Holiday Gift Guide: Times Square Spectacular

Times Square Spectacular: Lighting Up Broadway by Darcy Tell, traces the story of the famous Times Square advertising signs, as seen in cartoons like Lights Fantastic. It’s illustrated with numerous rare photographs, maps, restaurant menus, theater programs, magazine covers, postcards, sheet music, and archival documents. What makes this especially interesting for animation historians is Tell’s special tribute to Douglas Leigh, the man who created such Times Square billboards as the legendary Camel cigarettes “smoke rings” sign – and more importantly, his animated light boards, animated by Otto Messmer for 37 years. A beautiful tribute to the Great White Way.

(Thanks, J.J. Sedelmaier)