Popular Entertainment - Overview
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.
"Popular Entertainment - Overview" showing 87 items.
Page 1 of 9
Laugh-In Lunch Box
- Description (Brief)
- This metal lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1969. The lunch boxes features imagery from the popular TV comedy show, Laugh-In. Laugh-In was a sketch comedy variety show that originally ran from 1968-1973 on NBC.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1969
- collected for nmah
- Smithsonian Institution
- maker
- Aladdin
- ID Number
- 1988.3160.36
- nonaccession number
- 1988.3160
- catalog number
- 1988.3160.36
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Yogi Bear Lunch Box
- Description (Brief)
- This metal lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1974. The lunch box features images of Yogi Bear, a popular cartoon character originally from the animated TV series, The Huckleberrry Hound Show. Yogi Bear became such a popular character, that he eventually got his own series of shows, focusing on his adventures in Jellystone Park trying to outsmart Ranger Smith and get his paws on those delicious “pic-a-nic baskets.” Interestingly, the lunch box features a back with a chalkboard.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1963-1974
- collected for nmah
- Smithsonian Institution
- maker
- Aladdin
- ID Number
- 1988.3160.49
- catalog number
- 1988.3160.49
- nonaccession number
- 1988.3160
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
The Flintstones Lunch Box
- Description (Brief)
- This tin lunch box was made by Aladdin industries in 1962. The box has an orange rim, and features images from The Flintstones on the lid, back and sides. The Flintstones ran from 1960-1966 on ABC, and was the longest running prime-time cartoon until The Simpsons. The Flintstones continued in a variety of television specials, movies, and films after its cancelation, and its other licensed products such as cereal and vitamins remain popular.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1962
- maker
- Aladdin
- ID Number
- 2001.3100.09.01
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3100
- catalog number
- 2001.3100.09.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
The Flintstones
- Description (Brief)
- This metal, glass and plastic thermos bottle has a screw-on, red plastic cup lid and a red and gray, screw-on plastic stopper. This bottle is the companion to lunch box #2001.3100.09.01. The bottle features art from The Flintstones, of the Flintstone and Rubble family eating a picnic and their children playing with their dinosaur, Dino.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1962
- maker
- Aladdin
- ID Number
- 2001.3100.09.02
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3100
- catalog number
- 2001.3100.09.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Gene Autry Lunch Box
- Description (Brief)
- This tin lunch box was made by Aladdin Industries in 1954. It features a picture of Gene Autry riding a bucking horse, and the back of the box features a tan and white design to resemble a cowhide. Autry was known as “The Singing Cowboy,” performing in radio, movies, and television from the 1930s to 1960s, becoming most famous for such songs as “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” and “Frosty the Snowman.”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1954
- depicted
- Autry, Gene
- maker
- Aladdin
- ID Number
- 2001.3100.10
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3100
- catalog number
- 2001.3100.10
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
The Beverly Hillbillies Thermos
- Description (Brief)
- This tin and glass thermos bottle was made by Aladdin Industries in 1963. It has a screw-on, red plastic cup lid and a red screw-on, plastic stopper. The bottle features colorful scenes from the television show, The Beverly Hillbillies on the side of the thermos.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1963
- maker
- Aladdin
- ID Number
- 2001.3100.16
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3100
- catalog number
- 2001.3100.16
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Laugh-In Thermos
- Description (Brief)
- This plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Aladdin Industries in 1968. It has a screw-on, black plastic cup lid and a yellow screw-on, plastic stopper. The bottle is yellow with phrases from the television show, Laugh-In on the side of the thermos.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1968
- maker
- Aladdin
- ID Number
- 2001.3100.17
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3100
- catalog number
- 2001.3100.17
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Space Cadet Thermos
- Description (Brief)
- This tin, plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Aladdin Industries in 1952. The bottle has a yellow plastic, screw-on lid and a brown cork stopper. The bottle has a black background with colorful space action drawings from the television series Tom Corbett Space Cadet on the side. The bottle is the companion piece to lunch box #2001.3101.02.01.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1952
- maker
- Aladdin
- ID Number
- 2001.3101.02.02
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3101
- catalog number
- 2001.3101.02.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Lunch Box
- Description (Brief)
- This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1973. The lunch box features the cartoon characters of the television show Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, on all sides of the lunch box. Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was an animated series created by Bill Cosby that ran from 1972-1985 on CBS.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1973
- maker
- Aladdin
- ID Number
- 2001.3101.03.01
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3101
- catalog number
- 2001.3101.03.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Thermos
- Description (Brief)
- This square plastic thermos bottle was made by Aladdin Industries in 1973. It has a red plastic, screw-on cup lid and a white and red, plastic stopper. The bottle is orange and has a portrait of Fat Albert from the television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids on the front of the thermos. The bottle is the companion to lunch box #2001.3101.03.01.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1973
- maker
- Aladdin
- ID Number
- 2001.3101.03.02
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3101
- catalog number
- 2001.3101.03.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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