The Paul Linden Archive Explore Archive

The story

One continuous journey

Paul Linden's career is best understood not as several unrelated jobs, but as a single arc: a lifelong effort to imagine new ways for people to experience entertainment, and to build the machines that made them real.

Paul Linden at his laser optical bench, 1997.
A teenage Paul Linden in a school blazer stands beside his 1968 science-fair project, "Underwater Cities: Homes of the Future."

01

Early Curiosity & Armour Amusement

1968–1980

Long before the lasers, there was a teenager building the future of underwater cities and a college student learning how entertainment technology actually behaves once it leaves the lab.
A ShowBiz Pizza Place showroom with the animatronic band on stage, the Jellystone Park stage at right, and families seated at the tables.

02

ShowBiz Pizza Place & Multimedia Entertainment

1980–1990

As Director of Entertainment, Paul helped shape one of the most ambitious location-based entertainment experiences of its era — synchronising audio, video, lighting, and animatronics into a single show.
A dense optical bench of mirrors, lenses, and acousto-optic modulators from one of Paul Linden's laser projection systems.

03

Advanced Laser Projection

1988–1996

The center of Paul's invention story: using lasers as the light source for large-format video projection, and the patents that came out of it.
Sweeping ribbons of red, green, and blue laser light — a lumia composition made with Paul Linden's laser systems.

04

Linden Laser Systems & Beyond

1992–present

Paul's own company — where the laser projection, optics, holography, and show work continued as custom design, installation, and show labor for clients around the world.

Across the map

Where the work traveled

Paul's career left a trail around the world — from the show floors of Texas to laser projection installations and demonstrations across the United States, Japan, Korea, China, Mexico, Spain, Egypt, England, and the Dominican Republic.

World map of the places Paul Linden's work reached A world map marking the locations of Paul Linden's work: across the United States — from Texas, Missouri, Kansas and Washington D.C. to Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, New Orleans and Nashville — and abroad in Japan (Osaka, Wakayama, Tokyo), Korea, China, Mexico, Spain, Egypt, England and the Dominican Republic. Dallas–Irving, TX Lampe, MO Lawrence, KS Omaha, NE Colorado Springs, CO Augusta, GA Orlando, FL Washington, D.C. Nashville, TN Los Angeles, CA San Diego, CA Kansas City Las Vegas, NV New Orleans, LA Houston, TX Osaka, Japan Wakayama, Japan Tokyo, Japan Seoul, Korea Guangzhou, China Bilbao, Spain Cairo, Egypt London, England Monterrey, Mexico Mazatlán, Mexico Ciudad Victoria, Mexico Cancún, Mexico Playa del Carmen, Mexico Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

United States

  • Dallas–Irving, Texas ShowBiz Pizza Place · Advanced Laser Projection
  • Lampe, Missouri Linden Laser Systems
  • Lawrence, Kansas University of Kansas — holography, 1974
  • Washington, D.C. Collier Trophy gala · MCI at the Kennedy Center
  • Orlando, Florida Universal Studios Florida — Halloween shows on a 90-ft water screen
  • Las Vegas · Los Angeles · San Diego
  • Houston · New Orleans · Nashville
  • Kansas City
  • Omaha · Colorado Springs · Augusta ShowBiz Yogi Bear test shows

Japan

  • Osaka Kansai Electric Power Company
  • Wakayama Installation
  • Tokyo

Mexico

  • Monterrey · Mazatlán · Ciudad Victoria
  • Cancún · Playa del Carmen

Elsewhere

  • Seoul, Korea
  • Guangzhou, China
  • London, England
  • Bilbao, Spain
  • Cairo, Egypt
  • Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Where Paul's work traveled — from show and arcade work in Texas to laser projection installations and demonstrations across the United States, and client projects reaching Japan and Korea.