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Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Record Unit 587

Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications

Productions, circa 1963-1989

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications
Title:Productions
Dates:circa 1963-1989
Quantity:17.9 cu. ft. (16 record storage boxes) (5 film boxes)
Collection:Record Unit 587
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

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.

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.

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Access Restriction

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.

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Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 587, Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications, Productions

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Container List

Box 1

Whale Hunt (Stratford, Virginia, September 25, 1966, Workprint, 400ft.)

Box 1 of 21

SI Whale "1st 50 ft. B&W, SI Whale Film" (16mm)

Box 1 of 21

The Smithsonian's Whale (The Blue Whale?) (color, first answer print, dir. Sophie Burnham)

Box 1 of 21

The Smithsonian Whale (16mm dupe negative)

Box 1 of 21

The Blue Whale #1 (1969, First Answer Print, 15 min., color)

Box 1 of 21

The Blue Whale (Second answer print, 15 min., B&W)

Box 1 of 21

Smithsonian Institution: Blue Planet (Reel number one, 14.5 min.)

Box 1 of 21

Smithsonian Institution: Blue Planet (Coral Reef Exhibit Film #2, 1985)

Box 1 of 21

Box 2

Yorktown (Bicentennial Film: Recreation of the battle and period costumes, reel number one, Print #5, 1982)

Box 2 of 21

Yorktown (Bicentennial Film: Recreation of the battle and period costumes, reel number two, French version, 1982)

Box 2 of 21

Yorktown Exhibition

Box 2 of 21

Work of Peace (Bicentennial film: Treaty of Paris and period costumes, 1984, copy #1)

Box 2 of 21

Work of Peace (Bicentennial film: Treaty of Paris and period costumes, 1984, copy #2)

Box 2 of 21

Work of Peace (Bicentennial film: Treaty of Paris and period costumes, 1984, copy #3)

Box 2 of 21

Work of Peace (Bicentennial film: Treaty of Paris and period costumes, 1984, copy# 4)

Box 2 of 21

Work of Peace (Bicentennial film: Treaty of Paris and period costumes, 1984, Preview #22)

Box 2 of 21

Work of Peace (Bicentennial film: Treaty of Paris and period costumes, 1984, Preview #24)

Box 2 of 21

Box 3

The Hunters (reel number 1)

Box 3 of 21

The Hunters (reel number 2, interneg. #2)

Box 3 of 21

The Hunters (reel number 3, color)

Box 3 of 21

National Zoological Park (original, reel number one, December 1967, 400ft.)

Box 3 of 21

National Zoological Park (original negative, reel two, December 1967, 400ft.)

Box 3 of 21

Zoo Endangered Species - SI Associates Classics (original, 16mm)

Box 3 of 21

Heath Hen (16mm, B&W, January 1942, notch code 1966, 400ft.)

Box 3 of 21

Heath Hen, 1966 (reel number two)

Box 3 of 21

President Lyndon Johnson at Flag (Museum of History and Technology, original negative, reel number two, March 4, 1965)

Box 3 of 21

Box 4

Dedication of Museum of History and Technology (MHT) by President Lyndon Johnson (January 22, 1964)

Box 4 of 21

Dedication W. P. Speech by President Johnson

Box 4 of 21

President Lyndon Baines Johnson at Flag in National Museum of History and Technology (NMHT), March 4, 1965 (16mm workprint)

Box 4 of 21

President Lyndon Johnson visits Federal Scientists and Engineering Exhibition (April 6, 1965, Workprint)

Box 4 of 21

President Johnson visits Federal Scientists and Engineering Exhibition (16mm, original negative, April 6, 1965, 400ft.)

Box 4 of 21

President Lyndon Johnson presenting award (Switzer-gems, B&W, 400ft., November 29, 1965)

Box 4 of 21

President Lyndon Johnson presenting award/Gem Hall, November 29, 1965 (original footage)

Box 4 of 21

Ladybird Johnson: Presentation of gown to Ladies Hall (Master copy reel, 16mm, 400ft.)

Box 4 of 21

Ladybird Johnson: First Lady Gown Presentation (NBC, B&W, reel number one)

Box 4 of 21

Ladybird Johnson: First Lady Gown Presentation (Workprint, reel number two)

Box 4 of 21

Ladybird Johnson planting pansies outside National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), March 9, 1965

Box 4 of 21

Vice President Hubert Humphrey, 1965

Box 4 of 21

Vice President Hubert Humphrey at MHT (September 29, 1965, 16mm, workprint, 300ft.)

Box 4 of 21

Nixon Inaugural Ball at MHT (color, 1968)

Box 4 of 21

Box 5

Smithsonian VIP: "Pope's Visit" and "Mrs. Carter's Gown" (cut workprint)

Box 5 of 21

Pope's Crowd, Exteriors

Box 5 of 21

Mrs. Carter Donates Gown (16mm transfer)

Box 5 of 21

Smithsonian VIP: WP Outs, July 11, 1982 (Unshowable as is, needs splices)

Box 5 of 21

Smithsonian VIP: Pope's Crowd Outs (WP) and Mrs. Carter's Gown (WP) (Original)

Box 5 of 21

VIP outs can-mini rolls

Box 5 of 21

Mirror of Kings (Print #14, #618F, 12 min.)

Box 5 of 21

Mirror of Kings (New print, festival copy, #1F)

Box 5 of 21

Box 6

A Company of Scholars (USIA film on Smithsonian Institution history and museums, reel number one, duplicate negative: color)

Box 6 of 21

A Company of Scholars (USIA film on Smithsonian Institution history and museums, reel number two, duplicate negative, 16mm, B&W, Positive Print) [USIA Film withdrawn from circulation in 1972 (Photographed in 1966)]

Box 6 of 21

On the Side of Life I (Reel number one)

Box 6 of 21

On the Side of Life III (1973, reel number two)

Box 6 of 21

In Open Air: A Portrait of American Impressionists (Print 217E, 1982)

Box 6 of 21

In Open Air: A Portrait of American Impressionists (Print 218E, 1982)

Box 6 of 21

What's New: Roaming the Smithsonian Institution (dir. Bob Kaiser)

Box 6 of 21

What's New: NET (September 6, 1968)

Box 6 of 21

What's New: WETA Hall of Everyday Life (October 17, 1965)

Box 6 of 21

Box 7

National Air and Space Museum (NASM): Presentation of Agena B (original negative, February 4, 1965)

Box 7 of 21

Moving Gemini from the Arts and Industries Building to the Labor Department (May 1966, 16mm, workprint #4)

Box 7 of 21

Moving Gemini 4 from the Arts and Industries Building to the Labor Department for exhibit (original, May 1966)

Box 7 of 21

House of Knowledge (reel number one, 400ft.)

Box 7 of 21

House of Knowledge (reel number two, 400ft.)

Box 7 of 21

Langley medal presentation to Alan Shepard, 1964 (reel number one, May 5, 1964, 16mm, workprint, 400ft.)

Box 7 of 21

Langley medal presentation to Alan Shepard, 1964 (Reel number two, orig. neg., B&W)

Box 7 of 21

Chesapeake Bay Center (reel number one, original negative, December 1967)

Box 7 of 21

Chesapeake Bay Center (reel number two, December 1967, 16mm, workprint)

Box 7 of 21

Dr. Charles Greeley Abbot (orig., May 14, 1968)

Box 7 of 21

Dr. Charles Greeley Abbot (workprint, May 14, 1968)

Box 7 of 21

R. D. Egypt (On leader, 400ft.)

Box 7 of 21

Princess Margaret's visit to the MHT (Reel number one, original master, November 18, 1965)

Box 7 of 21

Princess Margaret's visit to the MHT (reel number two, 16mm, color positive, 25ft. workprint, November 18, 1965)

Box 7 of 21

Mrs. Sadat, wife of Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat, visits exhibitions at the Freer Gallery of Art and the SI Castle (16mm, 200 ft.)

Box 7 of 21

North Carolina/Trans-Atlantic Aircraft (B&W print, 1919)

Box 7 of 21

Trans-Atlantic Flight: Navy

Box 7 of 21

Box 8

James Smithson Bicentennial

Box 8 of 21

The James Smithson Bicentennial (color, 25 min.)

Box 8 of 21

The Smithsonian Institution, 200th Anniversary (Corrected Print, Kodachrome 16mm, orig EKTA)

Box 8 of 21

SI 125th Anniversary and Post Office Opening (Workprint, assembled November 4, 1971, 2 reels)

Box 8 of 21

Dead Sea Scrolls (USIA program, B&W, reel number one, silent)

Box 8 of 21

Dead Sea Scrolls (Original master, reel number two)

Box 8 of 21

Dead Sea Scrolls (exhibition, workprint, reel number three)

Box 8 of 21

Box 9

Stuart Davis Art Exhibition (Reception; Mrs. Johnson Opens Show, 600ft.)

Box 9 of 21

"Lindbergh, May 1927" (400ft.)

Box 9 of 21

Documentation of Exhibitions (DOE), Dem Hall 26 (April 22, 1966, 500ft.)

Box 9 of 21

Naval Hall, Philatelic Hall, and Numismatics Hall: NMHT

Box 9 of 21

Exhibitions Open House (Workprint, April 22, 1966)

Box 9 of 21

Yugoslavian Art Show (opening, workprint)

Box 9 of 21

Smithsonian Nehru Exhibition (October 26, 1966)

Box 9 of 21

Smithsonian Institution Portrait Gallery (first Federal Congress, betacam originals, cassettes #1 and 2, 1989)

Box 9 of 21

Federal Science and Engineering Exhibition (MHT, workprint, April 6, 1965)

Box 9 of 21

A Glimpse of the Art of Africa

Box 9 of 21

Box 10

The Leaf Thieves (NMNH/University of Oklahoma, Norman, rain forest documentary, reel number one, 1960s, Print #1, Copy #1, 16mm color-release print)

Box 10 of 21

The Leaf Thieves (NMNH/University of Oklahoma, Norman, rain forest documentary, reel number two, Print #7)

Box 10 of 21

The Leaf Thieves (NMNH/University of Oklahoma, Norman, rain forest documentary, reel number three, Print #8)

Box 10 of 21

The Leaf Thieves (NMNH, rain forest documentary, original EKTA, includes reels A and B and soundtrack, 1960s)

Box 10 of 21

Around the Clock at the Smithsonian (1-Comp. Col., Positive R/P)

Box 10 of 21

Around the Clock at the Smithsonian (Print #1, 1977)

Box 10 of 21

Around the Clock at the Smithsonian (1st answer print, color)

Box 10 of 21

Box 11

Kick the Danes Head (1966, Print #2, NBC/SI)

Box 11 of 21

The World around Us (Ecology) (1966, Interneg., NBC/SI)

Box 11 of 21

Our Vanishing Lands (1966, Printers, NBC/SI)

Box 11 of 21

I Pledge Allegiance (Interneg., Print 25, reel 1, NBC/SI, 1960s)

Box 11 of 21

Lindbergh-Glenn, Flights of the Spirit of St. Louis and the Friendship 7 (NBC/SI, 1960s)

Box 11 of 21

Dem Dry Bones (osteology) (Printers sync., Interneg., 1966, NBC/SI)

Box 11 of 21

Tippacanoe and Lyndon Too (NBC/SI, 1960s)

Box 11 of 21

One Million Years of Man (Anthropology) (color interneg., NBC/SI, 1960s)

Box 11 of 21

American First Ladies (Interneg., NBC/SI, 1960s)

Box 11 of 21

Box 12

American Folk Art (NBC/SI, 1960s)

Box 12 of 21

Systematic Scientist (Color Internegative #1, 1967, NBC/SI)

Box 12 of 21

Treasure under the Sea (Internegative)

Box 12 of 21

Expeditions (color internegative)

Box 12 of 21

The Secret of Life (Radiation) (Print #16)

Box 12 of 21

Washington Expedition (WMAL-TV, 16mm, sound, B&W, 29 min., received June 12, 1962)

Box 12 of 21

Dilemma of Modern Museums (Please insure for $150)

Box 12 of 21

The Sky is Falling (Meteorites) (16mm, color interneg., 1960s)

Box 12 of 21

Folk Art (New work print, NBC series, 1960s)

Box 12 of 21

Box 13

The World Around Us (Ecology) (NBC/SI Series, Interneg.)

Box 13 of 21

1977 Public Service Announcement (Two Copies)

Box 13 of 21

This is America: America's Treasure-house (two prints, B&W)

Box 13 of 21

Thomas Edison and his Amazing Invention Factories (A wind, optical sound, 1979) (2 copies)

Box 13 of 21

A life of its own (Moving art from the Hirshorn estate, 1974, Prints #4 and #12)

Box 13 of 21

Box 14

The Smithsonian Institution (Eames documentary, reel number 1, 1960s)

Box 14 of 21

The Smithsonian Institution (Eames documentary, reel number 2, 1960s)

Box 14 of 21

The Smithsonian Institution (Eames documentary, Betacam SP Master, 1965, 19:50)

Box 14 of 21

The Smithsonian Institution (Eames documentary, VHS, 1965, 19:50)

Box 14 of 21

Smithsonian Institution: Annual Report, 1969

Box 14 of 21

On the Smithsonian Mall: TV spot (Stuart Finley narrator, 1968)

Box 14 of 21

American Picture Palaces (Theatrical version, 1985, 10 min.)

Box 14 of 21

American Picture Palaces (Theatrical version, 10 min.)

Box 14 of 21

American Picture Palaces (New May 13, 1985, #21)

Box 14 of 21

Signing of the Ivy Neck Agreement (February 9, 1966, workprint)

Box 14 of 21

Signing of the Ivy Neck Agreement (Original Negative, B&W, 16mm, 400ft.)

Box 14 of 21

Hall of Musical Instruments, MHT (1967, original)

Box 14 of 21

Hall of Musical Instruments, MHT (1967, workprint, 400ft.)

Box 14 of 21

Box 15

Dragon of the Trees: The Green Iguana (Print #2, 1979)

Box 15 of 21

Dragon of the Trees: The Green Iguana (Print # 10, 1979)

Box 15 of 21

Woodrow Wilson Center, 1970

Box 15 of 21

Catlin Show (Work print, numerous splices throughout)

Box 15 of 21

The Multiple Mirror Telescope Story: Mirrors on the Universe (University of Arizona, 1979, print #5)

Box 15 of 21

Wooly Mammoth Dig (ECO original)

Box 15 of 21

Sealink (Silent footage of R V Johnson Sealink - David Taylor Model Basin Design, Construction-ALCOA Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Compression tests in Plant, Cutter at dock taken under tow by tug)

Box 15 of 21

Anacostia

Box 15 of 21

Short Bus Ride

Box 15 of 21

Box 16

Willie Bear at Zoo, A. Smith, Keeper (Original, 16mm, October 19, 1965, 400ft.)

Box 16 of 21

Information Machine (400ft.)

Box 16 of 21

Smithsonian KITES, 1968 (400ft.)

Box 16 of 21

Living Flat Worms: Meredith Jones (16mm, B&W, original negative, December 3, 1965, 400ft.)

Box 16 of 21

Feeding Worm (color)

Box 16 of 21

Radiation

Box 16 of 21

Phykos: Smithsonian Oceanographic Ship, July 1965

Box 16 of 21

Bands on Mall and steps of the MHT (original color footage, March 1965, 16mm)

Box 16 of 21

Presentation of the Jubilee Diamond (November 8, 1961)

Box 16 of 21

Queen Elizabeth's visit (workprint)

Box 16 of 21

Accent of Excellence

Box 16 of 21

MHT Building from Internal Revenue, May 6, 1963 and Aerials MHT, October 23, 1963

Box 16 of 21

Smithsonian Institution Bicentennial (1/4" audiotape, November 15, 1966)

Box 16 of 21

Box 17

Wolper/Flight-Sky's the Limit (Print 3, January 31, 1975)

Box 17 of 21

Box 18

Flight: Sky's the Limit (1st color print, 3200 Kelvin, 2nd PGM 1974-1975, Wolper)

Box 18 of 21

Flight: Sky's the Limit (2nd color print, 3200 Kelvin, 2nd PGM 1974-1975, Wolper)

Box 18 of 21

Box 19

Monsters, Mysteries or Myths? (1st PGM, 1974-1975, Wolper)

Box 19 of 21

Monsters, Mysteries or Myths? (Color print, 3200 Kelvin, 2nd, Wolper)

Box 19 of 21

Box 20

John Wesley Powell: 99 Days to Survival (CBS, c. 1971, two prints)

Box 20 of 21

Adventure: Search for the Goddess of Love (Composite Print, CBS, 1971)

Box 20 of 21

Box 21

Smithsonian Institution "Speakers Film:" William Grayson's silent compilation made for S. Dillon Ripley and others' use.

Box 21 of 21

Smithsonian Institution "Speakers Film" (Revised edition)

Box 21 of 21

Script and instructions for Speakers Film

Box 21 of 21