Category Archives: Motion picture actors and actresses

Unsung Music Man Walter Scharf

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

Meet Grande Dame Guignol at the American Heritage Center

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

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!

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

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

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 Many Faces of Peter Lorre

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

Time Warp: The Back to the Future Film Trilogy

Time travel behind the wheel of a nuclear-powered DeLorean is the premise of the 1985 hit movie Back to the Future. The film follows the comedic adventures of Marty McFly, a high school student who is accidentally transported back thirty … Continue reading

Posted in Fantasy, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, science fiction, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Eat What You Want Day!

May 11 is “Eat What You Want Day.” What does that mean? Well, it means for one day you can forget your diet and, health permitting, treat yourself to a favorite food. Today, you can say “Yes-Yes” to that slice … Continue reading

Posted in Animal actors, community collections, Current events, Digital collections, Local history, Motion picture actors and actresses, Photographic collections, Uncategorized, University of Wyoming history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Groundbreaking Character Actor Richard Loo

To celebrate May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the AHC would like to feature the life and career of Chinese American actor Richard Loo. Loo was born in Maui, Hawaii, in 1903. As a young man he … Continue reading

Posted in American Perspectives on Asia, Asian American history, Current events, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, Pacific Islander history, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment