Exhibition History
“Come to the Fairs.” A Walk Through the 20th Century with Bill Moyers, 6. Writer: Janet Roach. Produced by Janet Roach. PBS Video, 1988. 58 min. Created and developed by the Corporation for Entertainment and Learning, Inc. and Bill Moyers. A presentation of, and produced in association with, WNET/New York and KQED San Francisco. Originally broadcast 1984.
Comprehensive Historical World Fairs - Bundle Pack. Comprised of 11 DVDs: Historical World Fairs: New York. 4 vols. (8 DVDs); Historical World Fairs: Prominent Twentieth Century World's Fairs. (1 DVD); Historical World Fairs: San Francisco (2 DVDs). See listings by title in this section. Available at http://www.a2zcds.com (Documentary DVDs).
Early Motion Pictures of World’s Fairs & Expositions. New Deal Films , 1997. 46 min. Includes 21 films from Paris 1900, Buffalo 1901 and St. Louis 1904 expositions.
Exposiciones universales. El mundo en Sevilla. 1992. 13-episode series for Radiotelevisión Española (Madrid?). Based on the book Exposiciones universales: El mundo en Sevilla, by Luis Calvo Teixeira.
Ford at the 1934-35 Fairs. Produced and edited by Lorin Sorensen. Towe Ford Museum, 1987. 48 min. Edit of three Ford films: Ford and a Century of Progress (1934), Fair in the West (1935), and The Honeymoon V8 (1935).
Historical World Fairs: New York. 4 vols. Each volume is a 2-DVD set; available at http://www.a2zcds.com (Documentary DVDs) by volume or as an 8-DVD set:
Volume I. Producer: P. Medicus. 1939. ca. 120 min.
Volume II. Producer: P. Medicus. 1939. ca. 117 min.
Volume III. Producer: P. Medicus. 1939. ca. 123 min.
Volume IV. ca. 123 min. Contains 6 films:
· Amateur Film: The World's Fair. ca. 5 min.
· Amateur Film: Wathen Collection: New York World's Fair. Producer: R.W. Wathen. ca. 28 min.
· To New Horizons. Sponsor: General Motors Corporation, Department of Public Relations. Producer: Jam Handy Organization. 1940. ca. 14 min.
· Unisphere: The Biggest World on Earth. Sponsor: U.S. Steel Co. Producer: MPO Productions, Inc. 1964. ca. 14 min.
· 1964 New York World's Fair Report. Sponsor: New York World's Fair 1964-65, Inc. Producer: A John Campbell Films Inc. Production. 1961. ca. 27 min.
· To The Fair (New York 1964-1965). Sponsor: New York World's Fair 1964-65 Corporation. Production company: Association Films, Inc. 1965. ca. 26 min.
Historical World Fairs: Prominent Twentieth Century World's Fairs. DVD. ca. 60 min. Contains:
· Century of Progress Exposition. 1934? ca. 13 min.
· Amateur Film: Chicago World's Fair. 1933? ca. 8 min.
· Amateur Film: New York World's Fair. 1939. ca. 30 min.
· Century 21 Calling. Producer: Telenews. 1962? ca. 1 min.
Historical World Fairs: San Francisco. 2-DVD set. ca. 119 min.. Contains:
· Panama-Pacific International Exposition. 1915. ca. 13 min.
· Opening of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. 1915. ca. 8 min.
· Amateur Film: Golden Gate Bridge. 1939. ca. 30 min.
· Dead Fair. Producer: Telenews. 1940. ca. 1 min.
· Farewell to Treasure Island. Sponsor: Hills Brothers Coffee, Inc. Producer: Ken Allen. 1940. ca. 3 min.
· The Story of Jewel City. Sponsor: Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Producer: Exposition Players Corporation. 1915. ca. 9 min.
· Treasure Island. Sponsor: California Commission, Department of Special Events. Producer: Arthur E. Howard. 1939. ca. 10 min.
· Amateur Film: "Frisco Fair / Pacific Northwest". 1939. ca. 17 min.
· California: Golden Gate International Exposition. 1939. ca. 8 min.
· Panama Pacific International Exposition. Producer: Frank W. Vail. 1915? ca. 10 min.
Library of Congress. America at Work, America at Leisure: Motion Pictures from 1894 to 1915 Link [includes films from a number of American and European fairs]
Prelinger Archives: http://www.panix.com/~footage/collections_summary.html. For access: http://www.panix.com/~footage/prelarch.html. Collections containing world’s fair footage:
· Amateur Film Collections (1915-1980): World’s Fairs, especially New York 1939/40, San Francisco 1939/40, New York 1964/65.
· Bert Gould/Bay Area Archives Collection (1903-1970s): PPIE 1915. Subset “Misc. 16mm. materials and release prints” includes Kodachrome footage of GGIE.
· Jack Levy Family Collection (1931-1941): Kodachrome coverage of the New York World’s Fair, 1940.
· R.W. Wathen Collection (1930s-1970s): Footage of New York 1939/40.
Savage Acts: Wars, Fairs and Empire. Directors: Pennee Bender, Joshua Brown, Andrea Ades Vasquez. Producer and script writer: Pennee Bender. American Social History Project, 1995. 30 min. Includes Chicago 1893, Buffalo 1901 and St. Louis 1904.
“Where’s The Fair?” DVD. 83 min. Directed by Jeffrey Ford, Produced by Brad Bear.
“World’s Fairs: Visions of the Future.” Modern Marvels. Written and produced by Noah Morowitz. Producer: Bruce Nash. New Video Group, 1998. 50 min. Produced by Actuality Productions, Inc., for the History Channel. A presentation of Hearst Entertainment; A & E Television Networks.
Centennial Exhibition, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1876
Celebrating a Century: The 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. Written by Benjamin W. Lawless. Directed by Karen Loveland. Narrated by James Whitmore. Office of Telecommunications, Smithsonian Institution; distributed by National Audiovisual Center, 1976. 28 min.
Centennial Summer. Producer: Otto Preminger. Director: Otto Preminger. Screenplay: Michael Kanin. Twentieth Century-Fox, 1946. 102 min. Based on the novel Centennial Summer, by Albert E. Idell, first published in New York in 1943.
Exposition universelle, Paris, 1889
So Long at the Fair. Directed by Terence Fisher and Antony Darnborough. Produced by Betty E. Box. Screenplay by Hugh Mills and Anthony Thorne. General Film Distributors (U.K.?), 1950. 82 min.
World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago, Illinois 1893
The Chicago World’s Fair, 1893. Written and directed by Sally Anderson Chappell. Film to Video Labs, 1993. 17 min. Originally funded by the Illinois Bicentennial Commission and DePaul University as a filmstrip-cassette; re-issued in videotape on the occasion of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the World’s Columbian Exposition.
EXPO – Magic of the White City: The Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. Directed by Mark Bussler. Narrated by Gene Wilder. Pittsburgh, PA 2005: Inecom Entertainment Company. 116 min.
Wabash Avenue. Producer: William Perlberg. Director: Henry Koster. Screenplay: Harry Tugend, Charles Lederer. Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp. 92 min.
World’s Fair of 1893: Social Services and Moral Uplift, the Chicago School of Architecture. Producer, director: Peter Keenan. Narrator: J. Neil Boyle. Center for Instructional Design, Loyola University of Chicago, 1988. 90 min.
California Midwinter International Exposition, San Francisco, California 1894
California Midwinter International Exposition, 1894. Narrated by Art Hough. 1994? 29 min.
The Fantastic Fair. Order of Fine Fellows, Alvin Fine San Francisco Endowment, 1983. 29 min.
Berliner Gewerbe-Ausstellung, Berlin 1896
Die Pyramiden vom Treptower Park: Die versunkene “Weltausstellung.” Producer, director, writer: Daniel Ast and Jürgen Ast. RBB Television (Berlin), 2005.. 45 min.
Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, Omaha, Nebraska 1898
Westward the Empire: Omaha’s World’s Fair of 1898. Producer, director, writer: David C. Rotterman. UNO Television, 1998. 57 min. Produced by UNO Television, University of Nebraska at Omaha for the Nebraska ETV Network. Accompanied by 16-page illustrated guide written by Liz Cajka.
Exposition universelle, Paris 1900
Klimt. Written and directed by Raúl Ruiz. English screenplay adaption by Gilbert Adair. Producers: Dieter Pochlatko, Arno Ortmair, Matthew Justice, and Andreas Schmid. Produced by EPO-Film, 2006. 93 min.
Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo 1901
Beyond the Road to Freedom. Produced by Rich Newberg, Tom Vetter and Don Dawkins. LIN Television Corp.. 2002. ca.27 min. Reporters: Rich Newberg and Mylous Hairston. Broadcast on WIBV-TV on January 30, 2002.
The Pan-American Experience. Producer and director: Lynn Bader-Gregory. Narrator: Bill Clune. Buffalo, NY 2001: WNED, 2001. 59 min. A co-production of WNED-TV and the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society.
Rainbow City: Reflecting Buffalo’s Century of Progress. Produced and directed by Debra K. More. Host: Harry Hamlin. Narrators: Vincent O’Neil, Lorna Hill, Saul Elkin, Dan Sheedy, James Foote, Sharon Linstedt, Thomas Martin, Julie Kitley, Leon Thomas, Jim Samella, Rick Azar. Buffalo NY 2002: Azar & More. 30 min. A co-production of University of Buffalo, State University of New York and Azar & More, Inc. Supported in part by WNED-TV. Based in part on the book The Rainbow City: Celebrating Light, Color and Architecture at the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, 1901, by Kerry S. Grant.
Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Missouri 1904
Bontoc Eulogy. Producer, director, writer, narrator: Marlon Fuentes. Cinema Guild, 1995. 56 min.
“I was there” … Memories of the 1904 World’s Fair. Vol.1. Produced and directed by Bob Miano, Charles Koehler, Barb Chmielewski Mori. 1904 World’s Fair Society, 1990. ca.35 min.
Meet Me in St. Louis. Directed by Vincente Minelli. Produced by Arthur Freed. MGM, 1944. 113 min. Based on the book by Sally Benson.
Nothing Impossible: The Story of the St. Louis World Fair. Dick Smith Media Design & Production, 1992. 29 min.
A World on Display: The St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904. Written and directed by Eric Breitbart. Produced by Eric Breitbart and Mary Lance. Narrator: Leona Luba. 1994: New Deal Films, 1994. 53 min.
The World’s Greatest Fair. Produced and directed by Scott Huegerich and Bob Miano. Narrated by John David. Civil Pictures and Technisonic Studios, 2004. 113 min.
Panama-Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco, California 1915
The Innocent Fair. KPIX Television, 1962. 25 min.
The Innocent Fair: A Nostalgic Visit to the Panama Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco, 1915 Music. Lowie Museum of Anthropology, 1982.
Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World’s Fair at San Francisco. Produced by Mack Sennett. 1915. 15 min.
1915: Panama Pacific Fair. Produced by Burton Benedict. Directed and edited by Monica Flatcher. Written & narrated by Burton Benedict. Office of Media Services, University of California,Berkeley, 1984. 28 min. Produced through the facilities of the Educational TV Office, UC Berkeley.
Panama-California Exposition, San Diego 1915/16
Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition. Directed by Fatty Arbuckle. Produced by Mack Sennett. Keystone Film Company, 1915. 14 min.
Century of Progress International Exposition, Chicago, Illinois 1933-1934
“A Break in the Clouds: Chicago’s 1933 World’s Fair.” Chicago Stories. WTTW, Chicago. 2000. Hosted by John Callaway. Produced and written by Mike Leiderman. 30 min. Also issued (with Riverview, another Chicago Stories installment) on VHS with title Riverview & 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. Network Chicago/WTTW, 2000.
A Century of Progress Exposition: Around the Fair with Burton Holmes. Burton Holmes Films, Inc., 1933. 10 min.
The Water Engine, an American Fable. Written for television by David Mamet; based on his play. Directed by Steven Schachter. Producer: Donald P. Borchers. Turner Multimedia, 1992. 90 min. Originally broadcast on TNT. Part of the dialogue is in and about the Hall of Science.
World’s Fair Archival Video, Volume 1: Ford and a Century of Progress; Scenes from the New York World’s Fair for 1940. New Deal Films, 1991. 29 min.
Exposition internationale, Paris 1937
Artists and Models Abroad. Director: Mitchell Leisen. Producer: Arthur Hornblow, Jr. Screenplay by Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse and Ken Englund. Paramount Pictures, 1938. 90 min.
Greater Texas and Pan American Exposition, Dallas, Texas 1937
Scenes from the Cavalcade of Texas: “An Empire on Parade.” Dallas? 1936? B&W (appears sepia). ca.3 minutes. Production includes Indians, soldiers, Judge Roy Bean, etc. Available on DVD at California State University, Fresno.
New York World’s Fair, New York, New York 1939-1940
All’s Fair at the Fair. Directed by Dave Fleischer. Fleischer Studios, 1938. ca. 8 min. Animated. How do we know this is for the NYWF?
The Middleton Family at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Moviecraft, 1993. 55 min. Originally produced as a television program in 1939.
New York World’s Fair 1939. New York? 1939. ca.15 minutes.
Entering the fair; parking at the fair; various buildings, exhibits and concessions, several interior shots, most of which are very dark and difficult to see anything (e.g., Beech Nut Circus, television at RCA), etc. Available on DVD at California State University, Fresno.
World’s Fair Report; and, To the Fair. New York 1965: Presented by the New York World’s Fair 1964-1965 Corp. Includes: World’s Fair Report: Written by John Campbell; directed by Jack Tobin; produced by John Campbell Films, Inc.; and To the Fair: Directed by Alexander Hammid and Wheaton Galentine; narration written by Edward Field.
World’s Fair Archival Video, Volume 1: Ford and a Century of Progress; Scenes from the New York World’s Fair for 1940. New Deal Films. 1991. 29 min.
The World of Tomorrow. Produced and directed by Lance Bird and Tom Johnson. Written by John Crowley. Narrator: Jason Robards. Media Study/Buffalo; distributed by Direct Cinema, 1984 83 min.
Golden Gate International Exposition, San Francisco, California 1939-1940
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island. Directed by Norman Foster. Original story and screenplay by John Larkin. Twentieth Century-Fox, 1939. 74 min.
A Fair to Remember. Producer and director: Leslie Donaldson. Writer: Bob McKenzie. Narrated by Bob McKenzie. KTVU, San Francisco, 1989. 55 min.
The Golden Gate International Exposition, Treasure Island, 1939-1940. Version II. Bartel-Thomsen Pictures, in care of Western Railway Museum, 1988. 54 min.
The Golden Gate International Exposition, Treasure Island, San Francisco Bay, 1939-1940. Bert Gould/Bay Area Archive, 199-?. 28 min.
Golden Memories of Treasure Island Fair. Hayward Area Historical Society, 199-. ca.80 min.
N.A.D. Day, Golden Gate International Exposition, August 4, 1940. 1940? 8 min. N.A.D. = National Association of the Deaf.
The Once and Future Fair, Treasure Island, 1939-40. Writer, producer: Sandra Nichols. Narrator: Sydney Walker. Host: Suzanne Shaw. KRON-TV, San Francisco, 1989. 60 min.
Tales of Treasure Island. Writer: Tim Didion. Directors: J. Vere Frazier, Tim Didion. Host: Dave McElhatton. KPIX, San Francisco, 1989. 30 min.
The film footage listed below (by original reel) was most likely shot in 1939. Available on DVD at California State University, Fresno:
· [Miscellaneous GGIE scenes] Color. ca. 4 minutes. Original film: 16mm. Scenes include FDR, ships in the bay, a horse race, two female visitors walking about the grounds, an event at the Federal Building.
· [Miscellaneous scenes on San Francisco Bay?] Color. ca. 1 minute. Original film: 16mm. Scenes include rowing, ships.
· [Pageant of the Pacific] B&W. ca. 2:45 minutes. Original film: 35mm. Five segments, separately titled. Narrated by a man. Some of the same images are in different segments; also the narration is similar in the segments. Appear to have been promotional bits: four of the five segments include an advertisement for a product at the end of the segment.
1. “Thrilling Beauty”: Begins with Tower of the Sun. Offers “guaranteed used cars” for seeing the fair and America’s western wonderlands (vendor not named).
2. “San Francisco”: Begins with the “2 great bridges,” Tower of the Sun, fountain, dam. Suggests auto travel and offer of “wonderful values in great used cars” (vendor not named).
3. “The Magic City: Begins with Tower of the Sun, Court of Pacifica, fountain, statue “Pacifica.” At end is a scene of two young women in bathing suits drinking Coca-Cola.
4. “The Pageant of the Pacific”: Includes Tower of the Sun, Court of Pacifica.
5. “Treasure Island”: Includes Tower of the Sun, Court of Pacifica. Treasure Island: Includes Tower of the Sun, sculpture of two women holdings hands (view from back), Court of Pacifica, Elephant Towers. At end is a scene of a young woman drinking Double Cola.
· San Francisco World’s Fair. Castle Films. B&W (appears sepia). ca. 9 minutes. Original film: 16mm. Various exposition features and scenes including Elephant Towers; Court of the Seven Seas; Tower of the Sun; Court of Flowers; “Cavalcade of the West”; foreign nations’ buildings and people; Pacific House; Federal Building mural.
· [Treasure Island] B&W. ca.1:45 minutes. Original film: 35mm. Aerial views of Treasure Island; only in the last is the fair obvious. Includes views of a model of the fair.
· [Treasure Island] Color. ca. 30 minutes. Original film: 16mm. Includes construction, parade, various concessions, fairgoers, sculpture.
· [Treasure Island] ca. 30 minutes. Includes opening day?, parades, buildings, Gayway attractions, night views, construction. Also has two frames: Paving the Sands of Treasure Island; Presented by the American Bitumuls Company, San Francisco, followed by more fair scenes.
· Treasure Island. Presented by the Golden Gate International Exposition on San Francisco Bay. Color. ca. 30 minutes. Original film: 16mm. Includes buildings, grounds, restaurants, special attractions (e.g., Cavalcade of the Golden West), Gayway concessions (e.g., amusement rides, Stella, incubator babies). Then a frame shows “The End” but there is more footage after that: more foreign buildings, amusement attractions, etc.
Century 21 Exhibition, Seattle, Washington 1962
Century 21 Calling. Western Electric Co., 1964. 14 min.
It Happened at the World’s Fair. Producer, Ted Richmond. Director, Norman Taurog. Writers, Si Rose and Seaman Jacobs. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1963. 105 min.
New York World’s Fair, New York, New York 1964-1965
The New York World’s Fair. S.l. 1964: Directorate for Armed Forces Information and Education, Department of Defense. 8 min.
The 1964 World’s Fair: Relive the Wonder. Produced, written and directed by Rich Hanley. Narrated by Judd Hirsch.
· Harrington Park, NJ 1996: Janson Video. 60 min.
· S.l. 2001: Image Entertainment. 52 min.
To the Fair. Directed by Alexander Hammid and Wheaton Galentine.
· S.l. 1964: Francis Thompson Productions; Dist. Association Films. 28 min.
· New York 1965: New York World’s Fair 1964-1965 Corp. 25 min.
Unisphere: Biggest World on Earth. United States Steel Corp., 1964. 14 min.
Montreal 1967
The Canadian Pavilion. Producers: Andrea Belleau, Clement Perron. Director: Marc Beaudet. Narrator: Daisy de Bellefeuille. National Film Board of Canada, 1967. 19 min.
Expo 67: A Preview. Producers: Lee Gordon, Don Haldane. Director and editor: Kirk Jones. Script: Malcolm Colby. Commentator: Larry Reynolds. National Film Board of Canada, 1966. 25 min. Made by Westminister Films for the Canadian Corporation for the 1967 World Exhibition.
Impressions of Expo 67. Producer and editor: Bill Brind. National Film Board of Canada, 1967. 8 min.
Expo 74, Spokane, Washington 1974
Reflections by the River: EXPO ’74. Producer; Alison Kartevold. Host: Alison Kartevold. KSPS Public Television, Spokane, 1994. 60 min. KSPS Special Presentaiton in association with Integrus Architecture.
Louisiana World Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana 1984
The Great Celebration: World’s Fair ’84. WDSU-TV, New Orleans, 1984. 30 min.
World’s Fair Highlights. WDSU-TV, New Orleans, 1984. 29 min.
Vancouver 1986
Vancouver: Focus on Expo 86. Produced by Yaletown Productions for Allscreen Productions. Director: Mike Collier. Writers: Chris Aikenhead, Don White. International Tele-Film (Mississauga, Ont.), 1986. 30 min.