Mr. Toad Mural Extravaganza!

One new one and a lot of re-hash for today (yes, still catching up on life!). First shot is the "new" one, showing two tots who have just experienced Mr. Toad's Wild Ride in Fantasyland. Of course, the real reason for attaining this photo is the view of the queue mural in the background! While we're at it, how about a shot from December 1957 of Donna Reed and Steve Allen also enjoying this dark ride classic?



And Jerry Lewis:



Vice President Richard Nixon and family:



The Audie Murphy family, circa 1956:



Here I used a little photoshop magic to get a better look at the mural (human distortion be damned!), circa 1958:



Last one is a June 1955 image of the exterior of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride:



More vintage and contemporary shots of Mr. Toad at my main website.

Steve Allen in Fantasyland

Steve and his family welcome you to Fantasyland from the drawbridge of the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, circa December 1957.



Here the family enjoys the Mad Tea Party attraction which was once located where the Carrousel currently is.





Donna Reed and Steve figure out where to go next.



Looks like it's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Nice glimpse of the original queue mural.



See more vintage and current Disneyland Fantasyland photos at my main website.

Steve Allen in Frontierland

Today Donna Reed and Steve Allen and his sons look puzzled as they attempt to figure out where to go in Frontierland. So many choices! You really can't go wrong with the Mark Twain; seems like a good choice to me!









Two interior shots of Steve and boys at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon:





Last one today is a great shot of Steve on the Rainbow Mountain Railroad. Here comes the photographer!



See more vintage and current Disneyland Frontierland photos at my main website.

Steve Allen on The Jungle Cruise

Today it's back to December 1957 as we follow Steve Allen and family aboard the Disneyland Jungle Cruise. Actress Donna Reed has the sunglasses on and is attempting to avoid the paparazzi in the back of the boat.



Anyone want a closer look at that vintage souvenir bag?



Once the initial batch of photos were over, it would appear that Allen and his family moved to a different position on their boat, The Zambesi Miss.



Check out that huge flash attachment to Steve Jr.'s camera!





Even on the Jungle Cruise, Allen must look his best for the cameras. Fix that collar, Steve!



Wish I knew what they were craning their necks to see in this shot.



As the Allen family leaves Adventureland, I wonder where they will go next? Only time will tell. Stay tuned! I wonder what happened to Donna? Did she stay behind with Trader Sam?!?



More vintage and current Disneyland Jungle Cruise photos at my main website.

Steve Allen and Casey Jr.

More from Steve Allen's December 1957 trip to Disneyland. The accompanying publicity blurb for their spin around Fantasyland aboard Casey Jr. was as follows:

Steve Allen's three sons, eleven year-old Brian; Steve Jr., 13; and David, seven, leave Fantasyland for Frontierland during a recent visit to Disneyland.

I think the reporter was a little mixed up, or just not familiar with Casey's journey.

Apparently actress Donna Reed was also there that day.



I won't even try to connect the dots on that one.



Meanwhile, Happy St. Patrick's Day to all who celebrate, especially my friends in Savannah where they need a year-round headquarters for today's parade.



More photos and pop culture fun at my main website.

Steve Allen and The Autopia

MORE from Steve Allen's December 1957 very public visit to Disneyland. These are all from his spin around the Autopia track. Looks like Steve had the special privilege of driving the police car! It'd be cool to bring that one back. Here's the accompanying publicity blurb:

"Steve Allen gets some advice from son David, seven, as they prepare to drive Autopia's freeway during a recent trip to Disneyland. Steve's other sons, Steve Jr., 13; and Brian, 11, accompanied their father also.





A closeup of the cast member; I will bet that whistle got a lot of use throughout the day.



Drive on over to my main website for more Disneyland Autopia photos.

MORE Steve Allen at Disneyland

Here are two shots from Steve Allen's December 1957 visit to Disneyland with his kids. His Skyway bucket is about to drop them off at Fantasyland. Or is it on the way to Tomorrowland?



A group shot at the Fantasyland Skyway Station. The boys were from his first marriage to Dorothy Goodman; the boys (not necessarily in this order) were Steve Jr., Brian, and David.



More vintage and current Disneyland photos at my main website.

Steve Allen at Disneyland

Steve Allen was big. HUGE. Everyone thinks of the Ed Sullivan Show when it comes to Elvis Presley's TV debut, when in fact, Elvis appeared on the Steve Allen Comedy Show first. Allen himself was an accomplished musician, composer, actor, writer, and comedian who was very well known back in the day; today, those under 30 have probably never heard of him. How some people and remembered and how others are forgotten always baffles me. Nevertheless, Allen and his family visited Disneyland in December 1957.

According the accompanying press blurb:

Steve Allen's three sons, eleven year=old Brian; Steve Jr., 13; and David, seven, leave Fantasyland for Frontierland during a recent visit to Disneyland.

Please…any Disneyland Geek knows that the Casey Jr. Circus Train would never take ANYONE out of Fantasyland. Who wrote this stuff?!?



On the Teacup attraction:



Here they are aboard the Mark Twain:



The accompanying Autopia blurb is just as bland:

Steve Allen gets some advice from son David, seven, as they prepare to drive Autopia's freeway during a recent trip to Disneyland. Steve's other sons, Steve Jr., 13; and Brian, 11, accompanied their father also.



More vintage and current Disneyland photos at my main website.