#object id

At the beginning of “Two For the Whipsaw,” Dobie explains to the audience the Peabody Hotel with a photograph (possibly painting?*) of it next to him. This is actually the Medinah Athletic Club (now InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile). During the filming of Dobie, it was the Sheraton Hotel. Just before (or possibly during) the filming of this episode, the building went through an expansion and a new tower was added on, about half the size of the original.

(src1, src2)

I’ve tried to look through TV Guide’s cover archive and nothing particularly stood out. It appears to be the back of a woman with red hair, but that’s uncertain.

The only cover that’s similar (that I could find) was the April 1954 issue featuring Eve Arden.

But as you can see, there are differences. If anyone has possible leads, please do not hesitate to contact me!

If it helps, based on the décor I believe that photograph was from a Christmas episode. If I had to guess, perhaps “Deck the Halls”? But keep in mind that Dobie Gillis episodes are filmed far before their air date. For example, in “The Power of Positive Thinking” (2/16/1960), the September 20, 1958 issue is on display.

This car is very likely to be a Sunbeam Alpine Series II. Notice the text on the front, the text on the side, grille shape, and the many other similarities. It’s extremely unlikely that Chatsworth’s car could be anything else, though I’m not a car person.

Something odd about Chatsworth’s car, however, is the lack of windshield wipers. I’m unsure of the reasons behind this (unless I’m mistaken of course).

Science in Action and Object I.D. Day

Herpetology, archaeology, paleontology, oh my!

This Sunday is Science in Action and Object I.D. Day! Bring your arrowheads, fossils, rocks, seashells, bones, and any other objects from the natural and cultural world, because our experts (representatives from our collections) are going to be at the museum from 1-5 p.m. on Sept. 20 to identify the treasures you bring in.

Have you been curious about a particular mammal you snapped a photo of? Stop by the mammalogy table to identify the species! Wondering what insect you’ve got in your back yard? Stop by recent invertebrates, where they’ll tell you exactly what bug you’ve got under your rug.

In addition to our 11 museum collections, Science in Action will also provide excellent learning opportunities, such as a brief seminar on how to discover fossils in your own back yard. The Lunar Sooners, Oklahoma Biological Survey, OU Cellular and Behavioral Neurobiology department and Museum of Osteology will also be on hand with excellent activities and curiosities for the whole family.

We’ll see you Sept. 20, Oklahoma!

PS: Please don’t bring us a live animal. Or a live insect. We can’t have those in the museum.