As Carol Channing, clad in a Bob Mackie sleeveless pantsuit, chinchilla (?) wrap, bright red lipstick, and a 77-karat diamond said last night: "Musical theater is a strictly American art form." The ladies who helped forge that - along with movies and television - were being feted by The Smithsonian, who were specifically honoring women who have woven their way into the American cultural fabric, welcoming their treasured memorabilia into the Smithsonian's permanent collection.

There they sat, a tableaux of collective memory, yet vibrant, celebratory, and at times, shockingly funny (Esther Williams' delight of male swimming stars' inability to swim underwater, thereby having her own unique "vantage point" of their nether regions; Julie Newmar's proud status as many men's ... first. TV first, that is).

Elise and I had played a pre-show guessing game ("Rose Marie?" "Hair bow!" "Julie Newmar - catsuit ... Esther Williams - bathing suit?") Meeting Tippi Hedren at the Florence Henderson Show launch, I asked her, "Will it be 'The Birds' suit?" which actually, she didn't own. Instead, she was donating her original Hitchcock scripts. And there they were, her handwritten notes marked up on The Birds, and her red-leather-bound copy of Marnie.

No bathing suit from Esther Williams, which would have been the obvious - and easy- choice; instead, her custom-made scrapbooks crafted by her signmaker father, who ordered her to "fill them up."

Rose Marie provided her tiny, deeply worn "Baby Rose Marie the Child Wonder" dress and shoes from her vaudeville days, when the three-year-old trumped Al Jolson at the opening of The Jazz Singer with her all-talking short, (The Jazz Singer was only partly-sound). Rose Marie's grownup Sally Rogers' trademark hair bow was there, too, but she demurred on the tale as it would "take too long to tell."

Julie Newmar's catsuit was almost as intimidating-looking as Miss Newmar in the flesh, with legs that go on for miles and her incredible Catwoman bone structure. Someone had brought the Li'l Abner soundtrack, which the former "Stupefyin' Jones" graciously signed. Allison Arngrim stepped in for an ailing Phyllis Diller to announce that Miss Diller was donating her written library of jokes. You read that right - library.

Jo Anne Worley opened the show and with a bat of her trademark heavy false eyelashes, twirled her pearls and gave us an operatic trill as emcee Dick Van Patten followed the Smithsonian's reps onstage. Bantering with June Lockhart and Florence Henderson about television "families," Van Patten joked that people only watched Eight is Enough, because The Brady Bunch was gone.

Tippi Hedren's first movie was "The Birds." Can you imagine? "Baby Rose Marie the Child Wonder" supported a family at 3 and was later hired by Bugsy Siegel to play The Flamingo - long before The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Esther Williams, besides founding a genre, designed her own line of successful swimwear.

Carol Channing defined Broadway in two very different, iconic roles. Read Julie Wolfson's amazing Carol Channing interview here.

Phyllis Diller's first TV appearance was on You Bet Your Life (as a contestant), cementing her place in American television, whether as one of Johnny Carson's best foils, or griping about hubby "Fang" on Hollywood Squares, when she wasn't working on one of her 5 records or 4 books, to name only a few of the things that have made her an American icon.

June Lockhart, another child actress, moved onto Broadway and a Tony before becoming a two-generation TV mom, with Lassie and Lost in Space.

Everyone's mom, Florence Henderson, came from a poor family as the last of ten children - and when Dick Van Patten reminisced of the first play they did, she reminded him that Esther Williams was in it - along with onstage pool.

Angela Lansbury did an unforgettable turn as the political opportunist mother in The Manchurian Candidate as well as Broadway's Sweeney Todd and Mame long before she set up shop for a new generation on TV, where Julie Newmar, Rose Marie, Florence Henderson, June Lockhart, and Phyllis Diller were residing.

The List:

Esther Williams: her two MGM scrapbooks.

Carol Channing: "Diamonds" gown and her 1964 Tony award for "Hello Dolly."

Elise and I chatted with our pals Allison Arngrim and Mr. Blackwell (we passed inspection) before approaching the collection to ooh and aah, trying to get in a few words (we could only wave at June Lockhart and she waved back at us, smiling.) I got to gush over Julie Newmar and thank her for giving a little redhead girl (me) hope, and to thank Dick Van Patten for his great dog food, which really delighted him. We had a nice little chat about it, including dog photos, much to Elise's bemusement.

Carol Channing shows off the 77-Karat rock.

The iconic catsuit. No hiding any figure flaws in that.

Julie Newmar and her fantastic cheekbones

Florence Henderson poses charmingly alongside her donated items.

June Lockhart also looking amazing

Mr. Blackwell openly disapproves of Alison's tights and boots (a low-heeled pump was suggested).

It got a bit crowded onstage, so we left for higher ground.

All photos and video by Elise Thompson for LAist

For die-hard fans, here are a few of the presentations:

Esther Williams

Julie Newmar

Carol Channing