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A look at Seattle's 20th century censorship board
Favorite Archival Object: Board of Theater Supervisors Documents, 1926-1965
10/7/20222:27

In this installment, Seattle Municipal Archives' Reference Archivist Jeanie Fisher presents a the Board of Theater Supervisors Documents record series spanning the Board's activities between 1926 and 1965.

View more from the "Favorite Archival Object" series here

Seattle Municipal Archives MATERIAL CITATIONS:
– The Board of Theater Supervisors Documents, Record Series 1802-E5
– Ordinance 24867
– [10-3-C, Green Parrot Theatre, et al (MC-1)] A. A. Denny's 4th, block F, lot 6. 1419 - 1423 First Avenue (1937), Item 32541, Record Series 1628-02: Pike Place Market Visual Images and Audiotapes
– [10-4-E, First Avenue Theater - Champ Arcade] A. A. Denny's 4th, block F, lot 7, south half. 1413 First Avenue (1952), Item 32543, Record Series 1628-02: Pike Place Market Visual Images and Audiotapes
– Unauthorized Signs on Pantages Theater. (Palomar) 3rd Avenue and University Street (August 19, 1926), Item 38198, Record Series 2625-10: Department of Streets and Sewers Photograph Collection
– Unauthorized Signs on Pantages Theater (August 19, 1926), Item 38193, Record Series 625-10: Department of Streets and Sewers Photograph Collection
– Downtown Shots for Sew. [1515 4th Avenue] (January 30, 1948), Item 41057, Record Series 2613-07: Engineering Department Negatives
– [Admiral Theater marquee] (1941 Estimated), Item 200324, Record Series 1629-01: Historic Building Survey Photograph Collection
– World's Fair souvenir program (1962), Item 435_014, Record Series VF-0000: Vertical Files

MOVIE POSTERS
– "The French Line" promotional poster, United States (1953)
– "Stromboli" promotional poster, Italy (1950)

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
– Williams, Forrest. "Censorship Held Illegal." Seattle Post-Intelligencer (December 1, 1965) page 17.
– "2 Movie Laws Unconstitutional" Seattle Post-Intelligencer (September 27, 1968) page 6. 

All of the videos from the "Favorite Archival Object" series feature the following:
– Background used for all object reveals: Agreement between the Board of Park Commissioners of Seattle and Olmsted Brothers (April 30, 1904), Item 5801_01_53_15_001, Record Series 5801-01: Don Sherwood Parks History Collection, Seattle Municipal Archives
– Footage in introduction titles: Seattle Channel, Item cs_112119_3071924V
– Music: "The Plan's Working" by Cooper Cannellis from YouTube's Audio Library (Creative Commons)

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