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 39 items.
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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: Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk
- Description (Brief)
- Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk. ART BLAKEY'S JAZZ MESSENGERS WITH THELONIOUS MONK (Atlantic SD 1278)
- 33-1/3 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1957
- recording artist
- Monk, Thelonious
- Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers
- maker
- Atlantic
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.730
- maker number
- SD 1278
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.730
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Fontessa
- Description (Brief)
- The Modern Jazz Quartet. FONTESSA (Atlantic 1231)
- 33-1/3 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1956
- recording artist
- Modern Jazz Quartet
- maker
- Atlantic
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.731
- maker number
- 1231
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.731
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not
- Description (Brief)
- Chris Connor. HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT (Atlantic 1240)
- 33-1/3 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1956
- recording artist
- Connor, Chris
- maker
- Atlantic
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.732
- maker number
- 1240
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.732
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: The Last Of the Big Plungers
- Description (Brief)
- Al Grey and the Basie Wing. THE LAST OF THE BIG PLUNGERS (Argo 653)
- 33-1/3 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1959
- recording artist
- Grey, Al
- Basie Wing
- maker
- Argo
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.733
- maker number
- 653
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.733
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: The Modern Jazz Quartet At Music Inn
- Description (Brief)
- The Modern Jazz Quartet. THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET AT MUSIC INN (Atlantic 1247)
- 33-1/3 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1956
- recording artist
- Guiffre, Jimmy
- Modern Jazz Quartet
- maker
- Argo
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.734
- maker number
- 1247
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.734
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: King Of Swing
- Description (Brief)
- Count Basie. KING OF SWING (Clef MG C-724)
- 33-1/3 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1953
- recording artist
- Basie, Count
- maker
- Clef
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.745
- maker number
- MG C-724
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.745
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Count Basie Dance Session
- Description (Brief)
- Count Basie. COUNT BASIE DANCE SESSION (Clef MG C-626)
- 33-1/3 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1953
- recording artist
- Basie, Count
- maker
- Clef
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.746
- maker number
- MG C-626
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.746
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Basie Plays Hefti
- Description (Brief)
- Count Basie and his Orchestra. BASIE PLAYS HEFTI (Roulette R-52011)
- 33-1/3 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1958
- recording artist
- Count Basie and his Orchestra
- maker
- Roulette
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.752
- maker number
- R-52011
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.752
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
sound recording: Blowin' the Blues Away
- Description (Brief)
- Horace Silver Quintet & Trio. BLOWIN' THE BLUES AWAY (Blue Note 4017)
- 33-1/3 rpm
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1959
- recording artist
- Horace Silver Trio
- Horace Silver Quintet
- maker
- Blue Note
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.792
- maker number
- 4017
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.792
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center