ROBERT FRANCIS SMITH: An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society

Manuscript Collections

ROBERT FRANCIS SMITH:

An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society


OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION
	Creator:	Smith, Robert Francis, 1901-1982.
	Title:	Robert Francis Smith diaries and journal.
	Date:	1919-1945.
	Abstract:	The collection consists primarily of diaries kept by a Minneapolis motion picture projectionist who showed films in the Century, Grand, and other theaters, operated a printing press in his home, and who built a model railroad layout in his basement. There is also a volume in which are recorded the names of movies Smith projected from the summer of 1920 through the spring of 1924.
	Quantity:	0.3 cu. ft. (1 box, including 13 v.).
	Location:	P2412.

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BIOGRAPHY OF ROBERT FRANCIS SMITH

Robert F. Smith was born December 5, 1901. He was the son of Joseph A. and Mattie Smith, of Minneapolis. The elder Smith was a teamster who died February 19, 1919. Mattie Smith died on June 28, 1931. Both are buried at Hospers, Iowa.

Robert F. Smith apparently began his career as a motion picture projectionist in March 1918 at age 17 at the Family Theatre, Hospes, Iowa. In October 1919 he worked at the Princess Theatre, Fargo, North Dakota. He worked for many years at various Minneapolis theaters, including the Liberty (1920s), the Grand (to 1935), the Century (1935-), and the Uptown (1950s). He also performed electrical and other maintenance work at the theaters and on the projection equipment. Smith was apparently a member of Motion Picture Machine Operators Local 219. In the 1930s and 1940s he operated a printing press in his home, and became an avid model railroader. For many years Smith apparently shared his home with his mother, with Harold Smith (evidently his brother), and with Ethel Smith (evidently his sister).

Robert spent the last years of his career as a projectionist at Minneapolis' Uptown Theatre, and retired in the early 1970s. He died in July 1982.

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SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION

The diaries include regular references to the theaters Smith was working at and which motion pictures he was showing there. They follow Smith's daily routine: sleeping late, going to work, eating out, home to read and bathe and then to bed at perhaps 3 a.m. There is information about visits with friends, walks, going to shows, playing pinball, trips to Chicago and elsewhere, his attempts at being a writer, his basement printing press, train watching at Minneapolis' Great Northern and Milwaukee depots, and his intense and passionate work on his model railroad layout in his basement. There are references to friends, to girlfriends, and to relatives, including Harold, Ethel, his mother, and women identified only as Ruth and Bess. There are references to the many movies, plays, and burlesque productions that Smith attended in various theaters. At many times in his diaries, at least until he took up model railroading, Smith frequently expressed the sentiment that nothing of much importance or consequence was happening in his life.

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INDEX TERMS
	This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
	Topics:
		Hobbyists--Minnesota.
		Motion picture projectionists--Minnesota--Minneapolis.
		Motion picture theaters--Minnesota--Minneapolis.
		Motion pictures.
		Printers--Minnesota--Minneapolis.
		Railfans--Minnesota.
		Railroads--Models--Minnesota.
	Places:
		Chicago (Ill.)--Description and travel.
	Organizations:
		Century Theatre (Minneapolis, Minn.).
		Grand Theatre (Minneapolis, Minn.).
	Types of Documents:
		Diaries.

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ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
	Preferred Citation:
		[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Robert Francis Smith Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.
		See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
	Accession Information:
		Accession number: 15,572
	Processing Information:
		Processed by: David B. Peterson, December 2000
		PALS ID number: 09-00322352

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Note to Researchers: To request materials, please note both the location and box numbers shown below.


Location	Box
P2412	1	Diaries:
			1919.
				Includes information about the death of Robert Smith's father (Feb. 19) and his burial at Sheldon Cemetery (Feb. 21); projection jobs at the Gayety, Ward, Southern, and Realto theaters in Minneapolis; a projection job at Fargo, No. Dak. (Oct. 25-28); references to going to school, reading, "working in the lab," card games, and playing the piano; and a reference to his mother's birthday (Dec. 15). Miscellaneous accounts at the back of the volume.
			1921.
				Includes a reference to moving from 3809 Portland Avenue to 3812 Clinton Avenue (both Minneapolis) (May 31, 1921). There is information about films and projection jobs at the Hennepin, Pantages, Orpheum, Oak Park, Garrick, Metropolitan, Shubert, Blue Mouse, Liberty, Strand, and Gayety theaters, Minneapolis.
			1923.
				Now a member in good standing of Theatrical Mutual Association Local 50 (March 22); attends Good Friday service at the Blue Mouse Theatre (March 30); death of President Warren G. Harding (Aug. 2); Harold hired by Payne Auto Company (Aug. 2); Harold hired by Red Top Cab Company (Aug. 21); called to testify in court in a trial relating to the Oak Theatre (Sept. 19); sexual encounter (?) in a projection room (Nov. 1); X-ray shows that a bullet lodged in his body is not the cause of his "trouble," but he does have a mild case of tuberculosis (Nov. 16); says he has been projecting films for 6 years (Dec. 16); Ethel leaves Los Angeles for Minneapolis, and will not be living in California after all (Dec. 18). Seems to be working primarily at the Liberty Theatre. Miscellaneous accounts at back of volume.
			1924.
				Not married, no prospects, no intentions; Radio News will publish his story in its next issue (March 12); his third story comes out (Oct. 18). Miscellaneous accounts at back of volume.
			1925.
				States that he has been keeping his diaries for about ten years (Jan. 1); total solar eclipse (Jan. 24); death of theater orchestera leader Manuel Rivera, his "first Minneapolis friend" (Feb. 18); first dancing lesson (March 30); begins taking "college exams" (June 16); trip to California (Aug. 23-Sept. 25). Miscellaneous accounts at back of volume.
			1929.
				Helen doesn't care for him anymore (Jan. 1); reconciles with Helen (June 28). Miscellaneous accounts at the back of volume.
			1931.
				Seeing Helen almost every day (January); expects he and Helen will break up (March 18); his mother passes away (June 28) and is buried at Sheldon, Iowa beside his father (June 30); working at the Grand Theatre. Miscellaneous accounts at back of volume.
			1935.
				Jury duty (May 1); trip to Chicago, Milwaukee, Muskegon (Mich.) via S.S. Illinois (Aug. 24-27); weekend trip to Chicago (Dec. 7-8); last day at the Grand Theatre (Dec. 24), moving to the Century Theatre. Numerous references to someone named Nonné. Miscellaneous accounts at back of volume.
			1936.
				Writing an article for Esquire (Jan. 16); trips to Chicago (March 7-10 and May 16-19); trip to Colorado (July 24-30); trip to Milwaukee, Kenosha, Chicago (Nov. 6-10); trip to Chicago (Dec. 12-15). Still projecting movies at the Century Theatre. Miscellaneous accounts at back of volume.
			1938.
				Reference to his home printing press (March 4); trip to Duluth (July 21-22); begins "hobby number three": Railroad photography (July 31); trip to Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston (Aug. 26-Sept. 6); out to Minnehaha Falls (depot) to look at the new Hiawatha train (Sept. 18); purchases his first model railroad cars at Dayton's department store (Sept. 22); elected union steward (Oct. 11). Still working at the Century Theatre. Miscellaneous accounts at back of volume.
			1942.
				Much information about Smith's model railroad layout; references to his printing operation; St. Paul Model Railroad Club Red Cross Benefit (Feb. 20); the model railroad line now extends all around the basement (May 1); Harold gets a new job at Northern Pump Works (June 18); Ray is off for the induction center at Fort Snelling (June 20); Smith reports to armory for induction into the army, but fails to pass his physical examination (Oct. 20); printing "GN's" annual passes (Nov. 19); went to the doctor and got "fitted" for his "girdle" (Dec. 18). Still working at the Century Theatre. Miscellaneous accounts at back of volume.
			1945.
				Much about his model railroading; day trip to LaCrosse, Wis., to ride on the city's "last street car line" (Feb. 4); Hitler dead (May 1); Smith's 7th annual model railroad open house: about 80 visitors (May 3); trip to Lincoln, Neb. (June 22-24); train watching in Minneapolis. Still working at the Century Theatre.
Location	Box
P2412	1	Journal, July 1, 1920-April 29, 1924.
			Chronological record of motion pictures seen and projected by Smith. Includes date, title of film, studio, name of theatre, and names of actresses and actors, and indicates whether or not Smith was the operator. There is also a chronological list (1918-1922) of theaters in which Smith worked as a projectionist, including theaters in Hospers, Iowa (1918); Fargo, North Dakota (1919); and Minneapolis (1919-1922).

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