Category Archives: Entertainment history

Truth to Power: US Senator McGee’s Fight Echoed in “Oppenheimer”

Senator Gale McGee of Wyoming was an important figure in the groundswell of political change occurring in his time. Notably, as one of the rare Democrats in the state’s predominantly political sphere, he brought his extensive knowledge of history to … Continue reading

Posted in American history, Biography and profiles, Entertainment history, Film History, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, Political controversy, Political history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stan Lee: A Legacy of Learning

A-listers, cutting-edge CGI, chaos, quips, and post-credit scenes—that is 21st-century Marvel Entertainment in a nutshell. Churning out one blockbuster production after another, Marvel has established itself as a live-action media mogul persistently setting the pace for family action movies over … Continue reading

Posted in Biography and profiles, Comic book history, Education, Entertainment history, exhibits, Interns' projects, Literacy, Pop Culture, popular culture, Stan Lee, Superheroes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Wyoming? An Investigation into Stan Lee’s Relationship with the American Heritage Center

The University of Wyoming’s American Heritage Center is home to thousands of collections. Perhaps one of the most popular, and equally perplexing, collections is the Stan Lee Papers, the official archive of the celebrated author, editor, and Marvel Comics trailblazer. … Continue reading

Posted in American Heritage Center, Biography and profiles, Comic book history, Entertainment history, Interns' projects, Marvel Comics, Pop Culture, popular culture, Stan Lee, Superheroes, Uncategorized, University of Wyoming | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Man Behind the Music: Carl Stalling and His Contributions to Disney Studio

In commemorating the 100th anniversary of Disney Brothers Studio, now known as the Walt Disney Company, it’s a good time to reflect on the remarkable individuals who have left an indelible mark on its history. Disney is a studio that … Continue reading

Posted in Animation history, Biography and profiles, Composers, Entertainment history, Film Music, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Thanksgiving with Ozzie and Harriet Nelson

Thanksgiving is one of the quintessentially American holidays, so it is fitting that the all-American radio and television show The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet would include scenes related to the holiday. The Ozzie and Harriet Nelson papers at the … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment history, Holidays, Hollywood history, radio history, television history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Holy Spectacle, Batman! Campy Fun with the 1960s Batman Television Series

As September 19 would have been Adam West’s 94th birthday, let’s look back on one of his best-known roles, Batman. The campy, smash hit of the 60s was loathed by some and loved by many more. But the people who … Continue reading

Posted in Actors, Comic book history, Entertainment history, Pop Culture, popular culture, Superheroes, television history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jack Benny: Accidental Radio Extraordinaire

On March 29th, 1932, Ed Sullivan invited Jack Benny to his radio program, launching a prolific radio and entertainment career. Benny went from a small-time vaudeville performer to a radio host, USO performer, movie man and more. Today, we honor … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment history, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, radio history, television history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Documenting Women’s Roles in Hollywood

Film and television entertains us all and are significant to American culture.  Whether through comedy, drama, or music, perspectives of our culture can be studied by observing what entertained us in the past.  The American Heritage Center’s vast entertainment collections … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment history, Film History, television history, Uncategorized, Women in History, Women in Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Television Magic: Exploring the Work of Robert Wynn

Robert (a.k.a. Bob) Wynn produced and directed more than 60 television shows and specials from the 1960s to the 1990s. Born in 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri, Wynn began his career as a radio broadcaster in the 1950s. He was … Continue reading

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Why are Barbara Stanwyck’s papers at the AHC? Because we asked for them!

One of the most frequently asked questions about the American Heritage Center is how and why we wound up with such a large and significant collection relating to the history of popular entertainment in the U.S.—film, television, and radio in … Continue reading

Posted in American Heritage Center, American history, Archival preservation, Archival work, Entertainment history, popular culture, television history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment