Most often in
theatre PAR lamps are used in conjunction with PAR Cans. A
PAR Can is literally just a housing to hold the PAR lamp, attach it to a lighting position, and hold accessories like color or barn doors. According to James Moody's book
Concert Lighting, in the early days of Rock & Roll lighting, technicians adapted the film/studio ColorTran CineQueen PAR
fixture; and then in 1966 Bill McManus convinced
Altman Lighting to manufacture a fixture that moved the
color media away from the lamp to extend the color's life. Recently discovered evidence shows that
Ariel Davis Manufacturing Company sold a PAR Can as early as 1960--see the thread
http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/l...invention.html. Ariel Davis also used the PAR64-NSP as the source in a framing spotlight, the ARIELITE® PAR FRAMER; see
http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/l...-3214-ers.html. In the UK, James Thomas Engineering made lighter and less-expensive cans from spun aluminum, and affixed them six to a
IWB on 15" centers, creating the
PAR-Bar. From
http://www.pixelpar.com/pixelrange/company.htm :
James Thomas Engineering Ltd began February 1977 in a small garage located in Bishampton, England. James Thomas and John Walters engineered and built the first spun aluminum Par
Lantern which became the industry standard.