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Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, through the use of Jim Henson’s Muppets, short films, and animation created the educational television show Sesame Street. The show not only continues to run, it has also evolved with the changing culture of American television. Sesame Street was one of the first educational programs to create curriculum and educational goals. Furthermore, Sesame Street was the first show to evaluate the educational effects that it had. In the 1970s the television show was known for its minority cast and was quickly becoming an American institution. In the 1980s the show expanded its curriculum to discuss relationships, ethics, and emotions. Initially, because of recommendations from child psychologists, the Muppets and humans did not interact; however, after finding that children were not interested in the human segments, the producers had Henson create Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch to interact with the humans in the street segments. 

A picture of a woman dancing on a black background with white text.

The film Midnight at Maxim's was released in 1915 filmed on location at Maxim's - a famous New York cabaret. Having no true plot, the film was on four reels and featured a series of nightclub acts. The plot involves a cabaret dancer (played by Alice Rodier) and a young New Yorker (played by Rollo Lloyd) who almost fall in love until it is revealed that she already has a husband. Produced by Kalem Studios, the film is done in traditional pre-1914 style. 

A picture of John Belushi on a black background with red text. 

Continental Divide is a romantic comedy from 1981 starring comedian John Belushi and Blair Brown. Produced by Steven Spielberg, it garnered a Golden Globe nominations as the last film Belushi made before his death. The movie is about a Chicago reporter, played by Belushi, who is doing investigative journalism on crooked politicians. After being assaulted for his investigation he is moved to the Rockies where he meets Dr. Porter, an eagle researcher played by Brown. As the two experience each others worlds they grow to love one another. 

The "Movie Channel" referenced is now currently known as TMC. 

A drawing of the hulk and light/dark blue text with a light blue background.  

The Incredible Hulk is a Marvel superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby first appearing in 1962. Hulk, is the alter ego of scientist Bruce Banner. Experimenting with Gamma radiation an accident occurs causing Banner to transform into the Hulk when angered. The character has been studied by historians as a example of Cold War culture in media, and truly has been a pillar of the Marvel media empire having a number of comics, television series, movies, and crossovers. During the 1980s Hulk had his own comic line that was very popular in addition to being a member of The Defenders. The Defenders were a superhero group, with their own comic line, including Doctor Strange, Hulk, Namor and, the Silver Surfer. 

At the time of this button the television series The Incredible Hulk  starring Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby was on the air. 

A Photo of ALF with a white speech bubble on a blue background with black and red text.

ALF was a popular television program on NBC which ran from 1986-1990. The title character is a friendly extraterrestrial life form that crashed landed in the garage of the Tanner family. The Tanners are a typical suburban middle-class family in San Fernando Valley, CA. The family names their guest "ALF" which stands for Alien Life Form. ALF is from the planet Melmac, he followed a ham radio which caused him to crash land on Earth. The Tanner family took him in as a member of their own family. ALF is a unrestrained, rambunctious character who constantly puts himself at the risk of getting discovered. 

Yellow text over a picture of ALF wearing a white shirt with a blue tie.

Gordon "ALF" Shumway is a fictional character from the 1980s TV series ALF. This button is advertising a joke political campaign attempting to elect ALF as president. He was born on the planet Melmac to parents Flo and Bob. ALF accidentally came to Hollywood when he crashed he spaceship. The name ALF stands for Alien Life Form, and he prefers it to Gordon.

A graduate of Melmac High School and major in software and pedestrian crossing, ALF held a number of positions before coming to Earth including Assistant Boxleitner, male model, Phlegm dealer, and orbit guard. At 245 years old (2012), he would be the oldest elected president. 

The ALF show was the first TV series presented in Dolby Surround sound and totaled 102 episodes. Over the years ALF has remained a piece of American culture having appeared on a number of shows, had his own Marvel comic, and played in Hollywood Squares. Its popularity won the show multiple awards including the People's Choice Award, the Kid's Choice Award and, The Young Artist Award. 

A website is still running for ALF's presidential campaign.

A photo of Alf wearing a patriotic top hat with black and American flag- colored text. 

ALF was a popular television program on NBC which ran from 1986-1990. The title character is a friendly extraterrestrial life form that crashed landed in the garage of the Tanner family. The Tanners are a typical suburban middle-class family in San Fernando Valley, CA. The family names their guest "ALF" which stands for Alien Life Form. ALF is from the planet Melmac, he followed a ham radio which caused him to crash land on Earth. The Tanner family took him in as a member of their own family. ALF is a unrestrained, rambunctious character who constantly puts himself at the risk of getting discovered. 

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An illustration of a car inside a yellow box. The yellow box has text inside it, red text on top and yellow/black text below. The yellow box is on a blue background with white text above and below the box. 

This button commemorates the Moko Lensey Matchbox collector.  The image on the button depicts the Moko Lensey first ever die cast toy, a “road roller,” in the Matchbox series.  The company made the toy between 1955 and 1957.  Moko Lensey was founded in 1948.  The unique name of the company is a portmanteau and made from a combination of its three earliest partners.  Moko is a shortening of Moses (Mo) Kohnstam (ko) and Lesney was a combination of Lesley Smith (Les) and Rodney Smith (ney).  By the early 1950s, the company began to use the less confusing name Matchbox.  The toy brand continues to be a leader among die cast toy manufacturers. 

Two hands shake within a black outlined red oval between red text over a yellow background. 

A "jobber" is an informal term for a wholesaler. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, this meaning dates from the mid-seventeenth century and may be used to refer to anyone buying and selling goods. In the North American context, the phrase, "Get it from your jobber," was often used in newspaper advertisements throughout the early twentieth century. The items advertised ranged from toilet tanks to car parts. The illustration seen on the button was trademarked by Indiana's Automotive Advertisers Council (AAC) in 1949 and by Canada's Smart & Biggar in 1950.

AAC was founded in 1941 and had offices throughout the America, including a branch in Chicago, Illinois and was once headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.  AAC changed its name in 1994 to the Automotive Communications Council and is currently headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.