A Cutout A Day: Captain Nemo

Just outside of the Red Wagon Inn (now the Plaza Inn), guests could pose behind painted cutout boards of their favorite cartoon characters...or in this case, a live-action character. This board represents Captain Nemo from the Disney live-action classic, "20K Leagues Under The Sea." Nemo was played by James Mason. I wonder what Disney artist painted this?

More vintage Disneyland cutout fun at my main website.

Kids Not Included

We've all see vintage photos of the cut-outs that were once located in Central Plaza at Disneyland. Today's shot features a classic image of a guest posing with Donald Duck. What I've never seen before is the sign in the lower right frame of the photo that states: "FREE Use your own camera and kids. Compliments of the Art Corner at Disneyland."



The other shot from this batch shows the Captain Nemo cutout:



More Disneyland vintage cutout fun at my main website.

Gone Fishing

I have added a "new" vintage cutout to my collection. Located near the Plaza Inn during the 1950s, guests of Disneyland could poke their heads through the holes and create their own photographic souvenirs. Here are some of the other previously posted ones that guests could choose from:











More Central Plaza images at my main website.

Disneyland Pre-Selfie

Back in the day before you saw people connected to their phones, selfless and selfie-sticks were not even a blip on the radar. "Fun" had to be low-tech. These painted cutouts in Central Plaza were about as low-tech as you could get…but the guests loved 'em! First up from this batch of 1950's black and white images are one of a little boy who wants to be Captain Nemo from 20k Leagues Under the Sea.

Davy Crockett (this one spells the Davy with an "e"; somebody forgot to proof this one!) was another popular Disney "character" at the time:



My very favorite Disney character: Dopey!



Last shot for today is a stray one from this batch of an unidentified beach.



See more Disneyland cutout fun at my main website.

Haunted Mansion Organ

Here's a publicity still of the organist from the Haunted Mansion ballroom, making good use of Captain Nemo's instrument. From the accompanying caption:

HORRIFYING HARMONY — Phantom organist strikes up a terrifying tune, which fills the grand ballroom of the horribly-humorous Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. After more than 10 years of research and development, the foreboding abode is now open as Disneyland's 53rd (and newest) major attraction.

Here's still there today, entertaining guests as they pass him by in their Doombuggies:



See more vintage & current Haunted Mansion photos on my Haunted Mansion web page.

Oct. 2, 1956: 20K Walk Through

In a creative attempt to stretch the Tomorrowland budget, Walt had a walk through exhibit created that showed off the sets of the classic “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” This Genuine Faux-D© shot of Nemo’s pipe organ is from October 1956; it was eventually adapted and recycled into the Haunted Mansion ballroom, as you can see in this Panavue shot. Sustainability at its best!



For more vintage & current Tomorrowland photos, visit my regular website.