Dateline: Queens, 3010 . . . Local archeologists digging at the site of a former elementary school and playground uncover the following objects: Sonny and Cher dolls, Mork and Mindy dolls, a Hula-Hoop and a metal "Popeye" lunchbox.

Rather than scratching their heads and seeking a source that will help date and interpret the items, the historians head to the American Museum of the Moving Image (AMMI) — a storehouse of thousands of artifacts which capture the history of the 20th century culture and arts, the only collection of its kind in the United States and one of the largest in the world.

Dateline: Astoria, 1976-77 . . . Sam Roberts, president of the Council of Motion Picture Association (a precursor of the Astoria Motion Picture Foundation) dreams up a "place," museum-like, where memorabilia from the motion picture and television industries could be stored for future reference.

Dateline: Astoria, 1988 . . . After receiving approval from the City Arts Commission and obtaining funding, a home for the museum was secured within the Kaufman Astoria Studio Complex.

The American Museum of the Moving Image is born, located on 35th Avenue between 36th and 37th streets in Astoria.

Pinball machines — yes, the kind Fonzie "punched" to set the bells ringing — and the "first" video games — Pacman, Space Invaders and Zaxxon — they’re here too. Sets, scripts, props and costumes from television programs that lit up the small screen in the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s — artifacts from the "Howdy Doody Show" (yes, Clarabelle is there), "The Honeymooners" and "Captain Kangaroo — are all part of the memorabilia at AMMI. And there is so much more.

Screenings of 50s commercials and TV shows, and movies from the 40s through the 80s are presented in special format.

Experts and educators are on hand to assist with research, or just to explain the "hows and whys" of the different displays.

During a pensive moment at the museum’s grand opening, Sam Roberts was asked to explain the concept of the museum. Why so many different items and exhibits in one place?

"It’s simple," he said. "One day someone will come to Queens to dig up our culture, our artifacts and this is where they will go when someone asks, ‘What the hell is a Popeye lunchbox?’"

However, to truly understand the film industry means looking at early American cinema as it was produced in New York City. One of the most significant pioneering studios was Lasky and Zukor’s Famous Players Film Company which officially opened its studios in September of 1920 at Pierce and Sixth Streets, now known as 35th Street and 35th Avenue in Astoria. With the creation of these studios, the area quickly became the movie-making capital of the East Coast.

Famous Players-Lasky was formed when Adolph Zukor’s Famous Players Film Company merged with the Jesse Lasky Feature Play Company. By 1920, the company had studios across the country with the Astoria location at the center of its film production projects.

Indeed, the studio would thrive in its Queens location. Many east coast writers and producers reacted negatively to the mass exodus that many film executives made to Hollywood.

Famous stars from the silent movie era like Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson found Astoria to be a perfect haven from the overbearing Hollywood lifestyle.

Later, the studios proved to be a convenient location for Broadway writers and actors who wanted to moonlight in the motion picture industry.

After two decades of making movies, then 30 years of turning out instructional films as the U.S. Army Pictorial Center (1942-72), the buildings fell into disuse and were badly vandalized until a coalition of Queens officials and motion-picture labor unions organized a restoration project in 1976.

Since reverting back to the City and becoming a studio again, "The Glass Menagerie," Woody Allen’s "Radio Days," a TV version of "Death of a Salesman" with Dustin Hoffman and the "Cosby Show" are among the productions that have gone before the cameras.

Queens has also served as the backdrop for numerous television shows.

Whether we were laughing at Archie Bunker’s ridiculous remarks in "All in the Family" or enjoying some time with the "Nanny" from Flushing, the borough has continued to thrive as a home to many of our favorite shows.

The tradition continues even today as a show like "The King of Queens" keeps Queens in the television spotlight.

Henry Fonda starred in the 1957 Alfred Hitchcock film "The Wrong Man." The film depicted the story of a Corona man who was convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and how he eventually regained his freedom.