Acknowledgments

My home theater is not the work of one person alone. It began as a dream, and many talented and generous people helped turn that dream into reality. I owe each of them a tremendous debt of gratitude, and they are always welcome to enjoy the theater anytime.

My wife Pam has supported this “foolishness” from the very beginning. She believed the project would become something special, and she was right — it has. Pam is my favorite movie-watching companion, and I’m endlessly grateful for her love and encouragement. Thank you, Pam!

Lee Beaty, my first cousin and oldest dearest friend, has been the single biggest contributor to this theater over the past 25 years. Lee has devoted countless hours to the project, helping with every major retrofit and upgrade. He cut nearly every piece of wood, assisted with mounting and installing the screen, and handled countless other critical tasks. A passionate movie lover, Lee is the theater’s biggest fan and joins me for films whenever he can. He is the only other person authorized to operate the system and has often brought his nieces, nephews, and friends to enjoy movies here when Pam and I were away.

Lee, thank you for everything you’ve done for me over the years. Your friendship and dedication mean more to me than I can express.

Lew Palshan (who sadly passed away) performed the vast majority of the physical construction: framing the walls, hanging sheetrock, and handling all the electrical wiring and fixture installations. His skilled craftsmanship formed the foundation of the theater.

My Aunt Alice (Lee’s mother, also now passed) was a talented interior designer whose expertise was invaluable. She helped select fabric colors, carpet, chair materials, and paint — giving the room its beautiful, cohesive look.

Dennis Erskine of Erskine Group designed the theater and did an outstanding job creating a true high-performance private cinema.

Alan Gouger, formerly of AV Science in upstate New York.  alan not only sold HomeTheater equipment he was the founder if the premier HT Web Forums, AVS. He sold me my original screen, projector, and much of my early electronics. Alan has been a good friend for many years now; we still talk about Home Theater, and I will always value his opinion and advice on new products. He now lives in Florida, with a new company DCI-Central,Inc.

Joe Rodriguez (JoeRod).  Joe is now (2026) biz partners with Alan Gouger (DCI-Central,Inc.).  Joe sold me my 2026 4K Laser Christie projector and new Stewart screen.  He will also come down from Chicago to help me install my new projector and calibrate it properly for my new screen.  Joe, is not only an amazing sales guy, but he loves people and he loves HT.  He may be one of the nicest people I have ever met.  Definitely important to my Theater as I enter my second quarter century of HT.

Don Stewart of Stewart Filmscreen went far beyond the call of duty. He took my calls, engaged in many long discussions about projectors and screen materials, and personally designed and laid out my custom screen and frame using premium material originally reserved for military applications. When tiny perforations in the screen caused moiré issues with the sound system, Don promised that my next screen would be provided at their cost — and the company honored that promise years after his retirement. The team at Stewart Filmscreen has been exceptional.

Robin Novoa at SIM2 (the Italian projector company) was incredibly helpful during my early days with the brand. When I experienced issues with my first SIM2 HT300 projector, the company not only made it right but sent Robin from Miami to personally install my replacement projector. Over the years, the SIM2 team — and Robin in particular — has been outstanding, knowledgeable, and generous with their support.

Clyde Buchanan has been a close friend and colleague for decades. We first met in 1985 while working together at DHEC, where we quickly bonded over our shared love of movies, music, and history. After retiring from DHEC, Clyde joined us at Novesis for ten years. For the past decade or so, he has generously helped with the theater — most notably moving and installing my two massive 175-pound subwoofers (twice!). He continues to assist with my 2025 upgrades, including the new screen and projector.

Getting those subwoofers into the theater was the easy part; positioning them through the narrow side access panel was truly brutal. Clyde, thank you for your steadfast friendship and hard work — both personally and professionally.

Our beloved yellow Lab, Sandy (RIP), served as unofficial project and construction manager. She could often be found plopped down right in the middle of the action, requiring us to carefully step over her during builds. Her presence made every workday brighter.

Over the years, many wonderful friends have joined us to watch movies, TV series, and sports events. I’ve posted photos of some of these great guests on the dedicated Guests page.

Below are photos of most of the people mentioned above.