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 88 items.
Page 1 of 9
Sound Recording
- Description
- Elvis Aron Presley (1935—1977) is one of the best-known and most influential figures in popular music. Throughout his career, Elvis incorporated pop, gospel, country, and blues elements into creating his trademark style and earning his mainstream success.
- This recording is the first of Elvis's many albums that he made for RCA. The company took a major risk in releasing a full album from this new "rock & roll" artist, as teenagers were more likely to buy 45 rpm singles than a full LP. The Elvis Presley album included recording sessions Elvis did for RCA and five previously unissued songs recorded earlier with Sun Records. After the album's release in March 1956, Elvis Presley eventually went on to become the first rock & roll album to reach number one on national record sales charts, and RCA's first million-dollar-earning pop album.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1956
- recording artist
- Presley, Elvis
- manufacturer
- RCA Victor
- ID Number
- 2000.3053.1039
- nonaccession number
- 2000.3053
- catalog number
- 2000.3053.1039
- label number
- LPM-1254
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Whiffenpoof Song; Life Is Just a Bowl Of Cherries
- Description (Brief)
- Rudy Vallee and his Connecticut Yankees. side 1: WHIFFENPOOF SONG; side 2: LIFE IS JUST A BOWL OF CHERRIES (RCA Victor 27843). from the album, "Heigh Ho Everybody" (RCA Victor P 111)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1942
- recording artist
- Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees
- maker
- RCA Victor
- ID Number
- 1981.0656.527
- maker number
- 27843
- P 111
- accession number
- 1981.0656
- catalog number
- 1981.0656.527
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Don't Grieve, Don't Sorrow, Don't Cry; In Spite of Everything You Do
- Description (Brief)
- Savannah Churchill. side 1: DON'T GRIEVE, DON'T SORROW, DON'T CRY; side 2: IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING YOU DO (RCA Victor 20-4448)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording artist
- Churchill, Savannah
- composer
- Gordon, Richard
- Johns, Dorothy L.
- Edwoods, Jack
- Watson, Gilbert S.
- manufacturer
- RCA Victor
- ID Number
- 1996.0153.08720
- catalog number
- 1996.0153.08720
- label number
- 20-4448
- accession number
- 1996.0153
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: If I Didn't Love You So; Walking by the River
- Description (Brief)
- Savannah Churchill. side 1: IF I DIDN'T LOVE YOU SO; side 2: WALKING BY THE RIVER (RCA Victor 20-5031)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording artist
- Churchill, Savannah
- composer
- Carlisle, Una Mae
- Sour, Robert
- Csida, Joe
- Mellin, Robert
- manufacturer
- RCA Victor
- ID Number
- 1996.0153.08723
- label number
- 20-5031
- catalog number
- 1996.0153.08723
- accession number
- 1996.0153
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Angels in Harlem; Ain't Gonna Drink No More
- Description (Brief)
- "Doctor" (Peter J.) Clayton. side 1: ANGELS IN HARLEM; side 2: AIN'T GONNA DRINK NO MORE (RCA Victor 20-2153)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording artist; composer
- Clayton, Peter J.
- manufacturer
- RCA Victor
- ID Number
- 1996.0153.08733
- catalog number
- 1996.0153.08733
- label number
- 20-2153
- accession number
- 1996.0153
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Angels in Harlem; Ain't Gonna Drink No More
- Description (Brief)
- "Doctor" (Peter J.) Clayton. side 1: ANGELS IN HARLEM; side 2: AIN'T GONNA DRINK NO MORE (RCA Victor 20-2153)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording artist; composer
- Clayton, Peter J.
- manufacturer
- RCA Victor
- ID Number
- 1996.0153.08734
- catalog number
- 1996.0153.08734
- label number
- 20-2153
- accession number
- 1996.0153
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Copper Colored Mama; Root Doctor Blues
- Description (Brief)
- "Doctor" (Peter J.) Clayton. side 1: COPPER COLORED MAMA; side 2: ROOT DOCTOR BLUES (RCA Victor 20-2323)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording artist; composer
- Clayton, Peter J.
- manufacturer
- RCA Victor
- ID Number
- 1996.0153.08736
- catalog number
- 1996.0153.08736
- label number
- 20-2323
- accession number
- 1996.0153
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Copper Colored Mama; Root Doctor Blues
- Description (Brief)
- "Doctor" (Peter J.) Clayton. side 1: COPPER COLORED MAMA; side 2: ROOT DOCTOR BLUES (RCA Victor 20-2323)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording artist; composer
- Clayton, Peter J.
- manufacturer
- RCA Victor
- ID Number
- 1996.0153.08737
- catalog number
- 1996.0153.08737
- label number
- 20-2323
- accession number
- 1996.0153
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: I Need My Baby; Hold That Train, Conductor
- Description (Brief)
- "Doctor" (Peter J.) Clayton. side 1: I NEED MY BABY; side 2: HOLD THAT TRAIN, CONDUCTOR (RCA Victor 20-1995)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording artist; composer
- Clayton, Peter J.
- manufacturer
- RCA Victor
- ID Number
- 1996.0153.08739
- catalog number
- 1996.0153.08739
- label number
- 20-1995
- accession number
- 1996.0153
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: I Need My Baby; Hold That Train, Conductor
- Description (Brief)
- "Doctor" (Peter J.) Clayton. side 1: I NEED MY BABY; side 2: HOLD THAT TRAIN, CONDUCTOR (RCA Victor 20-1995)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording artist; composer
- Clayton, Peter J.
- manufacturer
- RCA Victor
- ID Number
- 1996.0153.08740
- catalog number
- 1996.0153.08740
- label number
- 20-1995
- accession number
- 1996.0153
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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