George Sidney (1916-2002) was a film director during the Golden Age of Hollywood filmmaking (1927-1954). He spent the longest period of his career at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) until the 1950s. He later produced and directed films for Columbia Pictures and Paramount Pictures. He was a president of the Directors Guild of America and an avid photographer. He was the recipient of three awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscar). The collection consists of photographs, photographic negatives, personal and business materials, and film. The collection also contains material created by George Sidney's uncle, George Sidney, vaudevillian and motion picture actor.
Scope and Contents:
The George Sidney Collection consists of approximately eighty-eight cubic feet of photographs and materials from the Hollywood director George Sidney, most dealing with his career in motion pictures. Sidney was an avid photographer and collector of photographs documenting extremely well the Hollywood film community during the Studio Era (1927-1954) of filmmaking. The bulk of the collection is from Sidney's most productive years, circa 1937-1968.
MGM's motto was "More Stars than there are in Heaven" and the researcher would be advised that the extent of this collection is such that it is impossible to list and identify all of the celebrities and personalities photographed, both behind and in front of the camera. There are stills from Sidney's many productions as well as his on-set personal photographs. There are photographs from dinner parties, and many studio and film community functions. Productions are dated to their generally accepted first theatrical release date (Los Angeles and New York) and in the case of a Broadway show to their opening date.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into six series.
Series 1: Photographs, Photographic Negatives, and Slides, 1914-1996, undated.
Subseries 1.1: The Camera Eye of George Sidney, undated.
Subseries 1.2: Productions (Motion Picture, Stage, and Radio), 1921-1968.
Subseries 1.3: Personalities and People, 1932-1996, undated.
Subseries 1.4: Personal and Family, 1914-1992, undated.
Subseries 1.5: Family Photograph Albums and Scrapbooks, 1918-1950, undated.
Subseries 1.6: Travel and Locations, 1940-1981, undated.
Subseries 1.7: Studio, Entertainment, and Public Events, 1949-1995, undated.
Series 2: Production Ephemera, Posters, Scripts, 1930-1991, undated.
Subseries 2.1: Production Posters, 1943-1964, undated
Subseries 2.2: Production Ephemera and Scripts, 1930-1991, undated
Series 3: Office Files and Personal Material, 1903-2002, undated
Subseries 3.1: Personal Material, 1944-2002, undated
Subseries 3.2: Correspondence, Random Files, Indices, and Inventories, 1903-2002, undated
Series 4: Music Manuscripts, Sheet Music, and Music Related Material, 1885-1992, undated
Subseries 4.1: Music Manuscripts, 1937-1960, undated
Subseries 4.2: Sheet Music, 1885-1990
Subseries 4.3: Music Related Material, 1971-1992, undated
Series 5: Audiovisual, 1933-2001, undated
Subseries 5.1: Film, 1940-1960, undated
Subseries 5.2: Audio, 1933-2001, undated
Subseries 5.3: Video, 1989-2001, undated
Series 6: George Sidney (1877-1945), 1909-1945, undated
Biographical / Historical:
George E. Sidney was born in New York, New York on October 4th, 1916 into a show business family. His father Louis K. Sidney (birth surname Kronowith) (1891-1958) was a Broadway producer, actor-manager, and one of the vice-presidents of Loew's Incorporated. Sidney's mother, Hazael Mooney (?-1969), was a vaudeville performer, part of a sister act known as The Mooney Sisters. She was a native New Yorker, daughter of prominent New York City attorney Henry Mooney. She and Louis were married at her home, 12 West 109th Street, New York. Another residence was 179 West 63rd Street.
Louis K. Sidney began working for Loew's Incorporated in 1923. He managed theatres in Denver, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Dayton, and New York. Later he was in charge of stage productions for the theatre circuit. He was in charge of MGM's East Coast film production facility in New York. He and Hazael followed son George to Los Angeles in 1937. Louis produced two motion pictures at MGM, The Big Store with the Marx Brothers and Hullabaloo. After February 1951, he was a member of the four man executive committee in charge of MGM. At his retirement in 1955, Louis K. had risen to the position of vice-president of Loew's, Incorporated. He served as vice-president and director of the Motion Picture Producers Association, as a director of the Motion Picture Relief Fund, and the Hollywood Coordinating Committee.
George Sidney had two uncles in show business, Jack Sidney, known as "Jack of Spades" a black-face comedian, and Sidney's half-uncle, George Sidney (1877-1945) (real name Samuel Greenfield), a vaudeville comic. George had a successful Broadway and screen career, most notably as the bum, Busy Izzy, a character that lasted on the vaudeville circuit from 1901-1915. His initial Broadway success was in a show entitled Welcome Stranger that ran for 309 performances. Welcome Stranger had an extensive touring schedule across the United States. In conjunction with Charlie Murray, he developed a comedy act known as Cohen and Kelly that was not only a vaudeville success but easily made the transition to motion pictures. The Cohens and Kellys films became a motion picture franchise for Universal Studios in 1924. He was married to Carrie Weber (?-1940). George was a member of the Friars Club and an avid sports fan. He owned a racehorse named Kibbitzer.
George Sidney made his on-screen debut in The Littlest Cowboy (1921) starring Tom Mix. He moved to Los Angeles in 1930. Sidney went to work as a messenger at MGM. Louis B. Mayer's nickname for Sidney was "boy". Sidney flourished at the studio and by the time he was twenty he was directing screen tests and one-reel shorts. He directed installments in the Our Gang and Little Rascals series, as well as the Pete Smith and the Crime Does Not Pay series. He won back-to-back Oscars for two of his shorts, Quicker'n a Wink (1940) and Of Pups and Puzzles (1941). His feature film directing debut was Free and Easy (1941) starring Robert Cummings. His first major film musical was the all-star, war time musical, Thousands Cheer (1943), starring Kathryn Grayson and Gene Kelly. Sidney always indicated he viewed films as entertainment and seems to have rejected the auteur theory of directing embraced by some of his well known colleagues such as John Ford and Vincent Minnelli. His film, The Three Musketeers (1948), starring Gene Kelly and Lana Turner, was one of MGM's highest grossing films in the post World War Two period. He won his third Oscar for the short, Overture to 'The Merry Wives of Windsor, in 1954. Jupiter's Darling (1955) with Esther Williams was Sidney's last film for MGM. He was loaned to Columbia Pictures to direct The Eddy Duchin Story (1956), after which his contract at MGM ended.
Sidney went on to become an independent producer and director at Columbia Pictures where he directed such films as Pal Joey (1957), starring Frank Sinatra, and Bye Bye Birdie (1963) starring Ann-Margret. He returned to MGM in the 1960s to make A Ticklish Affair (1963), starring Shirley Jones and Viva Las Vegas (1964), starring Ann-Margret and Elvis Presley. His last film was the musical Half a Sixpence (1967) starring Tommy Steele for Paramount Pictures. Sidney also directed and produced for television most notably Who Has Seen the Wind (1964). He financed and founded Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1944. He was a two-term president, 1951-1959 and 1961-1967, of the Directors Guild of America (DGA), earlier known as the Screen Directors Guild (SDG).
In his personal life, Sidney was married in 1942 to legendary MGM drama coach, Lillian "Burnsie" Burns Salzer (1903-1998). He was eight years her junior. They lived at the Sidney home (1140 Tower Road) in Beverly Hills. They divorced in the mid 1970s. For a brief time Sidney maintained a penthouse apartment for George Sidney Productions at 144 South Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills. He maintained a suite (301) in the Palm Wilshire Building, 9201 Wilshire Boulevard in the 1970s. He married his second wife, Jane Adler Robinson (?-1991), second wife and widow of actor Edward G. Robinson (1893-1974), around 1978. The house at 1140 Tower Road was sold and Sidney moved to the Robinson home at 910 Rexford Drive in Beverly Hills. Sidney married his third wife, Corinne Kegley Entratter (1937-?), widow of showman and Las Vegas entrepreneur John Entratter, in 1991. Sidney was a prolific photographer. He collected art and was apparently an avid gardener. He was a member of the Royal Horticultural Society. He died in Las Vegas, Nevada in May 2002.
Related Materials:
The Harry Warren Collection, AC0750
The Groucho Marx Collection, AC0269
Sidney related artifacts from Sidney's films are housed in the Division of Culture and the Arts, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian. There are scrapbooks donated by the Sidney Estate in the collection of the Cinema-Television Library, Doheny Library, University of Southern California, consisting of eleven volumes containing photographs, correspondence, publicity documents, and other materials, circa 1933-1963.
Provenance:
This collection was donated to the Archives Center in 2005 by Corinne Entratter Sidney, widow of George Sidney.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site. Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with cotton gloves. Researchers may use reference copies of audio-visual materials. When no reference copy exists, the Archives Center staff will produce reference copies on an "as needed" basis and as resources allow.
Viewing film portions of the collection requires special appointment, please inquire; listening to LP recordings is only possible by special arrangement.
Special arrangements required to view materials in cold storage. Using cold room materials requires a three hour waiting period.
Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
The Archives Center does not own exclusive rights to these materials. All requests for permission to use these materials for non-museum purposes must be addressed directly to the Archives Center, and the Archives Center will forward the request to the copyright holder. Collection items are available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Reproduction permission from Archives Center: fees for commercial use.
Topic:
Motion picture production and direction Search this
Motion picture producers and directors Search this
Conversation about producing a documentary film. Specifically, the importance of both sound and image; necessary equipment; technical aspects and elements of production; interviewing techniques; cinematography and sound tips; planning and outlining the film; and funding, marketing and focus groups are discussed.
Discussion. Audio only. Very poor audio quality. Part of the Teenarama Collection. Dated 19981012.
Biographical / Historical:
The documentary 'Dance Party: The Teenarama Story' examined the popularity of 1950s and 1960s teen dance television shows, including 'The Teenarama Dance Party,' 'American Bandstand,' 'The Buddy Dean Show,' and 'The Milt Grant Show.' 'The Teenarama Dance Party' was an all-black teen dance show produced and broadcasted in Washington, D.C. The show aired from March 7, 1963 to November 20, 1970 on WOOK-TV Channel 14, which was the nation's first Black TV station. The show was produced live six days a week; and hosted first by Bob King and later by a rotation of hosts. In addition to being a dance show, 'The Teenarama Dance Party' was a training ground for teens. Production staff mentored the teenagers in the art of broadcast production. The teens trained as camera operators, floor directors, and technical engineers; and served as production assistants.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV005288_B
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Teenarama: Workshop on Documentary Filmmaking, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
The collection documents the lives and careers of the Smothers Brothers, with emphasis on their 1960s television variety show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
Scope and Contents:
Collection documents the private lives and professional careers of Tom and Dick Smothers, with emphasis on their television variety show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. The largest portion of the collection contains photographic materials. Publicity materials including press releases, programs, newspaper clippings, and magazine articles; correspondence containing fan mail (some from famous persons such as Lucille Ball, Jack Paar, and others), letters from viewers both complimentary and critical of shows, and letters from members of Congress; business records including contracts, tour itineraries, talent agency materials, scripts, and scrapbooks; and legal documents relating to the lawsuit against Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) are also found in the collection. Collection is arranged into three series: Series 1, Photographs, 1961-2007, undated; Series 2, Business Records, 1959-2002, undated; and Series 3, Personal Papers, 1966-2008, undated.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into three series:
Series 1: Photographic Materials, 1961-2007, undated
Subseries 1.1: Television Shows, 1966-1989, undated
Subseries 1.2: Specials, Tours, and Public Appearances, 1964-1988, undated
Subseries 1.3: Motion Picture Films and Theatre, 1969-1982
Subseries 1.4: General, 1961-2007, undated
Subseries 1.5: Promotional, 1961-2003, undated
Series 2: Business Records, 1959-2002, undated
Subseries 2.1: Press, 1960-2002, undated
Subseries 2.2: Employee Files, 1959-1999, undated
Subseries 2.3: Smothers Brothers v. Columbia Broadcasting System, Incorporated (CBS), 1966-1972, undated
Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music, Series 16: Country, Western and Folk Music NMAH.AC.0300
Bob Rule Papers, NMAH.AC.0855
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with James Wentzy, 2017 January 23-March 31. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The collection documents the life and career of comedian Imogene Coca.
Content Description:
The collection documents the life and career of comedian Imogene Coca. It includes family documents and photographs, including some from the 19th century; a family history written by Imogene Coca; several photograph albums; several scrapbooks, including such things as articles and clippings, advertisements for shows, notes, playbills, and photographs; correspondence; diaries; scripts; original scores; sheet music; clippings; transcripts of interviews; awards; and miscellany.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into one series.
Provenance:
Collection donated to the Archives Center in 2019 by Mark Basile.
Restrictions:
Collection is ope for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Beyond the Ocean, Beneath the Leaf (Video recording : 1982)
Welcome to Whipple (Video recording)
Inside Hawaiian Volcanoes (Documentary film)
Eruption of Kilauea (Documentary film)
Volcano Surtsey (Documentary film)
Volcano - Original Footage (Documentary film)
Starfish (Documentary film : 1970)
Magnificent Voyagers (Documentary film)
Sawyer and His Mill (Motion picture : 1969)
Shells and the Animals Inside (Motion picture : 1978)
Kaleidoscope of Cowries (Motion picture : 1978)
Extent:
13.04 cu. ft. (11 record storage boxes) (1 document box) (2 tall document boxes) (1 film box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Documentary films
Motion pictures (visual works)
Video recordings
Date:
circa 1968-1970; 1978; 1982-1983; 1985-1987; 1994-1995
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of materials documenting 13 productions created by Smithsonian Productions. 1) "The Sawyer and His Mill" was a 1969 exhibition film shown in
the National Museum of American History's Agriculture Hall. The 4:50 minute film compared ancient and modern sawmills. It won the Bronze Medal at the International Film and
TV Festival of New York. 2) "Shells and the Animals Inside," 1978, was a 20-minute educational film that looked at imagination as a learning technique. 3) "Kaleidoscope of
Cowries" was a 4-minute exhibition film that displayed the beauty of cowry shells. It was designed for a mirrored projection area. It won the Silver Medal at the 1981 International
Film and TV Festival of New York. 4) "From Clay to Kiln," 1968, was a 4:30 minute exhibition film that demonstrated basic pottery making techniques. 5) "City of the Dead"
was a 3:30 minute exhibition film shown in the Hall of Western Civilization at the National Museum of Natural History. The 1978 film documented the Smithsonian dig at Bab
Edh-Dhra, a 5000-year-old burial site in Jordan. 6) "Beyond the Ocean, Beneath a Leaf" was a 28:05 minute exhibition video produced in 1982 that provided an intimate view
of insect and aquatic life including close-up footage of animal behavior seldom seen by the naked eye. 7) "Welcome to Whipple" was a video orientation guide to the Fred Lawrence
Whipple Observatory located near Amado, Arizona on Mount Hopkins. 8-9) "Inside Active Volcanoes: Kilauea and Mount St. Helens" was a 1989 exhibition at the National Museum
of Natural History that also traveled with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. Two titles "Inside Hawaiian Volcanoes" and "Eruption of Kilauea" were
likely produced in conjunction with this exhibit. 10-11) "The Volcano Surtsey" and "Volcano - Original Footage" are two titles that are likely associated with an exhibit at
the National Museum of Natural History called "Volcanoes and Volcanism," 1970. 12) "Starfish" was a 7 minute exhibition film produced in 1970 concerning crown-of-thorns starfish
depredating the Great Barrier Reef. 13) "Magnificent Voyagers" was a 30-minute educational film about the U.S. Exploring Expedition of 1838-1842, chronicling the voyage and
the United States' entry into the world's scientific community. The film won the 1989 CINE Golden Eagle award.
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.
Memphis: Cradle of Rock and Soul (Radio program : 2000)
Jazz Smithsonian (Radio program : 1993)
Extent:
1 cu. ft. (2 document boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Date:
1995-2002
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of purchase orders, contracts, and agreements concerning intellecutal property rights pertaining to Smithsonian Productions productions.
Dream Window: Reflections on the Japanese Garden (Documentary film : 1991)
The Haupt Garden (Video recording : 1994)
Smithsonian world
Smithsonian video collection
Search for the Tunguska Meteorite (Documentary film)
The Mississippi: River of Song (Television program : 1999)
Piano 300 (Video recording : 2000)
Extent:
6 cu. ft. (6 record storage boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Clippings
Black-and-white photographs
Color transparencies
Black-and-white negatives
Date:
1984-2002
Descriptive Entry:
This accession includes the records of Laura T. Schneider, Audio-Visual Production Specialist, primarily documenting her work on "Dream Window: Reflections on the Japanese
Garden," an educational film to acquaint American audiences with the historical and cultural significance of Japanese Gardens and their importance to Japan's landscape; and
the production "The Haupt Garden," an orientation video about the Victorian garden to be shown in the Children's Room at the Smithsonian 'Castle' Building. The records also
include information about other productions such as "Smithsonian World," an educational television series that explored people, ideas, and events that shape world culture;
"Search for the Tunguska Meteorite," a documentary film about the 1908 explosion in Siberia of a large meteorite; "River of Song: Music Along the Mississippi," an educational
television program exploring music along the Mississippi River from Minnesota to New Orleans; "Piano 300," an exhibition video celebrating three centuries of people and pianos;
and the "Smithsonian Video Collection," an educational video series focusing on the Smithsonian Institution's collections and research.
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)
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
Dream Window: Reflections on the Japanese Garden (Documentary film : 1991)
American Picture Palaces (Motion picture : 1983)
Flying Machines (Video recording : 1989)
Maine Coast (Documentary film : c. 1982)
Extent:
6.5 cu. ft. (6 record storage boxes) (1 document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Clippings
Drawings
Black-and-white photographs
Black-and-white negatives
Color transparencies
Date:
1971-1998
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of records documenting Smithsonian Video Collection projects as well as film and television productions. Materials include the correspondence
and memoranda of Karen Loveland, Director of Special Projects; Lisa H. Kaiser, Production Researcher; Elizabeth Smith Brownstein, Media Project Development Specialist; and
Michele Turner, Associate Producer. Also includes production slides, photographs, edit logs, scripts, interviews, music selections, and end credits; press releases; budget
summaries; contracts; and research articles. Some productions documented in these records include "Dream Window: Reflections on the Japanese Garden," "The Flying Machines,"
"American Picture Palaces," and "Maine Coast."
Topic:
Video recordings -- Direction and production Search this
This accession consists of materials documenting the professional activities of conservation biologist Devra G. Kleiman, 1952-2010. Topics include her involvement in
professional associations, book reviews, her adjunct professorship at the University of Maryland at College Park, and British Broadcasting Corporation radio and television
appearances. Materials include correspondence, brochures, meeting materials, contracts, scripts, notes, and related materials.
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)
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.
Sea: A Quest for Our Future (Motion picture : 1984)
Creator::
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
1 cu. ft. (1 record storage box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Videotapes
Place:
Caribbean Area
Virgin Islands
Bahamas
Turks and Caicos Islands
Belize
Date:
1984-1985, 1992
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of audiovisual elements created during the production of "The Sea: A Quest for Our Future" and other films associated with the National Museum
of Natural History (NMNH), Life in the Sea Hall. "The Sea: A Quest for Our Future" is a 60 minute film produced in 1984 and broadcast by PBS. It is a documentary on the complex
ecosystems of tropical coral reefs filmed in the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Belize, and it focuses primarily on research projects conducted
by the NMNH Marine Systems Laboratory. The film won several awards including the 1984 Best Nature Production Award from the International TV Movie Festival; a second-place
award at the 1985 National Educational Film Festival; and a 1986 Gold Medal and Diploma of the International Scientific Festival. Materials include a master, dubbing masters,
a film transfer master, and related materials on 1" magnetic tape and 3/4" U-matic videotape.
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 Smithsonian Institution Archives began its Oral History Program in 1973. The purpose of the program is to supplement the written documentation of the Archives'
record and manuscript collections with an Oral History Collection, focusing on the history of the Institution, research by its scholars, and contributions of its staff. Program
staff conduct interviews with current and retired Smithsonian staff and others who have made significant contributions to the Institution. There are also interviews conducted
by researchers or students on topics related to the history of the Smithsonian or the holdings of the Smithsonian Institution Archives.
Cherkezian was interviewed for the Oral History Collection because of his role as one of the pioneers of public television and his tenure as a Smithsonian administrator.
Descriptive Entry:
Cherkezian was interviewed in December of 1986 by John Peterson for a University of Maryland oral history seminar project. The interview covers his education and career
in public affairs and television at New York University; experiences as producer for WCBS-TV in New York; public relations and television production for public broadcasting
at National Educational Television; coverage of Watergate and Washington politics for the National Public Affairs Center for Television; and career as Director of the Office
of Telecommunications at the Smithsonian.
The collection consists of 1.5 hours of audiotape recordings and 35 pages of transcript.
Historical Note:
Nazaret "Chic" Cherkezian (1924-1996), was born in Queens, New York. He attended New York University (NYU) where he received a B.A. in Journalism and completed all
course work for an M.B.A. in Economic History.
Cherkezian began his career as a journalist in 1946 as a staff member of the New York Herald Tribune. In 1949, he entered the public relations field as Associate
Director and Senior Press Representative for the New York University Office of Information Services. While at NYU, he helped found the Office of Radio and Television, where
he was Associate Director and Producer from 1954 to 1957. During these years he helped to create the successful Sunrise Semester educational television series.
In 1957, Cherkezian began producing the weekly television series Eye on New York for WCBS-TV. He left commercial television in 1959 to become Director of Public
Information for National Educational Television (NET). He advanced to Executive Producer in 1965, a position which he held until 1972. He was awarded fellowships by The Ford
Foundation and National Association of Educational Broadcasters to continue development in this field.
Cherkezian came to Washington in 1973 to accept a post as Director of Programming for the National Public Affairs Center for Television (NPACT). His Smithsonian career
began in 1974 when he became Telecommunications Coordinator for the Office of Public Affairs. Cherkezian was named Director of the Office of Telecommunications upon its creation
in 1976, serving until his retirement in 1986. As Director of the Office of Telecommunications, Cherkezian was responsible for the Smithsonian's radio, television, and film
productions. His many credits include A Sense of Discovery, Here at the Smithsonian, Yorktown, and Peace Be Still.
Topic:
Television -- Production and direction Search this
Smithsonian Expedition Specials (Television program : c. 1994)
Source of Mekong (Television program : c. 1994)
Elephants of Timbuktu (Television program : c. 1994)
Extent:
0.5 cu. ft. (1 document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Video recordings
Date:
1993-1994
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of audiovisual records created during the production of "Smithsonian Expedition Specials." This television series, produced around 1994, included
the episodes "Source of the Mekong" and "Elephants of Timbuktu." The series was co-produced by Hearst Entertainment for broadcast on the Arts and Entertainment Network. Materials
include VHS and 3/4" U-matic tapes.
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.
