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GM's Futurama
GM's dual-exhibits at the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs were the nominal inspirations for the title of Futurama, Matt Groening's other show. Listen to the soothing sounds of The Monkees as we take you back in time to see the future.
 


Artist's rendition of the Futurama building

GM's Futurama exhibit made its first appearance at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. It was designed by Norman Bel Geddes, also known for his opera sets, and it set out two show what suburban America would be like twenty years into the future. It included a weather forecast machine, multiple-lane bridges, and automated highways.
 

The exhibit at the 1939 World's Fair was arguably one of the most successful establishments not only at the particular festival but of all exhibits of all time. This was not matched until the redux of the ride at the 1964 World's Fair, dubbed Futurama II.

GM built the revolutionary raised-canopy pavilion for the 1964 World's Fair, which featured a slanted perch at 110-feet in the air. The basic set-up was very similar to that of the 1939 World's Fair, but scientists at GM had been


Pin given to the audiences of Futurama


working as diligently as ever to create a more realistic experience as to what the future might hold.


GM's pavilion was one of the largest of its kind at the 1964 World's Fair

The ride began by flying over miniature models of futuristic societies. One portrayed a colony under the sea, in which multi-paned glass is used to protect settlers from the harsh pressure. Toddlers rode sea lions and played around in the coral reefs.


1994 will be dubbed the year of ocean colonization

Another display seems more accurate though still overly optimistic of technology. Large cities where preservation of space by any means necessary are all the rage. Enormous skyscrapers are serviced by robots, and moving sidewalks, an idea once discussed on Seinfeld, are used by citizens to move from one place to another.


London to the max

What else will be big in the future? This question was very important to GM in 1964. Answers such as widespread cultivation of the desert, civilization of those crazy natives in Asia and Africa, and violent protests in the Middle East over cartoons were the most widespread responses. Of course none of these came true, but the GM futurists, as they were sometimes referred to, did their best with their sub-Nostradamus abilities.


It's quite obvious why Groening chose the Futurama moniker for his second program. GM's exhibit tried to portray a positive future, but looking back some of what they were hoping for would actually cause some messy problems.

Futurama and Futurama II are lasting memorials to what technology can do if only we devote all of our resources to the Holy War on global warming.

God bless the future.


Antique brochues such as this can fetch as much as $2.99 + shipping at some auctions.





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