Go East Old Man, Pt. 2

My trip to the east coast was timed for Mother’s Day; Mom and I had brunch in the dining room of her community. Below is my official Mother’s Day portrait:



We watched two movies during my visit; one was “Mother” (1996), which I am CONVINCED Debbie Reynolds based her portrayal on my mom…



and “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006). Mom stayed awake during the entire movie. That is the hallmark of a good film! Hopefully when I return this fall we can watch the sequel together.



When the family migrated from California to Pennsylvania, we visited nearby Valley Forge State Park, as seen in the December 1966 photos below:



Exploring the rolling hills, the log cabins, and the other Revolutionary War structures filled me with wonder and helped develop my interest in history.



On this visit when I got a little stir crazy, I suggested we return to Valley Forge. The cabins are still there:



Washington’s soldiers were NOT glamping during that cold winter of 1777-1778!



A selfie outside of Washington’s headquarters:



There have been some modifications to this building over the years in an attempt to bring it back to the period when Washington lived here. Circa 1961:



…and May 2026:






The nearby train station:



Inside you can find some of the artifacts that were recovered from the area:



I hadn’t photographed the nearby Washingto Memorial Chapel in fifteen years…yikes!



I love the Gothic Revival architecture of this structure:






This 1914 bronze sculpture in the Cloisters of the Colonies garden area known as “Sacrifice and Devotion” is by American artist Bela Lyon Pratt, as a dedication to the mothers who lost sons in the war.



The chapel interior is breathtaking:



The dogwoods were in full bloom at the nearby cemetery:



Always red, white, and blue here:



A statue of General Baron von Steuben overlooks the Grand Parade Trail, where my brothers and I used to sled on snow covered hills in our youth:



To have this Park so close to us was a true blessing, at a time when kids explored the land, not their phones.

See more Valley Forge photos at my main website.

What A Glorious Feeling!

On March 27, 1952, MGM hosted the premiere for “Singin’ in the Rain” at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Seventy years later, it is still hailed as one of the most perfect movie musicals of all-time. Today’s post celebrates the Technicolor triumph that boasted the perfect cast, memorable songs, and a well-written script that balanced comedy, satire, history, romance, and dramatic tension.



Madge Blake (Aunt Harriet in the “Batman” (1966) TV series), as gossip columnist Dora Bailey, breathlessly begins the movie introducing “The Royal Rascal” premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Well, MGM’s version of the famed theatre at least! Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) & Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) wave to their adoring fans, as Don’s lifelong friend Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor) stands to the side.



After the thunderous applause from the crowd dies down, Don thanks the audience for their kind reaction while obviously preventing Lina from getting a word in edgewise. When Lina’s voice is finally revealed, we realize the reason: her shrill shrieking is a far cry from the dulcet tones her fans believe that she possesses. Fortunately for her, the movies are still silent!



In this deleted scene, Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) tells the other chorines about her recent chance encounter with movie star Don Lockwood. Little does she know that the cake she is about to burst out of is for Don, who she berated for being nothing more than a ham. Oops.



In this behind-the-scenes shot, Jean Hagen is doted on by the MGM beauty factory to play her role-within-a-role as an 18th century aristocrat for “The Dueling Cavalier.”



Don and Lina portray lovers in their next film, “The Dueling Cavalier.” Does the love affair spill over into “real life” for Don and Lina? After their passionate screen kiss, Lina says, “Oh, Donnie - you couldn’t kiss me like that and not mean it just a teensy-weensy bit!”  Her costar quickly corrects her, “I’d rather kiss a tarantula!”



Don finally tracks down Kathy, who garnered a bit part in a movie at Monumental Pictures. R.F. Simpson (Millard Mitchell), the head of the studio where Don also works, is seen at left.



When “The Dueling Cavalier” flops in previews because of Lina’s voice, Cosmo has the brilliant idea of having her voice dubbed. Kathy gets the kiss though!



In one of the greatest tap duets, Cosmo & Don dance circles around the studio diction coach (Bobby Watson) to “Moses Supposes.”



Lina discovers that Kathy is going to dub her voice. Because she is still a bigger star, she arranges for Kathy’s credit to be removed and blackmails the studio head to continue to have the young girl relegated to only dubbing her voice. What a rotten…



Don and Cosmo give Lina her comeuppance at the movie premiere, and Kathy is restored to a budding film career as well as a romance with Don. Debbie Reynolds later admitted that the tears she shed in the final scene were from glycerine. After that, she was able to do it on her own!



See more “Singin’ in the Rain” photos at my main website.

Debbie Gives The Bird!

July 17, 1955, Walt Disney is standing on Main Street, U.S.A., proud as punch that his Park has finally opened and is going gangbusters! Here he takes a moment to chat with Debbie Reynolds. I’m sure Debbie is silently flashing the bird to her husband at the time, crooner Eddie Fisher, while she enjoys a cold bottle of Coca-Cola.

;ooking even closer (beyond the bird), you can actually read her Opening Day ticket!

Here a Keystone Kop stands guard next to the Tobacco store wooden Indian, located next to the Main Street Cinema.

Get a load of that City Police Badge that the Keystone Kop is wearing. I wonder if they were just for show or if the Kops actually handled any altercations at the Park?

Appropriately, playing at the Main Street Cinema is a Keystone Kops comedy, “The Noise Bombs,” 1914, starring Charlie Murray and Edgar Kennedy.

See more vintage Disneyland Opening Day photos at my main website.

Happy 64th Anniversary, Disneyland!

In honor of the 64th Anniversary of Disneyland’s Grand Opening Gala, I will present a few memorable images of that historic day starting off with the christening of the Mark Twain. Art Linkletter mugs while actress Irene Dunne smashes the bottle of water from various American Rivers against the Twain.

Here Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen (aka Davy Crockett & George Russel) ride down Main Street in the Opening Day Parade:



The Mouseketeers, with Annette Funicello in the second row:



Walt Disney himself:



Walt was a busy man that day, running back and forth from Parades, the Disneyland Railroad:



to Town Square for the official opening ceremony:



to the Sleeping Beauty Castle with drawbridge being lowered for the first time to the public:



and hob-nobbing with celebrites Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher on Main Street, U.S.A.:



Congrats on your Anniversary, Disneyland - and thanks to Walt Disney for his creative vision and making this American Institution a reality!

See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland photos at my main website.

Debbie and Eddie on Main Street

On Opening Day at Disneyland, July 17, 1955, Walt visits with America's Sweetheart, Debbie Reynolds and then hubby Eddie Fisher.

Note the strategically placed promo for Coca Cola. Yup…even in the 1950's there was product placement.



Debbie seemed to be going for a rustic look with her thatched hat and homemade snack tin. I hope she wasn't bringing snacks INTO the park!



Four years later, Eddie had dumped Debbie for Elizabeth Taylor and returned to the Park. America lost interest in Eddie the snake and so did Liz.



More Disneyland Day One Magic at my main website.