Relics - The Melbourne

Postcards from Seattle, ca 1912

"The Greatest Living Human Being"

The final three films produced under contract to the Mutual Film Corporation took Charles Chaplin as long to complete as the previous nine. Of twelve films released in 1916 and 1917, the last six opened in Seattle at The Strand. On April 15, 1917 The Seattle Daily Times announced a "Brand new Mutual comedy starting today." Advertisements showing a giant liqueur bottle with arms, legs and a face, chasing Charlie. Alcohol was a touchy subject in 1917. Prohibition and the 18th amendment were right around the corner. Ads for The Cure interpreted its message as "Illustrating one instance in which the Old Oaken Bucket wins out over Demon Rum. In a new role - that of an expert swimmer – it becomes apparent that this great comedian is really the genius of the screen." Also on the bill, William Russell in ‘High Play’. A high tension story of fortune and love – 5 reels." The Immigrant opened on June 24 with advertisements proclaiming Chaplin "The Greatest Living Human Being," while Seattle reviews of The Adventurer on October 28, focused on Chaplin’s excessive salary and the vast amounts of film he exposed to create the finish product.

The also-rans …

Scarcely one month had passed before The Immigrant reemerged from Seattle’s Pacific Film Exchange for a week at the Rex. During the Mutual years, Seattle’s Rex Theatre hosted several of the competing Essanay films, as well as re-releases of older Chaplin titles.

Located on the east side of 2nd Avenue between University and Seneca streets, the theater at 1218 – 1220 operated under five different names between 1906 and 1921 and offers one example of the local transition from Vaudeville to Moving Pictures. City directories list the Central Theatre in 1906 and 1907, the Shannon Theatre in 1908, the Lyceum Theatre from 1909 to 1911, and the Melbourne Theatre, opened April 3, 1912, through 1915.

Descriptions of the building in 1912 state it underwent "extensive remodeling" prior to the opening of the Melbourne. Photos and descriptions reveal what must have been an attractive venue, designed in the Italian Renaissance style with an ivory and gold color scheme. A theater organ was installed to accompany "Wagner’s Orchestra" and there was balcony seating. In a space thirty feet by one hundred and eight feet, even with a balcony, it’s hard to imagine a theater larger than four or five hundred seats at the most. News accounts claimed the Melbourne admitted 1000 on opening day.

Directory listings group this address with "Theatres – Vaudeville" until 1909, and "Theatres – Moving Pictures" thereafter. The Rex opened under the management of John Hamrick on January 29, 1916 as a "straight motion picture theatre," that was "cozier than ever." The final directory listing for the Rex was in 1921. In 1927, 1218-1220 2nd Avenue is listed as the address of the "Oregon City Woolen Mills." A 1937 WPA tax survey photo shows what is clearly the former theater, significantly altered for use as the listed retail business. To the left, a small portion of the surviving Brooklyn Building is visible. Archived tax records confirm the building existed through 1971. The current occupant of 1218-1220 2nd Avenue (and the rest of the block) is the WaMu Tower, built in 1988.

Footlights to blankets, ca 1937

Photos courtesy of the Puget Sound Theater Organ Society (PSTOS) and Washington Secretary of State, Puget Sound Regional Archives. Special thanks to the staff of the Seattle Room and Main Branch of Seattle Public Library.