Miles White(1914-2000)

The 1964-1965 NYC World's Fair, held in what is now Flushing Meadows Corona Park, symbolized a grand consumer show covering many products in America at the time for transportation, living, and consumer electronic needs in a way that would never be repeated at future world's fairs in North America. The fair ran for two six-month sessions: April 21-October 18, 1964 and April 21-October 17, 1965. One of the major attractions was "The Electric Power and Light Pavilion," sponsored by a corporation of Electric Companies including CONED. The Electric Power and Light Pavilion was a circular domed bubble shaped "Carousel of Progress." Miles White was hired by producer-writer Alfred Stern to design the exhibition space, which consisted of six pie shaped chamber spaces, each chamber telling the film story of 'electric power.' The audience members, upon entry, loaded onto a dough-nut revolving turntable-platform which rotated into six, individual, consecutive adjacent sound proofed chambers; audience members departing the exhibit at the completion of the story telling film story. Miles' chamber designs were whimsical and wonderfully imaginative. Alfred Stern rented production office space located in the World Fair Village. Miles insisted Alfred Stern employ scenic designer John Braden to take charge of the design aspects, transcribing Miles' sketches into 1'0"=1/2" scale plans, elevations, and white painted chamber models utilizing assistant draftsmen; Pete Feller's NY Scenic Studio won the contract to build the pavilion, build and install the interior chamber exhibition space and people moving turntable. John Braden was hired by Pete Feller as shop draftsman and installation supervisor. Miles White had Alfred Stern employ Claibe Richardson, to work with Alfred composing a score with songs, consisting of approximately thirty minutes of music, for "The Brightest Show On Earth.".