Warner Bros. Television Group and the Paley Center For Media Partner to Celebrate the Studio’s Nearly 60-Year History with a New Museum Retrospective at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills
(March 15, 2012 – Burbank, CA) – Warner Bros. Television Group is teaming with the Paley Center for Media to take TV out of the box, inviting all to peer inside with the new interactive, multimedia museum exhibit “Television: Out of the Box” at the Paley Center for Media’s Los Angeles location in Beverly Hills, California. Celebrating nearly 60 years of iconic programming, “Television: Out of the Box” will feature props, costumes, original animation art, patent filings and much more from over 60 series ranging from “Alice” to “The West Wing.” The exhibit will run for the next three years and will be refreshed from time to time as items become available for display.
With “Television: Out of the Box,” Paley visitors will get an inside look at the creation and execution of some of the most memorable and successful programs in the history of the medium, from the founding of Warner Bros. Television in 1955 and its earliest beginnings with series such as ABC’s “Cheyenne,” “Maverick” and “77 Sunset Strip” to iconic programs from the 1970s and ’80s, such as CBS’s “Dallas” and “The Waltons,” and ABC’s legendary “Roots.” The exhibit — which features an accessible layout and interactive displays throughout — continues on with NBC’s Emmy winners “ER,” “The West Wing” and “Friends,” CBS’s “Murphy Brown” and through to the present day with current series including CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory” and “Two and a Half Men,” TNT’s “The Closer” and The CW’s “The Vampire Diaries,” providing a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most memorable programming in the television industry. The exhibit will include props, sets from “Friends” and “Seinfeld,” clips, artifacts and interactive elements such as a walk-in animation cel where visitors can interact with their favorite animated characters.
This exhibit represents the first time a major studio has teamed with the Paley Center to provide an interactive experience for television viewers. The Paley Center for Media, founded in New York in 1975 and established in Beverly Hills in 1996, is home to one of the world’s foremost publically accessible media archives, housing over 150,000 programs spanning the history of television, radio and new media. Throughout the year, the center illuminates the holdings preserved within its archive by hosting exclusive panel conversations and Q&A sessions with the casts and creative teams behind both current and classic programs, including “Glee” and “True Blood,” and media icons ranging from Carol Burnett and Bob Newhart to Jimmy Fallon and George Lucas. These events continue the Paley Center’s mandate to lead the discussion about the cultural, creative and social significance of television, radio and emerging platforms for the professional community and media-interested public.
Ever wanted to see the alien head from “V” up close, or Tony Soprano’s robe? How about Daisy Duke’s actual “Daisy Dukes”? Now’s your chance! With “Television: Out of the Box,” patrons can view these and other out-of-this-world costumes from series like “Babylon 5” and “Smallville,” see classic Hanna-Barbera toys from the 1950s and ’60s, and read suggestions on the “Roots” script from author Alex Haley to producer Stan Margulies. Fans looking for a more interactive experience can have their photo taken in a “walk-in cel,” where they can be photographed with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, or in front of a replica of the Central Perk set from “Friends” or an iconic Monk’s Diner booth from “Seinfeld.” With nearly 60 years in television, Warner Bros. is no “Perfect Stranger” to the medium … and there’s a lot of history to share.
“Television has played an important role in American popular culture over the last six decades and Warner Bros. is an important part of TV’s history,” said Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros., who began his career at the Studio some 40 years ago in the television department. “I’m grateful to our partners at the Paley for providing the perfect environment for such an incredible exhibit. With all the memorable series represented here, everyone who loves television will be delighted, whether they’re already fans of these shows or discovering them for the first time.”
“’Television: Out of the Box’ presents a major step for the Paley Center as it will bring a unique and unprecedented multimedia experience to the global community of media consumers,” said Pat Mitchell, president and CEO of the Paley Center for Media. “The exhibit demonstrates our mission to celebrate and preserve television’s best while also illustrating the importance of media in all of our lives. Warner Bros., as one of television’s most successful and prolific studios, is an ideal partner for us to collaborate with in this exciting new venture.”
“Television: Out of the Box” is open to the public Wednesdays–Sundays, during the Paley Center’s normal operating hours of 12 Noon–5 p.m. You can follow the exhibit on Facebook (facebook.com/TelevisionOutOfTheBox) and Twitter (@TVOutoftheBox).
About “Television: Out of the Box”:
Highlights of “Television: Out of the Box include”:
The Paley Center for Media, with locations in New York and Los Angeles, leads the discussion about the cultural, creative, and social significance of television, radio, and emerging platforms for the professional community and media-interested public. Drawing upon its curatorial expertise, an international collection and close relationships with the leaders of the media community, the Paley Center examines the intersections between media and society. The general public can access the collection and participate in programs that explore and celebrate the creativity, the innovations, the personalities and the leaders who are shaping media. Through the global programs of its Media Council and International Council, the Paley Center also serves as a neutral setting where media professionals can engage in discussion and debate about the evolving media landscape. Previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio, the Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, a pioneering innovator in the industry. For more information, please visit www.paleycenter.org. About Warner Bros. Television Group:
Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) strategically manages all of Warner Bros.’ current and emerging television businesses, including worldwide and local production, traditional and digital distribution and broadcasting. As the industry’s leading supplier of television programming, WBTVG has longstanding relationships with the most respected names in television, including Chuck Lorre, John Wells, Jerry Bruckheimer, J.J. Abrams and others. For the 2011–12 season, WBTVG is producing more than 50 primetime, first-run, cable and animated series, including “Two and a Half Men,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “The Mentalist,” “The Middle,” “Fringe,” “Supernatural,” “The Closer,” “Southland,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “The Looney Tunes Show,” among many more, totaling over 2,000 episodes.###
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• A major installation on three of the Studio’s longest-running hit series: the game-changing drama “ER,” which ran for 15 seasons and more than 300 episodes, finishing as the most-nominated primetime series in Emmy history and winning for Outstanding Drama Series in 1996; the blockbuster comedy “Friends,” which ran for 10 seasons and won the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy in 2002; and “Smallville,” which ran for 10 seasons and 218 episodes, concluding on The CW in May 2011 as the longest-running comic book–based series in TV history and the longest consecutive-running sci-fi show in TV history.
• A tribute to comedy hit maker Chuck Lorre, the first producer in nearly 20 years to have three live-action comedy series on the air at the same time. His current hit shows “The Big Bang Theory,” “Mike & Molly” and “Two and a Half Men” dominate the primetime TV landscape and are all featured within a Lorre-wood section of “Television: Out of the Box.”
• A look back at the history-making drama “The West Wing,” winner of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in each of its first four seasons and winner of 26 Emmys overall, tied for the most wins of any primetime drama.
• The Theme Song Theater, where visitors can watch clips from and sing along to memorable opening tunes from iconic series, including “Friends”; “The Dukes of Hazzard”; “Welcome Back, Kotter”; “Gilligan’s Island” and more.
• A booth from the iconic Monk’s Diner set of the long-running hit sitcom “Seinfeld,” as well as a recreation of the Central Perk coffee shop set from “Friends.”
• An exhibit recognizing the indelible mark on the television landscape made by Warner Bros.’ Time Warner sister company HBO, with some of the most compelling and honored programming of the past 20 years: HBO titles featured in “Television: Out of the Box” include the landmark drama “The Sopranos”; the epic, award-winning miniseries “Band of Brothers”; hit comedy “Entourage”; current hit “True Blood”; and critically acclaimed dramas “The Wire” and “Deadwood.”
• Lorimar Television was acquired by Warner Bros. in 1989 and is represented in the exhibit by a number of iconic series ranging from the original “Dallas” to “Full House,” “Knots Landing” and “The Waltons,” among many others.
• David L. Wolper was one of the most prolific and respected producers in Hollywood history. His blockbuster “Roots” set a record for the most Emmy nominations for a miniseries (37) and won nine Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited Series. Roots and the Wolper-produced miniseries “The Thorn Birds” is featured in “Television: Out of the Box,” as well as the comedy series “Chico and the Man” and “Welcome Back, Kotter.”
• An exhibit that will explore the company’s rich history in television animation — including series from the Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera and DC Entertainment collections — as well as a walk-in animation cel, in which visitors can interact with their favorite animated characters.
• A survey of the Studio’s standout crime dramas such as “The Closer,” “Cold Case,” “The Mentalist” and “Southland,” among others.
• A trip into the supernatural, with an installation focusing on sci-fi and otherworldly series such as “Babylon 5,” “Fringe,” “Supernatural,” “V” and “The Vampire Diaries.”
• A neighborhood installation focusing on series such as “George Lopez,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Gossip Girl,” “The O.C.” and more.
• A look at Warner Bros. Television’s early years in an installation devoted to the company’s first forays into series production, with titles such as “Maverick,” “Kung Fu,” “Cheyenne,” “Wonder Woman” and “77 Sunset Strip,” among many others.
• And more…
The Paley Center for Media, with locations in New York and Los Angeles, leads the discussion about the cultural, creative, and social significance of television, radio, and emerging platforms for the professional community and media-interested public. Drawing upon its curatorial expertise, an international collection and close relationships with the leaders of the media community, the Paley Center examines the intersections between media and society. The general public can access the collection and participate in programs that explore and celebrate the creativity, the innovations, the personalities and the leaders who are shaping media. Through the global programs of its Media Council and International Council, the Paley Center also serves as a neutral setting where media professionals can engage in discussion and debate about the evolving media landscape. Previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio, the Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, a pioneering innovator in the industry. For more information, please visit www.paleycenter.org. About Warner Bros. Television Group:
Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) strategically manages all of Warner Bros.’ current and emerging television businesses, including worldwide and local production, traditional and digital distribution and broadcasting. As the industry’s leading supplier of television programming, WBTVG has longstanding relationships with the most respected names in television, including Chuck Lorre, John Wells, Jerry Bruckheimer, J.J. Abrams and others. For the 2011–12 season, WBTVG is producing more than 50 primetime, first-run, cable and animated series, including “Two and a Half Men,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “The Mentalist,” “The Middle,” “Fringe,” “Supernatural,” “The Closer,” “Southland,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “The Looney Tunes Show,” among many more, totaling over 2,000 episodes.