All upcoming Popular Culture programs

Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life is a beloved Christmas classic. Yet when the film was released in 1946, it was a box office flop, won no Academy Awards, and was largely forgotten—until it was rediscovered through endless airings on local TV stations beginning in the 1970s. Media historian Brian Rose examines the movie’s fascinating story.

Humphrey Bogart and Burt Lancaster became Hollywood legends in very different ways. “Bogie” was shoved around by the old studio system, playing tough guys who often hid a softer core. Lancaster rose as stars gained more freedom, dazzling audiences with quiet intensity and magnetic charm. In a 2-session series, film historian Max Alvarez examines their cinematic achievements and the personal and professional turbulence that shaped their artistry. This session focuses on Burt Lancaster.

Bursting with big talent with big dreams, MGM in the 1940s and ’50s produced the most glorious string of musicals in film history: gems like On the Town, Singin’ in the Rain, An American in Paris, The Band Wagon, and Gigi. Grab a bowl of popcorn and join documentary filmmaker Sara Lukinson, who combines a lively lecture with an abundant sample of film clips that will have you singing in the rain. That’s entertainment!

Frank Sinatra's 100 musical performances in motion pictures reveal a vocalist who almost from the start recognized how the camera could enhance his artistry as much as the microphone. Media historian Brian Rose surveys Sinatra’s extraordinary Hollywood musical career, which began with uncredited appearances with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and continued through his famous days with the Rat Pack.

The reign of Queen Elizabeth II was exceptional for many reasons, including her remarkable longevity, her enduring marriage to Prince Philip, and her success in concealing her opinions on virtually any contentious subject. For many people, she embodied dutifulness, service, and continuity in a rapidly changing world. Historian Sir David Cannadine puts the life of Elizabeth II in perspective, set against a broad domestic and international context.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in more countries around the world than any other holiday. Andrew Roth of the Jefferson Educational Society in Erie, Pennsylvania, unlocks the hidden stories behind its evolution from ancient and surprising origins to how it’s marked today. He also traces how greeting cards, wine, roses, and chocolate came to symbolize one of our most revered cultural traditions of saying “I love you.”

There wasn’t anything Judy Garland couldn’t do, from breaking an audience’s heart with a song to effortlessly dancing up a storm to delivering enthralling comic and dramatic performances. Media historian Brian Rose examines her remarkable Hollywood career, which began in her young teens at MGM and continued with such timeless classics as The Wizard of Oz, Easter Parade, and her stirring comeback in 1954’s A Star is Born.

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson made history with the Brooklyn Dodgers as the first Black player in Major League Baseball’s modern era, breaking the game’s long-standing color barrier. Robinson’s influence reached far beyond the diamond, as he used his platform to challenge racial injustice. Sports historian Fred Frommer and former Senators stadium announcer Phil Hochberg delve into Robinson’s journey as both a pioneering athlete and voice in the civil rights movement.

In 1937, our expectations of fairy tales were forever changed when Walt Disney Productions released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Yet the film is only a part of a bigger “Snow White” tradition. Folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman do a deep dive into that history, revealing folkloric and literary tales that provided the bedrock preceding Disney’s version and examining how the story has been retold in contemporary times.