Orchestra on stage in front of a giant "Top Hat and Moon" backdrop at the Broadway Theater. Fourteen musicians and director.

Theaters - Tacoma - Tacoma Theater ( Broadway Theater, Music Box Music Ensembles - Orchestras

Music Box Theatre had remodeled the interior and opened up a new candy bar in December 1947. The theater was currently featuring MGM's "The Bride Goes Wild" with Van Johnson and June Allyson, and "The Adventuress" with Deborah Kerr. View of unidentified woman, possibly a Music Box employee with the new "Bunny Rabbit" at the Music Box Theatre, photo ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Stage props; Rabbits; Plywood; Motion picture theaters--Tacoma; Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Music Box Theatre was getting ready to show Walt Disney's "Bambi", the movie was re-released by RKO Radio Pictures. The second feature would be "Gas House Kids in Hollywood" and Walt Disney's "The Bone Stealer" starring Pluto. View of new plywood "Bunny Rabbit" at the Music Box Theatre, an unidentified woman is standing by it wearing a movie usher uniform, photo ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Stage props; Rabbits; Plywood; Motion picture theaters--Tacoma; Uniforms; Ushers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

The students of Arlington Elementary School were invited to the Music Box Theatre to watch Walt Disney's "So Dear to My Heart" in technicolor on March 2, 1949. The movie poster reads "A Dilly-Dilly Delight;" Burl Ives, Beulah Bondi, Harry Carey, Bobby Driscoll and Luana Patten star in the movie. Exterior view of the Music Box Theatre, Arlington's 2nd and 3rd grade students are standing with their teacher, holding a sign that lists their names.

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Motion pictures; Motion picture posters; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Teachers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Motion picture audiences--Tacoma; Arlington School (Tacoma); Music Box Theatre (Tacoma);

Walt Olsen and "Celeste." Walt is the musician and "Celeste" is his electric piano. The pair are members of the eleven piece Brad Bannon Orchestra, playing locally at the Century Ballroom in Fife. (T. Times 12/27/1940, pg. 4)

Brad Bannon Orchestra (Tacoma); Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Pianists; Pianos; Musicians--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Golden Jubilee Royalty, Hostess Queen, selected on July 10, 1939. Two contestants, Margaret Franich, left, and Amy Lou Murray pose with a replica of the state seal. 21-year-old Gravelly Lake resident Amy Lou Murray was crowned Miss Hostess Queen at the Music Box Theater with Margaret Franich, 23, as Miss Pierce County. Because the voting was so close, both women would be sent to the Miss Washington competition the following week. (TNT 07/11/39, p. 1)

Washington State Golden Jubilee, 1939--Tacoma; Franich, Margaret; Murray, Amy Lou; Evening gowns--Tacoma;

On July 23, 1941, Boy Scouts from Troop 42 (Larchmont) and Sea Scouts from the SSS Rainbow (McKinley Hill) debate how much muscle power is needed to heave the 50 lb. aluminum door into the collection enclosure. The high wire fence behind the boys, located in the 900 block of Broadway, was the central collection site for donations. The mountain of used aluminum would be donated to the national committee to be melted down and used to build airplanes. The door was a relic of an old submarine, scavenged from the scrap heap at the Bremerton Navy yard for use at Camp Hohobas on Hood Canal. Sea Scouts (in no particular order) Bud Christiansen, Arne Skaugset and Roy Ernsbarger helped toss the door over the wire. Music Box Theater in the background. (T. Times 7/25/1941, pg. 3)

World War, 1939-1945--Scrap drives; Boy Scouts of America, Troop 42 (Tacoma); Sea Scouts (Tacoma); Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Aluminum;

A couple of Sea Scouts, from the SSS Rainbow- McKinley Hill area, give a 50 pound aluminum door the old heave-ho on July 23, 1941, tossing it into the area set aside in the 900 block of Broadway for scrap aluminum donations. The aluminum will be melted down and put to use building airplanes. Bud Christiansen, Arne Skaugset and Roy Ernsbarger helped toss the metal, a relic from an old submarine, over the wire. (T. Times 7/25/1941, pg. 3) TPL-9145

World War, 1939-1945--Scrap drives; Boy Scouts of America, Troop 42 (Tacoma); Sea Scouts (Tacoma); Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Aluminum;

This venerable Pierce Arrow rolled up to the defense metal "corral" at 9th and Broadway on July 23, 1941 and was donated to Tacoma's aluminum drive by Cole E. Oliver, owner of Oliver Taxi and Ambulance Company, and William E. Erickson, who worked with him. The vehicle was purchased as an ambulance and at its prime was valued at $9,000. Aluminum Drive Chairman Russell N. Anderson hoped to get 1,000 pounds of the metal out of the car, which was made almost entirely of aluminum. Pictured around the vehicle, left to right, are Cole E. Oliver, Tommy Burns, Kenny Johnson, William Erickson, Police Officer Ross Mowre and Russell Anderson. In the background is the Music Box Theater, 902-14 Broadway, showing Clark Gable and Rosalind Russell in "They Met in Bombay." For several years in the early to mid-1920s the Pierce Arrow was manufactured with bodies cast of aluminum. This appears to be a 1926 Model 80 4-door sedan. (T. Times 7/23/1941, pg. 3)

World War, 1939-1945--Scrap drives; Pierce Arrow automobile; Oliver, Cole; Erickson, William; Anderson, Russell N.; Burns, Tommy; Johnson, Kenny; Mowre, Ross; Music Box Theatre (Tacoma);

About 300 Tacoma firemen, Pierce County Civil Defense workers and volunteers fought for hours to quell the massive fire that destroyed the four-story Music Box Theatre on April 30, 1963. Originally known as the Tacoma Theater, the building at the corner of South 9th & Broadway had been a city landmark since its grand opening in 1890. The audience of about 100, there to watch an early evening show of Hitchcock's "The Birds," exited the theater without panic after smoke was discovered. The cause of the fire was determined to be a burned out bearing in a ventilating fan. There were only three reported injuries, none to the movie patrons. The theater was demolished later in the summer. (TNT 5-1-63, A-1+)

Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Fires--Tacoma--1960-1970; Fire fighters--Tacoma--1960-1970; Fire fighting--Tacoma--1960-1970; Theaters--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Tacoma's grand opera house, the Tacoma Theater was built at 902 Broadway in 1889. It was converted into a motion picture theater in 1927 and renamed the Broadway Theater (or Theatre, as on its marquee). Workmen are seen preparing the new marquee in January of 1927. Over 20,000 people attended the grand opening on Feb. 4, 1927. Renamed the Music Box Theater in 1933, the building was destroyed in a spectacular fire on April 30, 1963.

Sarah Bernhardt appeared at the Tacoma Theatre, 902-14 Broadway, from June 14-16, 1918. Miss Bernhardt, probably the most famous actress in the world, and her company were performing the closing act of "Camille" as the closing bill of the Orpheum Vaudeville season. Also on the bill were soprano Marion Weeks, Mayo & Lynn, Madden & Ford, Albert Donnelly and Bensee & Baird. The theater was built by the Tacoma Opera House Co. and opened in 1890. It originally seated 1,300 and was advertised as having the "largest stage on the Pacific Coast." Later known as the Broadway Theater and finally as the Music Box, it was destroyed by fire on April 30, 1963. BU-11260; TPL-2112; Boland-B1193 (TDL 6/14/1918)

Tacoma Theatre (Tacoma); Theaters--Tacoma--1910-1920; Theatrical productions--Tacoma--1910-1920; Marquees; Bernhardt, Sarah--Associated objects;

Drama League rehearsals at the Tacoma Theater. "The Torch Bearers" was chosen as the designated 1924 mid-winter play of the Tacoma Drama League. Cast members included Mrs. Llewellyn J.W. Jones, Miss Catherine Hurley and Mrs. Rex Roudebush. "The Torch Bearers" was performed on December 16, 1924. G22.1-011 (TNT 12-6-24, p. 9-article)

Tacoma Drama League (Tacoma); Theatrical productions--Tacoma--1920-1930;

H.C. Weaver Productions electrical apparatus at the opening of the Broadway Theater on February 4, 1927. Staff from the film studio were pictured along with their portable generator at 7 p.m. All of the studio's lights were on loan to light up the night for the Grand Opening of the Broadway Theater and the street party to follow. The theater had been built in 1889 as a grand opera house; it was reopened as the Broadway from 1927-33. The remodel included a new neon marquee. The theater changed names again in 1933 to the Music Box and remained the Music Box for 30 years until destroyed by fire in April, 1963. H.C. Weaver Productions made three movies in their studio on Titlow Beach in Tacoma between 1924 and 1928. G36.1-213 (TDL 2/5/1927, pg. 1- picture, 2/4/27, pg. 1 & 1/30/1927, pg. H5- story only)

Broadway Theater (Tacoma); H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. (Tacoma); Electrical apparatus;

ca. 1907. The W.D. Harney Photogravure Company of Racine, Wisconsin captured the beauty of Tacoma in a series of photographs taken in 1907, including this view looking south from the intersection of 9th and Broadway. The Tacoma Theater building (destroyed by fire in 1963) stands at right. A wall advertisement can be seen on the Pythian Temple building to the south. Horse drawn carriages and street cars still predominate over the new but increasingly popular automobile. (also Richards C164600-142 and TPL-5454)

Tacoma Theatre (Tacoma); Pythian Temple (Tacoma);

Selection of Golden Jubilee Royalty. Amy Lou Murray, 21, (R) was selected "Miss Hostess Queen" of the Golden Jubilee celebration on July 10, 1939, at the Music Box Theater. The runner-up to the title, Margaret Franich, 23, (L) won the title of "Miss Pierce County." A decision was made to send both contestants to the Miss Washington pageant the following week, instead of the winner alone, since the voting was so close. Harry P. Cain, Jubilee general chairman, is flanked by the two contest winners. ALBUM 12. (TNT 7-11-39, p. 1)

Washington State Golden Jubilee, 1939--Tacoma; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Franich, Margaret; Murray, Amy Lou; Evening gowns--Tacoma;

The royalty for Tacoma's celebration of the 1939 Washington State Golden Jubilee were selected on July 10th at the Music Box Theater. 35 girls from Pierce County entered the contest to become the celebration's "Hostess Queen." 21-year-old Gravelly Lake resident Amy Lou Murray, (at right) was chosen "Hostess Queen" and Margaret Franich, 23, was selected as "Miss Pierce County." Both winners are standing with Jubilee director (and future Mayor and Senator) Harry P. Cain. Both queens were wearing lovely evening gowns with Miss Murray's delicately covered in lace. Because the voting was so close, both women were sent to the Miss Washington competition the following week. Tacoma's Golden Jubilee celebrated 50 years of statehood with events occurring July 16-23, 1939. (TNT 7-11-39, p. 1-alt. photograph; T. Times 7-10-39, p. 1-cropped photograph) ALBUM 12.

Washington State Golden Jubilee, 1939--Tacoma; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Franich, Margaret; Murray, Amy Lou; Evening gowns--Tacoma;

Saxophone quartet, part of the Brad Bannon Orchestra, wails at the Music Box Theatre. The quartet is comprised of three altos and one tenor. The musicians are, left to right, unidentified (possibly Bob Newman, usually featured on the clarinet,) Bob Earle, Art Doll and Hal Gullett. Mr. Gullett had played with the orchestra from its origination and Mr. Earle for five years. Art Doll wrote and arranged much of the music. Mr. Doll also taught music in the Puyallup School District for 30 years until he retired in 1982. He performed with the Art Doll Trio from 1950 until his death and took over the baton of Max Frolic as conductor of the official band of the Western Washington Fair. He died in March of 1986 at the age of 65. (T. Times 12/27/1940, pg. 4; 1/31/1941, pg. 11)

Brad Bannon Orchestra (Tacoma); Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Saxophones; Musicians--Tacoma--1940-1950; Earle, Bob; Doll, Art; Gullett, Hal;

Johnny Quinn, drummer of Brad Bannon's Orchestra at the Music Box Theatre. Quinn is pictured at his drum set, with the bass drum marked "J.Q" and "B.B." Bannon and his eleven piece orchestra played local dances and the Century Ballroom. (T. Times 12/27/1940, pg. 4)

Brad Bannon Orchestra (Tacoma); Drums; Music Box Theatre (Tacoma); Musicians--Tacoma--1940-1950; Quinn, Johnny;