Morris Everett

CLEVELAND’S CARETAKER OF CINEMA HISTORY

By Mike Olszewski

Morris “Morrie”

Everett can take you on a trip through time, not with that machine from the 1960 film of the same name, although he’s well acquainted with it. His portal is a doorway in Chesterland that leads to the world’s most extensive collection of movie posters and photos on the market.

That’s not an exaggeration; no one else comes close. Everett lovingly preserves this vital segment of pop culture history at The Last Moving Picture Company on Chillicothe Road, a perfect place it turns out, for the collection he’s amassed.

“More movie posters were lithographed in Cleveland in the 1920s and ’30s than any other city,” Everett says. Just a few years ago, thenMayor Frank Jackson gave landmark status to the old Otis, and later Morgan, Lithograph building at

East 30th and Payne. The company produced some of the most iconic movie posters of the era. Folks would stop by to get print overruns and use the rolled posters as wallpaper or insulation for their homes. It’s not too far-fetched that there may be millions of dollars in posters hidden in the walls of houses in that neighborhood.

Choose An Era

Everett has a worldwide reputation and set numerous records for poster prices at his auctions over the years. They’ve drawn winning bids from folks like Clint Eastwood, Peter Bogdanovich, Leonardo DiCaprio and others, but you don’t have to be in their tax bracket to collect movie ephemera. Everett tells us, “There is something for everyone with prices ranging from $10 to several thousand,” and enthusiasts have plenty to choose from in their favorite film era. There are a lot of popular posters from the ’70s and ’80s, and as Everett tells us, “Most are available and not too expensive. “Jaws,” “Blade Runner,” “Halloween,” and “Star Wars” are a few of the more expensive ones. Locally, “A Christmas Story” continues to increase. That movie was shot in Cleveland and still draws crowds to the house where it was filmed.

Everett cautions that if you’re making a serious investment, you have to be careful. With decades of experience, he’s developed a keen eye for reproductions, and now and then he’ll spot one of questionable provenance.

“Usually, you can tell by the shiny paper but not always,” he says. Everett’s advice? Do no harm; preservation is vital. Use a frame that allows the poster to be easily removed, and beware of natural light, which can fade colors. With a good eye and a bit of care, anyone can enjoy a piece of art that reflects both movie history and Northeast Ohio’s role in that history. The auction of Everett’s collection of 400 lots of still photos, posters and lobby cards is being handled by Premier Auction Galleries (premierauctiongalleries. com) and opens for online bidding on October 14. Better yet, stop in at The Last Movie Picture Company. A conversation with Everett is worth the trip.