USPS 2009 Postage Stamps: Early Television Memories

[Zoneboy]

Link

WASHINGTON - Lucy and Ethel lose their struggle with a chocolate assembly line. Joe Friday demands "just the facts" with a penetrating gaze. A secret word brings Groucho a visit from a duck.

Folks who grew up as television came of age will delight in a 20-stamp set included in the Postal Service's plans for 2009 recalling early memories of the medium.

Besides commemorating black-and-white TV, the service's 2009 postage stamp program ranges from commemorating President Abraham Lincoln to the Thanksgiving Day parade, civil rights pioneers, actor Gary Cooper, poet Edgar Allan Poe, Supreme Court justices and Alaska and Hawaii statehood.

Most of the commemorative stamps are priced at 42 cents, the current first-class rate. However, a rate increase is scheduled in May and the size will depend on the consumer price index.

The Early TV Memories stamp set is scheduled for release Aug. 11 in Los Angeles.

One recalls the quiz show "You Bet Your Life," on which the unflappable Groucho Marx awarded prizes to contestants who answered questions. If they said a secret word, a toy duck dropped down with a cash reward.

In a memorable scene from "I Love Lucy," Lucille Ball and sidekick Ethel Mertz work at an assembly line that speeds up and they can't wrap the candy quickly enough, causing panic.

In the stamp commemorating the cop show "Dragnet," star Jack Webb as detective Joe Friday gives his "just the facts, ma'am," stare, while on another stamp sweetheart singer Dinah Shore throws the audience a kiss.

Other shows featured are "Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Ed Sullivan Show," "George Burns & Gracie Allen Show," "Hopalong Cassidy," "The Honeymooners," "Howdy Doody," "Kukla, Fran and Ollie," "Lassie," "The Lone Ranger," "Perry Mason," "Phil Silvers Show," "Red Skelton," "Texaco Star Theater," "Tonight Show" and "Twilight Zone."

[catlover79]

Very cool!!

[Zoneboy]

[Scoobiedoo30]

I hope they make Benson and Sanford And Son Stamp's

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by Scoobiedoo30

I hope they make Benson and Sanford And Son Stamp's

Aaron, A Sanford & Son stamp would be nice and Redd Foxx is eligible since he's been gone for more than 10 years but Benson wouldn't be eligible since Robert Guillaume is still living. Hopefully one day other classic shows will be honored.



UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
CRITERIA STAMP SUBJECT SELECTION


It is a general policy that U.S. postage stamps and stationery primarily will feature American or American related subjects.

No living person shall be honored by portrayal on U.S. postage.

Commemorative stamps or postal stationery items honoring individuals usually will be issued on, or in conjunction with significant anniversaries of their birth, but no postal item will be issued sooner than ten years after the individual's death. The only exception to the ten-year rule is the issuance of stamps honoring deceased U.S. presidents. They may be honored with a memorial stamp on the first birth anniversary following death.

[Scoobiedoo30]

How about A Stamp of The Dad from my 3 Sons.

[dawsongirl]

Another rate increase??

Anyway...I don't think I'd want to actully send those stamps. lol

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
CRITERIA STAMP SUBJECT SELECTION


Commemorative stamps or postal stationery items honoring individuals usually will be issued on, or in conjunction with significant anniversaries of their birth, but no postal item will be issued sooner than ten years after the individual's death.

This is interesting because Steve Allen and Art Carney have not been deceased 10 years. Steve died on October 30, 2000 & Art passed away on November 9, 2003. Either the USPS overlooked this or there's some loophole that I'm not aware of.

According to a friend of mine on another board, The 10 year rule was changed in 2006, I'm not a stamp collector so I was completely unaware of this.

This rule was changed in 2006 to reduce the number of years after a person's death from 10 to 5 before they can be shown on a stamp. U.S. Presidents always have been exempt from this rule and get honored either the next year after their death, or their same year if they died early in the year. The rule was changed because of political pressure brought after the death of Rosa Parks. She's likely to be honored in 2010 or 2011 as a result.

[LeeBlue]

Terrific news that these classic television shows will be honored -- I'm looking forward to their release later this year!!

Happy New Year to everyone!!

[James]

That's interesting. I remember back in 2000 or thereabouts when the USPS celebrated certain decades in television with show names with stamps for "All In The Family" and, IIRC, "I Love Lucy."

[Scoobiedoo30]

Here is a Stamp that should be coming Robert Reed Stamp.