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Morley Studio photographs and film of the Seattle World's Fair, 1962

Overview of the Collection

Photographer
Morley Studio
Title
Morley Studio photographs and film of the Seattle World's Fair
Dates
1962 (inclusive)
Quantity
94 photographic prints (1 box) ; 8" x 10"
1 reel (200 feet) : silent, color ; 16mm
Collection Number
PH1385
Summary
Photographs and film of the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle, Washington in 1962
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Request at UW

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Morley Brotman was born in 1910 in Canada and moved to Tacoma, Washington in 1923 with his family. In 1937, Brotman incorporated Radio Communication and Motion Picture Engineers, Inc. and eventually founded Morley's Photography Studio in Tacoma working with McChord Military Base. Brotman would eventually open studios in military bases around the country. Brotman invented many items for the military, including the "Morley Automatic Camera" which allowed photographers to photograph large groups of soldiers, an engraver for name tags, and an idea for rapid-transit called the “terrafoil”.

Morley Studios was named the official photographer of the Seattle World's Fair on a nonexclusive basis and received a royalty license for photographic souvenirs, however Morley Studios awarded a subcontract to Mariner Films, Inc. for all commercial 16- and 35-millimeter film at the Seattle World's Fair. The Studio operated souvenir carts and shops that sold slides, movies, postcards, and panorama books as gifts available to order by visitors to the Fair. To help operate these carts and shops, Morley Brotman hired “camera girls” to work at the World's Fair. After the Fair, Brotman operated Colonel Morley's Louisiana Café in the Food Circus and continued involvement as a businessman and photographer at World's Fairs by operating photo machines, candy stores, and souvenir shops at other fairs in New York, Montreal, San Antonio, and Spokane.

Brotman was president of the Tacoma Athletic Commission in 1959, which is still around today and is dedicated to serving youth and sports in Pierce County. Brotman unsuccessfully tried to obtain a license to host a Muhammed Ali fight in Seattle. Unsatisfied with the Washington State Athletic Commission's decision, Brotman attempted to get two commissioners to resign whom had denied his request. Brotman had a huge role in securing a bond to build a Tacoma sports and convention center and sports museum. Morley Brotman died on April 23rd, 1980 with many accomplishments in photography, sports in Tacoma, and as a businessman.

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Historical Background

The Century 21 Exposition, or the Seattle World’s Fair, was held between April 21 and October 21, 1962 in the Seattle Center and drew in over 10 million visitors in its six month run. The idea for Seattle to host a World’s Fair came from city councilman Al Rochester, who wanted to commemorate the anniversary of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, however it was decided that preparations for the Fair would not be completed by 1959, therefore the opening date was set to 1962. The commission for the Fair settled on the Century 21 theme to focus on modern science, space exploration, and the progressive future. Exhibitors of the fair included Korea, Great Britain, Denmark, Canada, Mexico, and other nations. The U.S. Government, wanting to show the world the nation’s scientific achievements, contributed funds to build the United States Science Exhibit, now the Pacific Science Center. Areas for entertainment included the Gayway amusement park and the Show Street, the adult entertainment section that included bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. The centerpiece of the Fair was the Space Needle, standing at 605 feet with a rotating restaurant, the Space Needle remains today as a memory of the World’s Fair and an iconic Seattle Landmark.

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Content Description

Photographs and film of the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle, 1962.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use. Contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections for details.

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Administrative Information

Processing Note

Processed by Paul Martinez, 2016; Rose Strickman, 2016; Hannah Palin, 2016.

Transferred from the Seattle--Century 21 Subject File, 2016.

Film donated by Northwest Film Forum, 2016.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 


2016 (Last modified: 11/27/2017)

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