Disneyland, October 1966 Pt. 3

Our square Skyway bucket is taking us into Fantasyland now, as can be witnessed from this view of Small World from above, with the top of Monstro and Casey Junior visible as well. While we’re at Small World, let’s zoom in for a few other views (mercifully without the song playing in the background):



The classic clock in action:



Looks like the boats are floating just fine...have Turkey Legs & Churros invaded the park yet? The Autopia Eagle is visible at top left.



Here’s a lovely shot of...grass and dirt. You don’t see barren real estate like this at Disneyland anymore!



From the other side of our bucket, we can see the Alice Dark ride:





And here is Alice herself, greeting a few guests at the Front Entrance with the assistance of the White Rabbit and Mad Hatter:



Tomorrow, we’ll see even more Fantasyland, October 1966. See more vintage and current Fantasyland photos at my website.

Bette Davis

I was honored to be asked for the use (and with pay!) of my “Copper Bette” painting for the Lowell Massachusetts Film Festival. To see more of my art, visit my regular website.

Disneyland, October 1966 Pt. 2, Bette Davis, and Cigarettes

It’s October 1966 and we’ve made the first difficult decision: which tunnel do we cross through under the railroad tracks? Looks like our photographer might have chosen the “right” tunnel, and as he exited, who was there but Mickey Mouse! Anybody need to make a restroom stop while we’re here? Our next decision is which land in the hub to choose to visit first...but wait, what’s going on at the House of the Future? Looks like a little lover’s spat between the Space People of the Future! I can just hear the lady on the left, "Children, please don’t look at the funny people in the plastic helmets!”



Even though there may be some problems going on in the future, let’s choose that as our destination today, beginning with this shot of the Moonliner, now sponsored by Douglas and not TWA.



From the Skyway, we have this nice shot which also includes a corner of the Flight Circle and scenic Anaheim in the background; but wait, there’s even more going on here. Our spatting couple can be seen in the detail shot that I have included. They just need to punch out on the time clock and take that stuff out of the Happiest Place on Earth. Actually, it appears that they’ve made up and are ready to sign autographs again.





Speaking of the Skyway, here’s the Tomorrowland Station on the left, with those funny little square buckets sailing through the Matterhorn:



Last two shots show a little Sub action from the Skyway and the Yellow Monorail:





Tomorrow, we’ll follow the Skyway into Fantasyland for some more October 1966 gems. On another note, my painting of Bette Davis in “All About Eve,” which I titled “Copper Bette,” is being used to promote the Lowell Massachusetts Film Festival; I was pretty stoked when they purchased the use of it for this.



Speaking of cigarettes (follow the Bette Davis connection here), I recently received the new “101 Dalmatians” DVD; great restoration and way cool extras on the making of this classic. Never really realized how revolutionary the use of the Xerox was until I saw the documentaries talking about Walt’s displeasure with the new technique. Anyway, back to cigarettes; it is wonderful to see Marc Davis’ animation of Cruela de Vil, parading around campily and waving her pink cigarette with the green smoke. Interestingly enough, the cigarette is kept in the film, but nowhere to be found in the publicity stills or DVD box art; you can tell by the articulation of her hand in this shot that it as been edited out:





See more vintage and current Tomorrowland photos at my website.

Disneyland, October 1966

Every now and then, I get a surprise batch of slides that create one of those "wow!" reactions; the kind that you open the box, hold them up to the light, and with each one you are amazed at what the photographer captured. This is such a bunch. Hope you enjoy 1966; we’ll be hanging here for a few days. To start off our journey, we enter the Disneyland Hotel. The signage matches the iconic sign seen at the park entrance. Shot #2 is also of the hotel, which has already corrected the neon signage for "Hotel Disneyland" to read "Disneyland Hotel." LOVIN' the vintage cars here.



Once our family checked in, it was time to either take the tram or the Monorail into the park; here’s the Monorail Station and a few trams visible in the background.



Oops...look like the need to read the signage a little better...gotta’ follow that arrow over to the entrance. Damn those attraction posters look great...so many exciting things to see!



OK, they've made it into the park! And what’s the first thing they see! No, not a Year of a Million Dreams banner or a 300 pound guest eating a churro...it’s the E.P. Ripley, rolling into the Main Street Station!



Here’s a nice closeup of the Station Stats, taken from the train; already up to 50,000,000!



And for my buddy George, here’s a similar contemporary view:



See more vintage and current Disneyland photos at my website.

The Chamberlain Hotel

I love finding cool hidden boutique type hotels, and the Chamberlain in Hollywood was a recent discovery. Tucked away in a residential neighborhood, this converted apartment building has a way cool rooftop pool with excellent views and fun little cabanas.









Even the smallest rooms are spacious and decorated with taste and style. My one gripe (and you know I have to have at least one) is the bathroom. Why would you spend so much money and effort to remodel an entire hotel and let the bathrooms look cheap? The sink cabinet, shower stall, and even the toilet look like they'd come from a hillbilly estate sale. Despite that, I still HIGHLY recommend this place. For more Daveland Chamberlain photos, visit my regular website

December 1960, Town Square Rose Parade Queens

Just to show Patrick that I am a tolerant man, I am posting this December 19, 1960 view of Town Square which shows a tiny portion of the Stroller Shop that used to be located where the Mad Hatter is now. Mind you...just a tiny portion. Driving around the square are the Tournament of Roses Queen (Carole Washburn) & her court. Naturally, I couldn't feature such a photo without zooming in on these lovely ladies...you can tell that the driver is mighty happy right now!



If you can tear yourself away from these lovelies long enough, you'll also notice that the Opera House has posters promoting the Subs and the Monorail on either side of the entrance. I am also including a detail shot featuring the Portrait Shop & Wonderland Music.



See more vintage and current Town Square photos at my website.

The Ron DeFore Collection: Christmas

For the annual Christmas Parade, Don DeFore was often called upon to be the Master of Ceremonies for Frontierland. Pic #1 shows him high atop the roof of Frontierland, looking down upon the festivities...including the scary floats pictured here:



Here are photos of both of Don’s Holiday Festival Certificates, 1957 & 1960. The watercolor for 1960 makes it a true work of art.





One year, Walt called Don frantically from the Main Street entrance just before the parade was to begin. His grandchildren had not yet arrived, and Walt could not ride in the carriage without kids. Walt asked Don to send two of his children to the front gate immediately. Ron & Dawn were the lucky DeFore children who got to play Walt’s grandkids, and most of the guests probably didn’t even know the difference.







See more vintage and current Disneyland photos at my website.

The Ron DeFore Collection

In the upcoming week, I will be posting photos from the Ron DeFore Collection. Ron is the son of actor Don DeFore, best known for his role of "Mr. B" on the 60's sitcom "Hazel." Don was also a friend of Walt Disney’s, and had a number of integral parts in the park’s early history as well. Here is a shot from opening day, showing Don with a huge smile wearing a white blazer, riding in one of the Autopia cars down Main Street. Plenty of horse dung from the streetcars on the left, too! Stay tuned for many more rare photos from Ron’s collection. See more vintage and current Disneyland photos at my website.

Random 56/57

I have a few new series to start posting, but never like to begin one on a weekend...let's face it, most people are not looking at this blog on a weekend. So, instead, I am posting a few stray 1956/57 images that I do not believe I have posted before. My fave shot is #1, showing the wheelhouse of the Mark Twain as if it were yesterday. #2 is a fairly empty entrance gate, showing the Lilly Belle in its former incarnation as the Grand Canyon Passenger Car (car on the far right).



Another one of the station, featuring a few attraction posters; I am including a closeup of the one on the right; is it for the Art Corner in Tomorrowland?



The Major will love this one; it finally proves that the teepees were actually all white at one point:



See more vintage and current Disneyland photos at my website.

Double Date @ Disneyland, Nov. 1965 Pt. 5

I have to admit I am a little bored with this series, so as they say, it’s time to wrap this one up. Up first is a shot of the Treehouse...this has to be one of the rarest attractions as far as photos that I have collected...very few shots of the treehouse show up. Now for a slew of Jungle Cruise photos, including a little clean-up/construction in the African Veldt.









Out of the jungles and into Storybook Land, with your typical view of Cinderella’s Castle, except for the fact that there’s a gardner working on the right hand side of the photo.





Last one for this series is a Skyway shot of the Fantasyland area, which (for me) shows why I prefer the look of the "new" Fantasyland...the old Tent/Fair look truly looks cheap.



Walt Disney Treasures DVD WAVE VIII Announcement: Destino, Chronological Donald, Vol. 4, and Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow to be released Nov. 11. “Destino,” began in 1946 as a collaboration between Walt Disney and the surrealist painter Salvador Dali. A first-hand example of Disney’s interest in avant garde and experimental work in animation, “Destino” was to be awash with Dali’s iconic melting clocks, marching ants and floating eyeballs. However, “Destino” was not completed at that time. In 2003 it was rediscovered by Walt’s nephew, Roy E. Disney, who took on the challenge of bringing the creation of these two great artists to fruition. This set also includes an all-new feature-length documentary that examines the partnership between Dali and Disney plus two new featurettes; “The Disney That Almost Was,” an examination of the studio’s unfinished projects; and “Encounters with Walt,” which addresses the diverse group of celebrities and artists who were attracted to Walt Disney’s early work. “Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow,” which first aired as three separate episodes on Disney’s weekly TV show under the title “The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh,” was edited for theatrical releases in England and the U.S. This DVD set includes all three of the original TV episodes plus the theatrical version of the film that was released in England. “Chronological Donald, Vol. 4,” includes 31 rare shorts created between 1951–1961. Donald’s CinemaScope shorts will be presented in their original widescreen aspect ratio for the first time. Stay tuned for more info! See more vintage and current Disneyland Rivers of America photos at my website.