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

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

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.

Historical BackgroundReturn to Top

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.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

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

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

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.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

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.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

ConstructionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder item
1/1 1 1962
Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder item
1/1 2
Lasrys and Baschet Brothers performance
This is most likely a picture of the group "Lasry-Baschet Sound Structures" comprised of Yvonne and Jacques Lasry and Bernard and François Baschet. They toured the United States in the 1960s and appeared on such shows as The Ed Sullivan Show. The Baschet Brothers were known for creating visually striking, experimental and modernistic musical instrument which would have fit the theme of the Century 21 Exposition. (Source: Wikipedia "Baschet Brothers")
1962

TransportationReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder item
1/1 3 1962
1/1 4 1962

Fountains/Plazas/SculpturesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Plaza of the States
Box/Folder item
1/1 5 1962
Fountains and Sculptures
Box/Folder item
1/1 6 1962
International Fountain
Box/Folder item
1/1 7-8 1962
1/1 9 1962
Fountains at Night
Box/Folder item
1/1 10 1962
1/1 11-12 1962

ExhibitsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Library 21
Box/Folder item
1/4 38 1962
Fashion Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/4 39 1962
Heniz Food Exhibit
Box/Folder item
1/4 40 1962
Million Silver Dollar Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/4 41 1962
1/4 42 1962
Commercial and Industry Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/4 43 1962
1/4 44 1962
Bell Telephone Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/4 45 1962
1/4 46 1962
NASA Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/4 47 1962
1/4 48 1962
1/4 49 1962
Great Britain Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/4 50 1962
1/4 51 1962
Canada Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/4 52-53 1962
1/4 54 1962
1/4 55 1962

BuildingsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Aerial Views
Box/Folder item
1/5 56 1962
1/5 57 1962
Safeco Insurance
Box/Folder item
1/5 58 1962
Opera House
Box/Folder item
1/5 59 1962
1/5 60 1962
1/5 61 1962
1/5 62 1962
Food Circus
Box/Folder item
1/5 63 1962
1/5 64 1962
Retail
Box/Folder item
1/6 65 1962
1/6 66 1962
1/6 67 1962
1/6 68 1962
1/6 69 1962
1/6 70 1962
1/6 71 1962
1/6 72 1962
Seattle First National Bank
Box/Folder item
1/7 73 1962
1/7 74-75 1962
1/7 76 1962
1/7 77 1962
U.S. Science Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/7 78 1962
1/7 79 1962
1/7 80 1962
1/7 81 1962
Washington State Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/7 82 1962
Commercial and Industry Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/7 83 1962
Bell and Telephone Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/7 84 1962
1/7 85 1962
Electric Power Pavilion
Box/Folder item
1/8 86 1962
1/8 87 1962
World Exhibit Buildings
Box/Folder item
1/8 88 1962
1/8 89 1962
1/8 90 1962
1/8 91 1962
1/8 92 1962
1/8 93 1962
1/8 94 1962

Film of Seattle World's Fair, 1962Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
viewcopy item
VC565 1
Seattle World's Fair
Tour of the Seattle World's Fair produced by Morley Studios.
Original1 reel (200 feet) : silent, color ; 16mm
1962

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Exhibitions--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Space Needle (Seattle, Wash.)--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • Century 21 Exposition (1962 : Seattle, Wash.)--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)--Photographs

Form or Genre Terms

  • Motion pictures
  • Photographs

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)

Personal Names

  • Baschet, Bernard--Photographs
  • Baschet, François, 1920---Photographs
  • Lasry, Jacques--Photographs
  • Lasry, Yvonne--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • Baschet Brothers--Photographs