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			George Eastman Born Jul 12 1854 - Died Mar 14 1932 Method and Apparatus for Coating Plates for use in Photography Photography Patent Number(s) 226,503 Inducted 1977 Eastman began his search for a transparent and flexible film in 1884. The first commercial film, put into production a year later, was cut in narrow strips and wound on a roller device patented by Eastman and Walker. Film rolls sufficient for 100 exposures were mounted in a small box camera-the Kodak, which was introduced in 1888 priced at $25. The steady improvement of Edison's motion-picture camera also spurred Eastman to perfect a stronger film designed to fill that promising market. Invention Impact 'George Eastman's inventions of dry, rolled film and the hand-held cameras that could utilize it revolutionized photography. Inventor Bio Born in Waterville, New York, Eastman, in 1877, embarked upon the intricate tasks of preparing the necessary emulsions, coating the 'wet plates' on which most pictures were then taken, and developing the prints. He pursued eagerly all available literature on the subject and was attracted by a formula for a 'dry plate' emulsion that appeared in an English almanac. The formula suggested the possibility of reducing the size and weight of outdoor photographic equipment. Eastman had in mind the commercial prospects of dry plates and by 1879 was ready to embark on a business career. Patents were secured in England and America on his coating machine, and returns began to flow in from foreign lessees. As passing years brought increased wealth, Eastman became one of America leading philanthropists, giving away more than $100 million.