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Category Archives: popular culture
Louis C. Brandt: Producer and Director
The American Heritage Center has recently processed the papers of Louis C. Brandt (collection number 6800). Mr. Brandt was an assistant director and producer for television and films from the 1930s to the 1970s. During his career, Mr. Brandt worked … Continue reading
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
From Spurs to Screen: Wyoming Boy Makes It Big In Hollywood
Sometimes those “film cowboys” featured in Westerns in the 1920s-1950s were actually real cowboys. One such authentic cowboy-turned-Hollywood star is Wally Wales (also known as Hal Taliaferro). Wally Wales was born Floyd Taliaferro Alderson in 1895 in Sheridan, Wyoming. His … Continue reading
Irwin Kostal: Mastermind of Many 20th Century Musicals
The AHC has recently processed the papers of Irwin Kostal, an American composer, orchestrator and arranger in the 20th century. Kostal’s most well-known projects include work on The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Sail Away and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. … Continue reading
James E. Brodhead: A Wolverine Makes Good on Stage and Screen
James Easton Brodhead (1932-2012) was a character actor who worked in various motion picture, television, and theatre productions. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in speech in 1954. From 1950 to 1963, Brodhead appeared in … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Journalism, newly processed collections, popular culture
Tagged Hollywood Actor, James E. Brodhead, Journalism
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Saddle Up with Shane: Exploring Jack Schaefer’s Western Legacy
The film Shane is critically thought to be one of the best westerns ever made. It starred Alan Ladd as the title character, as well as Van Heflin and Jean Arthur. In fact, the film (released in 1953) was based … Continue reading
When UFOs Met Earth (Maybe?)
The AHC would like to highlight one of our UFO-related collections, the R. Leo Sprinkle papers. Ronald Leo Sprinkle was born in Rocky Ford, Colorado, in 1930. Receiving his PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri in 1961, … Continue reading
Posted in popular culture, Psychology, UFO
Tagged Extraterrestrial Life, Paranormal Newsletters, R. Leo Sprinkle, Roswell Incident, UFOs
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Collection Connection: A Conglomeration of Composers
Around the nation summer is a season for concert series and music festivals. Holdings at the American Heritage Center include the papers of many musicians and composers, particularly those who composed for movies and television—even for cartoons! This photograph from … Continue reading
Posted in Composers, popular culture
Tagged Hollywood, musicians and composers, popular culture
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Hopalong Cassidy: Cowboy Hero and Franchise Empire
One the most popular collections at the American Heritage Center is the papers of William Boyd, who played cowboy Hopalong Cassidy for many years on radio, television, and film. Hopalong Cassidy was originally created by author Clarence E. Mulford in … Continue reading
Cat Women of the Moon: When Felines Attack!
I’ve been beginning blog posts recently by writing about this or that gem that I found in the Forrest J. Ackerman Collection. After watching enough movies and looking through the artifacts that are in the collection I’m starting to realize that … Continue reading