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.
An interview with James Wentzy, conducted 2017 January 23-March 31, by Cynthia Carr, for the Archives of American Art's Visual Arts and the AIDS Epidemic: An Oral History Project, at Wentzy's home and studio in New York, New York.
Wentzy speaks of his childhood in South Dakota; studying filmmaking at Southern Illinois University; moving to New York and shooting commercial films in the late 1970s; working and homesteading in the photography studio of James Dee; the beginning of the AIDS crisis; being diagnosed with HIV in 1990; his participation in and extensive documentation of ACT UP meetings, actions, and demonstrations; his place in the genealogy of AIDS activism; and his body of film and television work. Wentzy also recalls Darrel Ellis, Alanna Heiss, Arch Brown, James Dee, Robert Farber, Ho Tam, John Schnabel, Patrick Moore, Lou Maletta, Tony Arena, Vincent Satinire, David Buckingham, Jean Carlomusto, and others.
Biographical / Historical:
James Wentzy (1952- ) is a cinematographer, documentary filmmaker, and artist in New York, New York. Cynthia Carr (1950- ) is a writer in New York, New York.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
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
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:
This collection is open for research use.
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.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view materials in cold storage. Using cold room materials requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 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).
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
This accession consists of video recordings of Lemelson Center special events, exhibitions, and general activities used for television broadcast. Materials also include
press questions, cassette recordings, articles, transcripts, learning guides, program booklets, and announcements.
Topic:
Video recordings -- Production and direction Search this
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.
Through the Looking Glass Darkly: Struggle for Rights (Motion picture : 1973)
Afro-Americans and the Evolution of a Living Constitution (Video recording : 1988)
Life and Times of Richard Allen (Video recording : 1990)
Harlem Renaissance (Video recording : 1986)
Creator::
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
1.5 cu. ft. (1 record storage box) (1 document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Videotapes
Motion pictures (visual works)
Place:
Oklahoma -- History
Date:
1973, 1986, 1988, 1990, undated
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of audiovisual materials created during the production of "Through the Looking Glass Darkly: Struggle for Rights;" "Afro-Americans and the Evolution
of a Living Constitution;" "Life and Times of Richard Allen;" and "Harlem Renaissance." "Through the Looking Glass Darkly: Struggle for Rights," produced in 1973, deals with
the history of African Americans in Oklahoma. The Smithsonian Institution may have repurposed all or part of this production from an Oklahoma television station. "Afro-Americans
and the Evolution of a Living Constitution" is a videotape of a live teleconference of the same name held on March 16, 1988. "Life and Times of Richard Allen" accompanied
an exhibition at the Anacostia Museum in 1990. Richard Allen was the first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. "Harlem Renaissance" is a 15 minute film produced
in 1986. It accompanied an Anacostia Neighborhood Museum exhibition of the same name. Materials include negatives, soundtracks, source tapes, masters, and related materials
on film, videotape, and magnetic tape. Materials also include a videotape of exterior footage of the Anacostia Museum.
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.
Men of Greatness, Feats of Daring (Video recording : 1985)
Place of Dreams (Motion picture : 1978)
Reunions: Memories of an American Experience (Documentary film : 1979)
To Fly! (Motion picture : 1976)
Uncovering the Earth (Video recording : 1986)
Uncovering the Earth (Video recording : 1992)
Berlin Airlift (Motion picture : 1984)
Air & Space (Serial)
Creator::
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
1.38 cu. ft. (1 record storage box) (1 film box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Audiotapes
Videotapes
Motion pictures (visual works)
Place:
United States -- History
Date:
1976, 1978-1979, 1986, 1992, undated
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of audiovisual materials created during the production of "Place of Dreams;" "Men of Greatness, Feats of Daring;" "Reunions: Memories of an
American Experience;" "To Fly!;" "Uncovering the Earth;" and "Berlin Airlift." "Place of Dreams" features a close-up look at the National Air and Space Museum's unparalleled
collection, displays from the museum's exhibit halls, early newsfilm of flight's pioneers, and vintage photographs. It serves as both a history of modern flight's sung and
unsung heroes and a celebration of the museum building and its collections. The hour-long television program is hosted by Cliff Robertson and aired on the Public Broadcasting
Service on December 13, 1978, the 75th anniversary of manned flight. "Men of Greatness, Feats of Daring" is a 7-minute film that most likely accompanied an exhibition at the
National Air and Space Museum.
"Reunions: Memories of an American Experience" features General James Harold Doolittle's early air racing experiences and visits with Gustav Tafel, homeopathic pharmaceutical
manufacturer. Both men represent the creative drive and excellence of the American past. The 1979 production also features Burgess Meredith, Gerald R. Ford, Ronald Reagan,
and Donald S. Lopez. "To Fly!" is a joint project between the IMAX Corporation and the National Air and Space Museum. It was first released in 1976 and then rereleased for
its twentieth anniversary in 1996. "Uncovering the Earth" accompanied the National Air and Space Museum exhibit "Looking at Earth." A 5-minute video was first produced in
1986. In 1992, the film was redone and a 10-minute version replaced the original. "Berlin Airlift" was produced in 1984 and likely accompanied an exhibition. Also in this
accession are materials related to the Air & Space Magazine. Materials in this accession include release prints, masters, interviews, and related materials. Also included
is a press release for "Place of Dreams."
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 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
Big Ideas in Small Packages (Television production)
Black Artists in the 20th Century (Television production)
Black Wings (Television production)
Brand New at the Zoo (Television production)
Capturing the Spirit (Television production)
Celebrating American Folklife (Television production)
Climbing Jacob's Ladder (Television production)
France Meets New Jersey (Television production)
From Fiddles to Banjos (Television production)
From Field to Factory (Television production)
From Reliable Sources (Television production)
Happy Birthday, Hirshhorn Museum (Television production)
Happy Birthday, National Zoo (Television production)
Hollywood Legend and Reality (Television production)
Hooray for Amelia! (Television production)
How Does Your Sculpture Grow? (Television production)
Inside Meteorites (Television production)
Islam in Africa (Television production)
Japan's Ceramic Heritage (Television production)
Joseph Cornell: The Universe in a Box (Television production)
Kalabari Kinetics (Television production)
Keeping Orchids Alive (Television production)
Keeping Perfect Time (Television production)
King Herod's Dream (Television production)
Living With the Eskimos (Television production)
Magellans of the Air (Television production)
Magnificent Voyagers (Television production)
Meet the Beetles (Television production)
Microscopes Make it Big (Television production)
More than Whistler's Mother (Television production)
New Deal Murals (Television production)
Old and New Traditions (Television production)
On the Air (Television production)
Our Violent Universe (Television production)
Outer Space Artist (Television production)
Panda Playground (Television production)
Portrait of a Life (Television production)
Raphael Soyer: An Art of Real Life (Television production)
Remembering John La Farge (Television production)
Restoring it to 'Wright' (Television production)
Rocks in a Hard Place (Television production)
Russia: The Land, The People (Television production)
Say it Ain't So, Wesley (Television production)
Second Nature (Television production)
Something to Hang the Paint On (Television production)
Spanning the Distance (Television production)
Spineless Wonders (Television production)
Strike Up the Bandstand (Television production)
Surgery is Painless (Television production)
Tending a Sculpture Garden (Television production)
That's Entertainment (Television production)
20,000 Year Old Man (Television production)
Art of Craft (Television production)
Birdman of America (Television production)
Brush of Innocence (Television production)
California Artist (Television production)
Common Wealth of Massachusetts (Television production)
Decorative Designs of Frank Lloyd Wright (Television production)
Elephant's Tale (Television production)
Golden Age of Aviation (Television production)
Harlem Renaissance (Television production)
Jeweler's Eye (Television production)
Making of a Dinosaur (Television production)
Painter at Large (Television production)
Perpetual Man Ray (Television production)
Plastic Historian (Television production)
Precious Legacy (Television production)
Rebirth of Dinosaurs (Television production)
Creator::
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
36.54 cu. ft. (58 document boxes) (7.54 tall document boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Video recordings
Videotapes
Date:
1982-1989
Descriptive Entry:
Here At The Smithsonian was a series of short features for television created and produced by the staff of the Smithsonian's Office of Telecommunications between
the years 1982 and 1989. The series was designed for public dissemination of information about Smithsonian exhibition and research activities. Each year had a volume number
[1982 (Volume I) through 1989 (Volume VIII)], within the volume were multiple editions (four to five), and multiple segments within each edition (three to six). Although some
segments were repeated, they were often lengthened for a second broadcast. Features totaled 160 (including repeats).
This accession contains some of the original camera footage, all of the cut shows, and preservation masters of all of the cut shows. The initial features were written and
shot by in-house staff using rented professional broadcast equipment, recorded on U-matic tape, rough cut on U-matic tape, then edited to 1-inch tape at a commercial post
production house (first at FAX Productions in Bethesda, Maryland, then at Techniarts in Silver Spring, Maryland). Features were shot on Betacam beginning in 1987, and mastered
to D-2 beginning in 1989. In 1987, post production work moved to Henninger Video in Arlington, Virginia.
Due to the long run of the series, different individuals were associated with the various functions including series producer, segment producer, and narrator. Those playing
the largest roles in the development and refinement of Here At The Smithsonian were Ann Carroll (series producer, Volumes I - IV) and John P. Meehan (series producer
Volumes V - VIII).
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:
Television -- Production and direction 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
Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications Search this
Extent:
63.38 cu. ft. (56 document boxes) (61 tall document boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Audiotapes
Date:
circa 1971-1991
Descriptive Entry:
This record unit consists of master audiotapes for "Radio Smithsonian" programs 750-1098, 1984-1989; elements, or original, unedited tapes for "Radio Smithsonian" programs
837-1098, 1985-1989; audio elements for the television series "Here at the Smithsonian," volumes 3-8, 1984-1989; master audiotapes for "Folk Masters" radio series, 1991; scripts
of "Radio Smithsonian" programs 400-975, 1977-1988; and audiotapes of Smithsonian special events, lectures, concerts, interviews, symposia, and openings, circa 1971-1991.
Restrictions:
Restrictions pertaining to the use of these materials may apply (based on contracts/copyright). Access restrictions may also apply if listening copies are not currently available. Listening copies can be made for a fee. Contact reference staff for details.
