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Mole-Richardson, also known as Mole, is a stage lighting instrument and motion picture lighting manufacturing company based in Hollywood, California. The company was started in 1927 by Sicilian immigrant Pietro "Peter" Mule. Born 10 Nov 1891 in the Italian town of Termini Imerese, Palermo, Sicily, he first worked for General Electric in New York.
Mole-Richardson invented the first Fresnel Solar Spot unit in 1935, adapting the fresnel lighthouse lens for use in motion pictures. During World War II, Mole-Richardson concentrated their efforts on developing searchlights for battleships, tanks and artillery units to aid the Allied Forces' battle in Europe and the Pacific. In 1945, Peter Mole was invited to light the first United Nations conference held in San Francisco.
Peter Mole died on 2 August 1960 very suddenly. His son-in-law, Warren Parker, took over the company. Mole-Richardson Company is now run by two of Warren Parker's four sons and grandchildren of Peter Mole, Larry Mole Parker and Mike Parker.
Mole-Richardson is considered by many to be the staple of motion picture and television lighting in the movie industry today, setting the standard for tungsten fresnel fixtures. However, they do also manufacture HMI day-light lighting units. Their lighting is generally recognized by their maroon coloring and "MR" logos.
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