4th September: George Eastman and Kodak cameras

On this date in 1888 George Eastman received a patent for a hand held, roll film camera, the first of its kind. 10 things you might not know about him and Kodak cameras.

George Eastman with one of his cameras, in 1890

1. Eastman named his company Kodak because he liked the letter K. "It seems a strong, incisive sort of letter," he said. There were other considerations. The name had to be short, easy to pronounce and not be associated with anything else.
2. His mother helped him come up with the name, using letter tiles.
3. The first Kodak cameras took round pictures, 6.4cm or 2.5in in diameter, and the roll of film could take 100 exposures. The first films were made of paper, but this was soon replaced by cellulose.
4. Roll films not only made photography an accessible hobby for ordinary people, but also inspired the invention of motion pictures.
5. George Eastman became a major philanthropist, establishing a school of Music and donating to educational and health institutions.
6. He never married, and was fond of travel (could this have inspired his invention?) and playing the Piano.
7. There is no truth in the myth that George Eastman was related to Linda Eastman, who became Linda McCartney.
8. The mansion Eastman built in Rochester, New York, is now the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film and a National Historic Landmark.
9. Eastman is the only person represented by two stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the same category, for his invention of roll film.
10. At the age of 77, suffering from a painful disorder of the spine, Eastman committed suicide by shooting himself in the heart. He left a suicide note which read, "To my friends: my work is done. Why wait?"