Remembering Kiki Stockhammer
Kiki Stockhammer was once one of the most visible people on the internet, and in the video graphics industry. In the early 90's, she worked for a company called NewTek that made in innovative new product called Video Toaster. At the time, this product was designed for use on the Amiga computer, which had better graphics than any other. Video Toaster started the desktop computer video graphics revolution and won an Emmy. In 1994, Kiki and a number of other NewTek employees left and started a new company, Play Incorporated. This company also produced innovative video graphics products (it's technology is used in the new "Star Wars" movies). Kiki Stockhammer was the "face" of Play, Inc., appearing in their ads, and representing them at just about every computer convention and trade show there was. One of the company's products, GlobeCaster, was the worlds first internet TV station-in-a-box, so Kiki began appearing on an internet TV broadcast called "Kiki at Midnight". In 2000, Play Incorported was bought out, and Kiki disappeared from the Internet and trade show scene, never to be seen again. I have no idea what happened to her, so I set up this page to remember her in pictures.
Late News: I have heard that Kiki now plays in a sci-fi punk rock band, called Warp 11, based in Sacramento, CA.
Later News: Kiki is working for NewTek again, doing trade shows, etc. She is still with the band, too.

Click on a picture to see it larger. Click Back to get back here. Some thumbnails are cropped, so be sure to click to see the whole picture.

The most famous picture of Kiki, advertising a video capture product called Snappy.

Kiki was famous for dressing up in outlandish costumes and making unusual poses to advertise Play Inc.'s products.

Another outlandish costume and pose by Kiki.

A more "normal" look for Kiki.

Kiki at the Play, Inc. booth at a trade show. More than good looks, she could answer any question about her company's products..

Here Kiki is demonstrating a system called Trinity, which can create virtual backgrounds in place of the plain grey cloth she is standing in front of.

Kiki and another Play employee are demonstrating Trinity here, too. The technology in the Trinity program wound up in the new Star Wars movies.

Kiki having fun at a trade show party. (The SIGGRAPH '93 trade show. The party was at the Movieland Wax Museum, Buena Park, CA.)

The opening slide for Kiki's online TV show.

An early ad featuring Kiki, when she worked for NewTek.

Kiki's high school picture (Lawrence HS, Lawrence KS, 1983).

I found this photo of a photo of Kiki on a table -- an unusual tribute to her?
Links
These links lead to articles (in chronological order) about Play, Inc., that mention Kiki. The last two links include pictures of Kiki.
An article about Play and Trinity that mentions Kiki. (local link)
Another article about Play Inc. and Trinity that mentions Kiki. (local link)
Play, Inc. at the 1998 NAB show. Play was the hit at this National Association of Broadcasters show. (local link)
Play TV at a Television Producer's convention. (local link)
Trinity System Links
These are pages from companies that used to sell Trinity Systems.
Intrepid Communications, Inc. Out of business now. (local link)
DigiTek Systems. Still in business, with other products. (local link)
If any of the above links dies, I have preserved each page (but not any links off that page) locally, so you can click on "local link" to see the page. Sorry, folks, but one picture is already missing from the Play TV link, and so it is missing on my local link as well.