Although this year's Oscars broadcast was a full two months ago, the ceremony honoring My Fair Lady, Julie Andrews, and Rex Harrison was held this week in 1965. If that seems late to you, consider that the very first Oscars were handed out May 16, 1929. http://youtu.be/ngw1JyOv_GM From the release sheet: HOLLYWOOD'S NIGHT OF GLAMOUR: … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: The 37th Academy Awards, 1965
Last fall, we told you about films from Project Blue Book, the United States Air Force investigation into unidentified flying objects. In addition to records related to the search for UFOs, the National Archives and Records Administration also holds records concerning Identified Flying Objects. One of the most remarkable of these is the Avrocar. The Avrocar … Continue reading Avrocar: The U.S. Military’s Flying Saucer
This week in 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were found guilty of providing secret information about atomic weapons technology to the USSR. The couple were sentenced to death on April 5, 1951 and were executed in June of 1953. From the release sheet: DEATH FOR ATOM SPIES! New York- It’s a verdict of death in … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: The Rosenberg Verdict, 1951
This week we're featuring Professor I.M. Nuts, a gentleman who demonstrates his spectacular inventions in several Universal News stories. In this story, Prof. Nuts shows off a gadget that will prevent you from ruining your day while eating grapefruit. According to Nuts, "every home should have at least half a dozen"! http://youtu.be/djr2GckgFvI Have you ever … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: An Invention to Protect Yourself from Grapefruit, 1937
When you watch NARA's video for The March on YouTube the first thing you see onscreen is a note that the film was “Preserved and Restored by the National Archives.” You may wonder why we make the distinction between preservation and restoration. Aren't they the same thing? The differences between preservation and restoration are subtle, … Continue reading Film Preservation 101: Is Restoration the Same as Preservation?
This week in Universal News, it's "another great day for the Irish" at the New York City St. Patrick's Day parade. In attendance were Robert Kennedy, Mayor John Lindsay, Governor Nelson Rockefeller, and James Farley, Postmaster General under Franklin D. Roosevelt and one of the first successful Irish Catholic politicians in the United States. http://youtu.be/q_lWSohSReo … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade, 1967
This week, part two of our history of Dr. Seuss's service in Frank Capra's Army Signal Corps unit during World War II. Last week we told you about Theodor Geisel’s work on the Private Snafu cartoon series, but his war-time service consisted of more than writing verse for delightful animated training films. One of Geisel’s … Continue reading Dr. Seuss Beyond Snafu: Your Job in Germany
This week in Universal News, fashionable ladies demonstrate the latest gadgets at the National Wine and Liquor Show in Chicago, including cocktail mittens and a portable keg tap that makes beach picnics a breeze. The soundtrack for this reel no longer exists, but you can read the script below to get a sense of how … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: New Cocktail Gadgets, 1935
With the 110th anniversary of Dr. Seuss’s birth, we are reminded of his enormous impact on children’s literature. Less remembered, however, was his time spent serving in the US Army’s Information and Education Division. During World War II, Theodor Seuss Geisel inspired thousands of soldiers and honed his storytelling skills. And, before there were cats wearing … Continue reading Uncle Sam-I-Am: Dr. Seuss’s Private Snafu
This week in Universal News, New Orleans celebrates Mardi Gras. Be sure to look closely at 0:40 to catch a glimpse of a Beatles fan surrounded by a gaggle of clowns. http://youtu.be/XVPbXwCMQHg From the release sheet: THE ANNUAL NEW ORLEANS STORY: The charming, old City of New Orleans, forever young in spirit, whoops it up … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: Mardi Gras, 1965
