Category Archives: Hollywood history

Unsung Music Man Walter Scharf

Posted on February 20, 2023 by ahcadmin

Walter Scharf is one of the great, unsung composers & arrangers in film history. Anyone who finds themselves humming Pure Imagination from the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) is likely to recall, along with the melody itself, … Continue reading →

Posted in Composers, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, television history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Excelsior! – Honoring a Lifetime of Stan Lee’s Work

Posted on December 26, 2022 by ahcadmin

December 28, 2022, marks the 100th Anniversary of Stan Lee’s birth, so it is fitting that the last post of the year delves into his remarkable life and work. Lee’s papers are among the American Heritage Center’s most popular collections. … Continue reading →

Posted in Comic book history, Fantasy, Hollywood history, popular culture, Superheroes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thanksgiving with Ozzie and Harriet Nelson

Posted on November 21, 2022 by ahcadmin

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

Meet Grande Dame Guignol at the American Heritage Center

Posted on October 31, 2022 by ahcadmin

This Halloween, we consider the sub-genre of horror films referred to as “Grande Dame Guignol,” also known as “Hagsploitation,” “Psycho-biddy,” or “Hag Horror,” and three films in that sub-genre that are represented in three of our collections. Films of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Holidays, Hollywood history, Horror, Motion picture actors and actresses, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

American Heritage Center Exhibit Celebrates Buddy Ebsen, 1908-2003

Posted on August 29, 2022 by ahcadmin

Do you remember the TV comedy series The Beverly Hillbillies? How about the mystery series Barnaby Jones? More recently the series King of the Hill? No doubt you’ve seen the classic films The Wizard of Oz or Breakfast at Tiffany’s. … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, exhibits, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, television history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Happy Birthday Hoppy!

Posted on June 5, 2022 by ahcadmin

William Lawrence Boyd, known throughout the world as “Hopalong Cassidy”, was born June 5, 1895 in Hendrysburg, Ohio, to Charles William Boyd, and his wife, the former Lida Wilkens (aka Lyda). Following his father’s death, Boyd moved to California to … Continue reading →

Posted in Animal actors, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, popular culture, television history, Uncategorized, Western history | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Jack Benny: Accidental Radio Extraordinaire

Posted on March 28, 2022 by ahcadmin

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

Bill Walker: Advocate for Black Actors

Posted on January 31, 2022 by ahcadmin

William Franklin “Bill” Walker was born in Pendleton, Indiana, in 1896. The grandson of slaves who had escaped to the North on the Underground Railroad, he was the first Black graduate of Pendleton High School. A well-rounded student, he lettered … Continue reading →

Posted in African American history, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, television history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Wizard of Oz – The Story Behind the Film

Posted on November 15, 2021 by ahcadmin

The 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, beloved by children and adults alike, holds a special place in cinematographic history. The award-winning movie is based on an adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Baum’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors and literature, Book history, Chinese Americans, Hollywood history, motion picture history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Many Faces of Peter Lorre

Posted on October 25, 2021 by ahcadmin

This Halloween, we highlight the career of actor Peter Lorre (1904-1964), who is represented in two of our collections. Lorre, who was born László Löwenstein in Hungary, began acting for the stage in Vienna in the early 1920s. He gained … Continue reading →

Posted in Holidays, Hollywood history, Horror, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment