Mouseketeer Cubby O'Brien is shown here playing his heart out at the Disneyland Hotel, circa June 1957, near the hotel's olympic-size swimming pool. This was part of an event to benefit the City of Hope Medical Center. The talented O'Brien was one of the kids actually picked by Walt to audition for the Mickey Mouse Club. Following his time with the Mouse, Cubby had stints with The Lawrence Welk Show, Spike Jones, The Carol Burnett Show, and The Carpenters (as in Karen & Richard, for all you young'ens out there!).
Vesey Walker can be seen in front of the Disneyland Band, just waiting for Cubby to figuratively turn the baton back to him, and actor Don DeFore (of "Hazel" fame) is smiling on the left-hand side of the photo. Don was a good friend of Walt's, and operated the Silver Banjo BBQ Restaurant over on New Orleans Street in Frontierland. None other than Don's son Ron positively ID'ed Don for me:
See more vintage & current Disneyland Hotel photos on my Disneyland Hotel web page.
Great photo and thanks to the link with your excellent page on the Silver Banjo BBQ Restaurant. I enjoyed reading all the background on the restaurant and the connection with DeFore.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great photo!
ReplyDeleteI have the original film footage (16mm)of the entire sequence shot at the Disneyland Hotel from this 1957 event which I have since converted to DVD. Even features an appearance by none other than Walt Disney himself. Wonderful footage of Jimmie Dodd, the Mouseketeers, Fess Parker, Disneyland Band, the Wrather family plus many other celebrities and dignitaries.
ReplyDeleteWonder if cubby still has his Ludwig drum kit.i think it’s a green sparkle ❇️ 🥁
ReplyDelete