Category Archives: television history

The Macabre Magic of Richard Matheson’s Stories -Part Two

In this blog series, we are celebrating the life and work of Richard Matheson, a master of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. His stories and novels have inspired countless films, TV shows, and writers, from The Twilight Zone to Steven … Continue reading

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From Talking Movies to Looney Tunes – Celebrating 100 Years of Warner Brothers

April 4, 2023, marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of Warner Brothers Pictures. Here at the American Heritage Center, we have the papers of some of the creative personalities behind the films for which Warner Brothers is revered. The … Continue reading

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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

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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

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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

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Star Trek: Creating the Cultural Phenomenon

The 1960’s television show Star Trek spawned a long lived and beloved cultural phenomenon. Here at the American Heritage Center, we are fortunate to have photographs, scripts, and music scores from some of the original seventy-nine Star Trek episodes that … Continue reading

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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, Biography and profiles, 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

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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

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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 Actors, African American history, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, television history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments