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 231 items.
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Sound Recording
- Description
- Over the course of her 60–year career, Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996) became known to fans and colleagues as "The First Lady of Song." Her rise to international fame as a jazz and popular singer coincided with the rise of an American entertainment industry that brought music to millions through concerts, sound recordings, film, radio, and television. In 1938, Fitzgerald came up with the idea for song called "A–Tisket, A–Tasket," basing her lyric on a 19th–century nursery rhyme. Her 1938 Decca recording of the song in time became a million–seller.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording artist
- Fitzgerald, Ella
- Chick Webb and his Orchestra
- performer
- Fitzgerald, Ella
- maker
- Decca
- performer
- Webb, Chick
- composer
- Feldman, Al
- Fitzgerald, Ella
- Gershwin, George
- Cahn
- ID Number
- 1993.0102.041
- catalog number
- 1993.0102.041
- accession number
- 1993.0102
- maker number
- 1840
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Sound Recording, "When the Saints Go Marching In"
- Description (Brief)
- Born in New Orleans in 1901, jazz musician Louis Armstrong (d. 1971)was known for his distinctive trumpet-playing and vocal style. He often improvised jazz riffs using his voice rather than his instrument, “scatting” notes and melodies rather than singing actual words. Armstrong transformed traditional church songs like “When the Saints Go Marching In” into jazz melodies fit for brass bands. Nicknamed Satchmo, short for “satchel-mouth,” he helped popularize the solo performance in jazz music. His musical style influenced singers Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1939
- recording artist
- Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra
- maker
- Decca
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.208
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- maker number
- 25153
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.208
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording; Rosalie Medley; In the Still Of the Night Medley
- Description (Brief)
- Frankie Carle. side 1: ROSALIE (track 1) WHY SHOULD I CARE? (track 2) WHO KNOWS? (track 3); side 2: IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT (track 1) I'VE A STRANGE NEW RHYTHM IN MY HEART (track 2) (Decca 15036)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1937
- recording artist
- Carle, Frankie
- maker
- Decca
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.757
- maker number
- 15036
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.757
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Satchmo At Symphony Hall
- Description (Brief)
- Louis Armstrong and the All Stars. LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND THE ALL STARS (Decca DL 8038), from the album, "Satchmo At Symphony Hall" (Decca DX-108)
- 33-1/3 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1947
- 1951
- recording artist
- All Stars
- Armstrong, Louis
- maker
- Decca
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.927
- maker number
- DL 8038
- DX-108
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.927
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Satchmo At Symphony Hall
- Description (Brief)
- Louis Armstrong and the All Stars. LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND THE ALL STARS (Decca DL 8037), from the album, "Satchmo At Symphony Hall" (Decca DX-108)
- 33-1/3 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1947
- 1951
- recording artist
- All Stars
- Armstrong, Louis
- maker
- Decca
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.928
- maker number
- DL 8037
- DX-108
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.928
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Sound Recording, "The Beer Barrel Polka"
- Description (Brief)
- The Andrews Sisters—Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne—began their music career performing in vaudeville shows throughout the country. “Beer Barrel Polka” was one of their biggest hits, quickly becoming a popular jukebox selection. Based on a Czechoslovakian song, “Beer Barrel Polka” helped inspire an interest in international music in the United States. The sisters continued touring as a group into the 1950s, eventually selling over 90 million records.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1939
- recording artist
- Andrews Sisters
- maker
- Decca
- ID Number
- 1981.0656.239
- accession number
- 1981.0656
- maker number
- 2462
- catalog number
- 1981.0656.239
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Star Dust; You Are Too Beautiful
- Description (Brief)
- Dick Haymes. side 1: STAR DUST; side 2: YOU ARE TOO BEAUTIFUL (Decca 23750). from the album, "Dick Haymes Souvenir Album" (Decca A-498)
- 78 rpm
- date made
- 1946
- recording artist
- Haymes, Dick
- maker
- Decca
- ID Number
- 1981.0656.465
- accession number
- 1981.0656
- catalog number
- 1981.0656.465
- maker number
- 23750
- A-498
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: If You Were the Only Girl; How Deep Is the Ocean
- Description (Brief)
- Dick Haymes. side 1: IF YOU WERE THE ONLY GIRL; side 2: HOW DEEP IS THE OCEAN (Decca 23752). from the album, "Dick Haymes Souvenir Album" (Decca A-498)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1946
- recording artist
- Haymes, Dick
- maker
- Decca
- ID Number
- 1981.0656.467
- accession number
- 1981.0656
- maker number
- 23752
- A-498
- catalog number
- 1981.0656.467
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Let the Rest Of the World Go By; (Back Home Again In) Indiana
- Description (Brief)
- Dick Haymes. side 1: LET THE REST OF THE WORLD GO BY; side 2: (BACK HOME AGAIN IN) INDIANA (Decca 23753). from the album, "Dick Haymes Souvenir Album" (Decca A-498)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1946
- recording artist
- Haymes, Dick
- maker
- Decca
- ID Number
- 1981.0656.468
- accession number
- 1981.0656
- maker number
- 23753
- A-498
- catalog number
- 1981.0656.468
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Ritual Fire Dance; Two Part Invention in "A" Minor
- Description (Brief)
- Hazel Scott. side 1: RITUAL FIRE DANCE; side 2: TWO PART INVENTION IN "A" MINOR (Decca 18127). from the album, "Hazel Scott Swinging the Classics" (Decca 212)
- 78 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1941
- recording artist
- Scott, Hazel
- maker
- Decca
- ID Number
- 1981.0656.490
- accession number
- 1981.0656
- maker number
- 18127
- 212
- catalog number
- 1981.0656.490
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center