A liquid crystal color display (20) provides a transmitted light output of one or more colors, black, and/or white, as a function of incident light and controlled energization or not of respective optically serially positioned liquid crystal color layers (2, 3, 4) and/or multicolor composite liquid crystal color layer(s) in the display. Plural optically serially arranged volumes (21) of operationally nematic liquid crystal material (25) having different optical characteristics, e.g. being dyed with different pleochroic dyes (28), may be selectively aligned or not with respect to an electric field to determine optical output of the device in a subtractive color mode. Techniques for discriminating voltage and/or frequency enable a multicolor response using only a single pair of electrodes (45, 46, 47). Using cross over liquid crystal material having positive and negative dielectric anisotropy characteristics as a function of frequency of applied signal, multiplex driving of the liquid crystal display is facilitated.