General Electric - Part 7

What's next? More halls, full of odd logos and designs, which presumably all have something to do with GE's many businesses. It's really hard to realize just how many things GE had its fingers in back then. Just 8 years after the Fair ended I would be working for them designing launch systems for submarine-based nuclear missiles. Although there actually was a Polaris missile on display at the Fair, it was over at the Travel & Transportation Pavilion. I don't recall GE mentioning that and other lines of the company; for the Fair the focus was pretty much on consumer goods.

General Electric - Part 6

Let's continue with some more views of the General Electric Pavilion at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair. We're finally upstairs and ready to see more about the wonders of better living through electricity. The hallway stretches off past images of GE products, old and new, leading us towards a sound that is very much like a clap of thunder. What wonders await????

General Electric - Part 5

After waiting your turn, it's finally time to head upstairs. You would get there on a speed ramp through this colorfully lit tunnel. A taped narration helped prepare you for the wonders the GE scientists and sales people have prepared for you.

VIPs could skip this, by the way, by exiting the theater out the back door...

General Electric - Part 4

Finally the hostess steps aside and everyone starts heading upstairs to see the Sky-Dome Spectacular, the nuclear fusion demonstration and the product displays in Medallion City. After the amazing show they just saw how will the exhibits upstairs compare?

We'll see soon!

The General Electric Pavilion - Part 3

Let's move on with a look at the rest of the General Electric Pavilion. I'll skip over the four acts of the Carousel of Progress, as most Disney or Fair fans will have memorized how those kitchens looked.



After the four scenes with Father, Mother and the ever faithful dog, the audience was carried into the final room. Here we see a snappily dressed attendant, complete with white gloves, asking everyone to stay in their seats for a moment longer. There's a lot more waiting for them, but no please, no stampeding to the exit!

Driving the Carousel of Progress

Before we head on to visit the show itself, let's take a peek at the controls for the Carousel of Progress.



Each of the six theaters had one of these stations on the left side. A colorfully dressed hostess, with white gloves no less, was stationed there to make sure everyone stayed in their seats. With the audience safely seated, she would push a button signifying that the ride could proceed. Unless all of the theaters were ready the theaters didn't rotate.

The controls also include a public address system and an intercom to the folks working outside.

General Electric at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair

Let's spend a few days touring one of the most famous pavilions at the Fair - General Electric. Along the way we'll visit the Carousel of Progress, the Sky-Dome Spectacular, and Progressland.

From www.nywf64.com:
You've settled into your seat in the Carousel Theater. Before you, stretching the entire width of the stage, behind the giant GE Logo, is a pulsing wall of light called the "Kaleidophonic Screen." Behind the clear-faceted squares that make up the larger panels of the screen are banks of multi-colored lights that shine out into the audience through the maze of squares.

As a full orchestration of the Carousel's Theme Song, "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow," plays in the background, the lights pulse and glow with the rise and fall of music.

Now the music changes to a carnival-like rhythm as narrator Rex Allen begins to speak. As he does, the lights of the Kaleidophonic Screen pulse in synchronization to his words.

More views to follow!