Disneyland Diary, 1963

1963 ADDITIONS

• Walt Disney's ENCHANTED TIKI ROOM (unveiled a new media of three-dimensional entertainment called "Audio Animatronics;" birds, flowers and Tiki gods perform an exciting musical fantasy — Adventureland



HIGHLIGHTS

"Salute to Mexico," presented by People-to-People and Mexican Tourist Association was showcased as a cultural exhibit.



NOTE: From the L.A. Times:

From the L.A. Times on July 24, 1963: “An authentically decorated Mexican street exhibit will be opened Monday at Disneyland to celebrate a ‘Salute to Mexico’ sponsored by People-to-People, Inc., in co-operation with the Mexican Tourist Council. “Mexico’s former president, Miguel Aleman, now president of the tourist council, will act as official representative at the 11 a.m. dedication ceremonies. “The three-month exhibit will be a showcase of Mexican crafts ranging from pottery and jeweltry to contemporary art and bull fighting.”



From the Pasadena Star-News, July 31, 1963: “Mexico Invades Southland—A beachhead based on friendship and mutual understanding has been established at Disneyland with opening of the ‘Salute la Mexico’ under the sponsorship of People-to-People, Inc. Teresa Lucero, 8, of Los Angeles and Patrick Wade, 12, of Anaheim, pulled the ribbon to officially open the display. Watching were Edmondo Gonzales, Consul General of Mexico in Los Angeles; Walt Disney, executive committee member of sponsoring group; Carlos Arruz, of Mexico City, and Joyce C. Hall, chairman of People-to-People committee.”



More than 19,000 guests were on hand for New Year's Eve and thousands more participated in Easter Vacation's "Spring Fling."





Three Grad Nites brought 35,000 celebrants.



The "Cavalcade of Big Bands" with Gene Krupa, Les Brown, Charlie Barnet (seen below)...



and Lionel Hampton was followed by a summer-long big band parade — Count Basie, Tex Beneke, Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra with Frank Sinatra, Jr., and Harry James.



"Dixieland at Disneyland" featured Al Hirt and a cast of 300 in a musical mardi gras.

The "Parade of Toys" was a daily feature of Christmas week.



Disneyland's Community Service Awards program honored the charitable efforts of 15 county organizations, presenting $10,000 in awards, with the Outstanding Award going to the YMCA of North Orange County.

FAMOUS GUESTS

• 30 United Nations representatives (January)
• British Ambassador Sir David Ormsby Gore (February)
• President Srvepalli Radhakrishnan of India (June)
• Dr. Norman Dyhrenfurth and American Mt. Everst Team (August)
• King Mohammed Zahir and Queen Homaira of Afghanistan (September)
• Former King Umberto of Italy (November)
• President Victor Paz Estenssoro of Bolivia (November)
• Gov. Otto Kerner of Illinois (December)
• Gov. Tim Babcock of Montana (December)
• Astronaut John Glenn (December)

See more vintage & current Disneyland photos on my Disneyland web pages.

The Return of Frank, Jr.

On July 30, 1962, Frank Sinatra, Jr. meekly asked The Elliot Brothers if he could join them up on stage at the Plaza Gardens. They kindly agreed, and he sang, "At Long Last Love," the Cole Porter classic. One year later, Sinatra, Jr. was invited back to sing at Disneyland in Tomorrowland. Here is a publicity still from that August 6, 1963 evening:



From the accompanying photo caption:

Frank Sinatra, perhaps the most imitated popular singer of the day, may have sired his most challenging rival.

Last night Frank Sinatra, Jr., 19, returned to Disneyland at Anaheim, Calif., as a star — almost a year to the day when, as an amateur, he walked up to the bandstand and asked to sing a few choruses with the Elliott Brothers orchestra.

His appearance last night — and again tonight — is with the reincarnated Tommy Dorsey orchestra — using the same arrangements that made his Dad famous in 1939-41.

The young crooner, spindly like his father, wowed a big audience, especially the bobby-soxers. A delegation of pretty tour guides for the park made him an honorary member amidst a flurry of kisses.

When he left the stage, the young girls followed him just as they did his father.

The band, made up mostly of youngsters, uses the old Dorsey book. But there are some old-timers around—the leader, SAM DONAHUE, CHARLIE SHAVERS on trumpet and HELEN FORREST, singer.

Helen was singing with Harry James in 1939 when Sinatra, an obsure singer from Hoboken, J.J. asked for a chance to sing with the band.

See more vintage & current Tomorrowland photos on my Tomorrowland web page.

Frank Jr. at Disneyland

For those (like me) still having difficulty with the concept that The Disney Company is replacing the historic Plaza Gardens with another Princess Meet & Greet, here is a blast from the past. Frank Sinatra Jr. is shown performing on the historic stage that will soon be surrounded by crass commercialism.

From the publicity blurb:

ANAHEIM, Calif., July 30—IN DAD'S FOOTSTEPS—The frail, young singer approached the bandstand in Disneyland Plaza and asked the Elliot Bros. if he could do a guest appearance last Saturday night. They said yes and he stepped to the mike and belted out the familiar Cole Porter tune "At Long Last Love" as if the famous songsmith had written it just for him. The singer—Frank Sinatra, Jr., aged 18. Frank Jr. may talk it over with Frank Sr. but the Elliot Bros. say they would hire him if his name was Joe Smith.

See more Disneyland Carnation Plaza Gardens photos on my Plaza Gardens web page.