In the closing moments of the film, when Buster was back in his projectionist's cubicle in the movie theater, the one projector on the left was visibly emitting smoke, or maybe it was steam? but it sure looked odd. If those old-time projectors really ran that hot, it's a wonder there weren't more theater fires back then. lol
I think I noticed that, and I don't know much about how they worked but I read when Lou Costello was a boy in I guess the 1910s, he had an at-home film projector that required a candle to run it, and that's how he set the whole living room on fire at Christmas. They were probably improved upon by the 1920s but I don't know.
shareInteresting theory about candles, but... I'm pretty sure that by the time this was filmed they would have had electric power and lights for the projectors. In fact, I'm sure I saw various electrical cords coming out of both projectors. Maybe the smoke was due to a cigarette or cigar that Buster was smoking and had set on the table near the projector, and the action of the projector was drawing the smoke up and wafting it out? Dunno, but it sure was funny to see that smokin' projector. lol
I think it could have been dust particles. I remember when we saw films in grade school (1960s) that it would look like smoke in the light of the projector.
shareThe projectors were both producing smoke from their carbon arc-lamps. Arc-lamps are still used today in Imax projectors, for example, only with more modern technology.
Nobody's perfect!