5. A lifeguard was the model for Prometheus

Justin Rivers holds up a photo of the model for Prometheus at Rockefeller Center
Chief Experience Officer Justin Rivers holds up a photo of Leonardo Nole

Leonardo Nole (c. 1907–1998), an Italian-American lifeguard from New Rochelle, modeled for the likeness of Prometheus. Nole had previous experience posing for college art classes. He spent three months posing for the Prometheus assignment in the spring of 1933. After World War II, he became a postal worker.

The Prometheus sculpture was created by famed sculptor Paul Manship. His assistant Angelo Colombo did most of the detail work on the sculpture while Nole was posing. Henry Kreis, another assistant, sculpted the hair.