Kodak Colorama

An article titled Kodak's Grand Central Moments in today's Wall Street Journal reminded me of the many memories I have of the huge 18-by-60-foot Kodak Colorama displays that used to frame the eastern balcony of Grand Central Terminal when I was a boy and later a commuter.  Excerpt here:

"Travelers passing through Grand Central Terminal between 1950 and 1990 could hardly avoid Eastman Kodak's "Colorama" advertisements. Piercing the gloom of the station's cavernous main hall like stained-glass windows that promised a better life here on earth, these backlighted transparencies were scaled to compete with outdoor billboards in Times Square. Measuring 18 feet high and 60 feet across, they were promoted as the world's largest photographs. Every day for 40 years, more than half-a-million viewers could look up and bask in these colossal testaments to American plenty and pulchritude."

I grew up watching and later showing Kodachrome slideshows to family and friends. I still mourn the passing of Kodachrome film and processing last year.

You can view the full gallery of Colorama transparencies on kodak.com. Even better, there's an exhibit on Coloramas at the Chrysler Museum of Art through the end of the year. And this video on YouTube:



Alas, Kodak's fortunes continue to wane, as reported today:

"Eastman Kodak Co. warned Thursday that it will have trouble staying in business if it can't squeeze more money out of its patent portfolio or raise new funds by selling debt.  The cautionary statement, in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, came as the company reported another drop in cash in for third quarter, even after it drew $160 million from its credit line.  Kodak shares were off 6.3% at $1.12 in early trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange."