Ted and Marian Craver
Imagination Gallery
Ongoing
The Autry in Griffith Park
About the Exhibition
The history of the Western genre is explored in the Imagination Gallery. Putting the Western into its larger historical context, the gallery shows how the genre evolved in response to social and cultural changes taking place in America during the twentieth century. Highlights from the film collection range from the camera director Cecil B. DeMille used on the set of The Squaw Man (1914) to an original Norman Rockwell painting of Gary Cooper used to advertise Along Came Jones (1945). The television collection includes artifacts ranging from Clayton Moore’s costume from The Lone Ranger (1949–1961) to the original handwritten pilot for Bonanza (1959–1973).
Almost every iconic cowboy—including William S. Hart, Bill Pickett, Tom Mix, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Duncan Renaldo, James Arness, John Wayne, and Clint Eastwood—is represented in the gallery. Such cowgirls as Patsy Montana, Betty Hutton, and Katharine Hepburn are also represented, as well as artifacts and posters from Thelma and Louise (1991) and the iconic shirts from Brokeback Mountain (2005).
Although the Western genre's popularity has waxed and waned over the years, its vitality and continuing influence are evident in the Imagination Gallery.
Highlights (Click image for details)
Foreign Political Poster
The anti-communist Solidarity union in Poland used an image of Gary Cooper from High Noon to encourage people to vote in the country’s first partially-free elections in 1989. (Autry Museum of the American West, 97.155.1)
Badge
Western heroes, from John Wayne to Chuck Norris, are often lawmen defending helpless victims from ruthless outlaws. (Autry Museum of the American West, 2001.91.4.5)
Costume Sketch
The costumes seen onscreen are often a combination of historical fact and Hollywood fiction. (Autry Museum of the American West, 2000.54.1)
Revolver
The flamboyant outfits and accessories of actor Tom Mix influenced generations of cowboys, both onscreen and off. (Autry Museum of the American West, 95.5.2)
Guitar
The first Martin D-45 guitar was designed exclusively for singing cowboy Gene Autry in 1933. (Autry Museum of the American West, 91.221.620)
Mask
Westerns, such as The Lone Ranger, taught generations of children valuable moral lessons. (Autry Museum of the American West, 87.173.18)
Belt Buckle
Gail Davis, star of the series Annie Oakley, was the first positive female lead on television. (Autry Museum of the American West, 94.132.4)
Outfit (Davy Crockett)
The Davy Crockett phenomenon swept the country in the 1950s, resulting in a flood of licensed (and unlicensed) merchandise. (Autry Museum of the American West, 95.2.3)
Outfit (Three Amigos)
The comedy Three Amigos parodied many of the clichés found in traditional Western films. (Autry Museum of the American West, 89.180.3)