The History of Asbestos Use in Big Hollywood Films

When you buy a new home, one of the many things you look out for is signs of asbestos. After all, it used to feature heavily in building materials before the 2000s. But did you know that asbestos was also used in big Hollywood films?

We know today that asbestos is the cause of several harmful medical conditions, many of which lead to death. Back before the 1990s, though, it had many desirable properties that movie production companies loved. It was fire-retardant, affordable, and versatile. What’s not to love? Probably the cancer that can follow, if we’re being honest.

Knowing what we know now, the following uses for asbestos in big Hollywood films will probably shock you a little.

Fake snow containing asbestos

The snow may be fake, but the risk of severe health conditions was very real. In the early 1920s, cotton batting had proven itself useful as fake snow on movie sets. It wasn’t messy to clean up, affordable, and looked relatively believable with the technology of the time.

However, after a firefighter told movie producers that cotton batting was a fire hazard, they changed tact. He had recommended the use of chrysotile, or white asbestos, which would be far, far safer. Or so everyone thought.

Cotton batting was phased out, and asbestos took its place. It was then used as fake snow in several famous movies, like Le Mans, Holiday Inn, and Wizard of Oz. While it was very close in looks to the real deal, sprinkling asbestos around a movie set ended up being one of the most dangerous things they could have done.

It was only a few medical studies later that they came to realize that it could cause a range of different medical conditions when ingested or inhaled.

Hollywood movie set decorations containing asbestos

Eventually, foamite phased out the use of asbestos in fake snow. Still, asbestos remained on movie sets in a less obvious way. Movie producers were using it in a variety of props, such as special effect beams and piping in Goldfinger and similar films.

They could not have known that, outside of using it for fake snow, it could still prove hazardous for health. Any time those asbestos fibres were created into something or crumpled, they were releasing particles into the air. These particles could then become lodged in people’s lungs, potentially causing life-threatening conditions and cancer years later.

Stunt gear containing asbestos

Fake snow containing asbestos was one significant hazard that actors and actresses faced, but were there any others? In an era when asbestos was being used in thousands of products, those hazards were everywhere.

For example, in any theatre show or adrenaline-filled race from around 1960 to 1980, asbestos was a common sight. Because it was fireproof, it was the perfect option for fire curtains, stunt equipment, and flame-resistant suits. Little did they know that fire wasn’t the only danger – the very protectants were, as well.

While it’s not known precisely how many actors and actresses subsequently died from asbestos exposure, some were widely known.

For example, Steve McQueen, an American actor nicknamed the King of Cool, was diagnosed with – and died from – mesothelioma. This rare form of cancer is related to asbestos exposure. 

While his use of fireproof racing suits and sound stage insulation may not have helped, he was actually exposed to asbestos before his acting career. While he was in the U.S Marine Corps, he used to strip asbestos off pipes in the ship’s engine room. 

Before Steve died, he worked with asbestos advocacy groups and joined the fight against the asbestos industry.

Why is asbestos dangerous?

You might be wondering how asbestos can be so dangerous when it’s present in many of our homes. If it were really so terrible, wouldn’t it all have been removed by specialist asbestos removal teams by now?

Asbestos, whatever it’s in, is only dangerous when it’s inhaled or ingested. So, whether it’s in fake snow or a home’s building materials, the dust and fibres are what make it dangerous to human health.

When you breathe in asbestos fibres, they can work their way down into your lungs or digestive tract. Because they are unable to be removed, they can end up causing a variety of conditions, such as asbestosis, cancer, and mesothelioma.

If your home contains asbestos, but the contaminated materials are in good condition, then they should not release fibres into the air. It’s only when it becomes friable (easily crumbled by hand) that it poses a serious risk.

Hollywood or not, take asbestos seriously

Even though we’re no longer using asbestos on Hollywood movie stages, in action videos, and home building, that doesn’t mean the risk has gone. Decades later, we’re still dealing with countless cases of asbestos-related health conditions and will continue to do so for decades more.

To mitigate the risk, never attempt to undertaken asbestos removal on your own. Contact an experienced and licensed asbestos removal team who can take care of it for you.