Pollyanna and the Blue Bayou

The 1960 Disney live-action classic, “Pollyanna” first brought the charms of Hayley Mills to audiences in the U.S. when it premiered in New York City on May 19, 1960.



In one of the sequences, Pollyanna and the townspeople hold a charity bazaar to help build a new orphanage for the town of Harrington.



Notice anything in these screenshots?



In this vintage shot of the Blue Bayou Restaurant at Disneyland, you can see the very same style of Japanese Lanterns hanging overhead.



The Blue Bayou opened six years after the release of “Pollyanna”; is it possible that Disney re-used these beautiful lanterns that still hang overhead today?



I checked with a source at the Disney Archives who responded:

They very well could have been sourced from the same manufacturer or inspired the look/design of the lanterns used in the restaurant since it was only about seven years from film production to the construction of the restaurant space.



You can guess which way I want the answer to go.



In another screenshot from the film, you can see a variety of shapes:



The Bayou only has one style hanging overhead.



Even if they aren’t the same, where the heck can I get something like this for MY backyard?

See more Disneyland Blue Bayou restaurant photos at my main website.

Ruggles on Main Street

When we last visited Main Street with my story on the Hollywood Maxwell shop, I mentioned that it was replaced/combined with the Ruggles China & Glass Shop. Ruggles? Who came up with that name? Apparently it was named after actor Charles Ruggles, who starred opposite Hayley Mills in “The Parent Trap.”



From the Van Eaton Galleries catalog:

Created by Phil and Sophie Papel, “Ruggles China and Gifts” was selected by Disney to be among the first few shops to operate on Main Street U.S.A. when the park opened in 1955. Phil Papel’s experience in the giftware industry and his commitment to quality and customer service made him an excellent partner for Disney. When Papel was informed he had been selected to be an opening day merchant on Main Street, he decided to name his shop after Charlie Ruggles, and actor in the 1932 film, “If I Had a Million,” in which the owner of a China Shop receives an unexpected gift of a million dollars. To Papel, the possibilities of what could happen from a partnership with Disney rivaled the level of excitement that the actor felt in the film, and “Ruggles China and Gifts” was born.



The shop flourished on Main Street, and the company would grow to have numerous retail chains and sales in over 15 countries. While Ruggles’ partnership with Disney eventually ended in 1964, the high quality souvenirs from this cherished shop are still sought-after today as reminders of the great early days of Disneyland.


Renamed the China Closet in March 1964, the shop remains in the Park today, although its inventory is less about china and more about whatever the Disney Corporation cares to sell. The first shot above is from July 1963, shortly before the name change. The previously posted image below from October 1960. I wonder how many of those wacky lamps were sold?



Moving into the 70s, the shop appears to be all about the electric lamps that were attempting to evoke the gas lamps of yesteryear.



I’m not quite sure how I feel about the doll with the bulb up her skirt.



An undated color shot from the 1960s.



The exterior sign, circa September 2010:



An exterior overview of the shop from May 2011:



See more Disneyland China & Glass Shop photos at my main website.

Let's Get Together: A Parent Trap Thanksgiving

On this holiday where we celebrate gratitude and friends/family, what better way to do this than singing the Sherman Brothers’ song, “Let’s Get Together” from the 1961 Disney classic “The Parent Trap”?!?

Let’s get together, yeah yeah yeah
Think of all that we could sha-are



Let’s get together everyday
Every way and everywhere



And though we haven’t got a lot
We could be sharin’ all we’ve got
Together




Yeah yeah yeah is right! I hope you and yours have an incredible day and take some time to relax, rejuvenate, and reflect.

See more “Parent Trap” photos at my main website.

Transformation Friday!

In the 1961 Disney classic, “The Parent Trap,” Maureen O’Hara begins the movie as a dowdy (well, as dowdy as Maureen O’Hara can be, which is still better than the best for the rest of the competition!) Boston divorcée who must reunite her twin daughters at the California home of her ex-husband (Brian Keith). He first spots her after she has taken a shower and is wearing his robe:



Having been encouraged by her wily father (Charles Ruggles) to get some new clothes and a less matronly hairdo, she stops in New York City on the way to California for a makeover. After seeing her ex in a robe, she goes upstairs to get cleaned up and makes a grand entrance down the staircase wearing this outfit:



Even in a basic wardrobe test shot, Maureen wows ’em! Note the tape mark on the floor so that the actress knows where to pose?



And please note the perfectly turned heel!



In the final movie, Maureen looks even more ravishing in color, as you can see from this screenshot:



It’s no wonder she got her ex back!



See more “Parent Trap” photos at my main website.

RIP Maureen O'Hara and a Full Moon

Just a quickie today, as I show a photo I captured late Saturday night/early Sunday morning from my balcony. I love the color blue, so sue me…but the rest is for real! I love my new 600mm lens!



With great sadness, I read about the passing of actress Maureen O'Hara. The redheaded legend was a favorite of mine. Here she is in "The Parent Trap" with Brian Keith.



I get all teary eyed every time I see the scene where they finally reconcile.



All kinds of stuff at my main website. Check it out!.

The Mills Family Visits The Treehouse

This charming publicity photo from 1964 bears the following caption:

Actress Hayley Mills and her actor-father John Mills join Walt Disney in the tree house sequence of the Disneyland 10th Anniversary show to be telecast in color.

The 10th Anniversary Show, part of the "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" N.B.C. TV series, aired on January 3, 1965. Celebrating the Tencennial of Disneyland, this show featured sneak peaks of three "new" attractions: it's a small world, the Haunted Mansion, and The Pirates of the Caribbean. Appropriately enough, Walt guided the Mills family through the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, since John Mills had played the head of the Robinson family in Disney's live-action film from 1960.

See more vintage & current Disneyland Treehouse photos on my Treehouse web page.

Screen Gem Saturdays: Maureen O'Hara & The Parent Trap

Although released 50 years ago, the original "The Parent Trap" is still one of the most beloved Disney films of all time. I still have not seen the Lindsay Lohan remake; I've been told it's good too, but sorry...if I'm going to watch "The Parent Trap," it will be the original. Hayley Mills is double dynamite, playing both twins. If you can get past her unexplained British accent (mom is a strict Bostonian and dad is a carefree golfer in Monterey), you'll be bowled over by her performance. When it was released, divorce was a taboo subject. The film is very frank in its depiction of the heart-wrenching effects a divorce can have on the kids, but have no fear...a happy ending prevails as true love conquer alls...at least until the credits begin to roll.



Besides Mills, Maureen O'Hara is also a crucial piece of the success puzzle for "The Parent Trap." Her transformation from strait-laced Bostonian to…



the modern California woman is still fresh today. She lights up each scene with her auburn beauty and natural acting style.



From the moment she flirts with the minister to the heartbreaking scene where she reunites with her ex Mitch (Brian Keith) in the kitchen while preparing dinner, it is difficult to take your eyes off of her.





Here's to Maureen O'Hara - a legendary actress of the Silver Screen!



See more Disney movie photos on my Disney movie web page.

The Boys: A Tribute to The Sherman Brothers

Having just finished watching "The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story,” I decided to do a tribute post to these two talented musical geniuses. If you haven't seen this movie yet...do so. If you don't know who they are, trust me...you know their music.

Best known for their Disney work ("Mary Poppins," "Bedknobs & Broomsticks," "The Parent Trap"), they also have a healthy repertoire of non-Disney musical hits ("Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," "Charlotte's Web," "Tom Sawyer"). Despite the upbeat catchy tunes they have crafted over the years, the two brothers have always had somewhat of a rift between them. Produced by Richard & Robert's sons, Gregory & Jeffrey Sherman (shown below with Dick Van Dyke), it was hoped that the estrangement would end as a result. Even though it doesn't appear to have accomplished that task, this documentary is an excellent inside look at how the two developed into one of the most successful songwriting teams.



If you're looking for some dramatic blowout or a reason as to why the two are estranged, you won't really find it. It appears to be nothing more than family tension that was increased to them working together. Despite the estrangement, these two have left a memorable musical legacy that will be sung for many years to come. For Disney fans and those interested in music, this documentary is a must.





Here are some photos from the movies (and Disneyland attraction) that “The Boys” are best known for, beginning with Mary Poppins:







The Parent Trap:



Chitty Chitty Bang Bang:



it's a small world (New York World's Fair marquee):



Opening day of the Disneyland attraction, May 28, 1966:





Another reader request; she has a Magic Fortune Telling machine/game that she is trying to find out whether it was actually at Disneyland back in the 1960's or not. Here are a few photos of it:







See more Disneyland photos at my main website.