Exhibitions

Hollywood: Legend and Reality

April 17, 1986 – June 15, 1986

National Museum of American History
1300 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC

2nd floor, Special Exhibits Gallery

See on Map Floor Plan

The exhibition explores the development of the motion picture industry in Hollywood and the impact of movies on American culture. The legend—what appears on the screen—and the reality—the many hours of hard work that go into producing a film—are examined using some 240 photographs and over 200 objects; in addition, video monitors showing film clips run continuously.

Props, costumes, and other highlights include: 

  • Casablanca Piano & other props from Rick's Cafe 
  • Citizen Kane the sled Rosebud 
  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial E.T. Wax model 
  • The Exorcist Regan demon life-size figure 
  • Gone With The Wind Sketch of Rhett Butler; cameo worn by Scarlett O'Hara; Oscar for Best Picture 
  • Gremlins Animated creature 
  • High Noon Gary Cooper's hat, boots and gun belt 
  • King Kong King Kong stop-motion puppet 
  • Mutiny on the Bounty Miniature sailing ship 
  • Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi Yoda and Rancor puppets, C-3PO gilded suit, Ewok mask, hands and feet, miniature models of Millennium falcon and All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT)
  • Wizard of Oz Ruby slippers and Scarecrow costume

Costumes include:

  • Fred Astaire: dance shoes from Top Hat
  • Charlie Chaplin: Modern Times 
  • Audrey Hepburn: My Fair Lady 
  • Marilyn Monroe: President Kennedy's 1962 birthday party 
  • Rudolph Valentino: Blood and Sand 
  • Mae West: I'm No Angel Artworks

Also included are photos by the following artists: Thomas Hart Benton, Miguel Covarrubias, Salvador Dali, Eliot Elisofon, Red Grooms, Edward Hopper, George Hurrell, Marisol, Claes Oldenburg, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol.

Red Groom's Way Down East sculpture is on view outside Mall entrance.

Related items in Hollywood shop

Catalogue

Recorded tour

Poster

T-shirt