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BEVERLY
HILLS, Calif. -- TV lovers will now have more time to
see “Television: Out of the Box” at the Paley Center
in Beverly Hills, Calif. The new Warner Bros. exhibit will remain
on display through early 2015. It features props, costumes, scripts,
original animation art and more from nearly 60 years of iconic
television programming.
“Television:
Out of the Box” begins with a collection of lunchboxes,
autographed posters and about 50 Bugs Bunnies dressed in different
uniforms. The three most popular parts of the exhibit include
a diner set from Monk’s Café used in “Seinfeld,”
an authentic recreation of Central Perk from “Friends”
and a couch used by the Queen of the Vampires on the show “True
Blood.”
“One
thing that has been very, very popular has been Shelbot used on
‘Big Bang Theory,’” said Martin Gostanian, visitor
services supervisor at the Paley Center. “People just love
to look at Jim Parsons’ beaming face and see the extraordinary
contraption that was created for him. Another one that gets a
lot of oohs and aahs is the wedding dress worn by Mimi on ‘The
Drew Carey Show,’ which was brought to our attention to
be one of the most expensive or the most expensive costume ever
created for a one-time use on a situation comedy. It was valued
at that time at about $75,000 because of the amount of animatronics
that were sewn into the costume itself.”
He says
this exhibit is different from the one at the Warner Bros. Studio
Tour in several different ways.
“The
public is given a better opportunity to observe the costumes and
the props,” Gostanian added. “You’ll be able
to sit at the booth that was used by Jerry, Elaine and Kramer
and George or be able to get the real feel of what it was like
to perhaps be a part of the Central Perk crowd on ‘Friends.’
The fact that they’ll be able to get into a better illuminated
room to view it is also a big plus for us. Normally, costumes
of this age are very, very light sensitive. Archivists tried to
give the best opportunities for the public to really get the full
appreciation, but also giving our costumes and props a chance
to really survive well into their glory days.“
The Wonder
Woman costume worn by Linda Carter on the series “Wonder
Woman” is the most popular costume on display, according
to Gostanian. It is also considered to be the most expensive costume
within the entire exhibit.
“This
one here is actually fantastic,” said Matthew Morris, a
visitor from Panama City, Fla. “You get to see basically
the TV shows you watch, how it was created, who made it and how
it was made. My favorite part is the window, the typewriter from
‘Friends.’ I thought it was going to be a lot more
than $10. In a museum, you think fairly expensive, but not expensive
at all. I’ll definitely come back, without a doubt, especially
when he gets older.”
In the
“Big Bang Theory” section of the exhibit, visitors
will come face-to-face with the Green Lantern Lantern from the
Psychic Vortex episode of the third season. Museum goers
will also see costumes from Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, Raj and
for Penny. Sheldon’s Roommate Agreement and The Ring from
The Precious Fragmentation episode are also on display.
A large
portion of the “Television: Out of the Box” exhibit
is devoted to the works of sitcom creator Chuck Lorre.
“Chuck
Lorre is an extraordinary and also true visionary in so many regards,”
the visitor services supervisor explained. “He’s been
able to take such base premises, that in other hands might have
been rendered as so-so to maybe fairly good, and give them a whole
new life and flourished with extraordinary and well-flushed out
characters that are just so endearing. People just want to tune
in week after week after week. They actually do grow and flourish
as well. We’ve seen that obviously with ‘Two and a
Half Men’ and we are now seeing this again with ‘Big
Bang Theory’ and even more so with the wildly immense popularity
that the show has taken.”
Other
props in the Chuck Lorre section of the exhibit include a menu
from Abe's Restaurant, which was featured on the show "Mike
& Molly." A baseball caught by Molly (Melissa McCarthy)
and a police badge worn by Mike (Billy Gardell) are also located
in the same display case.
“I
think it’s great actually,” said Alex Lee from Birmingham,
U.K. “I’m just looking around seeing all of the ‘Friends’
stuff especially. You see all of the iconic things like the Turkey
Head. It’s incredible to see that. I’m looking forward
to seeing the ‘Big Bang Theory’ things as well. I’m
just trying to work my way around. A friend recommended this to
us. She said that it was the best $10 that she ever spent. I think
it’s promising to be a good day. Hopefully, I can make it
back if I’m ever in L.A. again.”
Many of
us have seen the Emmys, but this exhibit gives visitors the rare
opportunity to see an Emmy statuette that was awarded to the popular
NBC drama series, “ER.”
“The
Paley Center has been so pleased with the response by our patrons
to the ‘Television: Out of the Box’ exhibit,”
Gostanian added. “Their appreciation of the shows that we
have been so fond of are now finally having an opportunity to
have six decades of television under one roof. On top of that,
the great augment that the Paley Center’s own resources
of the largest publicly-available archive of programming in the
country being able to supplement and augment to the exhibit. Once
they’re able to immerse themselves into the world of ‘Big
Bang Theory,’ ‘Two and a Half Men,’ or even
something as classic as ‘Maverick’ or ‘FBI,’
they’re able to go into our library and use our database
of programs to look up those programs and be able to watch them
at the same time. They can get the full immersive experience of
being a fan up close and personal as well as reliving great memories.”
Drew Carey’s
eyeglasses from “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” are also
on display next to one of his suits.
This new
exhibit is a must-see for anyone who loves watching television.
Who doesn't? Please make your way over to the Paley Center in
Beverly Hills to see this AMAZING exhibit. You will thank me later!
The
Paley Center for Media is located at 465 N. Beverly Dr. in Beverly
Hills, Calif. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students and
for seniors and $5 for children. Group discounts are also available.
Hours are Noon to 5 p.m. PT Wednesdays thru Sundays. For more
information, visit www.paleycenter.org
or call (310) 786-1091. Memberships start at $70 and include free
admission to the Paley Center, discount tickets for PaleyFest
and "Television: Out of the Box" as well as invitations
to members-only events.
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University
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BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com |
Costumes
for the main characters on "The Big Bang Theory"
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BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com |
Attendees
can also sit at Monk's Cafe just like Jerry, Elaine and Kramer
did on "Seinfeld."
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BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com |
The
Wonder Woman costume is considered to be the most expensive costume
within the exhibit.
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BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com |
This
costume worn by Clint Walker on "Cheyenne" is the oldest
artifact within the exhibit.
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BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com |
Entrance
to the "Television: Out of the Box" exhibit inside the
Paley Center
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