The George Thompson Collection

Daveland reader Jordan has graciously allowed me to post these photos taken on a family visit to Disneyland in approximately 1969. These first two photos are very cool; the anticipation of riding in the Monorail and seeing the entrance must have been such a thrill for early park visitors! Riding the transportation of the future and seeing the Railroad of the past...what a fun juxtaposition! Here’s what Jordan has for background info on his family and this particular trip:

When I was young, my dad worked for the foreign service (American Embassy) and I grew up living overseas. We came home one year (we had family in New Jersey) my dad bought a 1968 (so perhaps the year on these pics is closer to that) Dodge Charger and we went on a road trip across the US, to edumacate me and put my parents back into the reality of life in the US. As I recall it was a few weeks - a month long and we drove a big loop around the country.








In this photo, you can see Jordan’s mom, Dolly, in the green dress standing on the bridge at small world.











These two point-of-view shots from the Matterhorn are probably my faves; they really capture the excitement of this attraction!





Jordan believes that his father, George, shot the photos posted here today. Thanks so much to Jordan for sharing these amazing photos!



See more Disneyland photos at my main website.

Trip Report, Pt. 1

It had been since last October that my friend Stacy & I had been to the park together, so despite the warnings of rain, we took the day off and headed up to Anaheim. We left at the crack to make sure we were there at opening. For those who like to sleep in, here’s what you miss: the beauty of an empty park. Naturally, it doesn’t last long, but if you move quickly, you can get a few photos in before the masses invade.

Be sure to click on this photo; it’s a wide panorama shot of The Rivers of America. Not a stroller in site!





The Mark Twain sure looked purty first thing in the morning, even if the skies were a little on the gray side.





After snapping these photos, we stopped at the Riverbelle Terrace for a bite to eat to tide us over before our upcoming (yum) Blue Bayou luncheon.



Again...no guest. The first pancakes of the day hadn’t even been made. Stacy received those!















Just for the sake of comparison, here are some vintage interior shots:





Our first attraction for the day was Indiana Jones, and we just walked onto the ride. No waiting. It was fantabulous.



Even though I love the attraction itself, the queue is practically an attraction on its own. So many things to see and notice; it is almost a sin to fast pass this ride and miss all the details.











And that is where I shall leave you for today. More in the very near future!

See more Disneyland photos at my main website.

Screen Gem Saturdays: And the winner is...

I have combed my collection for a few Oscar images in honor of tomorrow's impending ceremonies. The first image shows Shirley Temple presenting Walt Disney with the special styled Oscar for "Snow White." Apparently, the Academy DOES have a sense of humor! However at the time, Shirley actually believed that poor Snow White had gotten the shaft:



"I thought Snow White was overlooked. I thought it was an early sexist problem where they left her out. The big one is the one usually presented to who the person is. I mean Snow White wasn't there. I went to the Snow White premiere, and participated in all of the fun and knew Walt Disney, and when I presented this to him it just seemed to me that he was getting the big award and that the 7 dwarves were getting an award and that Snow White herself had been left out. But that's because I was 11 and what did I know anyway?"

This image shows Joan Crawford in bed with an illness, receiving her Oscar for "Mildred Pierce." Note to all nominees at home: make sure you have a pretty bed jacket on in case you win!



One generation of American Sweethearts with the next: Shirley Temple Black and Annette Funicello at the 1961 Oscars. Hayley Mills, the latest child star of the day, was presented with an honorary Academy Award for the most outstanding juvenile performance of 1960. Shirley, arguably the biggest child star of all time, presented the Oscar to Hayley's fellow Disney star, Annette Funicello, since Hayley was unable to attend the ceremony on April 17, 1961 (two months before the premiere of "The Parent Trap").



To see more Hollywood Movie & TV photos, visit my main website.

10 Months Til Christmas, Pt. 3: Candlelight, 1975

In part 3 of preparing for the Christmas Season, this publicity photo from December 23, 1975 (36 years ago today!) was published with the headline: Christmas Songs Ring Out

From Disneyland, a thousand-voice choir forms a “Living Christmas Tree” to present a program of traditional Christmas music on “The Christmas Candlelight Caroling Ceremony” at 8 p.m. on Channel 3. You’ll find listings of other holiday programs and regular shows on Page 11-B.

According to the photo, it appears that this was a PBS special.

See more Disneyland Candlelight photos at my main website.

Traveling Thursdays: Griffith Park & James Dean

James Dean cries out “I’ve got the bullets!” after a young Sal Mineo is shot in “Rebel Without a Cause.” I did this painting back in the 90s, and although the publicity shot that I used as reference material lacks the heartbreaking hysteria of the real scene, I still used it. Memorably enough, I was able to hear one of the original cast members who played a gang member explain Dean’s motivation for this scene as he was looking at my painting in (of all places) Fairmount, Indiana (Dean’s hometown).

Recently, for the first time since before its refurbishment, I visited Griffith Observatory.







The James Dean bust is one of my favorite parts of the area to visit. Sculpted by the late Kenneth Kendall, I believe it is a masterpiece.

















You can see the statue in the previous photos in the background of this still for “Rebel Without A Cause.”



See more of my paintings at my online art gallery. For more Griffith Observatory photos, visit my main website.