Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Board of Theater Supervisors Documents, 1912-1965
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Seattle (Wash.). City Clerk
- Title
- Board of Theater Supervisors Documents
- Dates
- 1912-1965 (inclusive)19121965
- Quantity
-
0.6 cubic feet
1 volumes - Collection Number
- 1802-E5
- Summary
- Records from a board that oversaw theatre licenses and film censorship.
- Repository
-
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov - Access Restrictions
-
Records are open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The City Clerk maintains the City's legislative records, official filings, and the Seattle Municipal Archives; keeps the minutes of City Council meetings; and provides information services to City agencies and the public. Seattle's first City Charter allowed for a Clerk of the Common Council to be elected by the Council. In 1875 the position of City Clerk became elective and remained so until 1896 when the new Charter designated the Comptroller ex-officio City Clerk. The Comptroller served as City Clerk through 1992. A 1991 City Charter amendment transferred the Comptroller's function to the Department of Finance and the City Clerk's Office became a division of the Legislative Department effective in 1993.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Reports of board activities; petitions, protests, and other correspondence regarding shows at theaters and panorams; annual reports; meeting minutes; and other material related to the Board. The reports are short; they include discussions of the Board's activities for the year and a list of films previewed, plays checked and actions taken. Panorama activities were the subject of a separate subcommittee and reports are included for some years. Subjects include licensing of theaters and censorship. The Board was formerly known as the Board of Theater Censors.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
A Comptroller or Clerk File (CF) can consist of correspondence, reports, petitions, contracts, agreements, etc. from elected officials, City departments, other government agencies, or the general public, which have been placed "on file" with the Office of the City Clerk (OCC). They are primarily permanent records, but also include routine material which was periodically purged. Certain archival records identified in the CF have been removed, arranged into records series, and incorporated into the collection of the Seattle Municipal Archives, a program of the OCC.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
[Item and date], Board of Theater Supervisors Documents, Record Series 1802-E5 Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Petition for Ordinance to Close All-Night Theatres | 1926 |
| 1 | 2 | Petition to Close Motion Picture Theatres at 12:30 a.m.; referred to Women's Division of the Police Department | 1926 |
| 1 | 3 | Protest Against Budget Allowance for Board of Theatre Censors | 1930 |
| 1 | 4 | Petition for Amendment to Ordinance 59674 re: Films, Slides, and Literature Concerning Sex Subjects | 1931 |
| 1 | 5 | Report on Operation of State, Rialto, and Palm Theatres | 1934 |
| 1 | 6 | Report on Operation of Palm, Rialto, and State Theatres | 1934 |
| 1 | 7 | Report of Notice Served to Owners of State, Palm, and Rialto Theatres | 1934 |
| 1 | 8 | Petition for Suspension of License of Star Theatre | 1934 |
| 1 | 9 | Petition for Renewal of Star Theatre License | 1935 |
| 1 | 10 | Petition that Mayflower Theatre Be Licensed to New Management | 1935 |
| 1 | 11 | Report Approving License to Oak Theatre | 1935 |
| 1 | 12 | Petition of Board for Warning to Moore Theatre | 1937 |
| 1 | 13 | Request by Board for Continuation of Monthly Budget Allowance | 1937 |
| 1 | 14 | Proposal to License Taverns Presenting Vaudeville Acts | 1937 |
| 1 | 15 | Report on Operation of State, Rialto, and Palm Theatres | 1938 |
| 1 | 16 | Protest Against Granting Licenses to Carnivals | 1939 |
| 1 | 17 | Petition for Notification of Licenses Issued for Carnivals | 1939 |
| 1 | 18 | Protest of Clean City League Against Proposed "Moulin Rouge" Show at Civic Auditorium | 1939 |
| 1 | 19 | Protest Against Proposed Closing of Rialto Theatre | 1940 |
| 1 | 20 | Letter of Appreciation to City Council for Revoking Rialto Theatre License | 1940 |
| 1 | 21 | Petition for Ordinance Amendment Concerning Films on Sexual Hygiene | 1948 |
| 1 | 22 | Request by Board for Increased Budget | 1948 |
| 1 | 23 | Petition for Investigation of Operating Standards for Atlas Theatre | 1949 |
| 1 | 24 | Protest Against Showing of Film "Stromboli" in Seattle | 1950 |
| 1 | 25 | Directive from Acting Mayor to Chief of Police Banning Local Showing of Stromboli | 1950 |
| 1 | 26 | Protest Against Banning of Film "Stromboli" | 1950 |
| 1 | 27 | Reports on Panorama Machines and Peep Shows | 1956 |
| 1 | 28 | Recommendation to Suspend License of Rivoli Theatre | 1956 |
| 1 | 29 | Reports on Inspection of Panorama Machines | 1956-1957 |
| 1 | 30 | Reports on Inspection of Panorama Machines | 1960 |
| 1 | 31 | Petition for City to Revoke Panorama Movie Show Licenses | 1960 |
| 1 | 32 | Reports on Inspection of Panorama Machines | 1960-1961 |
| 1 | 33 | Petition to Keep Movies in Seattle Clean | 1961 |
| 1 | 34 | Protest Against Banning of the Film "Erotica" | 1961 |
| 1 | 35 | Recommendation of Mayor to Enlarge Board | 1961 |
| 2 | 1 | Board of Theater Supervisors Annual Report | 1956 |
| 2 | 2 | Board of Theater Supervisors Annual Report | 1957-1958 |
| 2 | 3 | Board of Theater Supervisors Annual Report | 1960 |
| 2 | 4 | Board of Theater Supervisors Annual Report | 1961 |
| 2 | 5 | Board of Theater Supervisors Annual Report | 1962 |
| 2 | 6 | Board of Theater Supervisors Annual Report | 1963 |
| 2 | 7 | Board of Theater Supervisors Minutes | 1957 |
| 2 | 8 | Board of Theater Supervisors Minutes and Reports on Panorama Operations | 1958 |
| 2 | 9 | Board of Theater Supervisors Minutes | 1959 |
| 2 | 10 | Board of Theater Supervisors Minutes | 1961 |
| 2 | 11 | Board of Theater Supervisors Minutes | 1962 |
| 2 | 12 | Board of Theater Supervisors Minutes | 1963 |
| 2 | 13 | Board of Theater Supervisors Minutes | 1964-1965 |
| Volume | |||
| 1 | Board of Theater Supervisors Minutes | 1912-1953 | |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Censorship--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Motion picture theaters--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Music-halls (Variety-theaters, cabarets, etc.)--Washington (State)--Seattle
Corporate Names
- Seattle (Wash.). Board of Theatre Supervisors
- Seattle (Wash.). City Clerk
Geographical Names
- Seattle (Wash.)
November 8, 2024
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