3D Jamboree!

This undated 1950’s shot of the Disneyland Opera House makes one yearn when the place wasn’t a victim of over-population. Zooming in, we can see that the Opera House still doesn’t have any attractions inside; instead, it touts the “3D Jamboree” movie playing over in Fantasyland. 



Its official release date is June 16, 1956, and it played at the Fantasyland Theatre (the space now occupied by the Pinocchio’s Daring Journey dark ride) until January 1964. The movie was comprised of two animated shorts, “Melody” (1953) and “Working for Peanuts” (1953), shown in 3D, presented by the Mouseketeers.



From the D23 website:

The Mickey Mouse Club Theater Theater in Fantasyland at Disneyland showed Disney cartoons; opened August 27, 1955, changed its name to Fantasyland Theater in 1964, and closed December 20, 1981. At one time, the 3D Jamboree was featured, and guests donned polarized glasses to watch Mouseketeers and Disney cartoons in 3-D.

The Mouseketeers pre-filming a sequence in front of the theater for the Opening Day telecast:



Annette is visible in the background, along with Roy Williams at center and Jimmy Dodd on the right, standing next to Minnie Mouse—the creepy version!







Back to D23:

The cartoon fare in the theater changed from time to time, and the theater itself was only open during busy periods. Before the theater was built in the Opera House as the home to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, this was the only auditorium in the park, so it was also used for press conferences and cast member events. It made way for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey in the new Fantasyland in 1983.



One important fact the article left out was the air conditioning, which helped make it a popular attraction on blazing hot summer days!



In this February 1959 shot, the movies have changed to “Pecos Bill” (1948) and “El Gaucho Goofy” (1943).



See more Disneyland Opera House photos at my main website.

Vintage Fantasyland

The area that is now Pinocchio's Daring Journey in Fantasyland was once the Mickey Mouse Theatre. It would appear that the biggest selling point was the air conditioning! Inside, guests could see the Mouseketeers in 3D Jamboree, advertised in this May 1957 image.



This 1956 shot shows some very festive umbrellas. And these are the undersides!



I can see an illustration from “Snow White” and also “The Three Little Pigs.” Wouldn't it be cool to have a roll of this fabric?!?



Last one for today is from the May 1957 batch and shows the ticket booth for the Casey Jr. attraction:



A similar contemporary view:



See more Disneyland Fantasyland 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.

1959 Disneyland Celebrities Arrive

These 1959 images are unmarked, but using my powers of deductive reasoning, I am assuming that they are showing celebrities being welcomed for the gala June 14, 1959 new attraction unveiling at Disneyland. The first shot shows scary Mickey & Minnie deboarding the Pan Am plane, with conductor Vesey Walker front and center. On the right of Vesey is actor Jock Mahoney, who played the title role in the TV western series "Yancy Derringer" on CBS from 1958-1959. Next in the lineup are Mouseketeer Roy Williams and on the far right is Dick Simmons, who played Sergeant Preston of the Yukon on CBS from September 29, 1955 to September 25, 1958.

In today's second image, John Smith is signing autographs for his adoring fans who loved watching him play Slim Sherman, the lead role on "Laramie" from 1959–1963.



See more Daveland Disneyland Behind-The-Scenes photos at my main website.

Tribute to Annette

When it comes to Disney, few people are as linked to the classic days of Walt like Annette Funicello. Yesterday was a very sad day for many as they learned that the 70-year-old Disney Legend had passed away due to complications from Multiple Sclerosis. Today's post is a tribute to the optimism and genuine warmth that this woman exuded throughout her entire life.



Discovered by Walt at a dance recital, twelve-year-old Annette was the last Mouseketeer to be selected. Thanks to her talent, beauty, and girl-next-door quality, Annette was the most popular one of all.

The photo above shows the filming of a number that would be inserted into the live ABC broadcast of the Opening Day Festivities at Disneyland, marking the Mouseketeers' debut, with Annette visible in the back. Even at this early age, she stands out amongst her peers.



A color photo, also from Opening Day, featuring ringmaster Jimmy Dodd and the rest of the famous Mouseketeers; Annette is on the right.



The Mouseketeers parading through Town Square on Opening Day, July 17, 1955:



After leaving the Mickey Mouse Club, Funicello was the only Mouseketeer to remain under contract to Disney. Songwriter supreme Richard Sherman had this to say about Annette:

"Prior to becoming Walt Disney staff songwriters in 1960, Robert & I were popular songwriters in the Rock & Roll era. One of our songs, ‘Tall Paul’ was recorded by young Annette Funicello, who, as you all should know, was a star of Walt Disney’s ‘Mousketeers’ Show. She had a big hit with ‘Tall Paul’ late in 1958. Throughout 1959 & 1960, Bob & I wrote a number of hit-songs expressly for Annette to sing. We were totally unaware that Walt Disney, himself, was very fond of Annette – having discovered her – and listened to all of her recordings. One day, he was going to put Annette in a film, ‘The Horse Masters,’ and because of her popularity, he decided to have her sing a special song in that film. Bob & I were asked to take a stab at writing a song for this film. Of course, we jumped at the opportunity. Walt liked it very much and the rest is history."

Shirley Temple Black poses with Annette at the 1961 Oscars. Shirley was presenting a statuette to Hayley Mills, and Annette accepted the miniature on Hayley's behalf. Shirley had received her own miniature Oscar in 1935.



From the “Disneyland After Dark” show, Annette sings “Dance Annette” while in Tomorrowland.



Here she is again, joined by teen heart-throb Bobby Rydell, who also starred in "Bye Bye Birdie" with Ann-Margret.



The final Annette photo for today's tribute shows her waving from the Castle to jester Christopher Fair, who worked as a jester at Disneyland from 1960–1963.



I would like to believe that beautiful sweet Annette is in a happy place now, free of the pain of her earthly body, smiling on all of us below, reunited with Uncle Walt.



Rest in peace, Annette. Thanks for entertaining us for so many wonderful years.

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

Cubby O'Brien, Don DeFore, and Vesey Walker at The Disneyland Hotel

Mouseketeer Cubby O'Brien is shown here playing his heart out at the Disneyland Hotel, circa June 1957, near the hotel's olympic-size swimming pool. This was part of an event to benefit the City of Hope Medical Center. The talented O'Brien was one of the kids actually picked by Walt to audition for the Mickey Mouse Club. Following his time with the Mouse, Cubby had stints with The Lawrence Welk Show, Spike Jones, The Carol Burnett Show, and The Carpenters (as in Karen & Richard, for all you young'ens out there!).

Vesey Walker can be seen in front of the Disneyland Band, just waiting for Cubby to figuratively turn the baton back to him, and actor Don DeFore (of "Hazel" fame) is smiling on the left-hand side of the photo. Don was a good friend of Walt's, and operated the Silver Banjo BBQ Restaurant over on New Orleans Street in Frontierland. None other than Don's son Ron positively ID'ed Don for me:



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

1980: Disneyland's 25th Anniversary

For Disneyland's 25th Anniversary in 1980, the marketing department released a number of photos from the vaults to stir up the nostalgia factor for guests. Here are a few of those images, accompanied by the corresponding publicity blurbs:

DISNEYLAND DEDICATION—With a coast-to-coast television audience of millions looking on, Walt Disney declared Disneyland officially open during a short dedication speech in Town Square of Main Street, U.S.A. on July 17, 1955.



MOUSEKETEERS CELEBRATE—The original Mouseketeers of television's Mickey Mouse Club Show took part in a gala paraded down Disneyland's Main Street, U.S.A. on opening day. Leading the gathering on July 17, 1955 are Annette, Karen and Cubby.



For all you Annette fans, I have zoomed in closer so that you can get a better look at her!



FIRST VISITORS—When Disneyland opened to the general public, the first visitors welcomed through the gate by Walt Disney were Christine Vess and her cousin Michael Schwartner, then five and seven years of age.



LEADING THE PARADE—Four of Walt Disney's most famous cartoon creations—Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto and Goofy—lead off Disneyland's 25th Birthday Parade" salute. The parade features 150 performers who bring alive a quarter century of memories for each of the Park's seven "theme" lands.

Here are a few color shots taken by a guest of the actual 25th Anniversary Parade:







You can see the decorative anniversary banners that hung outside of the Castle back in 1980. The lighter color palette of 1980 seems to make the castle appear larger than the brightly hued colors used today do.



See more vintage & current Disneyland photos on my Disneyland website.

1000th Post: Opening Day Parade, Pt. 3

It’s official; today is my 1000th post...really hard to believe. To start us off, we’ll follow the Mouseketeers in the Opening Day Parade as they travel from Town Square down Main Street U.S.A. Kinda’ like the Wizard of Oz, watch ’em go from black and white to color.







Next up are some Frontierland images, including Fess Parker & Buddy Ebsen as Davy Crockett & his sidekick, George Russel.











For my last image from the July 17, 1955 Opening Day Parade, you can see TV & Film Star Don DeFore (wearing the white blazer) driving an Autopia car down Main Street:







Many thanks to all you readers out there, especially the ones who have left great comments and helped educate me on some of the finer points of Disneyland History. On another celebratory note, “Zorro” starring Guy Williams, is finally going to be released on DVD in glorious black and white.







See more Disneyland photos at my website.