Tommy Bartlett Show - Wisconsin Dells

[lloyd33]

Also known as: Tommy Bartlett's Water Ski & Jumping Boat Thrill Show

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_B...7s_Thrill_Show

Location: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin (USA)

I remember my grandparents taking me to see this show when I was about 12 or 13 years old
(circa 1991-1992). Its mostly a lot of boats and water skiers.. jumping and doing tricks.. riding
in formation.. etc. Then after that there is usually a comedy routine or a magician or a juggler.

THEN.. (and this was only during the EVENING show).. there would be a laser beam show out
over the lake. This was the first laser show I ever saw and the first time I ever saw a'real' laser
(besides my 1-2mW HeNe that I built when I was 7). Yes, I was a strange child.

Anyway, the beam show was AMAZING and is probably 99% responsible for my subsequent laser
obsession. They had these tall metal poles with several bounce mirrors placed all over out in the
lake at different angles. The laser(s) would target the mirrors.. some mirrors would subsequently
point to other mirrors and then bounce off them, some would just go up into the air in all random
directions, etc. etc.

So, a few years back I decided to take my g/f to see the 'amazing' laser show in The Dells that
had so inspired me as a child. We watched through all the boring water stunts, semi-funny comedy
routines, and mediocre juggling acts. Finally, it was time for the big event!! Then suddenly, much
to my horror, a large white canvas screen is raised into place and a (fairly horrible) laser graphics
animation sequence was shown on the screen (barely synchronized to music at maybe one or two
points). No beam show. Denied.

Maybe they were simpler times when I was a child? Perhaps the ILDA did not have such strict rules
about shining laser beams into the air. I don't know. But I sure do miss that beam show. I always
wanted to get a 'sneak peak' at the laser room up about the grandstands, but alas, I never got a
chance. Based on the time period, I assume they were using 220vAC, water cooled Ar/Kr laser(s).
If I had to guesstimate based off memory, I would say power levels were probably around 5 watts.

I'm curious if anybody here on the forums knows anything about the Tommy Bartlett laser BEAM
show that used to be performed at the end of the evening show (before it got replaced by cheap
screen animation that look like the demo files that come with iShow). It would be *awesome* if
somebody here maybe used to work the laser system there or maybe has some old photos of the
rig 'in action'. Ah, nostalgia.. **sighs**

This is the only picture I could find on the internet, showing one of the metal poles I was talking
about with 3 bounce mirrors attached (and a very sad, wet looking Bose 901 series speaker):