Jack Fearey
Encyclopedia
Jack Fearey was an American
director of the Seattle Center
and a television
pioneer in the Pacific Northwest
. Fearey was best known for establishing two major Seattle civic
festival
s, the Bumbershoot
and the Northwest Folklife Festival.
.
He attended Whitman College
in Walla Walla, Washington
, for three years before leaving to serve in the U.S. military during World War II
. Following the war, Fearey graduated from the University of Washington
in 1947 with a bachelors degree in music
.
Fearey began working at radio stations in Bellingham
in the late 1940s before moving to Seattle's KING-TV
in the early 1950s. He worked in several positions at KING over the next twenty years, including operations manager, producer
and the station's program director
. Fearey won a Peabody Award
for KING's children's television show "Wunda Wunda
" while at the television station.
appointed Jack Fearey to become director of the Seattle Center
in 1970. Fearey had been serving as the president of the Seattle chapter of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
at the time of his appointment. In 1970, the Seattle Center was a neglected 74 acres (299,467.6 m²) complex that had served as the site of Seattle's 1962 World's Fair. The Center, which stands at the foot of Queen Anne Hill, was not open year round and was little used by the general public during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Jack Fearey is widely credited with transforming the Seattle Center into a civic center
and Seattle cultural hub during his twelve years as director from 1970 until 1982. Under Fearey's direction, the site for the Seattle Children's Theatre
, located at the corner of Second Avenue and Thomas Street, was acquired. He played a major role in the development of the Bagley Wright Theatre, which opened in 1983 after his departure as director of the Seattle Center, as well as the renovation of the Seattle Playhouse, which is now the Intiman Theatre.
The Bumbershoot
and the Northwest Folklife Festival each got their start under Jack Fearey's direction. The Bumbershoot, a major Memorial Day
arts and music festival, was originally founded as Festival '71 in 1971 and was renamed to its current name in 1973. The Northwest Folklife Festival, now a major Washington Labor Day
event, was also founded during Fearey's tenure as director of the Seattle Center.
Additionally, Fearey oversaw the installation of covered walkways in the Seattle Center to shield pedestrians from Seattle's famous rainy weather. He also worked to bring the "Treasure of Tutankhamen" tour to Seattle, which exhibited for 4 months in 1978 at the center's Flag Plaza Pavilion.
Jack Fearey resigned in 1982 after members of the Seattle city council
blamed him for financial mismanagement. The Seattle Center was over one million dollars in debt at the time.
of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Fearey was also the former president of the International Association of Auditorium Managers. Fearey worked during his later years as a consultant
for The Fearey Group, a Seattle based public relations
agency owned by his wife, Pat Fearey.
Jack Fearey died on July 21, 2007, after a long illness. He was survived by his wife, Pat, (Fearey's first wife died in 1975.)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
director of the Seattle Center
Seattle Center
Seattle Center is a park and arts and entertainment center in Seattle, Washington. The campus is the site used in 1962 by the Century 21 Exposition. It is located just north of Belltown in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood.-Attractions:...
and a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
pioneer in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. Fearey was best known for establishing two major Seattle civic
Civic engagement
Civic engagement or civic participation has been defined as "Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern."-Forms:...
festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s, the Bumbershoot
Bumbershoot
Bumbershoot is an annual international music and arts festival held in Seattle, Washington. One of North America's largest such festivals, it takes place every Labor Day weekend at the 74-acre Seattle Center, which was built for the 1962 World's Fair. Seattle Center includes indoor theaters,...
and the Northwest Folklife Festival.
Early life
Jack Fearey was born in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
He attended Whitman College
Whitman College
Whitman College is a private, co-educational, non-sectarian, residential undergraduate liberal arts college located in Walla Walla, Washington. Initially founded as a seminary by a territorial legislative charter in 1859, the school became a four year degree granting institution in 1883...
in Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
, for three years before leaving to serve in the U.S. military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Following the war, Fearey graduated from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in 1947 with a bachelors degree in music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.
Fearey began working at radio stations in Bellingham
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
in the late 1940s before moving to Seattle's KING-TV
KING-TV
KING-TV, virtual channel 5, is a television station in Seattle, Washington, affiliated with the NBC network. Owned by Belo Corporation, it broadcasts on UHF digital channel 48. Its offices and broadcasting center are located just east of Seattle Center...
in the early 1950s. He worked in several positions at KING over the next twenty years, including operations manager, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and the station's program director
Program director
In service industries, such as education, a program director or programme director researches, plans, develops and implements one or more of the firm's professional services...
. Fearey won a Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
for KING's children's television show "Wunda Wunda
Wunda Wunda
Wunda Wunda is the name of an early children's television series that aired in Seattle, Washington between 1953 and 1972 on Seattle NBC affiliate, KING-TV, channel 5....
" while at the television station.
Seattle Center
Seattle mayor Wes UhlmanWesley C. Uhlman
Wesley Carl Uhlman was the 47th mayor of Seattle.-Biography:He attended Aberdeen High School, Seattle Pacific College, and the University of Washington....
appointed Jack Fearey to become director of the Seattle Center
Seattle Center
Seattle Center is a park and arts and entertainment center in Seattle, Washington. The campus is the site used in 1962 by the Century 21 Exposition. It is located just north of Belltown in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood.-Attractions:...
in 1970. Fearey had been serving as the president of the Seattle chapter of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences was founded in 1946, just one month after network television was born. It is a nonprofit organization devoted to the advancement of telecommunications arts and sciences and to fostering creative leadership in the telecommunications industry...
at the time of his appointment. In 1970, the Seattle Center was a neglected 74 acres (299,467.6 m²) complex that had served as the site of Seattle's 1962 World's Fair. The Center, which stands at the foot of Queen Anne Hill, was not open year round and was little used by the general public during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Jack Fearey is widely credited with transforming the Seattle Center into a civic center
Civic center
A civic center or civic centre is a prominent land area within a community that is constructed to be its focal point or center. It usually contains one or more dominant public buildings, which may also include a government building...
and Seattle cultural hub during his twelve years as director from 1970 until 1982. Under Fearey's direction, the site for the Seattle Children's Theatre
Seattle Children's Theatre
Founded in 1975, Seattle Children's Theatre is the second-largest resident theatre for young audiences in North America and among the 20 largest regional theatres in the United States, with an annual operating budget of approximately $6.5 Million...
, located at the corner of Second Avenue and Thomas Street, was acquired. He played a major role in the development of the Bagley Wright Theatre, which opened in 1983 after his departure as director of the Seattle Center, as well as the renovation of the Seattle Playhouse, which is now the Intiman Theatre.
The Bumbershoot
Bumbershoot
Bumbershoot is an annual international music and arts festival held in Seattle, Washington. One of North America's largest such festivals, it takes place every Labor Day weekend at the 74-acre Seattle Center, which was built for the 1962 World's Fair. Seattle Center includes indoor theaters,...
and the Northwest Folklife Festival each got their start under Jack Fearey's direction. The Bumbershoot, a major Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
arts and music festival, was originally founded as Festival '71 in 1971 and was renamed to its current name in 1973. The Northwest Folklife Festival, now a major Washington Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
event, was also founded during Fearey's tenure as director of the Seattle Center.
Additionally, Fearey oversaw the installation of covered walkways in the Seattle Center to shield pedestrians from Seattle's famous rainy weather. He also worked to bring the "Treasure of Tutankhamen" tour to Seattle, which exhibited for 4 months in 1978 at the center's Flag Plaza Pavilion.
Jack Fearey resigned in 1982 after members of the Seattle city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
blamed him for financial mismanagement. The Seattle Center was over one million dollars in debt at the time.
Post Seattle Center
Jack Fearey continued to stay active the television, business and arts industries following his departure from the Seattle Center. He served on the board of directorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Fearey was also the former president of the International Association of Auditorium Managers. Fearey worked during his later years as a consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
for The Fearey Group, a Seattle based public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
agency owned by his wife, Pat Fearey.
Jack Fearey died on July 21, 2007, after a long illness. He was survived by his wife, Pat, (Fearey's first wife died in 1975.)