale |
| Products | Electrical stage lighting equipment, including the Klieglight spotlight, dimmer boards, spotlights, architectural lighting fixtures, control consoles |
Kliegl Brothers Universal Electric Stage Lighting Company stood as a prominent American producer of electrical stage lighting equipment throughout the 20th century. Established in 1896 by Anton Kliegl and Johann Kliegl and based in Manhattan, New York City, the firm significantly influenced theatrical, cinematic, television, and specialized lighting sectors. It served major performance venues across the United States and extended its reach internationally through exports.
The company's signature product, the Klieglight, became emblematic within the industry, often equated with the terms "spotlight" or "center of attention," highlighting its dominance and innovation in stage illumination technology. This product not only demonstrated the company’s forward-thinking approach but also played a crucial role in its commercial success and reputation.
Origins
The enterprise was initiated in 1896 in New York City by Bavarian immigrant Anton Kliegl alongside A. H. Guendel. After acquiring the Myerhofer Electric Stage Lighting Company, it was renamed Universal Electric Stage Lighting Company. One year later, Johann Kliegl replaced Guendel, leading to the rebranding as Kliegl Brothers Universal Electric Stage Lighting Company. Starting as a modest venture with founders working as stagehands, it evolved into one of North America’s foremost manufacturers of lighting and control systems for theatre and television applications.
Factories
Operations commenced at the Meyerhofer premises located within the Star Theatre at 842 Broadway, New York City. By 1901, the company moved to 1393-95 Broadway/129 West 38th Street. Following a fire in 1911, production shifted to 240 West 50th Street. In 1921, a new four-story manufacturing facility was established at 321-325 West 50th Street. The firm expanded further in 1962 by opening a contemporary two-story plant at 32-32 48th Avenue in Long Island City, adding an annex by 1966 to accommodate growth. That same year marked the inauguration of a sales and engineering branch in Los Angeles under George Howard’s leadership; however, this branch closed by 1979. After experiencing a downturn post-1980, operations were consolidated into a smaller site at 5 Aerial Way, Syosset, Long Island. Financial difficulties ultimately resulted in bankruptcy and closure in 1996.
Management
Johann Kliegl (born 1869) and his brother Anton (born 1872) hailed from Bad Kissingen in Bavaria, Germany. Johann trained as a locksmith before emigrating to the United States in 1888; Anton followed in 1893 with plumbing expertise. Both initially worked at an electric arc lamp factory prior to founding their own company.
The brothers maintained close connections to Bad Kissingen, funding a school that grew to encompass elementary through high school education levels. Numerous employees were recruited from their hometown, fostering a distinct cultural community within the workforce. Anton passed away in Bad Kissingen in 1927.
Leadership remained within the Kliegl family throughout the company’s existence. Johann remained involved until shortly before his death in 1959. Afterwards, his son Herbert Kliegl assumed control until his passing in 1968, when leadership transferred to Herbert’s son John H. Kliegl II. By 1992, financial strain led to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. Stockbroker Richard Davisson acquired full ownership and appointed Al Vitale as executive officer, replacing John Kliegl II. The company ultimately ceased operations in November 1996.
Products
When Kliegl Brothers was established, electric stage lighting was still in its infancy, and they set their products apart from gas or acetylene-based lighting equipment. The company secured patents for numerous devices that remain in use today, including the stage "shoe" plug and the retractable footlight. Initially, they carried on the Myerhofer enterprise as "contractors and manufacturers," completing the entire stage lighting installation for the Metropolitan Opera’s new venue in 1903. Their 1913 catalog showcased the carbon arc floodlight, famously known as the Klieglight, along with a broad array of electrical items such as exit signage, dimmer boards, marquee illumination, and electric vehicle charging outlets.
Following the tragic 1903 Iroquois Theatre fire, Kliegl Brothers played a role in shaping electrical safety regulations, with Herbert Kliegl actively participating on code development committees. In 1906, they launched the "baby spotlight," an early version of modern incandescent spotlights. By 1908, their arc lamps were adopted by film studios to create novel lighting effects, although their use in cinema diminished by the mid-1920s.
The company pushed forward stage lighting technology through innovations like glass rondels for color filtering introduced in 1924, Fresnel lens spotlights in 1929, and ellipsoidal reflector spotlights installed at Radio City’s Center Theatre in 1932. Their 1936 catalog presented architectural downlights, autotransformer dimmers branded as "Autrastat," motor-driven dimmers, and "Alzak" aluminum reflectors manufactured under license from Alcoa via a subsidiary. Specialty effect projectors featuring hand-painted rotating discs remained popular until film and digital projection technologies replaced them by 1960.
By 1954, Kliegl’s offerings included various Klieglight models ranging from 250 to 3000 watts, Fresnel lanterns up to 2000 watts, and innovative patch panels alongside rotary power switches designed by Herbert Kliegl to enhance electrical switching safety. Custom fabrication was a cornerstone of their business approach, catering to elite designers’ specifications—for instance, wall washers for the United Nations General Assembly chamber and fluorescent fixtures installed in Pan American’s lobby.
Up until 1959, Kliegl assembled control equipment obtained or licensed from third parties; however, they then pioneered solid-state theatre dimmers with the SCR(R) model R59. This breakthrough rapidly replaced older dimming technologies and strengthened their market position.
During the 1960s, amateur theatre emerged as an expanding customer base for Kliegl. By 1970, they began importing computerized control consoles (QFile) from Thorn (UK), aiming at large venues despite the high cost limiting widespread adoption. Around 1975, Gordon Pearlman joined Kliegl and developed the successful Performance series—affordably priced computer consoles that gained international popularity among theatres and casinos such as Harrah's.
Subsequent advancements included the Performancea SofPatch for ABC-TV Hollywood and a portable Performer console introduced around 1980, which became widely used by rental companies. The Grand Performance console evolved to manage nearly unlimited channels; one early example at Mexico City’s Congreso controlled close to a thousand compact K96 dimmers—another significant product created by Pearlman and Carlson that challenged Strand Electric’s dominance.
In 1977, Kliegl expanded into Canada by establishing a subsidiary in Toronto. Nonetheless, product innovation slowed considerably during the late 1970s. Efforts to develop next-generation consoles faltered in the mid-1980s; simultaneously, their luminaire and accessory selections contracted amid growing competition from inexpensive mass-produced alternatives. Ultimately unable to sustain market share or innovate effectively on a large scale, Kliegl Brothers ceased operations in 1996.
Klieglight
The original "Klieglight" was a robust carbon arc lamp created specifically for film production lighting. While it was not the company’s inaugural arc lamp, it differed significantly from their previous arc flood and spotlight models. Initially introduced as a horizontal wide floodlight in the 1913 Catalog G, the term "Klieglight" later reappeared in the 1936 Catalog 40, this time denoting their ellipsoidal reflector incandescent spotlights—a product line that remained active throughout the firm's history. Interestingly, although the company applied for a logo trademark in 1986, they never secured trademark protection for the name itself.
Major projects
Kliegl Brothers’ extensive project portfolio highlights their proficiency in both theatrical and architectural illumination:
- Metropolitan Opera, New York City (1903, 1933, and subsequent upgrades)
- Roxy Theatre, New York City – theatrical lighting installations
- CEA Movie Studios, Madrid, Spain
- Madison Square Garden, New York City
- Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center – architectural lighting solutions
- Radio City Music Hall, New York City
- Jones Beach Marine Theatre
- 666 5th Avenue, New York City – exterior illumination
- RCA Building at Rockefeller Center – facade lighting
- Philharmonic Hall (Avery Fisher Hall), Lincoln Center (1962)
- Place des Arts, Montreal (1963)
- New York State Theatre, Lincoln Center (1964)
- Los Angeles Music Center (1965)
- CBS Studios 31 & 3, Los Angeles (1967, 1970)
- Moscow World Trade Center (1971)
- ABC TV studios, New York City
- NBC TV studios, Hollywood
- Teatro Teresa Careno, Caracas, Venezuela
- Vienna State Opera (Staatsoper), Austria
- Ernie Pyle Theatre, Tokyo, Japan
These endeavors demonstrate Kliegl Brothers’ targeted approach toward prestigious venues worldwide, cementing their leadership position within the entertainment and architectural lighting sectors.