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Category Archives: Entertainment history
At the Copa: Antonio Morelli and the Musical Legacy of Mid-Century Las Vegas
You know what they say: What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But then, what is the American Heritage Center of Wyoming doing with personally autographed photos from the likes of Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin? … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment history, Music History, Performing Arts, Uncategorized
Tagged 1950s Music, 1960s Music, American Heritage Center, Anthony Morelli, Antonio Morelli, Big Band Era, Casino Entertainment, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Las Vegas, Mid-Century America, Rat Pack, Sammy Davis Jr., Sands Hotel
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Penning the Punchlines: Carroll Carroll and the Making of Kraft Music Hall
While Kraft Music Hall (KMH) earned its reputation through unforgettable music performances, as explored in “Take it Away, John Scott,” the show’s enduring charm also rested on its clever comedy. Producing a live, weekly variety show featuring music, comedy, and … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Century Broadcasting, Entertainment history, Golden Age of Radio, radio history, Uncategorized
Tagged 1930s Radio, 1940s Radio, Advertising History, American Heritage Center, Bing Crosby, Bob Burns, Carroll Carroll, Comedy Writing, J. Walter Thompson, John Scott Trotter, Ken Carpenter, Kraft Foods, Kraft Music Hall, Mary Martin, Radio Comedy, Radio Sponsorship, Radio Variety Shows, Scriptwriters, World War II Broadcasting
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“Take it away, John Scott”: John Scott Trotter and the Kraft Music Hall
Aside from being an effective tool for advertising, as explored in On the Air and in the Aisles, Kraft Music Hall (KMH) owed much of its enduring appeal to the caliber of musical performances and the talent behind them. The … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment history, Music History, Performing Arts, radio history, Uncategorized
Tagged 1930s Music, American Music History, Big Band Era, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Golden Age of Radio, Hollywood Entertainment, John Scott Trotter, Kraft Music Hall, Music Direction, Musical Arrangement, Radio Broadcasts, Vintage Radio
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On the Air and in the Aisles: How Kraft Music Hall Sold a Show and a Brand
A standard of the Golden Age of Radio, musical-variety radio programs surged in popularity in the early 1930s as consumers gained access to affordable radio units. These shows, often blending comedy with music, remained beloved throughout the Great Depression. Typically … Continue reading
Posted in Advertising, Entertainment history, Golden Age of Radio, Hollywood history, radio history, television history, Uncategorized
Tagged 1930s, 1940s, American Heritage Center, Bing Crosby, Brand Integration, Carroll Carroll, Hollywood, J. Walter Thompson, John Scott Trotter, Ken Carpenter, Kraft Foods, Kraft Music Hall, Miracle Whip, Musical Variety, NBC radio, Paul Whiteman, Radio Advertising, Radio Networks, Radio Sponsorship
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Samuel A. Peeples: From Western Frontiers to Sci-Fi Stardom
In 1965, a Western writer helped launch an unexpected science fiction phenomenon. Samuel A. Peeples (1917-1991) was an American screenwriter and novelist whose career spanned genres and mediums, leaving a lasting impact on both Westerns and science fiction. Samuel’s career … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment history, science fiction, television history, Uncategorized, Western fiction, Western genre, Writers and authors
Tagged 1960s Television, American Heritage Center, Brad Ward (pen name), Custer, Film archives, Flash Gordon, Gene Roddenberry, Jason of Star Command, Lancer, NBC, Pop culture history, Samuel A. Peeples, Science Fiction Writers, Screenwriting, Spectre (1977), Star Trek, Television pilots, Television writing, The Tall Man, Western novels, Western Writers, Where No Man Has Gone Before, William Shatner
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Little House on the Prairie
This western historical television drama was based on bestselling books by Laura Ingalls (1867-1957). NBC picked it up 50 years ago in 1974 and the television series ran until March 21, 1983. This western historical television drama was based on … Continue reading
Posted in American West, Entertainment history, Literature, television history, Uncategorized
Tagged 1970s Television, 1980s Television, American Heritage Center, Archives, Family Programming, Historical Collections, Historical Drama, Ingalls Family, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie, Michael Landon, NBC Television, Pioneer life, Television Adaptations, Television Scripts, Western Literature
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Behind the Curtain: A Look at The Wizard of Oz’s Difficult Production 85 Years Later
As a lifelong Oz fan, 1939’s The Wizard of Oz has been a throughline of positive memories for me. My parents called me “munchky” growing up, a nickname that would be apt when I made my stage debut as a … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Entertainment history, Film History, Hollywood history, Uncategorized
Tagged 1939 films, Academy Awards, American Heritage Center, Buddy Ebsen, Film production challenges, George Cukor, Gone With the Wind, Judy Garland, King Vidor, L. Frank Baum, LGBTQ+ culture, Margaret Hamilton, MGM, Movie Musicals, Ray Bolger, Technicolor, The Wizard of Oz, Victor Fleming
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Parallel Universes: Alternate Histories of Beloved Sci-Fi Franchises
Every writer and every producer can tell you that for every successful idea, a hundred more ended up lying in a wastepaper basket somewhere or scooped up into a folder to use later, only to languish, forgotten by all. While … Continue reading
Studying Stan – The Creation of Stan Lee: Beyond the Book
In June 2023, a team of three University of Wyoming student interns began researching the papers of Stan Lee, which are housed at the American Heritage Center (AHC). Their interns’ intention was to create an exciting and informative exhibit about … Continue reading
Posted in American Heritage Center, behind the scenes, Comic book history, Current events, Entertainment history, exhibits, Uncategorized
Tagged Archival Research, Bob Dylan Center, Comic Books, Curation, Exhibit Design, Fan Mail, Hugh Hefner, Jack Kirby, Kartoon Studios, Marvel Comics, POW! Entertainment, Stan Lee, Stan Lee Media, Student Interns, University of Wyoming, Woody Guthrie Center
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Beyond Prissy: The Literary Ambitions of Butterfly McQueen
In a small collection at the American Heritage Center – apparently the only archival collection of her papers anywhere – actress Butterfly McQueen preserved a series of typescript works that made me wonder: of all her experiences, why did she … Continue reading →