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)
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

CF Project. 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 is periodically purged. Beginning in 1987, 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. A single accession number, 1987-048, was assigned to the transfer of the CF to the Archives. The initial transfer included records dating from 1895. These records remain in the CF series until approximately 15 years after they were filed with the OCC, at which point they are removed to the Archives. The transfer of CF records to the Archives is routine and regular. New accession numbers are not created when these transfers are made.

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.)