Here’s a seemingly innocent September 1967 view of the East Side of Main Street. Nothing unusual going on here, keep moving along folks, just some guy leaning on a tree, trying to hit on a gal and an unattended White Wing Trash Cart...until you zoom into the window of the Hallmark Store. A window display featuring the Charles Schulz Peanuts character Snoopy?!? What’s next? Shrek in Fantasyland?!?
Today, the person who put that window display together would probably be fired. Or at the very least, forced to push a double-wide stroller around the park all day. Here’s another 9/67 Main Street shot, showing my fave MS vehicle, The Omnibus.
See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland Main Street, U.S.A. photos at my main website.
5 comments:
What's the deal with the Omnibus license plate?? A relic from when it was driven down from the Studio a decade before?
Oh, and as a 'Schultz,' I should point out that it's Charles 'Schulz'!
-Jason
Sorry on the spelling, Jason - it has now been fixed! I also wondered about the license plate when I was scanning it in. I have another rear Omnibus shot from 1958, but no license plate. However, there are at least 2 Omnibuses at Disneyland. Anyone know about the story on this?
In 1967 Snoopy was a HUGE part of Hallmark's business. It was a cultural phenomenon at the time. There would have been no way around it. It would have been like asking George Lucas not to offer any Star Wars items.
Dave, I think the licence plate was because of Calif State Law regarding taxes. My father was with the State Board of Equalization (taxes) and said that Disneyland was taxed like a town of it's own. Utilities, streets and roads, motor vehicles, food sales, etc. The plate was a device to place the tax stamp (we know it as the licence registration renewel), and that ALL motor vehicles in the state must be registered and have a plate (even if only used on private land) which included farms and such. The vehicle also was taxed as a comercial carrier. Later, Disney got a variance to delete the plate, but still had to pay.
See, that's why the readers rock...I would have never noticed the license plate!
I'm sure that Hallmark, as a lessee, was permitted to advertise Snoopy whenever they wanted. But then again, I'm curious if anybody ever suggested that the beagle be removed?
Post a Comment