Smithsonian Networks is a joint venture between Showtime Networks and the Smithsonian Institution. It was formed to create channels featuring programs largely inspired
by the assets of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum and research complex. Smithsonian Channel features award-winning original documentaries, series and
ground-breaking programs highlighting America's historical, cultural and scientific heritage. This accession consists of programs created for the Smithsonian Channel that
cover a range of topics including aeronautics, astronautics, science, nature, and American culture and history. Materials are in electronic format.
Restrictions:
Special restrictions on use of these materials apply. See Record of Transfer, Appendix B, Transferring office; Record of Transfer, August 25, 2009; Contact reference staff for details.
2.5 cu. ft. (1 record storage box) (3 document boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Audiotapes
Compact discs
Videotapes
Place:
Mississippi River
Mississippi River Valley
Date:
1998-1999
Descriptive Entry:
This accession documents the production of "The Mississippi: River of Song." Better known as "River of Song," this project combined a television series, radio series,
and 2-disc compact disc. The project as a whole explores the richness and vitality of American music at the close of the twentieth century through live performances and intimate
discussions with musicians along the course of the Mississippi River. The 4-part television series aired on the Public Broadcasting Service beginning in January 1999. It takes
viewers on a musical journey from the headwaters in northern Minnesota to the river's mouth in the Gulf of Mexico, creating a portrait of the American musician along the way.
All scenes were shot live on location and feature musicians that represent the regional culture. The 7-part radio series aired on Public Radio International affiliates beginning
in January 1999. The radio series is similar in content to the television series and is hosted by Ani DiFranco. The 2-CD set consists of 36 tracks of live recordings from
1995 through 1997. The CDs feature contemporary musicians who have forged their styles out of the rich musical heritage found along the banks of the Mississippi River. The
CDs were distributed through Smithsonian Folkways beginning in 1998. Materials in this accession include originals, production masters, archives, narration, sound mixes, distribution
copies, and promotional copies. Additional and detailed information about these productions may be found at The River of Song Project website at http://www.pbs.org/riverofsong/.
Restrictions:
Restrictions pertaining to the use of these materials may apply (based on contracts/copyright). Access restrictions may also apply if viewing/listening copies are not currently available. Viewing/listening copies can be made for a fee. Contact reference staff for details.
Topic:
Television -- Production and direction Search this
Video recordings -- Production and direction Search this
Smithsonian Networks is a joint venture between Showtime Networks and the Smithsonian Institution. It was formed to create channels featuring programs largely inspired
by the assets of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum and research complex. Smithsonian Channel features award-winning original documentaries, series and
ground-breaking programs highlighting America's historical, cultural and scientific heritage. This accession consists of programs created for the Smithsonian Channel that
cover a range of topics including aeronautics, astronautics, science, nature, and American culture and history. Materials are in electronic format.
Restrictions:
Special restrictions on use of these materials apply. See Record of Transfer, Appendix B, Transferring office; Record of Transfer, August 25, 2009; Contact reference staff for details.
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
0.5 cu. ft. (1 document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Videotapes
Place:
Japan
United States -- History
United States -- Social life and customs
Date:
1993-1994
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of videotapes created during the production of a number of joint television ventures between Nihon Hoso Kyokai (NHK), a Japanese television
network, and the Smithsonian Institution. Some programs deal with aspects of the Smithsonian and others with American history and culture. Materials include dubs and copies
on VHS.
Restrictions:
Restrictions pertaining to the use of these materials may apply (based on contracts/copyright). Access restrictions may also apply if viewing copies are not currently available. Viewing copies can be made for a fee. Contact reference staff for details.
The Woolly Mammoth of Washington (Television program)
How Does Your Sculpture Grow? (Television program)
Diplomats in Buckskins (Television program)
Hooray for the Red, White and Blue (Television program)
A Festival of Animals (Television program)
What Lives in Your Lawn? (Television program)
Celebrations 'Round the World (Television program)
Horse Races on the Mall (Television program)
Living with the Eskimos (Television program)
A Modern Noah's Ark (Television program)
Raphael Soyer: An Art of Real Life (Television program)
Inside Meteorites (Television program)
From Fiddles to Banjos (Television program)
Corals in Captivity (Television program)
A Life with Aviation (Television program)
The Universe in a Box (Television program)
The Ultimate Model (Television program)
The Elephant's Tale (Television program)
Japan's Ceramic Treasures (Television program)
A Museum for the Community (Television program)
The World of Mathew Brady (Television program)
American Picture Palaces (Television program)
Time Capsule of the Revolution (Television program)
The Smithsonian's Giant Squid (Television program)
Faulkner: A Living Portrait (Television program)
Design for the People (Television program)
Video Astronomy (Television program)
France Meets New Jersey (Television program)
Ballooning's 200th Birthday (Television program)
The Art of Craft (Television program)
An Invasion of Painters (Television program)
Keeping Perfect Time (Television program)
Nature Through a Viewfinder (Television program)
The Precious Legacy (Television program)
Surgery is Painless (Television program)
Islam in Africa (Television program)
Big Ideas in Small Packages (Television program)
The 20,000 Year-Old-Man (Television program)
A Place for Touching (Television program)
Microscopes Make it Big (Television program)
The Plastic Historian (Television program)
Panda Playground (Television program)
More Than 'Whistler's Mother' (Television program)
Collecting the 'Stuff' of Politics (Television program)
The Golden Age of Aviation (Television program)
The Birdman of America (Television program)
Celebrating American Folklife (Television program)
Eyes on the Universe (Television program)
Strike up the Band (Television program)
An Ancient Game Reborn (Television program)
Past Visions of the Future (Television program)
That's Entertainment (Television program)
Our Violent Universe (Television program)
TR in Africa (Television program)
Outer Space Artist (Television program)
Happy Birthday, Hirshhorn Museum (Television program)
Say It Ain't So, Wesley (Television program)
Black Artists in the 19th Century (Television program)
Mechanical Musical Marvels (Television program)
America's Castle (Television program)
The Vanishing Frontier (Television program)
Deep Sea Mysteries (Television program)
The Smithsonian's Model Shop (Television program)
Keeping Orchids Alive (Television program)
Something to Hang the Paint On (Television program)
The World's Biggest Camera (Television program)
The Tale of the Kite (Television program)
Treasures of African Art (Television program)
Restoring it to 'Wright' (Television program)
Folklife '85 (Television program)
Advertising Yesterday and Today (Television program)
A Woman Ahead of Her Time (Television program)
The Old Country Post Office (Television program)
Magnificent Voyagers (Television program)
A Gallery for Today (Television program)
Balloon Astronomy (Television program)
Hollywood: Legend and Reality (Television program)
Black Wings (Television program)
Art in New Mexico (Television program)
At Home on the Road (Television program)
Folklife '86 (Television program)
The California Artist (Television program)
Brand New at the Zoo (Television program)
Discover Graphics (Television program)
Air and Space Anniversary (Television program)
Reaching Rural Africa (Television program)
At Mr. Hirshhorn 's Bequest (Television program)
A Smithsonian Holiday (Television program)
Russia: The Land and the People (Television program)
The Harlem Renaissance (Television program)
A Painter at Large (Television program)
From Field to Factory (Television program)
Second Nature (Television program)
Engines of Change (Television program)
Meet the Beetles (Television program)
Capturing the Spirit (Television program)
A Grasp of Reality (Television program)
Zoo Vets (Television program)
Spanning the Distance (Television program)
American Art Deco (Television program)
The Making of a Dinosaur (Television program)
Contemporary Expressions (Television program)
Remembering John La Farge (Television program)
Folklife Festival '87 (Television program)
Building a Biosphere (Television program)
Portrait of a Life (Television program)
Treasures Down Under (Television program)
African Splendors (Television program)
Dr. Sackler's Gift (Television program)
A Garden for All Seasons (Television program)
Climbing Jacob's Ladder (Television program)
Old and New Traditions (Television program)
From Reliable Sources (Television program)
A More Perfect Union (Television program)
Magellans of the Air (Television program)
Spineless Wonders (Television program)
King Herod's Dream (Television program)
Splendidly Stradivarius (Television program)
Different Drummers (Television program)
The Unseen Smithsonian (Television program)
New Deal Murals (Television program)
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Television program)
Folklife Exchange (Television program)
New Political Conventions (Television program)
Antietam Revisited (Television program)
Warming up to Reptiles (Television program)
Kalabari Kinetics (Television program)
Crossroads of Two Continents (Television program)
On the Air (Television program)
Cultural Crossroads (Television program)
The Jeweler's Eye (Television program)
The Perpetual Man Ray (Television program)
The Portraits of Isamu Noguchi (Television program)
African Sounding Forms (Television program)
Rocks in a Hard Place (Television program)
The Way to Independence (Television program)
Aloha, Hawai'i! (Television program)
A Continuity of Culture (Television program)
The Brush of Innocence (Television program)
Tending a Sculpture Garden (Television program)
A Holiday Celebration (Television program)
A Touch of Glass (Television program)
Duke Ellington, American Musician (Television program)
Happy Birthday, National Zoo (Television program)
The Decorative Designs of Frank Lloyd Wright (Television program)
Here at the Smithsonian (Television program)
Creator::
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
15.5 cu. ft. (15 record storage boxes) (1 document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Videotapes
Video recordings
Date:
1981-1991, 1996, 1999
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of videotapes and audiotapes created during the production of "Here At The Smithsonian" ("HATS"), an eight volume series of television productions.
The series was conceived by Nazaret Cherkezian, Director, Office of Telecommunications (1976-1986) and produced by Ann Carroll (Volumes I-IV) and John P. Meehan (Volumes V-VIII).
Due to funding cuts, the series ceased production in 1989.
"HATS" was a series of short features, designed and produced for broadcast via commercial newscasts to disseminate information about Smithsonian Institution exhibitions
and research activities. The features were short (no more than 2 minutes) and flexibly produced. Segments utilized split track audio allowing stations to use either the voice
of their own newscaster or the voice provided by the Smithsonian; beginnings and ends of the features were left with extra video and audio, permitting fade-in and fade-out;
and no one appearing on the features was identified on screen, allowing stations to use the fonts and typefaces normally used for their own newscasts. The brevity of segments
and flexible style of production made them easy to insert anywhere in a newscast.
During the second volume (1983), it became apparent that public television stations were much more interested in using the features than commercial news stations. Eventually,
the features were lengthened to three to four minutes to suit the public television format and further refined. Changes included the use of fade-in and fade-out to black;
fully mixed audio tracks; and identification of all on-screen persons. Also, a standard musical theme, opening and closing sequences, and titling, were added.
Volume I (1982) includes "At Home with the Apes;" "The Rebirth of Dinosaurs;" "Hooray for Amelia!;" "The Woolly Mammoth of Washington;" "How Does Your Sculpture Grow?;"
"Diplomats in Buckskins;" "Hooray for the Red, White and Blue;" "A Festival of Animals;" "What Lives in Your Lawn?;" "Celebrations 'Round the World;" "Horse Races on the Mall;"
"Living with the Eskimos;" "A Modern Noah's Ark;" and "Raphael Soyer: An Art of Real Life."
Volume II (1983) includes "Inside Meteorites;" "From Fiddles to Banjos;" "Corals in Captivity;" "A Life with Aviation;" "The Universe in a Box;" "The Ultimate Model;" "The
Elephant's Tale;" "Japan's Ceramic Treasures;" "A Museum for the Community;" "The World of Mathew Brady;" "American Picture Palaces;" "Time Capsule of the Revolution;" "The
Smithsonian's Giant Squid;" "Faulkner: A Living Portrait;" "Design for the People;" "Video Astronomy;" "France Meets New Jersey;" "Ballooning's 200th Birthday;" "The Art of
Craft;" and "An Invasion of Painters."
Volume III (1984) includes "Keeping Perfect Time;" "Nature Through a Viewfinder;" "The Precious Legacy;" "Surgery is Painless;" "Islam in Africa;" "Big Ideas in Small Packages;"
"The 20,000 Year-Old-Man;" "A Place for Touching;" "Microscopes Make it Big;" "The Plastic Historian;" "Panda Playground;" "More Than 'Whistler's Mother';" "Collecting the
'Stuff' of Politics;" "The Golden Age of Aviation;" "The Birdman of America;" "Celebrating American Folklife;" "Eyes on the Universe;" "Strike up the Band;" "An Ancient Game
Reborn;" "Past Visions of the Future;" "That's Entertainment;" "Our Violent Universe;" "TR in Africa;" "Outer Space Artist;" and "Happy Birthday, Hirshhorn Museum."
Volume IV (1985) includes "Say It Ain't So, Wesley;" "Black Artists in the 19th Century;" "Mechanical Musical Marvels;" "America's Castle;" "The Vanishing Frontier;" "Deep
Sea Mysteries;" "The Smithsonian's Model Shop;" "Keeping Orchids Alive;" "Something to Hang the Paint On;" "The World's Biggest Camera;" "The Tale of the Kite;" "Treasures
of African Art;" "A Modern Noah's Ark" (repeat); "Restoring it to 'Wright';" "Diplomats in Buckskins" (repeat);" "Folklife '85;" "Advertising Yesterday and Today;" "Video
Astronomy" (repeat);" "A Woman Ahead of Her Time;" and "The Old Country Post Office."
Volume V (1986) includes "Magnificent Voyagers;" "The Tale of the Kite" (extended); "A Gallery for Today;" "Balloon Astronomy;" "Hollywood: Legend and Reality;" "Black
Wings;" "Art in New Mexico;" "At Home on the Road;" "Folklife '86;" "The California Artist;" "Brand New at the Zoo;" "Discover Graphics;" "Air and Space Anniversary;" "Reaching
Rural Africa;" "At Mr. Hirshhorn 's Bequest;" "Corals in Captivity" (repeat); "A Smithsonian Holiday;" "Russia: The Land and the People;" "The Harlem Renaissance;" and "A
Painter at Large."
Volume VI (1987) includes "From Field to Factory;" "Second Nature;" "Engines of Change;" "Meet the Beetles;" "Capturing the Spirit;" "A Grasp of Reality;" "Zoo Vets;" "Spanning
the Distance;" "American Art Deco;" "The Making of a Dinosaur;" "TR in Africa" (repeat); "Contemporary Expressions;" "Remembering John La Farge;" "Folklife Festival '87;"
"Building a Biosphere;" "Portrait of a Life;" "Treasures Down Under;" "African Splendors;" "Dr. Sackler's Gift;" and "A Garden for All Seasons."
Volume VII (1988) includes "Climbing Jacob's Ladder;" "Old and New Traditions;" "From Reliable Sources;" "A More Perfect Union;" "Magellans of the Air;" "From Field to
Factory" (repeat);" "Spineless Wonders;" "King Herod's Dream;" "Splendidly Stradivarius;" "Different Drummers;" "The Unseen Smithsonian;" "New Deal Murals;" "The Commonwealth
of Massachusetts;" "Folklife Exchange;" "New Political Conventions;" "Antietam Revisited;" "Warming up to Reptiles;" "Kalabari Kinetics;" "Crossroads of Two Continents;" and
"On the Air."
Volume VIII includes "Cultural Crossroads;" "The Jeweler's Eye;" "Black Wings" (repeat); "The Perpetual Man Ray;" "The Portraits of Isamu Noguchi;" "African Sounding Forms;"
"Rocks in a Hard Place;" "Zoo Vets" (repeat); "The Way to Independence;" "Aloha, Hawai'i!;" "A Continuity of Culture;" "The Brush of Innocence;" "Engines of Change;" "Tending
a Sculpture Garden;" "A Holiday Celebration;" "A Smithsonian Holiday;" "A Touch of Glass;" "Duke Ellington, American Musician;" "Happy Birthday, National Zoo;" and "The Decorative
Designs of Frank Lloyd Wright."
Materials in this accession include original footage, segment masters, dub masters, dubs, interviews, and related materials on a variety of videotape formats and two reels
of 1/4" audiotape.
Note: The original materials were created by the Office of Telecommunications. Some dubs that are part of this accession were made by its successor units, Smithsonian Press/Smithsonian
Productions and Smithsonian Productions.
Note: Preservation copies of all episodes are located in Resv19, Boxes 5-8.
Restrictions:
Restrictions pertaining to the use of these materials may apply (based on contracts/copyright). Access restrictions may also apply if viewing copies are not currently available. Viewing copies can be made for a fee. Contact reference staff for details.
Coral Reefs: How to Make Use of 400 Million Years of Evolution (Motion picture : c. 1981)
John Bull: The World's Oldest Operable Locomotive (Documentary film : 1981)
Maine Coast (Documentary film : c. 1982)
Leaf Making: Or the Secret Life of Museum Plants (Motion picture : c. 1981)
Changes: The Story of Evolution and Speciation (Motion picture : c. 1979)
Quadrangle (Documentary film : c. 1984)
Flue-Cured Tobacco Culture (Documentary film : c. 1983)
Big Cats and How They Came to Be (Motion picture : 1976)
Census: Accounting for the Nation (Motion picture : 1974)
Thomas A. Edison and His Amazing Invention Factories (Motion picture : 1979)
Ghosts of Forever (Motion picture : c. 1982)
Who Would Have Thought? (Proposed documentary film : 1970)
Giant Panda Story (Motion picture : c. 1974)
Shells and the Animals Inside (Motion picture : 1978)
Columbus and His Time (Motion picture : 1976)
Mirror of Kings: Tales from Kalila wa-Dimnah (Motion picture : 1982)
Tradition in Western Civilization (Documentary film : 1978)
Communication: It's More Than Sound (Motion picture : 1982)
Security (Motion picture : 1981)
Berlin Airlift (Motion picture : 1984)
Clockwork Universe (Motion picture : 1980)
Consequences of Cultural Adaptation (Motion picture : c. 1973)
Enter Life (Motion picture : 1986)
FDR: The Intimate Presidency (Motion picture : 1982)
Field to Factory: The Urban North, 1915-1940 (Motion picture : 1987)
Web of Life (Motion picture : 1973)
Full Speed Ahead (Motion picture : 1978)
Gilgamesh (Motion picture : 1978)
City of the Dead (Documentary film : 1978)
Peril on the Sea (Motion picture : 1978)
Phone Philm (Motion picture : 1976)
Predator and the Prey (Motion picture : 1973)
Sharing a Lifestyle (Motion picture : 1973)
American Picture Palaces (Motion picture : 1983)
Smithsonian World (Television program : 1984-1991)
Reunions: Memories of an American Experience (Documentary film : 1979)
Smithsonian World (Television program)
Man's Use of the Earth (Motion picture : 1973)
Creator::
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
4 cu. ft. (4 record storage boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Clippings
Black-and-white negatives
Black-and-white transparencies
Color negatives
Color transparencies
Date:
1967-1987, 1991-1992
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of records created and maintained by Karen Loveland, Director of Special Projects for the Office of Telecommunications, documenting the planning,
development, and execution of film, video, and television productions for general release, for accompaniment to exhibitions and exhibition halls, for training, and for television
spots. Film, video, and television productions for general release include Smithsonian Video Collection; American Picture Palaces; Coral Reefs: How to Make Use of 400 Million
Years of Evolution; John Bull; Maine Coast; Leaf Making: Or the Secret Life of Museum Plants; Smithsonian World; Changes: The Story of Evolution and Speciation; Quadrangle;
Flue-Cured Tobacco Culture; The Big Cats and How They Came to Be; Indiana Engine Retrieval; Census: Accounting for the Nation; Enter Life; Thomas A. Edison and His Amazing
Invention Factories; The Ghosts of Forever; Who Would Have Thought?; The Giant Panda Story; Shells and the Animals Inside; Columbus and His Time; Mirror of Kings: Tales from
Kalila Wa Dimna; and Reunions: Memories of an American Experience.
Films and videos accompanied American Sailor, 1984-1985; Harry S. Truman Centennial: The Berlin Airlift, 1984; Clockwork Universe: German Clocks and Automata, 1550-1650
in 1980; Hall of Dynamic Evolution, beginning in 1979; Hall of Paleontology, beginning in 1982; FDR: The Intimate Presidency, 1982; Field to Factory: Afro-American Migration,
1915-1940, beginning in 1987; Festival of American Folklife; Hall of American Maritime Enterprise, beginning in 1978; the Communication Exhibition, beginning in 1977; Hall
of Western Civilization, beginning in 1978; and It All Depends: How Man Affects and is Affected by his Natural Environment. Training films and videos include Communication
and Security.
Materials include memoranda, correspondence, video proposals, scripts, interview transcripts, production and post-production schedules, computer editing forms, story boards,
roll logs, budget summaries and expense reports, orders and requisitions for supplies and services, travel vouchers, invoices, notes, mailing lists for premieres, publications
with articles about videos, clippings, press releases, fact sheets, copies of contracts, color and black and white negatives and transparencies of credits, and research materials.
See accession 01-230 for a 16 mm distribution print of the "Mirror of Kings:...".
Topic:
Video recordings -- Production and direction Search this
Happy Birthday, Hirshhorn Museum (Television production)
Keeping Orchids Alive (Television production)
Something to Hang the Paint On (Television production)
Restoring it to 'Wright' (Television program)
Advertising: Yesterday and Today (Television production)
Black Wings (Television production)
Air and Space Anniversary (Television production)
Corals in Captivity (Television production)
Smithsonian Holiday (Television production)
King Herod's Dream (Television production)
New Deal Murals (Television production)
On the Air (Television production)
Zoo Vets (Television production)
Brush of Innocence (Television production)
Tending a Sculpture Garden (Television production)
Holiday Celebration (Television production)
Decorative Designs of Frank Lloyd Wright (Television production)
Here at the Smithsonian (Television program)
Creator::
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
4 cu. ft. (4 record storage boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Brochures
Clippings
Exhibition catalogs
Manuscripts
Newsletters
Pamphlets
Picture postcards
Black-and-white photographs
Color photographs
Color transparencies
Date:
1981-1989
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of records that document the planning, development, and execution of television productions for the "Here at the Smithsonian" (HATS) series.
Also included are developmental materials for ideas that were not carried through to a full production, as well as material relating to singular projects unrelated to HATS.
Subject matter for the HATS series were wide and varied, including: orchids, Frank Lloyd Wright, insects, aviation, kites, ballooning, Duke Ellington, jewelry, and the National
Zoo.
The "Here at the Smithsonian" series was aired nationwide over the Public Broadcasting System between 1982-1989. Productions were created to highlight and or record significant
Smithsonian anniversaries and events, holidays, special projects, major exhibitions, or areas of unique or special interest.
Some of the earliest records may have been created by Ann Carroll who served as Series Producer for HATS (1981-1985; volumes I-IV). However, the bulk of the records were
created and maintained by John P. Meehan, Audio Visual Production Specialist, and Series Producer for HATS (1986-1989; volumes V-VIII). Please note that Carroll and Meehan
acted as producers on both the series and segment level during the time of the series.
Materials include contracts, correspondence, editing logs, memoranda, notes, research material, scripts, and tape logs.
NOTE: See accession 00-132 for the video tapes of the above referenced productions.
Topic:
Video recordings -- Direction and production Search this
Reunions: Memories of an American Experience (Documentary film : 1979)
Leaf Thieves (Motion picture : 1963)
Mirrors on the Universe: The MMT story (Motion picture : 1979)
Sense of Discovery, The National Collection of Fine Arts (Motion picture : 1980)
Smithsonian Galaxy (Radio program)
Smithsonian World (Television program : 1984-1991)
Radio Smithsonian (Radio program)
Smithsonian Institution with S. Dillon Ripley, Secretary (Television program)
Here at the Smithsonian (Television program)
Creator::
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
7.5 cu. ft. (7 record storage boxes) (1 document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Clippings
Manuscripts
Date:
circa 1963-1988
Descriptive Entry:
These records primarily document the activities of OTC under Director Nazaret Cherkezian. A small amount of records were created by Paul B. Johnson. There are also
a few records created by OTC's predecessor offices. The records include correspondence, memoranda, proposals, contracts, budgets, reports, newspaper clippings, press releases,
scripts, and related materials concerning OTC radio broadcasts Radio Smithsonian and Smithsonian Galaxy; television and film productions, especially "Smithsonian World" and
the Emmy award-winning "The Smithsonian Institution with S. Dillon Ripley, Secretary;" production planning; facilities and equipment, including the construction of the OTC
studio in the National Museum of History and Technology; and administrative records.
Historical Note:
The Office of Telecommunications (OTC) was established on August 15, 1976, as a separate unit reporting directly to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public
Service. Prior to the creation of OTC, coordination of Smithsonian telecommunication activities was a function of the Smithsonian Museum Service, 1958-1965; the Office of
Public Information, 1965-1967; and the Office of Public Affairs, 1967-1976. OTC develops ideas for the production of programs and broadcast series for public and commercial
television and radio, films, and related visual and audio materials, which bring a better understanding of the Smithsonian to American and foreign audiences. OTC is also the
contact point for all interested outside producers of telecommunications projects relating to all Smithsonian bureaus. OTC broadcast series have included Radio Smithsonian,
a national, weekly radio program providing information about the multi-disciplinary activities of the Institution which was in production from 1969 to 1990; Smithsonian Galaxy,
a series of short radio features highlighting the work of Smithsonian curators, scientists, and researchers broadcast from 1979 to 1987; and Here at the Smithsonian, a series
of short features for television, produced from 1982 to 1989. In addition, OTC produces films of special events of the Institution; provides archival recordings of conferences,
symposia, and other programs; and produces films for Smithsonian exhibitions. Nazaret Cherkezian was appointed Director of OTC in 1976. He retired in 1986 and was replaced
by Assistant Director Paul B. Johnson who served as Acting Director, 1986-1988, and Director, 1988-2002.
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
17.9 cu. ft. (16 record storage boxes) (5 film boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Motion pictures (visual works)
Date:
circa 1963-1989
Descriptive Entry:
This record unit consists of 16mm motion picture films produced by the Office of Telecommunications (OTC) and its predecessors, the Smithsonian Museum Service, the
Office of Public Information, and the Office of Public Affairs. Also included are films created by outside producers in collaboration with OTC. Included are black and white
and color films, workprints, and silent films. Of special interest are films of Smithsonian special events, bureaus, facilities, equipment, exhibitions, openings, and staff;
films of politicians and celebrities at the Smithsonian including Lyndon Baines Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Hubert H. Humphrey, and Alan B. Shepard, Jr.;
films from the 1966 National Broadcasting Corporation series THE SMITHSONIAN; and Smithsonian-produced films The Leaf Thieves, 1963, which documents the planning and fabrication
of a proposed rain forest exhibition in the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), and The Smithsonian's Whale, 1964, which concerns the construction of a 92-foot model
blue whale in NMNH.
Restrictions:
Restrictions pertaining to the use of these materials may apply (based on contracts/copyright). Access restrictions may also apply if viewing copies are not currently available. Viewing copies can be made for a fee. Contact reference staff for details.
Topic:
Motion pictures -- Production and direction Search this
Mirrors on the Universe: The MMT story (Motion picture : 1979)
Smithsonian Institution with S. Dillon Ripley, Secretary (Television program)
Reunions: Memories of an American Experience (Documentary film : 1979)
Creator::
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
0.25 cu. ft. (1 half document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Black-and-white photographs
Date:
circa 1977 and undated
Descriptive Entry:
This record unit consists of photographs of Cherkezian, circa 1977; Grayson, circa 1977; and Cornell, writer of the OTC film "Mirrors on the Universe: The MMT Story."Also
included are photographs of the Emmy award received by OTC for the television show "The Smithsonian Institution with S. Dillon Ripley, Secretary," and images from the OTC
film "Reunion: Memories of an American Experience."
Historical Note:
Nazaret Cherkezian served as Director of the Office of Telecommunications (OTC) from 1976 to 1987. William C. Grayson was Special Coordinator of the Office of Telecommunications
in 1976, and later became Senior Telecommunications Specialist from 1977 to 1980 (deceased April 15, 1980). James Cornell was Manager of Publications at the Smithsonian Astrophysical
Observatory (SAO) at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1979.
Topic:
Motion pictures -- Production and direction Search this
This accession consists of press kits for a variety of radio productions including "Black Radio: Telling It Like It Was;" "River of Song: A Musical Journey Down the
Mississippi River;" "Guitar: Electrified, Amplified, Deified;" "Jazz Smithsonian;" "Spirits of the Present: The Legacy of Native America;" "Folk Masters at the Barns of Wolf
Trap;" "Cole Porter's 100th from Carnegie Hall;" and "Radio Smithsonian." Also included are promotional materials for the television production "River of Song: Music Along
the Mississippi" and the documentary video "Dream Window: Reflections on the Japanese Garden." Materials include fact sheets, marketing materials, general correspondence,
graphics associated with the production, and other promotional materials. Some fact sheets include licensing and fee information as well as short biographies of the performers
involved.
Smithsonian Institution with S. Dillon Ripley, Secretary (Television program)
Creator::
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
14 cu. ft. (14 record storage boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Motion pictures (visual works)
Video recordings
Date:
1977-1978
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of film and audio elements for "The Smithsonian Institution with S. Dillon Ripley, Secretary." The film, completed in 1977, provides an overview
of the Smithsonian Institution with Secretary S. Dillon Ripley narrating.
Restrictions:
Restrictions pertaining to the use of these materials may apply (based on contracts/copyright). Access restrictions may also apply if viewing/listening copies are not currently available. Viewing/listening copies can be made for a fee. Contact reference staff for details.
Topic:
Motion pictures -- Production and direction Search this
This accession consists of records documenting the administrative and business affairs of Smithsonian Productions, created and maintained by Nazaret Cherkezian, Director,
1976-1986, and Paul B. Johnson, Director, 1988-2002. Some materials were created by the Smithsonian Institution, Division of Performing Arts before the production of classical
recordings was moved to Smithsonian Productions. Materials include budgets, productions schedules, correspondence, memoranda, agreements, marketing materials, marketing surveys,
catalogs, clippings, and advisory board records.
This accession consists of records created and maintained by John P. Meehan, Audio-Visual Production Specialist; Jacquie Gales Webb, Producer; Paul B. Johnson, Director;
and other Radio Smithsonian staff, documenting the planning, development, and execution of original radio series and programs.
Radio productions documented in this accession include "Memphis: Cradle of Rock 'n' Soul;" "Folk Masters at the Barns of Wolf Trap;" "Jazz Smithsonian;" "Remembering Slavery;"
"River of Song: A Musical Journey Down the Mississippi River;" "Jazz Singers;" "Black Radio: Telling It Like It Was;" "Red, Hot, and Blue!;" and "Radio Smithsonian." Video
productions documented in this accession include "Perpetual Campaign: The President, The People, and The Court;" "Negative Campaigns;" "Low Road to High Office?;" "Beyond
Category: the Musical Genius of Duke Ellington;" "Jazz Age in Paris: 1914-1940;" "Rescue in the Wild: Endangered Species and Habitat Protections at SI;" "The National Zoo:
Think Tank;" "Afro-Americans and the Evolution of a Living Constitution;" "First Ladies;" "Workers and Managers;" "Celebrations;" "Titanic Mail Story;" and "Swedish Sculpture."
Television productions documented in this accession include "River of Song: Music Along the Mississippi;" "Here at the Smithsonian;" and "People and Pianos: 300 Years."
Films documented in this accession include "Preserving an Architectural Heritage: The Decorative Designs by Frank Lloyd Wright" and "In Open Air: A Portrait of the American
Impressionists."
Materials include correspondence, memoranda, notes, scripts, treatments, release forms, contracts, photographs, clippings, press releases, and budgets.
Dream Window: Reflections on the Japanese Garden (Documentary film : 1991)
Creator::
Smithsonian Press/Smithsonian Productions Search this
Extent:
1 cu. ft. (1 record storage box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Clippings
Brochures
Date:
1989-1997
Descriptive Entry:
This accession includes the records of Laura T. Schneider, Audio-Visual Production Specialist, documenting her work on the television program "Dream Window: Reflections
on the Japanese Garden." The materials consist of correspondence, memoranda, and notes pertaining to production, proposals, and meetings; promotion funding and expense information;
production schedule, script, and credits; license agreements and releases; shoot logs; contracts; and research information.
1.5 cu. ft. (1 record storage box) (1 document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Date:
1987-2001
Descriptive Entry:
This accession includes records documenting the film, video, and radio production activities of Paul B. Johnson, Director. Materials include correspondence and memoranda;
production scripts, schedules, and tape logs; license agreements and releases; contracts; marketing information; budget summaries; and travel itineraries.
Productions documented in these records include: "If This House Could Talk...Historic Homes, Extraordinary Americans," "Guide to the Smithsonian" (Visitor Information and
Associates' Reception Center film), "Jazz Smithsonian," "Remembering Slavery," "Piano Grand!," and "Piano 300."
This accession includes records documenting the film, video, and radio production activities of Paul B. Johnson, Director. Material consists of correspondence and memoranda;
production proposals; information on the Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK)-Smithsonian Institution collaborative television project; budget summaries; information on the Smithsonian
Video Collection; contracts; release and rights forms; videotapes of Lawrence M. Small's installation as Secretary, and his first press conference; research articles, fundraising,
marketing, and awards information; production scripts; shooting schedules; and special events information.
Productions documented in these records include "The Jazz Singers," "Memphis: Cradle of Rock and Soul," "River of Song: A Musical Journey Down the Mississippi River," "River
of Song: Music Along the Mississippi," "The Buried Mirror," "The Global Environment: Are We Overacting," "Smithsonian World," "In Open Air: A Portrait of American Impressionists,"
"Yorktown," "The Work of Peace," "Piano 300," "Piano Grand!," "Here at the Smithsonian," "The Flying Machines," and "The Smithsonian Institution." NHK-SI productions include
"America of the Braves: The Dark and Bright Sides of the Frontier Spirit," "America of Presidents," and "American Inventions."
Topic:
Television -- Production and direction Search this
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
9.96 cu. ft. (9 record storage boxes) (1 tall document box) (1 film box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Motion pictures (visual works)
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Date:
1984-1985
Descriptive Entry:
These records document the telecast "The Work of Peace," a half-hour film produced by the Office of Telecommunications on the Treaty of Paris of 1783. It had its national
premiere on the PBS network. The film won the Silver Medal of the International Film and TV Festival of New York, the Silver Award at the Houston International Film Festival,
a CINE Golden Eagle and second place in the 1985 National Educational Film Festival. Materials consist of 85 film and audio elements (camera originals, A&B rolls, release
prints, 1/4", 16mm mixes); and 7 videos (promos, release tapes, film transfers).
Restrictions:
Restrictions pertaining to the use of these materials may apply (based on contracts/copyright). Access restrictions may also apply if viewing/listening copies are not currently available. Viewing/listening copies can be made for a fee. Contact reference staff for details.
Yesterday's Tomorrows: Visions of the Future on Film (Video recording : 1984)
In Open Air: A Portrait of the American Impressionists (Motion picture : 1982)
Clockwork Universe (Motion picture : 1980)
In Open Air: A Portrait of the American Impressionists (Television production)
Folk Art (Video recording : 1990)
From Reliable Sources: The Archives of American Art (Motion picture : 1987)
Creator::
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
19.42 cu. ft. (15 record storage boxes) (5 tall document boxes) (4 film boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Audiotapes
Motion pictures (visual works)
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Date:
1978-1990
Descriptive Entry:
These records consist of elements used to create film and video productions that accompanied exhibitions and educational programming. "Past Visions of the Future" is
an 18-minute compilation of scenes from futuristic, science fiction, and scientific films from 1902-1982. It was used to supplement the National Museum of American History's
exhibition titled "Yesterday's Tomorrows: Past Visions of the American Future" (1984). "From Reliable Sources: The Archives of American Art" features the collections and work
of the Archives of American Art to document the history of American art and artists (1986-1989). "In Open Air: A Portrait of the American Impressionists" (1981-1982) was produced
for television to complement "American Impressionism," a traveling exhibition mounted by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES). "Clockwork Universe"
is a film that accompanied the National Museum of American History's exhibition, "The Clockwork Universe," highlighting German clocks and automata. The video "Folk Art" (1990),
highlights American folk and folk artists represented in the Smithsonian American Art Museum collections. Materials include the original motion picture footage, video footage,
and sound.
Restrictions:
Restrictions pertaining to the use of these materials may apply (based on contracts/copyright). Access restrictions may also apply if viewing/listening copies are not currently available. Viewing/listening copies can be made for a fee. Contact reference staff for details.
5.5 cu. ft. (5 record storage boxes) (1 document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Brochures
Clippings
Compact discs
Black-and-white photographs
Color transparencies
Color photographs
Black-and-white negatives
Electronic records
Date:
1974-1999
Descriptive Entry:
This accession includes records documenting the activities of Martha Knouss, Marketing Manager, with earlier records dating back to when Knouss was Marketing Assistant
for the Office of Telecommunications. Materials include Knouss' correspondence and memoranda; meeting minutes of the Smithsonian Marketing Committee; program news releases,
schedules, and fact sheets; carriage reports; video listings; special events and conference information; budget summaries; public inquiries; production brochures, logos, and
promotional information; and photographs of staff members. Some television and radio productions documented in these records include "Here at the Smithsonian," "Dream Window:
Reflections on the Japanese Garden," "Folk Masters," and "Spirits of the Present: The Legacy from Native America."
