John H. Kliegl II, the grandson and grandnephew of John and Anton Kliegl, the inventors of the arc light-based Klieglight for film production, died on Saturday, October 23, 2021. Born on September 9, 1935, Kliegl was 86 years old. Kliegl was the third generation to head the industry leading Kliegl Bros. Universal Stage Lighting Co., following the death of his father, Herbert A. Kliegl in 1968. He served as president of the company until it was sold in 1992, at which point he retired.During the years of John Kliegl’s leadership, Kliegl Bros. continued building upon the markets that they had grown in the 50s and 60s including television as well as many theaters, performing arts centers, and casinos in the U.S. as well as internationally. This time period saw a large number of installations of the company’s silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) dimmer systems they’d pioneered in 1959 that replaced the old industry standard resistance dimmers. Other standout innovations from Kliegl Bros. included its Saf-T-Patch systems which proved very popular with school theaters.
In addition to its wide range of theatrical and television fixtures the company produced during this time period, Kliegl Bros. pioneered the mass production of computerized lighting control, first with the Performance console and the first small portable computer console, the Performer series in the late 70s. These computer consoles were developed in conjunction with the inventor of theatrical computerized lighting control, Gordon Pearlman, and his partner Steve Carlson. Kliegl continued to improve its dimming systems going compact and digital with its K96 series dimmers in the 1980s.
A life-long outdoorsman, there was nothing John Kliegl loved more than a long walk in the woods with his dogs. He is predeceased by his wife, Susan, father, Herbert Kliegl, his mother, Ruth Bungay Kliegl, and his sisters Patricia Ann Nagele and Joan Bungay Turley. He is survived by his children, John III, Karen, and Robert, along with granddaughter, Hailey.
A memorial will be held in the summer of 2022 in Haines Falls, NY. Condolences can be posted on the Aston-Basagic Funeral Home website: http://astonbasagicfuneralhome.com/condolences/john-h-kliegl-ii
