Daytime Television’s Susan Lucci, Alex Trebek and Barney Objects Added to Smithsonian Collection (photos)


The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History added artifacts from daytime television programming to its national entertainment collection in a special ceremony May 9 to mark a new partnership with the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The donation from “All My Children” actress Susan Lucci, “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek and Barney creators Kathy and Phil Parker represent three of the primary Daytime Entertainment Emmy categories: daytime dramas, game shows and children’s programming. The objects range from show scripts and original art to set props and other memorabilia, including a pink gown and shoes worn by Lucci when she appeared on a national magazine cover after winning her 1999 Daytime Emmy, a 1984 “Jeopardy!” script with handwritten notes by Trebek and a script from the first video to be released in the “Barney & the Backyard Gang” series along with a plush toy of the purple dinosaur.

The ceremony officially launched a three-year collecting initiative by the museum in partnership with NATAS to help the museum expand its capacity to tell the story of daytime television and the Daytime Emmys.

View our photos of the ceremony at the Smithsonian with Susan Lucci, Alex Trebek, the creators of Barney and the head of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences by clicking on the photo icons below.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *