The performers and productions honored on stamps have delighted millions of people all over the world. The "show biz" stamps in this gallery remind us of personal experiences that have made us laugh, made us cry, made us hum... and made us think. We, and generations to come, will continue to enjoy these compositions and performances, thanks in no small part to the marvels of modern media.
This all-star cast represents almost a century's worth of creative expression and technical innovation – on stage and screen, in recording studio and concert hall. And what a wild ride it has been! From silent films to the animated dinosaurs of Jurassic Park, this category is full of trailblazing "firsts": the first cartoon released with synchronized sound; the first jazz band to play at Carnegie Hall; the first African American to win an Academy Award.
American culture is one of our most enduring exports. In this section, you can see art for stamps honoring three movies that have given audiences on every continent a vivid sense of the Old South, the Wild West, the plains of Kansas, and the towers of Oz.
Mahalia Jackson
Known as the "Queen of Gospel Music," Mahalia Jackson {1911-1972} started singing as a child in the church choirs of New Orleans, a city where blues and jazz often mixed with religious music. Admired for the great emotional sincerity of her singing, Jackson toured with other gospel musicians and made her first recordings while in her twenties. Her appearances at Carnegie Hall and on television during the 1950s garnered national awareness for gospel. Devoted to the civil rights movement, she sang at the March on Washington in 1963.
Artist: Gary Kelley
Art Director: Howard Paine
Medium: Pastel on Paper
Year of Issue: 1998
Thelonious Monk
Eccentric pianist and composer Thelonious Monk {1917-1982} explored and challenged western jazz traditions with his use of unorthodox techniques and dissonant melodies. Monk was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He studied piano with a teacher during his childhood and moved to New York City as a teenager. Although Monk earned critical acclaim before receiving public recognition, he is now considered one of the founders of modern jazz. He is best known for "'Round Midnight," a song he recorded for Blue Note Records in 1947.
Artist: Thomas Blackshear II
Art Director: Howard Paine
Medium: Watercolor on Paper
Year of Issue: 1995
Ira and George Gershwin
Brothers Ira and George Gershwin worked almost exclusively together from the early 1920s until George's untimely death in 1937. Their collaborations, including songs such as "I Got Rhythm" and "'S Wonderful," added immeasurably to American popular music. George wrote the music and Ira provided the lyrics for over a dozen musicals, including Funny Face, Show Girl, and Strike Up the Band. Their show Of Thee I Sing {1931} became the first musical to receive a Pulitzer Prize.
Artist: Drew Struzan
Art Director: Howard Paine
Medium: Acrylic and Prismacolor
Year of Issue: 1999
Duke Ellington
In 1969, Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington {1899-1974} received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for expanding the boundaries of jazz and preserving "the individuality and freedom of expression" that are its soul. His orchestra's popularity grew following radio broadcasts of its performances during the 1920s, and the group began to tour internationally. Ellington and his orchestra performed "sacred concerts," combining gospel, jazz, spirituals, and other styles. The orchestra also played such big-band hits as "Take the 'A' Train."
Artist: Jim Sharpe
Art Director: Jack Williams
Medium: Gouache on Board
Year of Issue: 1986
Nat "King" Cole
Nat "King" Cole {1919-1965} was already an acclaimed jazz pianist when his warm, relaxed vocal style brought him even greater success as a balladeer. Handsome, suave, and elegant, he made his first recording in 1936 and formed his own trio in 1939. Cole composed and wrote the lyrics for his first hit "Straighten Up and Fly Right." His many records garnered him an international following and included such timeless favorites as "Unforgettable" and "Mona Lisa." Cole also had a national television show, the first hosted by an African-American artist.
Artist: C.F. Payne
Art Director: Howard Paine
Medium: Airbrush, Ink & Colored Pencil
Year of Issue: 1994
Benny Goodman
The child of immigrants, Benny Goodman {1909-1986} began studying clarinet when he was 10 years old. He started playing professionally while a teenager and led his first band in 1934. Noted for his solo improvisations, Goodman became the first white bandleader to feature African-American jazz musicians in his band. In 1937, Time magazine dubbed him the "King of Swing," and the following year he led the first jazz band to play at Carnegie Hall. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1986.
Artist: Bill Nelson
Art Director: Howard Paine
Medium: Gouache and Colored Pencil
Year of Issue: 1996
Charles Ives
Composer Charles Ives {1874-1954} grew up in Danbury, Connecticut, where his father taught him to play piano and several other instruments. A graduate of Yale University, Ives began writing songs as a teenager and went on to become one of the nation's most independent and experimental composers. His innovative style combined classical European motifs and American patriotic hymns with unexpected tones and techniques. Drawing on pioneer melodies, Ives' "Symphony No. 3" {also called "The Camp Meeting"} received the Pulitzer Prize in 1947.
Artist: Burt Silverman
Art Director: Howard Paine
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Year of Issue: 1997
Marian Anderson
Marian Anderson {1897-1993}, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was one of the greatest classically trained singers of the 20th century. In 1930, she was awarded a fellowship that allowed her to study German lieder in Berlin. Anderson performed internationally, singing a varied repertoire in her rich contralto. In 1955 she became the first black singer to appear on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Anderson was prominent in the struggle of African Americans for racial equality.
Artist: Albert Slark
Art Director: Richard Sheaff
Medium: Oil on Board
Year of Issue: 2005
Jurassic Park
Cloned dinosaurs terrorized visitors at an island theme park in the 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park, a film based on a novel by Michael Crichton. The lifelike velociraptors and other creatures, whose menacing appearance startled audiences right out of their seats, combined cutting-edge digital animation with full-sized puppets. Filmed in Hawaii and directed by Steven Spielberg, Jurassic Park won Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, and Best Sound Effects Editing. It has been followed by two sequels.
Artist: Drew Stuzan
Art Director: Howard Paine
Medium: Acrylic and Prismacolor
Year of Issue: 2005
Charlie Chaplin
The son of entertainers, Charlie Chaplin {1889-1977} was a music hall comedian in England before coming to America to tour with Fred Karno's vaudeville troupe. He moved to Hollywood in his mid-20s and achieved such star-power playing the title character in The Tramp that he became the first actor to exercise control over his own films. Chaplin's ability to communicate the emotions of his characters won him legions of fans and changed the nature of comic acting. During his unmatched career as an actor, writer, and director, Chaplin appeared in more than 240 movies.
Artist: Al Hirschfeld
Art Director: Howard Paine
Medium: Ink on Board
Year of Issue: 1994
Laurel and Hardy
In more than 100 films, Stan Laurel {1890-1965} and Oliver Hardy {1892-1957} bungled their way through countless comic misadventures as masters of slapstick. The beloved comedians made a smooth transition from silent films into the new world of "talking pictures," as audiences delighted in Laurel's British working class accent and Hardy's Southern accent and beautiful singing voice. The pair even learned to speak their lines phonetically in Italian, Spanish, German, and Russian, for international versions of their films.
Artist: Al Hirschfeld
Art Director: Howard Paine
Medium: Ink on Board
Year of Issue: 1991
Judy Garland
A born performer, Judy Garland {1922-1969} made her professional debut at the age of two with a solo rendition of "Jingle Bells." In 1935 she signed a contract with MGM, and five years later she received a special Academy Award "for her outstanding performance as a screen juvenile" during the previous year, when she made Babes in Arms and The Wizard of Oz. Garland excelled at both comedy and drama, sang a varied repertoire with unparalleled skill, and partnered with the leading male dancers of her day. Indeed she was a "star of stars."
Artist: Tim O'Brien
Art Director: Ethel Kessler
Medium: Oil on Board
Year of Issue: 2006
Miss Piggy
First seen in the 1974 pilot of The Muppet Show, Miss Piggy brought her unique brand of assertiveness - complete with karate chop - to the small and silver screens. The lovable, laughable diva continues to take moi-centeredness to new heights and delights, and her extensive wardrobe and long-running romance with Kermit the Frog add to her allure. Tour de force performances by Frank Oz, plus Miss Piggy's own talent and charm, have made her one of the most memorable characters in the entire Muppet ensemble.
Artist: Jay David Buchsbaum
Art Director: Terrence W. McCaffrey
Medium: Photography
Year of Issue: 2005
Kermit the Frog
Perhaps the most famous amphibian in show business, Kermit the Frog leapt into the public eye during the 1950s when his creator, Jim Henson, introduced the character on a daily five-minute television show in Washington, D.C. The gentle, diplomatic frog became one of the first prominent figures in the Muppet phenomenon and the endearing host of The Muppet Show. Today Kermit keeps hopping busy with guest appearances on Sesame Street and starring roles in a succession of Muppet movies. He has also recorded a hit song, "Bein' Green."
Artist: Jay David Buchsbaum
Art Director: Terrence W. McCaffrey
Medium: Photography
Year of Issue: 2005
Robie House
Frank Lloyd Wright is considered one of the nation's most innovative architects. The masterpiece of his early work is Robie House in Chicago, which Wright designed for manufacturer Frederick C. Robie. Completed in 1910, the house epitomizes the architect's Prairie House style and features 174 art glass windows. {"Now the outside may come inside," wrote Wright, "and the inside may, and does, go outside."} Although neighbors were initially critical of Wright's creation, Robie House is now seen as a cornerstone of modern architecture.
Artist: Richard Waldrep
Art Director: Carl Herrman
Medium: Acrylic and Ink on Paper
Year of Issue: 1998
Hattie McDaniel
Hattie McDaniel {1895-1952} began her career touring with vaudeville companies, musical ensembles, and minstrel shows, including one run by her father. McDaniel arrived in Hollywood in 1931 and soon began to appear in films. For her role as Mammy in Gone With the Wind {1939}, she became the first African American to win an Academy Award. She was also the first African-American woman to star on a network radio show, as Beulah, a maid. Criticized for playing stereotypical roles, McDaniel worked behind the scenes to battle racial discrimination.
Artist: Tim O'Brien
Art Director: Ethel Kessler
Medium: Oil on Board
Year of Issue: 2006
Show Boat
Show Boat was first staged at New York's Ziegfeld Theater on December 27, 1927. The show changed the nature of musical theater by carefully blending tuneful music with realistic characters and a serious plot. Featuring the music of Jerome Kern and lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II, Show Boat tells a sophisticated tale of love and heartache on the Mississippi River. Several songs written for the show have become American classics, including "Ol' Man River," "Bill," and "Make Believe."
Artist: Wilson MacLean
Art Director: Terrence W. McCaffrey
Medium: Oil on Board
Year of Issue: 1993
Lucille Ball
A prominent star of stage, screen, radio, and especially television, Lucille Ball {1911-1989} set a new standard for physical comedy. During the 1950s she endeared herself to television viewers as Lucy Ricardo in I Love Lucy, which teamed Ball with her real-life husband Desi Arnaz. She appeared regularly on American television for the next three decades and in more than 70 movies. Ball was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1989.
Artist: Drew Struzan
Art Director: Derry Noyes
Medium: Acrylic and Prismacolor
Year of Issue: 2001
Gone With the Wind
Gone With the Wind is a giant gem of a film with a star-studded cast, exquisite cinematography, and lush musical score. The epic story follows the fortunes of Scarlett O'Hara and her family, beginning before the Civil War and extending through the era of Reconstruction. The film swept the 1939 Academy Awards, winning 10 Oscars. Hattie McDaniel won Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy, becoming the first African American to receive an Oscar.
Artist: Thomas Blackshear II
Art Director: Derry Noyes
Medium: Acrylic & Gouache
Year of Issue: 1990
Many people who love movies consider 1939 the most exciting year in Hollywood history. Three of the films nominated for that year’s Best Picture have been commemorated on U.S. postage stamps featured in this exhibit. Thomas Blackshear II’s original artwork for these stamps evokes classic movie posters, and the stars and scenery are instantly recognizable, even at stamp size. Scarlett and Rhett, author Margaret Mitchell’s mega-stars, are as vibrant in miniature on an envelope as they are on the big screen.
Stagecoach
Many movie buffs revere Stagecoach as the classic American western. In this landmark film, a stagecoach carrying a memorable array of passengers is attacked by a group of Apaches. The exciting movie includes daring stunts, dramatic scenery, and a strong cast. Stagecoach was director John Ford's first "talkie" western, and John Wayne's outstanding performance as The Ringo Kid has been described as "the vehicle he rode to stardom."
Artist: Thomas Blackshear II
Art Director: Derry Noyes
Medium: Acrylic and Gouache
Year of Issue: 1990
This movie is based on Ernest Haycox's short story "Stage to Lordsburg." Haycox, who wrote hundreds of short stories, was widely considered to be the ultimate author of westerns in his day. This particular story first appeared in Colliers' Magazine in 1937, where it caught the attention of director John Ford – who hadn't made a western in years.
The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz premiered in 1939, and its appeal has never faded. MGM's Oscar-winning musical starred 16-year-old Judy Garland as Dorothy, the brave girl who sparked the imaginations of millions of children to venture somewhere over the rainbow. Because many children become life-long fans, some "Ozficionados" claim The Wizard of Oz is the movie that has been seen the most times. This would have delighted storyteller L. Frank Baum, who died in 1919, twenty years before his unforgettable characters traveled to the silver screen.
Artist: Thomas Blackshear II
Art Director: Derry Noyes
Medium: Acrylic and Gouache
Year of Issue: 1990
A stamp honoring Judy Garland was issued in 2006. Don't miss the glamorous portrait of this "star of stars" created for her stamp, elsewhere in the Arts & Entertainment Gallery. You can also find out what other major motion picture kept the young actress busy in 1939.
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse made his debut on November 18, 1928, in a short called "Steamboat Willie," which was the first cartoon released with synchronized sound. With help from his pals, good-natured Goofy and the temperamental Donald Duck, clever little Mickey quickly became an American icon. The animated companions shared countless exploits, traveling zanily across America, around the world, and even into outer space. Their loyalty is legendary, and their adventures still delight audiences after 75 years.
Artist: Peter Emmerich
Art Director: Terrence W. McCaffrey
Medium: Acrylic and Masonite
Year of Issue: 2004
This Mickey was tricky – each of the other Art of Disney stamps shows only two characters. Illustrator Peter Emmerich found it a fun challenge to fit Mickey, Donald, and Goofy onto one stamp. The project's consultant suggested, "Imagine them in a photo booth!" To make sure his paintings will read well at stamp size, Emmerich scans his art into the computer and reduces it. He also likes to squint at his work from across the room.
Merengue
Brought to the Dominican Republic by colonists from Spain and France, merengue descends from a European style of dancing. It was soon adapted by the country's peasant population, which included both European settlers and Dominicans of African descent, who incorporated the tambora drum and more rhythm into the music. Having lost favor with the elite as a result of "Africanization," merengue went underground for years, re-emerging in the early 20th century to become the national dance of the Dominican Republic, a seamless blend of European and African styles.
Artist: Rafael Lopez
Art Director: Ethel Kessler
Medium: Acrylic on Board
Year of Issue: 2005
Artist Rafael Lopez has danced the merengue for years with his wife. For this stamp, he wanted to evoke both the ambience and his own experience of merengue. It's a couples dance based on sideways hip movements, and Lopez's partners glide to the right together. The artist creates a sunny Caribbean mood with tropical foliage, the man's little hat, and a Spanish flower tucked into the woman's hair.
