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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Fifty Years Ago: Opening of the New York World's Fair, 1964


I remember how exciting the World's Fair sounded, and wanting to go - but didn't get to. My family never took any trips like that.  But I've read that other people who did attend found it disappointing: lots of boring educational exhibits but no carnival midway, and nothing much fun to do. Did any of you guys go to the Fair, and did you enjoy it, I wonder?

First, a Universal newsreel of President Johnson opening the Fair on April 23, 1964:




Next, part 1 of a 1964 NBC special report by Edwin Newman, in living color, of course:




Here's a remarkably crisp and vivid color report from the British Pathé News:




And finally, Shirley MacLaine and other Hollywood luminaries lend a bit of glamour to the Fair - Shirley was then starring in the comedy film What a Way to Go!



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I did go...as one of the Young Americans singing group, we performed there.
I have to agree with you that it was boring if not totally disappointing.
saludos,
raulito

Tim said...

Sadly I couldn't go because I didn't have enough pocket money, but it looked quite exciting to me, and thanks to your clips I now feel I've been!

Russ Manley said...

raulito, Tim - thanks for the comments.

Frank said...

I remember going with my family. I was 16. I thought it was exciting - very futuristic and literally a world of sights. Luckily for us, New York is practically down the street - about 100 miles - a day trip. We didn't travel much when I was a kid, mom was not well and found it difficult. But she wanted to go the the World's Fair, I think mainly to see the Pieta at the Vatican pavilion, which, of course, we did. I loved the science stuff - the GE pavilion, NASA, Bell Telephone and Ford. I seem to recall that we had "Southern Fried Chicken" for the first time somewhere there - or maybe it was at Freedom Land USA which was also in the New York Meadows.

Russ Manley said...

What nice memories, thanks for sharing those.

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