Now Playing At The Post Office: Perry Mason, Burns & Allen, Groucho

August 11, 2009: If you go into the U.S. Post Office beginning on Aug. 11 and ask for "Just the facts," you likely will get the 44¢ "Early TV Memories" 20-set stamp set, which includes a shot of Jack Webb from Dragnet, as well as stamps honoring other classic TV shows

The Early TV Memories programs commemorated in the 20-stamp set include: "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet"; "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" The Dinah Shore Show"; "Dragnet"; "The Ed Sullivan Show"; "The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show"; "Hopalong Cassidy"; "The Honeymooners"; "Howdy Doody"; "I Love Lucy"; "Kukla, Fran and Ollie"; "Lassie"; "The Lone Ranger"; "Perry Mason"; "The Phil Silvers Show"; "The Red Skelton Show"; "Texaco Star Theater"; "The Tonight Show"; "Twilight Zone"; and "You Bet Your Life."

The U.S. Postal Service will hold a first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony on Aug. 11 at Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in North Hollywood, Calif. (10 AM Pacific).

Participants at the event will include Carl Reiner, director, producer, writer and actor; Jayne Meadows Allen, actress; John Shaffner, chairman, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences; James Miller, III, U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors member attendees; June Lockhart (Timmy's mother Ruth Martin of "Lassie"); Lassie; Barbara Hale (Della Street of "Perry Mason"); Ozzie and Harriet's granddaughter Tracy Nelson (actress); Groucho Marx's son Arthur Marx; Jack Webb's wife Opal; William ("Hopalong Cassidy") Boyd's wife Grace Bradley Boyd; Milton Berle's wife Lorna Berle; Clayton ("The Lone Ranger") Moore's daughter Dawn Moore; Phil Silvers' daughter Tracey Silvers; William Talman's ("Perry Mason" District Attorney) son, actor Tim Talman; Steve Allen's son Bill Allen; and Red Skelton's wife Lothian Skelton.

Some of the memorabilia on display will include The Lone Ranger silver bullet and mask Clayton Moore wore for personal appearances; Howdy Doody; Buffalo Bob's tunic; and Groucho's "duck" from "You Bet Your Life."

There also will be separated ceremonies honoring other individuals whose images appear on the new series, including Red Skelton, the comedian and early television pioneer who grew up in Vincennes, Ind., where Skelton’s stamp will be unveiled during a public ceremony at Vincennes University’s Red Skelton Performing Arts Center; and the "Dragnet" stamp showing actor-producer Jack Webb, who played Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Joe Friday. The LAPD will host the unveiling of the stamp at the Police Academy, with a guest list that includes Webb's widow, Opal; actor Harry Morgan, who played Officer Bill Gannon on the show from 1967-1970; and LAPD Chief William Bratton. Back to Home Page