Monday, September 13, 2021

Main Street and Judy Garland


One of the short-lived original attractions at Disneyland was this bandstand, where the Disneyland band would entertain guests. Here’s an early construction shot with Walt standing at the (future) Main Street Train Station with the bandstand still being put together near the (future) Opera House:


Originally built in Town Square, Walt realized that the structure would block the important view of the Castle at the end of Main Street, U.S.A.


…so it was quickly moved to the area that now houses Fantasy Faire. The third move did not prove so lucky for the bandstand, as shown in this (undated) photo from its Adventureland/Magnolia Park location (now the location of Indiana Jones).


Vesey Walker conducts the band here under the shade of this charming gazebo which was very appropriate for small-town America, but not for the thrill-seeking guests of Disneyland. When the Jungle Cruise expanded in 1962, this quiet little parcel of music and rest was removed (the story is on my website).

In the 1936 musical short, “Every Sunday,” Judy Garland and Deanna Durbin attempt to get townspeople to attend a concert at their own little Main Street Gazebo. Even in 1936, there were problems finding an audience for such a thing!


It would be the only time that these two musical geniuses would be paired together on celluloid.

See more vintage Disneyland Magnolia Park bandstand photos at my main website.

3 comments:

DBenson said...

And leave us not forget "The Band Concert" in 1935. Mickey's small-town band wore non-matching uniforms and parodied a proper gazebo with a crude platform under a striped canopy.

A proper band in a proper gazebo appears briefly at the end of "Casey at the Bat", and again early in "Crazy Over Daisy".

Jenn @ Fairest Run Of All said...

In my grandmother's VHS copy of A Star Is Born (the Judy version, of course, and the only one I recognize ;D), "Every Sunday" played in advance of the movie. Deanna Durbin was no Garland for me, but it's a fun little short!

Anonymous said...

As the bandstand migrated to Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar, I enjoyed sitting in it there thinking of those early days at the Park. Now that it is integrated into their restaurant, the old style charm of the original has been somewhat left behind. But happily it remains...for those diners within it. I just wonder how many know its history now that its signage is gone. KS