Actor injured this afternoon in Little Mermaid- Page 3

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 12:22am

Updated On: 5/6/09 at 12:22 AM

[BrianS]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 2:07am

while I can't speak to who was at fault (since I am not in that particular show and don't have first hand knowledge), I can say that the injuries are definitely worse than are being reported. Wishing for a full recovery.

[winston89]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 7:45am

I have no trouble beleaving that disney was not as honest as they should have been in the report.

That being saidn can't the show get shut down because of this?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:28am

"That being saidn can't the show get shut down because of this?"

The New York Occupational Safety and Health Administration has the power to shut them down. However, like most government agencies, it is prone to corruption. After the recent spate of construction accidents I am surprised they didn't shut the show down. From what I understand The Little Mermaid has a slew of safety issues that causes the agence to make frequent visits.

As for the previous inquiries about who is to blame...it is hard to say. When does Disney require its actors to be harnessed: before they reach the top of the set or are they required to strap in AT the top? Clearly if they don't get harnessed in until they are on the set then I'm pretty sure that is a big OSHA no-no.

*edit*

And yes, his injuries are more severe than what has been reported. Updated On: 5/12/08 at 11:28 AM

[winston89]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 2:15pm

Can they still shut the show down even if it is a couple of days after it happened.

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 2:45pm

It seems a bit extreme to close the show down. Accidents happen......

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 2:49pm

How serious are his injuries?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 3:00pm

According to the New York Post: He underwent surgery yesterday for a compressed vertabrae.
He's doing OK.
He has been sedated.

Good thoughts going out.

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:04pm

And he fell through a trap door on the ship.

http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/nyc/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003802226

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:09pm

"It seems a bit extreme to close the show down. Accidents happen......"

While that is true, this is a very serious accident that has happened in a show that is plagued with backstage injuries. Construction sites are always shut down when a worker falls (even in cases where the injuries aren't as severe as in the case of The Little Mermaid), so it isn't out of the realm of possibility that OSHA would shut down the show to review its safety procedures. However, it's possible that they could have easily inspected some of the show's problems in-between shows, since I have been informed that OSHA is practically there at every performance (which is NEVER a good thing).

But it is not an extreme measure to shut down a show. It is a safety issue for its employees. The question remains: why wasn't the actor in a safety harness? I am guessing since the show wasn't shut down that OSHA was comfortable that it was an accident and that safety procedures had been followed by Disney as required by law (ignoring the possible corruption/favortism between a government agency and a major multimedia corporation).

[BreeDaniel]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 7:09pm

Elphababuff, it's safe to assume a man who's been on Broadway for almost 3 decades knows what he's doing. Speedy recovery to him.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 7:26pm

He could've fallen through a trap door on the ship. Does the actor that plays Eric go through a trap door when he's "thrown overboard" before the scene where Ariel saves him? That door might have accidentally been open, and maybe he just didn't look. I assume that he knew what he was doing.

I wish him an extremely speedy recovery. I know people that are close to Mr. Bailey, and they're quite distraught.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 7:33pm

Hey Petit, Many people, stuntman, etc. have died making movies.
I can't think of one person that has died on Broadway because of an accident.

Hopefully this should lead to an extensive inspection into THE LITTLE MERMAID safety issues.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 7:38pm

Updated On: 5/6/09 at 07:38 PM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 7:43pm

Gotcha, I agree.

[Popular]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 7:51pm

I have found myself thinking about what happened to him from time to time since I've heard about the accident and I hope he recovers 100%.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 7:55pm

Thanks for putting a face to the story Popular, what a great smile!

Let's hope it's back on the boards soon. Updated On: 5/12/08 at 07:55 PM

[winston89]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 8:06pm

There clearly was a problem here. If he fell through a trapped door that was on the stage and fell below. It would have gone under human error and that he should have been more careful. But, for him to have fallen about 40 feet down from a door on a set piece that shouldn't have been open to begin with. Now, that is something worth investigating .

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/13/08 at 12:09am

Updated On: 5/14/08 at 12:09 AM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/13/08 at 12:10am

It's also a matter of why he wasn't harnessed when he was already that high in the air.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/13/08 at 12:10am

It's also a matter of why he wasn't harnessed when he was already that high in the air.

[dancinfan]

Posted: 5/13/08 at 7:47pm

From a friend close to Mr. Bailey, I heard today that he fell 40 feet (the equivalent of four stories) and suffered far more than just two broken wrists: two fractured vertebrae, a slipped disk in his neck, and fractures in both hips (which he had replacement surgery on a few years ago). The doctors are still doing extensive neurological testing because, for example, Bailey was moving his fingers but didn't know he was moving his fingers. "Stable" is such an incomplete term, isn't it?

I find it despicable that Disney has not released more complete information. Utterly despicable.

And I feel awful for the crew member or members who may or may not have completely and properly latched the trap door.
Updated On: 5/13/08 at 07:47 PM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/13/08 at 7:55pm

Dang,

So much for full disclosure.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/13/08 at 8:38pm

"Dang,

So much for full disclosure."

Is anyone REALLY surprised at Disney's lack of disclosure?

[localonedude]

Posted: 5/13/08 at 10:14pm

I worked on a show in which i was running automation . There were actors flying on a scenery piece in a manner which I thought(knew ) was dangerous . I appeal to all agency equity,board of labor (they have to ok flying in a show and also look at things for saftey),and the actors (surprisingly werent really interested to hear what i had to say and they are very famous right now on broadway) .Every one felt the move was safe .Go figure ???? When they think its not safe they say add a hand loop,thats there fix ..To predict what will go wrong. You can look at 90 scenarios in your head and when something does go wrong it usally something that wasnt one of the 90 you thought. Weekly mantainance and inspection on this machinery helps spot trouble before it happens. A producer would rather give you a kidney thay pay for people to do this weekly routine..