August 3, 2011

Lost and Found Films: ‘UW Penthouse, circa 1956

A car pulls up in front of the Penthouse Theatre, in its old location where the Physics-Astronomy Building is now. Then we see the lobby of the theater with a playbill advertising “Three delicious comedies by Noel Coward,” and several others touting different plays

Next were in the theater itself, with some furniture that is evidently the set of a play. We see the last moments of that play — which consists of a couple kissing — then watch the audience applaud. Then its back out to the lobby for a closeup of the photos mounted there.

And that describes the whole of this weeks Lost and Found Film, UW Penthouse, which was shot in about 1956 and lasts for just a minute and a half.

This is one of hundreds of reels of film that Hannah Palin, film archives specialist with UW Libraries Special Collections, is trying to identify for archiving purposes. She has film clips from the late 1940s through the 1970s — some from research projects, some from campus events and some from commercial films or original productions.

Palin is interested in anything people can tell her about the film, and would particularly like to get information on the play performance depicted. Can you help? Add your comment below.

Some previous Lost and Found Films:

June 30: Campus Color, circa 1940-48

July 6, Research at Sea

July 14: Aberdeen Gathering

July 21: Palo Alto Home

July 28: University District