The Museum of Television & Radio Announces a Donation of Programming from World Wrestling Entertainment®
Friday, March 5, 2004
New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA—The Museum of Television & Radio announced today a donation of WrestleMania programs from World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. The programs—donated to the Museum on the occasion of WrestleMania's twentieth anniversary—will include a selection of pay-per-view events representing the evolution of WrestleMania over the past nineteen years, and will be permanently available to Museum visitors at both the New York and Los Angeles locations. In addition, in New York the Museum will screen highlights of the donation from March 11 to 14, 2004, to coincide with WrestleMania Week fan events throughout the city.
"Wrestling was one of the first sports to appear on television, and its appeal has stood the test of time. From its earliest broadcasts the theatricality of wrestling effectively translated to television, and today wrestling ranks among the highest-rated cable programs week after week, which has helped establish pay-per-view as a legitimate and viable form of the medium," said David Bushman, television curator for The Museum of Television & Radio. "The Museum will now be able to preserve these WWE programs as a part of the twentieth-century television landscape."
"We are honored that The Museum of Television & Radio has accepted our donation of classic WrestleManias," said Tom Barreca, senior vice president, WWE Enterprises. "We believe that our library, one of the largest and most popular in television, and certainly the most complete across wrestling and sports entertainment, has tremendous pop culture appeal that spans several decades. As one of the country's most treasured repositories, the Museum is an unparalleled showcase for generations of our fans to have access to this material on both coasts."
The Donation
The donation from World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. covers the history of WrestleMania, beginning with the first in 1985. That event featured classic wrestlers such as Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, and Wendi Richter (managed by Cyndi Lauper), with special appearances by Muhammad Ali, Liberace, Billy Martin, and Mr. T. Subsequent WrestleManias being donated feature wrestlers such as Steve Austin®, The British Bulldogs, Diesel, Junkyard Dog, Mr. Perfect, Tito Santana, Randy Savage, George "The Animal" SteeleTM, YokozunaTM, and The Undertaker®. Special guests included Steve Allen, Pamela Anderson, Ashanti, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Joe Frazier, Tommy LaSorda, G. Gordon Liddy, Limp Bizkit, Reba McIntyre, Willie Nelson, Ozzy Osbourne, William "Refrigerator" Perry, Regis Philbin, Joan Rivers, Run-DMC, Salt-n-Peppa, Ricky Schroeder, and Donnie Wahlberg.
Screenings in New York
From Thursday, March 11 to Sunday, March 14, the Museum's New York location will screen two WrestleMania highlight programs to coincide with WrestleMania Week in New York. The programs and screening schedule follow:
- Thursday, March 11 and Saturday, March 13 at 3:00 p.m
WrestleMania's Greatest Matches
This compilation of highlights from WrestleManias I through IV features appearances by Hulk Hogan, Mr. T, "Rowdy Roddy Piper," "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndoff, and National Football League stars Harvey Martin, Russ Francis, and William "Refrigerator" Perry, who compete in a twenty-man Battle Royal against the likes of Andre the Giant. (55 minutes)
- Friday, March 12 and Sunday, March 14 at 3:00 p.m
WrestleMania's Greatest Hits
Hulk Hogan, King Kong Bundy, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, the Million Dollar Man, the Ultimate Warrior, and Sgt. Slaughter are among the World Wrestling Entertainment stars who appear in this compilation of highlights from early WrestleManias. (60 minutes)
Admission to the screenings is included with the Museum's suggested contribution: Members free; $10.00 for adults; $8.00 for senior citizens and students; and $5.00 for children under fourteen.
The Museum of Television & Radio
The Museum of Television & Radio, with locations in New York and Los Angeles, is a nonprofit organization founded by William S. Paley to collect and preserve television and radio programs and advertisements and to make them available to the public. Since opening in 1976, the Museum has organized exhibitions, screening and listening series, seminars, and education classes to showcase its collection of over 100,000 television and radio programs and advertisements. Programs in the Museum's permanent collection are selected for their artistic, cultural, and historic significance.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, and London. Additional information on the company can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For additional information on WrestleMania XX, to be broadcast live on pay-per-view from Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 14, 2004, go to wrestlemania.wwe.com. Information on television ratings and community activities can be found at parents.wwe.com.
The Museum of Television & Radio in New York, located at 25 West 52 Street in Manhattan, is open Tuesdays through Sundays from noon to 6:00 p.m. and until 8:00 p.m. on Thursdays. The Museum of Television & Radio in California, located at 465 North Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, is open Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 5:00 p.m. Both Museums are closed on New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Suggested contribution: Members free; $10.00 for adults; $8.00 for senior citizens and students; and $5.00 for children under fourteen. Admission is free in Los Angeles. The public areas in both Museums are accessible to wheelchairs, and assisted listening devices are available. Programs are subject to change. You may call the Museum in New York at (212) 621-6800, or in Los Angeles at (310) 786-1000. Visit the Museum's website at www.mtr.org.