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 1604 items.
Page 1 of 161
Space Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise Lunch Box
- Description (Brief)
- This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1979. The box features imagery of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise. The Space Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise was the first shuttle that NASA built, but it never went to space. Instead it was used for approach and landing tests. The shuttle was originally going to be named the Constitution, but fans of the TV series Star Trek staged a write-in campaign and the shuttle was renamed after the show’s USS Enterprise NCC-1701. The shuttle now resides at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1979
- collected for nmah
- Smithsonian Institution
- maker
- Thermos
- ID Number
- 1988.3160.35
- catalog number
- 1988.3160.35
- nonaccession number
- 1988.3160
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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
Bobby and Betty's Trip to the New York World's Fair Game
- Description (Brief)
- Souvenir Game made by Parker Brothers commemorating the New York World's Fair 1939-1940.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1939-1940
- ID Number
- 1990.0542.1459
- accession number
- 1990.0542
- catalog number
- 1990.0542.1459
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Satellite Thermos Bottle
- Description (Brief)
- This plastic and glass vacuum thermos bottle was manufactured by the American Thermos Products Company and served as a companion bottle to the Satellite Lunch Box, object number 2001.0387.06.01. The bottle is adorned with action scenes in space featuring rockets and satellites hovering over the surface of the moon.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1958
- maker
- American Thermos Bottle Company
- ID Number
- 2001.3087.06.02
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3087
- catalog number
- 2001.3087.06.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Campus Queen Lunch Box
- Description (Brief)
- This Campus Queen steel lunch box was manufactured by King Seeley Thermos Company in 1967. This Campus Queen lunch box features a magnetic game kit on the back, taking you from study hall to the prom, with stops at the Soda Fountain, Movies, and Beauty parlor. This lunch box also has the distinction of being featured in the music video for Cyndi Lauper’s 1984 number one hit, “Time After Time.”
- Date made
- 1967
- maker
- King Seeley Thermos Company
- ID Number
- 2001.3087.13
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3087
- catalog number
- 2001.3087.13
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Johnny Lightning Lunch Box
- Description (Brief)
- This steel lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1970. The lunch box has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible green, plastic handle. Johnny Lightning was a die cast model car brand manufactured from 1969-1971 and 1994-present. There is an illustrated National Safety Council “Safety First” message printed in black and white on the interior lid.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1970
- maker
- Aladdin Industries Incorporated
- ID Number
- 2001.3087.15
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3087
- catalog number
- 2001.3087.15
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Bee Gees Lunch Box
- Description (Brief)
- This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1978. The lunch box depicts the three Bee Gees on front lid, Robin Gibb on the rear panel, and various song titles are written on the side. The Bee Gees mainly consisted of the brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, and each one had their own lunch box. The Bee Gees first achieved international fame in the 1960s as a rock group, but the height of their success occurred in the late 1970s, with their soundtrack to the hit movie Saturday Night Fever becoming one of the best selling soundtracks of all time.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1978
- maker
- Aladdin Industries
- King Seeley Thermos
- ID Number
- 2001.3099.01
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3099
- catalog number
- 2001.3099.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
The Beverly Hillbillies Lunch Box
- Description (Brief)
- This tin lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1963. It features colorful action scenes from the television series The Beverly Hillbillies, on the lid, back and the sides. The Beverly Hillbillies ran from 1962-1971 on CBS, and was of the most successful shows of the 1960s. It held the number one spot in the Nielsen ratings its first two years, and received multiple Emmy nominations.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1963
- maker
- Aladdin Industries
- ID Number
- 2001.3099.02
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3099
- catalog number
- 2001.3099.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Lunch Box
- Description (Brief)
- This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1954, and it came with an aluminum thermos. This Roy Rogers and Dale Evans lunch box features an image on front lid of Dale in a red dress, greeting Roy on his horse Trigger at gate of the "DOUBLE R BAR RANCH". The back has a wood grain print with "RR" brand and name for box owner on the back, 2 vent slots. This was one Thermos’s first entries into the market of licensed lunch boxes, as a response to Aladdin’s Hopalong Cassidy box.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1954
- depicted
- Rogers, Roy
- Evans, Dale
- maker
- American Thermos Bottle Company
- ID Number
- 2001.3099.07.01
- nonaccession number
- 2001.3099
- catalog number
- 2001.3099.07.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center