Vale Ross Lowell - Rod Bishop notes the passing of the Inventor of Gaffer Tape

Ross Lowell

Cinematographer Ross Lowell, inventor of gaffer tape has died in New York at the age of 92. Taken from the name ‘gaffer’ for lighting technicians on film and television sets, this extraordinary tape is also widely used by theatre stage hands, live bands, skateboarders, photographers and anyone wanting to hold anything together from shoes to car mufflers. One of it’s great attributes is being temporary and it comes off without leaving a mark.

“Gaffer tape is like The Force. It has a light side, a dark side and binds the Universe together.”(unknown lighting designer).

“If you can’t fix something with gaffer tape, you haven’t used enough gaffer tape.” (unknown gaffer)

Also, the inventor of other equipment for lighting crews, Ross Lowell was awarded a Technical Achievement Oscar in 1979 for “the development of compact lighting equipment for motion picture technology.”