Looking for the Origins of the “Red Carpet” Tradition

Manwithnoname:

Thanks for your post. Of course I also found that information immediately. I was looking for the origin of using the red carpet at movie premieres.

Who was the first theater manager to actually bring over the idea of the red carpet to movie premieres? While it’s an interesting question, I wonder if the idea was such a “no brainer” when it was first done (because of the common use of red carpets elsewhere) that nobody paid enough attention to note the occassion? (Similarly, I wonder what bank / bank manager was the first to start the “one line” concept?)

However, my guess is that the first theater manager to use a red carpet was probably a “showman” like Samuel “Roxy” Rothapfel. Or, at least, he would probably be the first to get credit (in newspapers, etc.) for doing something like that.

In terms of a research tools, I’m wondering if Ben Hall mentions the introduction of red carpets anywhere in his classic book on movie palaces, “The Best Remaining Seats”?

Also, as a reporter, you may already know about this, but I just found out about it a few weeks ago: if you go to a university research library, they have access to something called “Proquest” which allows you to both search a newspaper database using keywords (like red carpet) and view the newspaper article itself almost immediately on a PC screen. The database has access to and searches through the New York Times from its inception until about 2001. I believe the Los Angeles Times is also covered under a similar date range.

Good luck!