Does anyone remember the old GM Motorama, or maybe even saw it when they were a kid?

Throughout the 1950s General Motors dominated automobile sales in this country with a nearly 50 percent market share by the middle of the decade. In 1955, the company operated 119 plants in 65 communities in 19 states, six plants in Canada, and manufacturing facilities in 18 foreign countries. General Motors by then had become a colossal establishment since being organized in 1908.

One of their sales tools during the 1950s, which helped catapult them to this level of success, was the GM Motorama. Its purpose was to draw mass attention to the company's many automotive and non-automotive products and, of course, generate more sales. Through free admission, Broadway-style stage shows, and experimental vehicles typically called Dream Cars, millions of people were attracted to the great spectacle held consecutively from 1953 to 1956 as well as in 1949 (as Transportation Unlimited), 1950 (Mid-Century Motorama), 1959, and 1961. The years from 1953 to 1956, however, are the most memorable thanks to Dream Cars and prototypes such as the GM LeSabre, Cadillac Le Mans, the Buick Wildcats, Pontiac Bonneville Special, the first Chevy Corvette, the turbine-powered GM Firebirds, and many more.

General Motors spared no expense in bringing its show to major cities such as New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, and others; over $5 million was spent for the shows and exhibits in addition to the cost of the Dream Cars, which often cost six figures to design and build. Then there was the expense of moving the cars and equipment with hired carriers (consisting of 100 to 125 trucks) from city to city, the cost of local advertising, the one week rental of convention halls, stage shows, special decor, and maintenance of the show cars. Cutaway cars and engines added another $100,000 or so to the cost of the show, and then there was transportation and lodging for the crew, staff, and cast members, totaling about 1,000 people. The extravagant costs were worth every penny.

Halfway through the inaugural 1953 GM Motorama held at the Waldorf Astoria, GM had taken approximately $600,000 in orders from show attendees and there remained five more cities on the Motorama show circuit afterwards! Harley Earl, the man who headed GM Styling and developed the art and science of styling automobiles, was quoted as saying the Motorama was like picking up a lucky horseshoe. We didn't know how good it was until later.