Category Archives: popular culture

The Oregon Trail

Posted on December 13, 2011 by ahcadmin

You might remember this game; it was a classic facet in many an elementary school classroom.  Its release in Wii format in 2011 brought the joy of cholera and “fording the river” to a whole new generation.  While this was … Continue reading →

Posted in American history, Oregon trail, popular culture, resources, Westward migration | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Art of Silent Film: Al Christie’s Contribution to Early Hollywood

Posted on December 8, 2011 by ahcadmin

Long before modern blockbusters filled theater screens with explosive sound and color, silent films captivated audiences through pure visual storytelling. This lost art form, which flourished from 1894-1929, experienced a revival when The Artist won major awards in 2011 for … Continue reading →

Posted in Hollywood history, motion picture history, popular culture, resources | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Your American Heritage Center FAQs Answered

Posted on October 31, 2011 by ahcadmin

October is Archives Month, and as part of its recognition of the auspicious occasion, the Smithsonian’s institutional archives has posted a blog titled The Smithsonian’s Top 6 Archives Myths.  So far as I know, here at the American Heritage Center … Continue reading →

Posted in Accessing historical documents, American Archives Month, Archival preservation, Archival work, Digital collections, Historical Preservation, popular culture, resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Delving into Animation History: The Legacy of Michael Maltese

Posted on October 19, 2011 by ahcadmin

Michael Maltese was born on February 6, 1908, in New York City to Italian immigrant parents, Paul and Concetta. He was married to Florence Sass in 1936 and had a daughter, Brenda, in 1938.  He started his career in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation, Animation history, cartoons, Entertainment history, motion picture history, popular culture, resources, television history | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Harmonic Echoes – Exploring Larry Adler’s Musical Impact

Posted on May 18, 2011 by ahcadmin

Lawrence Cecil “Larry” Adler was born in Baltimore on February 10, 1914 to parents Louis and Sadie. A self-taught harmonica player, he gained worldwide recognition as the musician who brought the instrument to the ‘serious music’ stage. He began playing … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Culture, Entertainment history, music, popular culture, radio history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

June Knight: A Tale of Resilience and Success

Posted on May 12, 2011 by ahcadmin

Actress, singer and dancer June Knight was born Margaret Rose Vallikett, January 22, 1913 in Los Angeles, California. An only child to parents Holley and Beryl Vallikett, Margaret Rose turned an early handicap into a very successful career. Due to … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment history, popular culture, women's history | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Behind the Laughter: Unraveling the Genius of Jack Benny Through His Archived Papers

Posted on April 27, 2011 by ahcadmin

Another Depression era collection has been processed thanks to the NHPRC grant! 130 cubic feet of Jack Benny papers have been re-processed, and the finding aid is now available online. An inexpensive escape from the challenges of daily life was … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Entertainment history, grants, newly processed collections, popular culture, radio history | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pop Culture Time Capsule: William Dozier’s Papers and The Green Hornet Legacy

Posted on January 11, 2011 by ahcadmin

  From comic books, radio, television and now the big screen, The Green Hornet has been fascinating audiences since the 1930s.  At the American Heritage Center, part of this amazing history is captured in the William Dozier papers. In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment history, popular culture, resources, television history | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment