Playing With Guns

Bradenton, Florida. — Tragedy nearly struck a group of Florida actors when authorities say a loaded gun was accidentally used during a dress rehearsal. It was the final practice run by a seniors theater group for their production of John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men.” One actor picked up a pistol he had borrowed from another cast member and fired it at the head of fellow actor Fred Kellerman.

The bullet only grazed Kellerman’s ear. The 81-year-old was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Just two hours after the shooting, the play went on as scheduled with another actor performing Kellerman’s part. Kellerman plans to be back at rehearsal Friday for a musical the group is putting on. No charges have been filed, but the shooting is still under investigation.

From another article:

"I heard a loud bang. I knew something was wrong. But I never passed out," Kellerman said.

Kellerman said doctors would later find the bullet tore into his skull, ricocheted off bone, then came back out and tore off a piece of his ear. Doctors sewed the piece of ear back on at Manatee Memorial Hospital, Kellerman said.

"It took a chunk off my ear, but I was told it will grow together. I really feel no pain," he said. "I was really lucky."

Damned right he's lucky.

When in the hell are theater groups going to realize that they need to have a stage manager (or an assistant working with him) familiar with real firearms and firearms safety? When will theater groups realize any prop guns to be used in a play should be prop guns? When will theater groups finally begin to take these issues seriously? Failure to do so is reckless endangerment. The entire theater group and their board of directors should be held responsible for this kind of unnecessary danger.