One of my readers, Ryan Richards, sent me a message through Twitter saying I should check out his family's vintage film from a 1950's trip to Disneyland. Little did he know what extra bonus his vintage movie held: a brief clip of a very young Steve Martin in a checked vest, gray pants, and hat at the 7 second mark in front of Disneyland hawking the Park Guidebooks. Two seconds after that, you get a rare glimpse of Black Bart out of Frontierland attempting to wreak havoc in front of the entrance to the Park.
A freeze frame of Steve Martin:
and Martin and Black Bart in the same frame:
Both of Ryan's mother's parents worked at Disneyland at that time. His grandmother was the nurse for the Mouseketeers, his grandfather "drove" the Mark Twain and helped build things (including the Burning Cabin).
At the end of this next family film from Ryan's father's collection, starting at 3:20, there is a shot of a few Cast Members aboard the Mark Twain, but it is too dark to see any faces. He'd like to think his grandfather is one of them, meaning his dad has footage of his future father-in-law!
Many thanks to Ryan for sharing these very cool family treasures!
Craving more vintage Steve Martin at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm? Visit my main website.
A real treat to see those clips. We were about the age of those kids when we went to Disneyland in '57, and every year after that but we don't have any photos or movies of that time so those clips were fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteHow could you have known that was Steve Martin? He confirms but how did you know?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous....seriously? I have been blogging and researching this stuff for over ten years now.
ReplyDeleteThe hidden gems in old pictures, so much fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dave and Ryan.
JG
It's interesting how dressed up everyone is. Compare that to today.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching that clip over and over like the Zapruder film. Everyone has a sort of "walk" or motion that is uniquely them. The kid at the 0:07 mark does have the same walk we've seen Steve Martin have when walking out on stage. Say what you will about bluriness or how one can't make out this feature or that, but that walk... Hard to disguise that motion.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not Steve Martin. Hair not grey enough:)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a banjo player!
ReplyDeleteYour eyes are better than mine were all the way back then!
ReplyDeleteNice footage! You've got a good eye. Would enjoy knowing how Mr. Martin reacted to your showing him this, Dave.
ReplyDeleteAs for Black Bart, it's remarkable how often he turned up outside of Frontierland!
I can tell you how he reacted! He posted this on Facebook today and thanked Daveland for sharing it and linked to this page!!! Pretty darn cool, I'd say. AND - he says it's him (not that I doubted Daveland for a minute but for any naysayers, Steve himself proves it).
ReplyDeleteEveryone dressed up when they left home back then just like they dressed to go on a plane. We didn't start getting casual and comfortable until the 70's.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Dave for reaching out to Steve and, before that, reaching out to me. Very cool to have such a nugget in treasured home movies. As Dave mentioned, my grandparents worked there and now my wife and I (and soon-to-be-born little boy, when he's 3) are passholders.
ReplyDeleteDoes this qualify as a film credit? The union may be looking for some dues...
ReplyDeleteHi Dave, you may be interested in this for your collection.
ReplyDeletehttp://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2014/09/richard-and-karen-carpenter-at.html?m=1
~Kathy
Inspiration for "The Jerk"?
ReplyDeleteI've been listening to Steve's audio book of Born Standing Up, and went looking for any vids of him at Disneyland. I first found Ryan's vid and now, your page.
ReplyDeleteThanks for pointing out Steve! But is he also visible at around the 2 second mark on the first video on the edge of the right side? Looks like a kid with the same clothes as Steve's.
Just curious!