Penny Arcade, July 1958

This July 1958 image of the west side of Disneyland’s Main Street has SOOOOO much to see. The banner touting the newly christened Columbia, Alice attraction, and the Grand Canyon Diorama hangs over Town Square at the left side of the shot. Inside the Penny Arcade a guest is taking a photo of something hanging at the entrance.



Once I zoomed in I realized the "something" was a collage of Disneyland Ticket Books.



Looking at Main Street from the Train Station, you can see the other side of that banner; this is a previously posted 1958 shot:



A closeup of the banner. So grainy!



See more vintage Disneyland Penny Arcade photos at my main website.

Skyway Construction

If you’ve been to my main website before, you might have seen this previously posted shot of the Fantasyland Skyway Station at Disneyland under construction. This recently acquired image provides a nice “next step” shot of how the station looked shortly thereafter. Also note the hinges on Dumbo’s ears; those disappeared when they became a maintenance nuisance.



Let’s zoom in on the station, shall we?



Final shot today shows the finished product, which I am sad to say was recently leveled. Torn down. Razed. 86ed.



What a beautiful structure this was:



See more vintage Disneyland Skyway photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Just Around The Corner

“Miss Annie Rooney” from 1942 was touted as Shirley Temple’s first screen kiss; however, 1938’s “Just Around the Corner” made a somewhat valiant attempt of giving Shirley a love interest with co-star Bennie Bartlett. His character begins the film as a snobby little schoolboy, but by the time Shirley cuts off his foppish curls and introduces him to the local hoods (resulting in a black-eye), he’s a regular kid! Just look at that shiner!



And how about that dress Shirley is wearing!?! The detailing on the bodice for just a few short scenes is really incredible. Costumer Gwen Wakeling made even the most simple costumes unique.



Venerable crusty-codger Claude Gillingwater plays Bennie’s Uncle Sam, who appreciates Shirley’s character turning his nephew into a real boy and rewards her with a buck.



Can’t take my eyes off all that detailed ruching and embroidery. I wonder what happened to that dress?



It went up on the auction block in the 2015 “Love, Shirley Temple” sale. Here’s the catalog description:

Of apple green silk crepe, the dress features an extraordinary bodice of richly detailed ruching in shades of brown, yellow and white that extends from the yoke to the hips, with matching short puffed sleeves, and with a skirt of narrow pleats. The dress has an organdy collar with embroidered edging, matching sleeve cuffs, little pearl buttons, sash, and matching panties.

But Dave, who got it? Where is it now? Settle down, readers! I have the answer!



None other than my friend Melissa, aka “The Colonel” was able to get the winning bid on this beauty, and here’s a shot of where it resides today in her Shirley Shrine:



See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

Carnation Truck Update!

Everyone who was ANY-one had their photo taken at the Carnation Truck parked on West Center Street at Disneyland. Just look at this couple from September 1959. I sure hope she didn’t drop those ice cream cones!



But what happened to that truck? A while back, I was approached by Elbridge Stuart who wrote, “You will be glad to know the truck lives in a museum at the Carnation Farms in Washington just outside of Seattle. It also still runs.”

He followed up with more great information:



“Here is a frame grab from a video of a 1950’s TV show called “Success Story” and was sponsored by Richfield Oil and Gas and documented successful companies. In this particular episode, they toured a Carnation ice cream plant. As they were about to roll the credits at the end, they showed an old truck running around the back lot of the plant. In looking at the picture, we thought it was the Disneyland truck that might have been loaned to Carnation for the shoot. It does have the same markings and says Disneyland on it. However, the Disneyland truck was a ¾ size reproduction using Model A and T parts. The truck in the video is much larger and is full size. Perhaps there were two Disneyland trucks though I don’t think so. It may be the other old truck we have which has been repainted several times.”

How about these July 1955 Disneyland Opening Day shots of Walt Disney and Elbridge’s father?



They got to drive the truck filled with gallons of ice cream to open the Carnation Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street, U.S.A. This is one way to be popular with the public!



Elbridge was also kind enough to send these photos of how two of the three trucks at the museum look today:







“The one on the left is a full size Model T that we are unsure of its history. We think it is the truck seen in the frame grab, which shows the truck painted like the Disneyland truck which is on the right of these photos. The real Disneyland truck is ¾ size and was done to mirror the scale of the buildings that it was parked alongside.”

Here are a few more shots if you haven’t had enough already:





For all you gear heads out there:



Not enough you say? Eldridge also sent pages from the March/April 1956 issue of "Carnation Magazine":





About nine years ago, Elbridge also shared some of this material and additional backstory with Gorillas Don’t Blog.

Thanks to Elbridge for all these great photos and the knowledge that the Carnation Truck is still alive and running! I think I’m going to go have some ice cream to celebrate!

See more vintage Carnation Truck at Disneyland photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Judy's Husband

Here is Shirley with David Rose, Judy Garland’s first husband. At the time this shot was taken, Judy and David had barely been married a year...with only 2 more left before they divorced.

The radio program Shirley was performing in was “Junior Miss,” a CBS situation comedy sponsored by Procter and Gamble. The series was first heard on Wednesday evenings from March 4, 1942 to August 26, 1942, with Shirley as Judy Graves. Sally Benson, best known for her novel Meet Me in St. Louis, also wrote “Junior Miss.”



Rose was the musical director for the show. The two seemed to be enjoying a light moment here.



A serious moment in the show:



Look at Shirley emote!



If you noticed the bracelet that Shirley is wearing, it sold in the “Love, Shirley Temple, Take Two: From Schoolgirl to Storybook” 2015 auction. Here’s the catalog description and photo:

SHIRLEY TEMPLE'S ALPHABET DIE-CUT ID BRACELET

7 1/2". The bracelet is formed of stylized cut-out letters in brass and gold-plated finish, spelling the name Shirley Temple. Suspended from the clasp is a brass circular plate inscribed "Shirley Temple" on one side, and "227 N. Rockingham Rd., West Los Angeles" on the other. Included is a photograph of Shirley Temple wearing the bracelet which was a favorite of hers while a young lady. Circa 1940.

Realized Price: $10,000
Presale Estimate: 800+



I’m still reeling over the estimate versus the final price. Wowza.

See more teen Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

Frontierland On A Monday

November 14, 1957...on a day much like what Southern California is currently experiencing...overcast, possibly a bit wet...I present to you: FRONTIERLAND!! Closer...



and closer! The lonely security guard just wanders through an empty Frontierland. You can just barely see the corner of the Pepsi Cola banner at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon.



LOVE this overhead shot of the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train attraction with the Conestoga Wagon and Stagecoach in the foreground.



Westward Ho!



See more Disneyland Frontierland photos at my main website.

TGIF at the Garden of Allah pool

While many classic vintage Hollywood photos show movie stars poolside, rarely do they show them IN the pool. Above is one of actress Eve Brent at the infamous Garden of Allah Hotel. Brent’s claim to fame was that she starred in “Tarzan’s Fight for Life’ (1958) as Jane; Gordon Scott played Tarzan. Brent also had a bit part in the 1999 Tom Hanks film “The Green Mile” before she passed away in 2011.

Below is a previously posted shot of actress Martha O’Driscoll, also posing beside (but not in) the Garden of Allah pool, circa 1937:



Two shots follow from the USC Digital Library. Dick Stagg is shown instructing seven-year-old Terry Miller how to swim:



Here’s one of the first shots of the pool during construction, 1926:



...and one of the last photos, shot for Life Magazine at the Final Farewell Party in August 1959 before the property was leveled to make way for a bank...which is now about to get leveled for a Frank Gehry monstrosity.



THAT'S karma!

See more Garden of Allah photos at my main website.

Neglect of a Frank Lloyd Wright Treasure

An interesting yet sad article on the Curbed website shines a very unflattering light on USC's School of Architecture and their neglect of a lesser known Frank Lloyd Wright treasure.

I had never heard of the Samuel Freeman home when I visited it three years ago and was astounded that yet another Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece existed right under my nose. Built in 1924 for Samuel Freeman and his wife Harriet, it was inspired by their love for Wright’s Hollyhock House in East Hollywood. The exterior has approximately 12,000 textile blocks, minus the ones that have been stolen over the years.



The Freemans ran their house as an artistic and political “salon” until 1986, when the Freemans donated their house to USC. According to the Frank Lloyd Wright website, the building was stabilized in 2005 and is undergoing additional renovations due to earthquake damage. When I visited, our guide told a different tale. A change in the faculty at the school had shifted interest, and other than having students act as live-in caretakers, the house had basically been frozen in limbo with very little work done on it for years. This information is echoed in the Curbed article, along with stories of missing/stolen furniture and light fixtures that USC has allegedly been aware of but kept very quiet about.



Looking at the photos I shot, you can see that this diamond is very much in the rough and needs more than just TLC.



The views of Hollywood Boulevard and Franklin Avenue are incredible:





…but the interior looks as if it was picked clean.



Wright must be rolling over in his grave over this living situation:





Here’s to hoping USC steps up to the plate and puts some attention (and money) towards fixing this tarnished treasure.



See more Frank Lloyd Wright photos at my main website.