The Hollywood Heritage Museum has a new exhibit called Broadcast from Hollywood: When Movie Stars Met Television that displays memorabilia from televisions shows like I Love Lucy (1951-1957), The Lucy Show (1962-1968), Here's Lucy (1968-1974), Adam-12 (1968-1975), Three's Company (1977-1984), The Survivors (1969-1970), and Mad Men (2007-2015). The exhibit explores how television transformed the Hollywood entertainment industry.
In the 1950s, Hollywood studios considered television a threat as the rise of televisions in the household lead to a decline in theatre attendance. According to the Library of Congress, the number of American households with televisions grew from 9% in 1950 to 90% by 1960. However, Hollywood eventually embraced television as it diversified its scope of entertainment to engage audiences in both the theater and home.
Starting in the late 1940s, television studios such as the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), and National Broadcasting Company (NBC) contributed to the rise of television shows such as the western show The Lone Ranger (ABC, 1949-1957) or the crime-drama Martin Kane, Private Eye (NBC, 1949-1954). Many Hollywood film stars transitioned from movies to television like Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy (CBC, 1951-1957) and Donna Reed in the Donna Reed Show (ABC, 1958-1966), and enjoying extended careers thanks to television.
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| Broadcast from Hollywood: When Movie Stars Met Television |
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| Collection of vintage TV Guide magazines. |
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| The early television sets were stylish and designed to blend with home furniture. |
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| Advertisement for the first I Love Lucy episode that aired on October 15, 1951. |
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| Memorabilia from The Lucy Show (1962-1968) which was a spinoff from I Love Lucy. |
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| Keepsakes from two I Love Lucy episodes: "The Chocolate Factor" and "Lucy does a Commercial". |
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| A photograph of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz leaving their Desilu Studios, which they started in 1957. The building was purchased from RKO Studios in 1957 and later became part of Paramount Studios. |
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| Wardrobe from I Love Lucy. |
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| Wardrobe from Here's Lucy (1968-1974) which was a spinoff from The Lucy Show. |
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| Desilu studio equipment and photographs. |
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| Memorabilia from Adam-12 (1968-1975). |
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| Wardrobe and props from Three's Company (1977-1984), Lavern & Shirley (1976-1983), and Alice (1976-1985). |
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| A sequenced gown worn by Lana Turner in The Survivors (1969-1970). |
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| Memorabilia from the famous television family, the Cassidys. |
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| Keepsakes from television studios like postcards, pamphlets and studio tickets. |
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| The gill-man from the 1957 film Creature from the Black Lagoon which made appearances and was referenced in many television shows. |
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| Sigmund from the 1970s Saturday morning children's show, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (1973-1975). |
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| René Zendejas puppets from the children's bilingual television show Domingo (1971-1978). |
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| Mid-century style props from Mad Men (2007-2015) including furniture and wardrobe..... |
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| vintage clocks, office intercom and film reel...... |
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| an ash tray and checks from the Sterling Cooper advertising firm. |
