Prop Department lingo

prop n. any article on the set that a principal actor touches. ant. set dressing n. items not handled by actors.

prop master n. individual who supervises props. rel. second man n. first assistant to the prop master; third broom n. second assistant to prop master; lead person n. assistant to the set decorator.

hero n. prop used by lead actor. For example, Tom Cruise’s PowerBook in “Mission: Impossible.”

skin n. a magnetic sign or decal that’s placed on a car. For example, an LAPD insignia.

smalls n. knickknacks used to decorate tabletops, mantles, desks. syn. hand prop, tchotchke.

doily-pushing v. fine-tune set decorations; fuss with the smalls. “Tell the third broom to stop with the doily-pushing--we’re ready to shoot.”

Sam Brown n. police gun belt. “Send the second man out for 50 Sam Browns--we’re shooting a prison riot next week.”

swamper n. person who strikes a set.

fold and hold v. to strike a set and store props for use later. “Get a swamper down to Stage 17--they’re ready to fold and hold the ‘Murphy Brown’ set.”