Pavilion Guides
- WE INVITE YOU . . .
- We hope to welcome you as
our guest at the Golden Rondelle of Johnson's Wax International
at the New York World's Fair. This spectacular building has six
stem-like columns which are 90-feet high and suspend a massive
golden disc which contains a 500-seat air-conditioned theater.
The soaring superstructure is topped with arched petals that
curve inward to form a partial canopy. The columns encircle a
reflecting pool that contains fountains.
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- An adjacent companion building
in the form of a curved double-decked promenade contains entertaining
and educational exhibits. Access to the theater is from this
building via elevated walkways. In recognition of our company's
world-wide operations, there is a unique International Court
with exhibits from all over the glove including a special display
of "Floors of the World."
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- The Johnson's Wax Golden
Rondelle is located at the intersection of Dwight D. Eisenhower
Promenade and the Avenue of Europe in the industrial area of
the Fair ground.
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- We consider our building
as symbolic of the trust and patronage of our customers throughout
the world who have contributed to the success of Johnson's Wax.
We hope you will plan to accept our hospitality.
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- A NEW ADVENTURE . .
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- The feature attraction at
the Golden Rondelle will be an enchanting and happy adventure
in filmed entertainment which will appeal to persons of all ages.
Scenes shot on three different continents portray with drama,
humor and tenderness the basic human qualities of all races and
nationalities.
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- The film will be shown using
a spectacular new technique employing three giant screens arranged
in sweeping panoramic arc. At times different images appear on
each of the screens. The effect is exciting and visually stimulating.
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- The 12-minute movie was produced
by Francis Thompson, winner of honors for his film artistry,
including a Cannes Festival prize for his famed documentary entitled
"N.Y., N.Y."
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- JUST FOR FUN . . .
- Exclusively for children,
Johnson has a unique amusement center - The Fun Machine - a walk-through
toy where youngsters find such things as cranks, levers and buttons
that activate surprise mechanisms, nose-makers and other entertaining
devices.
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- YOUR QUESTIONS PLEASE
. . .
- We hope you will make use
of our Home Care Information Center where your questions actuate
a computer in the National Cash Register pavilion with a reply
sent back almost instantaneously. Answers are available to such
diverse questions as those relating to floors and furniture,
automobiles, shoes and gardening.
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- HAVE A SHINE ON US
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- To help you put your best
foot forward, there is a free shoe shine center equipped with
a battery of automatic butters and, of course, plenty of Johnson's
Shoe Polish to boot.
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- ABOUT THE GOLDEN RONDELLE
. . .
- The soaring superstructure
of the Golden Rondelle is a graceful white form made up of six
90-foot petals that arch inward to form a partial canopy. A golden
disc, 90 feet in diameter and containing the air-conditioned
500-seat theater, is suspended from the six columns 24 feet over
a sunken reflecting pool. An adjacent companion building,
 in the form of a curving
double-decked promenade, contains the educational and entertaining
exhibit features.
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Source: Pavilion
Guide Brochures (2)
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A boat race in
dugout canoes in Nigeria; in this scene all three screens are
filled with a single panoramic view, 36 feet wide.
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 "TO
BE ALIVE!" is a visual poem, made up of images from life,
produced with great artistry by Francis Thompson and Alexander
Hammid, veteran documentary producers. This 18-minute lyrical
color motion picture, commissioned by Johnson Wax exclusively
for the New York World's Fair, is shown 30 times a day, admission
free, in the 500-seat Golden Rondelle.
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- Photographed in Africa, Italy
and the United States, "To Be Alive!" recapitulates
the joys of living for all ages. It tells us - through exciting
and enchanting scenes and sounds of the universal experiences
of mankind - that while millions of people are frustrated in
this complex modern world of ours, there are millions of others
who retain a sense of the underlying wonder of the world, who
have a capacity for finding delight in normal, everyday experience
and who realize that there can be great joy in simply being alive!
Within this theme, the brotherhood of man unfolds and
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- laughter, love and pleasure
emerge as an infectious wave that draws the viewer into the film.
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- "To Be Alive!"
is shown on three slightly separated screens, each of which is
18 feet wide, sometimes for a panoramic image (as above), sometimes
for a single image in triplicate, sometimes three different images
(as below), so that the eye absorbs each and the mind blends
the varied impressions. The process is called Tri-Arc 335. Through
the use of three screens and three projectors, screen film techniques
in creating what critics have called a dramatic new motion picture
concept filled with thrilling and intimate experiences.
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- CREDITS: Concept and Producer,
Francis Thompson; Directors, Alexander Hammid and Francis
Thompson; Musical Score, Gene Forrell; Written Narration,
Edward Field.
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CRITICS
ACCLAIM FILM
Variety - "Johnson Wax
... has provided an unusual approach in goodwill with its 'To
Be Alive!' which seems to be a milestone in the commercial picture
field."
New York Post - "... a masterpiece
that might as easily win Festival prizes as it will delight a
World's Fair audience."
New York Herald
Tribune
- "It says it (its theme) with such a rush of pleasure and
movement, it stays so close to the very texture of life, it shows
the glories of such ordinary moments, that it becomes an extraordinary
stimulant."
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A teenage dance
in suburbia, U.S.A. provided these scenes; three different images
are projected at the same time on the three-part screen.
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