Popular Entertainment

Elvis Presley Record

This Museum's popular entertainment collections hold some of the Smithsonian's most beloved artifacts. The ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz reside here, along with the Muppet character Kermit the Frog, and props from popular television series such as M*A*S*H and All in the Family. But as in many of the Museum's collections, the best-known objects are a small part of the story.

The collection also encompasses many other artifacts of 19th- and 20th-century commercial theater, film, radio, and TV—some 50,000 sound recordings dating back to 1903; posters, publicity stills, and programs from films and performances; puppets; numerous items from World's Fairs from 1851 to 1992; and audiovisual materials on Groucho Marx, to name only a few.

Resource Type: Shoes (footwear)

Shoes worn by Celia Cruz

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2016.0032.024
accession number
2016.0032
catalog number
2016.0032.024

Shoes, worn by Johnny Puleo

This pair of shoes was made by Florsheim, undetermined date. They are an Oxford lace-up style made of black leather. The left shoe is built up on bottom.
Description

This pair of shoes was made by Florsheim, undetermined date. They are an Oxford lace-up style made of black leather. The left shoe is built up on bottom. The right show has no heel.

This pair of shoes was previously owned and worn by Johnny Puleo (1907-1983), an American harmonica player and actor. Puleo got his big break after performing at a contest held by harmonica player and actor, Borrah Minevitch (born Boruch Meinewitz, 1902-1955), and leader of the group The Harmonica Rascals. After Minevitch’s death in 1955, Puleo formed his own group, The Harmonica Gang. The group performed throughout the world and made several recordings during their association. Puleo appeared in several television programs and films.

Location
Currently not on view
maker
Florsheim
ID Number
1991.0264.05
accession number
1991.0264
catalog number
1991.0264.05

Shoes worn by Celia Cruz

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2016.0032.021
accession number
2016.0032
catalog number
2016.0032.021

Shoe worn by Celia Cruz

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2016.0032.018
catalog number
2016.0032.018
accession number
2016.0032

Shoes worn by Celia Cruz

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2016.0032.020
catalog number
2016.0032.020
accession number
2016.0032

Shoes worn by Celia Cruz

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Molina, Carlos
ID Number
2016.0032.023
accession number
2016.0032
catalog number
2016.0032.023

Shoes worn by Celia Cruz

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2016.0032.019
accession number
2016.0032
catalog number
2016.0032.019

High Top Sneakers worn by Jon Provost in the role of Timmy on TV Series Lassie

These black canvas high-tops were worn by Jon Provost, the child actor who played Timmy on the television series Lassie (1957-64).
Description
These black canvas high-tops were worn by Jon Provost, the child actor who played Timmy on the television series Lassie (1957-64). Like many young sneaker owners, Provost customized his Keds by doodling on the rubber soles with a marker.
Since their invention in the early 1900s, sneakers have been a mainstay of childhood fashion, valued for their comfortable fit and sturdy construction as well as their style.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1957 - 1964
wearer
Provost, Jon
ID Number
1989.0009.03
accession number
1989.0009
catalog number
1989.0009.03

Shoes worn by Carol Burnett in the role of Charwoman on The Carol Burnett Show

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1962
maker
B. F. Goodrich
ID Number
1984.0223.02
accession number
1984.0223
catalog number
1984.0223.02

Tap shoes worn by Ann Miller

Ann Miller (1923–2004), among the finest tap dancers in the history of the American musical, appeared in such classic films as Easter Parade (1948), On the Town (1949), and Kiss Me, Kate (1953).
Description
Ann Miller (1923–2004), among the finest tap dancers in the history of the American musical, appeared in such classic films as Easter Parade (1948), On the Town (1949), and Kiss Me, Kate (1953). Miller wore these gold–painted high–heeled tap dancing shoes numerous times over the course of several decades, beginning with her Broadway debut in George White's Scandals of 1939 and concluding with her 1984 stage triumph, Sugar Babies. The shoes are fitted on the heels with steel "jingle" taps, which make for a greater profusion of percussive sounds.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1939
user
Miller, Ann
ID Number
1984.1012.01
accession number
1984.1012
catalog number
1984.1012.01

Shoe worn by Joel Grey as the Emcee in Cabaret

Joel Grey wore this shoe as part of a costume to portray the Emcee (Master of Ceremonies) in both the original 1966 production and 1987-1989 national tour of the musical Cabaret.
Description (Brief)
Joel Grey wore this shoe as part of a costume to portray the Emcee (Master of Ceremonies) in both the original 1966 production and 1987-1989 national tour of the musical Cabaret. The black patent leather shoes have black elastic bands at each side and two black tabs at the top of each shoe.
The musical Cabaret premiered on Broadway in 1966. With music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Joe Masteroff, the show was an adaptation of John Van Druten's 1951 play I Am a Camera, which itself was based on Christopher Isherwood's 1939 memoir Goodbye to Berlin. Cabaret is the story of love triangle centered around Berlin's Kit Kat Klub amidst the decadence, corruption, and political intrigue of the Weimar Republic era. The musical was celebrated for its originality, but was also controversial for its moral ambiguity, frank sensuality, and mature themes, including homosexuality, abortion, anti-semitism, and the rise of the Nazi party. In 1972, director Bob Fosse adapted Cabaret as a critically- lauded and popular film.
For his performances as the impish, leering Emcee in both the stage and film productions, Grey won the Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Broadway Musical in 1967 and Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1972.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
before 1966
wearer
Grey, Joel
ID Number
1989.0374.03
accession number
1989.0374
catalog number
1989.0374.03

Shoes worn by Larry Harmon in the role of Bozo the Clown

These brown shoes were part of a costume worn by Larry Harmon as the first Bozo the Clown on the children’s television show of the same name from 1949-1954.Bozo the Clown was originally created by Alan Livingston in 1946 for a children's storytelling album for Capital Records.
Description (Brief)
These brown shoes were part of a costume worn by Larry Harmon as the first Bozo the Clown on the children’s television show of the same name from 1949-1954.
Bozo the Clown was originally created by Alan Livingston in 1946 for a children's storytelling album for Capital Records. In 1956, Larry Harmon, an actor who previously portrayed Bozo during promotional events, bought the rights to the clown's image, and over the next fifty years, licensed and franchised Bozo to television stations all over America and the world. Harmon further developed the character during the 1950s and trained over 200 new actors from 1950s through the 1990s to play the clown. Harmon played Bozo on television from 1958-1962. The character of Bozo the Clown peaked in popularity in the 1960s but was beloved by many children for the entire second half of the twentieth century.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1940s - 1950s
ID Number
1984.0788.09
accession number
1984.0788
catalog number
1984.0788.09

Shoes worn in the Broadway Show A Chorus Line

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Capezio
ID Number
1990.0580.06
catalog number
1990.0580.06
accession number
1990.0580

Pair of sneakers worn by Fred Rogers on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

Pair of sneakers worn by Fred Rogers on the children's television program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
Description (Brief)
Pair of sneakers worn by Fred Rogers on the children's television program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. The blue low top Sperry Top-Sider sneakers have white rubber soles and canvas upper, with flat cloth laces.
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood was produced by WQED-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aired on public television across the nation from 1968 to 2001. Rogers began each episode by changing into a sweater and tennis shoes and singing, "Won't you be my neighbor?" An ordained Presbyterian minister and student of children's development and education, Rogers dedicated his television career to promoting children's emotional and moral well-being. His show, with its friendly conversational style and trips to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, encouraged young viewers to feel loved, respected, and special.
date made
1960s
wearer
Rogers, Fred M.
maker
Sperry
ID Number
2019.0101.02
catalog number
2019.0101.02
accession number
2019.0101

Shoes worn in Broadway Show A Chorus Line

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Capezio
Capezio
ID Number
1990.0580.05
accession number
1990.0580
catalog number
1990.0580.05

Dorothy's Ruby Slippers

Sixteen-year-old Judy Garland wore these sequined shoes as Dorothy Gale in the 1939 MGM musical film The Wizard of Oz. In the original book by L.
Description
Sixteen-year-old Judy Garland wore these sequined shoes as Dorothy Gale in the 1939 MGM musical film The Wizard of Oz. In the original book by L. Frank Baum, Dorothy's magic slippers are silver; for the Technicolor movie, costumers created ruby red shoes to show up more vividly against the yellow-brick road. One of several pairs used during filming, these size-five shoes are well-worn, suggesting they were Garland's primary pair for dance sequences.
Date made
1939
wearer
Garland, Judy
designer
Adrian
maker
Adrian
ID Number
1979.1230.01
accession number
1979.1230
catalog number
1979.1230.01

Shoes from Bombalurina costume used in the musical Cats

This pair of shoes is part of a costume worn by actresses portraying the character Bombalurina in the original Broadway production of Cats.
Description (Brief)
This pair of shoes is part of a costume worn by actresses portraying the character Bombalurina in the original Broadway production of Cats. The shoes are made of a white leather upper and plastic soles with pebbled plastic heels and toe pads.
Bombalurina is a flirtatious and confident feline who often has featured solos in the show’s numbers “The Gumbie Cat,” “Rum Tum Tugger,” “Grizabella the Glamour Cat,” and “Bustopher Jones.” Bombalurina’s largest singing part is in “Macavity.” Depending on the production, Bombalurina sings various parts of these songs and usually sings the entirety of “Macavity.” Geraldine Gardner originated the role on the West End in 1981 and Donna King and Marlene Danielle later took on the role on Broadway. On the screen, Rosemarie Ford portrayed the character in the 1998 film and Taylor Swift portrayed her in the 2019 film adaptation.
Cats broke Broadway records with its run of 7,485 performances from 1982 until 2000 at New York’s Winter Garden Theatre. The play, written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on stories and characters from T. S. Eliot's 1939 Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and first premiered in London’s West End in 1981. The expensive and spectacular production has been called the first “megamusical,” inaugurating a new period of Broadway theater history when big-budget shows with elaborate special effects, spectacular costumes, and rock music revived the theater district’s sagging fortunes. Cats earned multiple Tony awards in its original run and has since been revived on Broadway and in numerous national and international tours.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1982-2000
designer
Napier, John
ID Number
2000.0219.02.06
catalog number
2000.0219.02.06
accession number
2000.0219

Shoes from Mistoffelees costume used in the musical Cats

This pair of shoes is part of a costume worn by actors portraying the character Mr. Mistoffelees in the original Broadway production of Cats. The shoes are made of black patent leather uppers with black pebbled nonslip heels and toe pads. A black-and-white tuxedo cat, Mr.
Description
This pair of shoes is part of a costume worn by actors portraying the character Mr. Mistoffelees in the original Broadway production of Cats. The shoes are made of black patent leather uppers with black pebbled nonslip heels and toe pads. A black-and-white tuxedo cat, Mr. Mistoffelees possesses magical powers celebrated in the song “Magical Mr. Mistoffelees.” While Mistoffelees sometimes sings depending on the production, it is primarily a featured dancing role. The character has some of the most challenging choreography in the show, including his signature move the “Conjuring Turn,” which is twenty-four consecutive fouettés en tournant. Wayne Sleep originated the role on the West End in 1981 and Timothy Scott later took on the role on Broadway in 1982. On the screen, Jacob Brent portrayed the character in the 1998 film and Laurie Davidson portrayed him in the 2019 film adaptation.
Cats broke Broadway records with its run of 7,485 performances from 1982 until 2000 at New York’s Winter Garden Theatre. The play, written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on stories and characters from T. S. Eliot's 1939 Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and first premiered in London’s West End in 1981. The expensive and spectacular production has been called the first “megamusical,” inaugurating a new period of Broadway theater history when big-budget shows with elaborate special effects, spectacular costumes, and rock music revived the theater district’s sagging fortunes. Cats earned multiple Tony awards in its original run and has since been revived on Broadway and in numerous national and international tours.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1982-2000
designer
Napier, John
Napier, John
ID Number
2000.0219.01.04
catalog number
2000.0219.01.04
accession number
2000.0219

Pair of shoes from Grizabella costume used in the musical Cats

This pair of shoes is part of a costume worn by actresses portraying the character Grizabella in the original Broadway production of Cats.
Description (Brief)
This pair of shoes is part of a costume worn by actresses portraying the character Grizabella in the original Broadway production of Cats. The open-toe shoes are made of greige-colored leather with black paint spattered on the 2.25” heels and are covered in greige-colored fur strips across vamps and quarters.
Grizabella the Glamour Cat is the musical’s main character, responsible for singing the hit song “Memory.” Grizabella was once a glamourous cat but is now lonely and decrepit; she is ostracized by the Jellicle tribe and seeks re-acceptance in the community. She is eventually chosen as the “Jellicle choice” to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and return to a new life. Grizabella’s story was not included in Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, as it was deemed “too sad for children.” T. S. Eliot’s widow, Valerie Eliot, gave Andrew Lloyd Webber the poem which describes the former glamour cat who has fallen on hard times and roams the red-light district near Tottenham Court. Elaine Page originated the role on the West End in 1981 and reprised the role in the 1998 film. Betty Buckley later took on the role on Broadway in 1982. Jennifer Hudson portrayed her in the 2019 film adaptation.
Cats broke Broadway records with its run of 7,485 performances from 1982 until 2000 at New York’s Winter Garden Theatre. The play, written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on stories and characters from T. S. Eliot's 1939 Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and first premiered in London’s West End in 1981. The expensive and spectacular production has been called the first “megamusical,” inaugurating a new period of Broadway theater history when big-budget shows with elaborate special effects, spectacular costumes, and rock music revived the theater district’s sagging fortunes. Cats earned multiple Tony awards in its original run and has since been revived on Broadway and in numerous national and international tours.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1982-2000
maker
Alle Maners
designer
Napier, John
ID Number
2000.0219.03.07
accession number
2000.0219
catalog number
2000.0219.03.07

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