Tippi Hedren, Deidre Hall and More to Appear at Smithsonian for NATAS

The National Museum of American History has partnered with the National Academy of Arts and Sciences in an effort to obtain objects that reflect the contributions of daytime television programming to American culture. In keeping with this partnership, the producer and cast members of the award-winning daytime drama DAYS OF OUR LIVES will present objects to the museum, including an original script that depicts the Marlena Evans character's possession storyline with director's notes. Christmas ornaments from the Horton's will also be presented and the producers will pledge to donate the original hourglass used in the show's opening sequence.

Following the donation ceremony, executive producer Greg Meng will sign his new book, Days of Our Lives: 50 Years, at noon outside the Warner Bros. Theater. The book presents an in-depth look at the show's history through full-color photographs and rare black-and-white historical images. Meng will be joined by cast members, Deidre Hall who plays Marlena and Susan Seaforth Hayes, who plays Julie Williams.

A donation ceremony will feature objects from the daytime drama Days of Our Lives, ranging from show scripts to original props and awards, which will be added to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History's entertainment collection on Wednesday, Nov. 4 @ 11 a.m. at the Presidential Reception Suite National Museum of American History Constitution Avenue entrance, between 12th and 14th streets N.W.

In attendance: Dwight Blocker Bowers, curator, National Museum of American History Barbara Williams Perry, first vice chair, National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Tippi Hedren, film icon and daytime TV actress, Master of Ceremony Greg Meng, executive producer, DAYS OF OUR LIVES Deidre Hall, actress, DAYS OF OUR LIVES Susan Seaforth Hayes, actress, Days of Our Lives

The ceremony celebrates a collecting initiative put in place last year by the museum in partnership with NATAS that aims to help the museum expand its capacity to tell the story of daytime television and the Daytime Emmy Awards.

"Everyone at NATAS is thrilled to continue our relationship with the Smithsonian and Daytime television by bringing these iconic items and stars from "Days of Our Lives" to the museum," said Chuck Dages, Chairman of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. "We already have plans for another very exciting Donation Ceremony next spring with some great surprises!"

The museum's television collections contain costumes, scripts, props and set pieces including Archie Bunker's chair from "All in the Family," marionettes from "The Howdy Doody Show," the puffy shirt from "Seinfeld" and Denis Leary's firefighter costume from "Rescue Me." An exhibition exploring American culture is currently in development and will draw on the museum's television, theater, music, sports and entertainment collections. The future exhibition is scheduled to open in late 2016.

The first Daytime Emmy Awards show was broadcast in 1974 and hosted by Barbara Walters and Peter Marshall. The Daytime Emmys represent the best of television programming in eight categories-daytime dramas, talk shows, morning programs, game shows, children's programming, legal/court shows, culinary shows and lifestyle and travel programs-as well as "new approaches" categories.

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