1962 SEATTLE WORLD’S FAIR

Year Published: 1962

Format: 16mm

Description: This silent footage must have been part of a documentary or promotional film about the 1962 "Century 21 Exposition" in Seattle, Washington. The film features an unidentified woman, who walks through the grounds of the World’s Fair, while much of it is still in the process of being built. The theme of the Fair is "Living in the Space Age." The buildings, sculptures and high-tech monorail and space needle have a futuristic, mid-century modern style in keeping with the "Space Age World's Fair" concept. Sign says "Seattle World’s Fair Century 21 Exposition, Inc. Information and Tickets." A stylish blonde woman buys a ticket. She opens a map and looks up at a sign that says "Welcome to the Future America’s Space-Age World’s Fair here April 21-Oct. 21, 1962" (00:22). She looks around outside of a mid-century modern building, the Washington State Coliseum. Shots inside the Coliseum of a large structure made out of cubes. She walks outside with a sculpture in the foreground and the Space Needle in the background (1:23). She considers a modern sculpture in front of the Canada Pavilion (1:33). Pan of a large empty interior space as she is greeted by a man in a hard hat. He shows her a large totem pole lying on its back (2:24). She gets on to the Seattle Center Monorail, built by Alweg. The monorail moves down the concrete track. Close up of the monorail driver. She enters the AT&T or Bell Telephone building that says "Communications." She picks up a phone at a sci-fi looking installation called the "Pulse Code Modulator" (5:18). Circles light up with pictures of people on the phone. She enters a room full of people working in the communications center. A man hands her a piece of paper that says "Expo Lodging Service." The man shows her a board full of squares. Wide shot of buildings and a parking lot. She looks at a fountain. Reflection of the Space Needle in water. She waves to two men painting a building. zoom shots of different structures and space age buildings including the Electric Power Pavilion (8:25), Ford Motor Pavilion with geodesic dome (8:43) and United States Science Pavilion. She walks around the grounds of the Science Pavilion, then sits down to rub her foot (10:19). Shots of the Space Needle. She puts on a hard hat and enters an elevator with a man. They walk around the top of the structure and take in views of the city (11:30). Shots of scaffolding and construction sites. A crane moves a load up. POV through a car windshield driving down the city street, banner says "World’s Fair Ticket Office." Very long shots of the city. She looks up at the Space Needle. More long shots of the space age building. Aerial shot of the Space Needle and surrounding structures. The Century 21 Exposition (also known as the Seattle World's Fair) was held April 21, 1962, to October 21, 1962. Nearly 10 million people attended the fair. The fair saw the construction of the Space Needle and Alweg monorail, as well as several sports venues (Washington State Coliseum, now Climate Pledge Arena) and performing arts buildings (the Playhouse, now the Cornish Playhouse).

Complete Record: This silent footage must have been part of a documentary or promotional film about the 1962 "Century 21 Exposition" in Seattle, Washington. The film features an unidentified woman, who walks through the grounds of the World’s Fair, while much of it is still in the process of being built. The theme of the Fair is "Living in the Space Age." The buildings, sculptures and high-tech monorail and space needle have a futuristic, mid-century modern style in keeping with the "Space Age World's Fair" concept. Sign says "Seattle World’s Fair Century 21 Exposition, Inc. Information and Tickets." A stylish blonde woman buys a ticket. She opens a map and looks up at a sign that says "Welcome to the Future America’s Space-Age World’s Fair here April 21-Oct. 21, 1962" (00:22). She looks around outside of a mid-century modern building, the Washington State Coliseum. Shots inside the Coliseum of a large structure made out of cubes. She walks outside with a sculpture in the foreground and the Space Needle in the background (1:23). She considers a modern sculpture in front of the Canada Pavilion (1:33). Pan of a large empty interior space as she is greeted by a man in a hard hat. He shows her a large totem pole lying on its back (2:24). She gets on to the Seattle Center Monorail, built by Alweg. The monorail moves down the concrete track. Close up of the monorail driver. She enters the AT&T or Bell Telephone building that says "Communications." She picks up a phone at a sci-fi looking installation called the "Pulse Code Modulator" (5:18). Circles light up with pictures of people on the phone. She enters a room full of people working in the communications center. A man hands her a piece of paper that says "Expo Lodging Service." The man shows her a board full of squares. Wide shot of buildings and a parking lot. She looks at a fountain. Reflection of the Space Needle in water. She waves to two men painting a building. zoom shots of different structures and space age buildings including the Electric Power Pavilion (8:25), Ford Motor Pavilion with geodesic dome (8:43) and United States Science Pavilion. She walks around the grounds of the Science Pavilion, then sits down to rub her foot (10:19). Shots of the Space Needle. She puts on a hard hat and enters an elevator with a man. They walk around the top of the structure and take in views of the city (11:30). Shots of scaffolding and construction sites. A crane moves a load up. POV through a car windshield driving down the city street, banner says "World’s Fair Ticket Office." Very long shots of the city. She looks up at the Space Needle. More long shots of the space age building. Aerial shot of the Space Needle and surrounding structures. The Century 21 Exposition (also known as the Seattle World's Fair) was held April 21, 1962, to October 21, 1962. Nearly 10 million people attended the fair. The fair saw the construction of the Space Needle and Alweg monorail, as well as several sports venues (Washington State Coliseum, now Climate Pledge Arena) and performing arts buildings (the Playhouse, now the Cornish Playhouse).