The effectiveness of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers from zero generation as a fluorescent guest for liquid crystal displays of the 'guest-host' type is discussed on the basis of their absorption and fluorescent properties. It has been shown that the dendrimers at concentration of 0.3 wt% do not destabilize the orientation of the liquid crystal matrix. The orientation order parameters S-A and S-F depends on the nature of the substituent at C-4 position of the 1,8-naphthalimide. The effect that poly(amidoamine) dendrimers have upon the phase transition temperature and the electro-optical properties of the LC/dendrimer mixtures has been also presented. All investigations reported have been carried out in surface stabilized display cells. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.