Screen Gem Saturdays: The Ghost of Heidi

One of Shirley Temple's best known films is the 1937 classic, "Heidi." The first photo shows the always positive Heidi at a Christmas celebration at the Sesemann household. She holds a snow globe that represents the cabin where she and her beloved grandfather lived together. Marcia Mae Jones plays Klara, the crippled girl who learns to walk thanks to Heidi's encouragement and persistence. Mary Nash (hisssssssssssssss) plays Fräulein Rottenmeier, the evil governess who wants to keep Klara in the chair (hissssssssssss). Sidney Blackmer plays Herr Sesemann, the doting but dumb father of Klara who is oblivious to what a witch Rottenmeier is.

The next two images show the elaborate set design of the village where the Sesemann family lives. It is hard to believe these were constructed indoors, yet so very fun to notice all of the details.





Details such as this ghostly image in the window. Is this a double exposure or a ghost on the set of "Heidi"?



See more Shirley Temple photos on my Shirley Temple web page.

Walking Tour of Tomorrowland: 1955

One of my readers expressed his love for 1950's Tomorrowland, so I figured I'd attempt to piece together a walking tour circa 1955. As you originally stepped from Central Plaza to Tomorrowland, you'd see the Clock of the World (also referred to as the World Time Clock). Designed by the Disney Studios and sponsored by Timex, this clock told the time of day anywhere in the world at a moment's glance.

To the right, you'd be able to enjoy the Monsanto Hall of Chemistry. This exhibit featured The Chemitron, which were huge test tubes of the eight basic materials found in nature which helped to produce the 500 different Monasanto chemicals and plastics.





On the left-hand side of the Clock, you'd encounter Circarama, presented by American Motors. Circarama used eleven 16mm projectors mounted on the roof of an American Motors car (thus the red color for the letters "car" on the marquee) to create a completely circular picture on a 360-degree screen. The original films were shot by Paul Mantz and Frank Tallman, of TallMantz Aviation. Guests stood in the center of the screen and were able to look out in every direction and observe views of the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Las Vegas, Balboa Bay, and the streets of Los Angeles.



Venturing further into Tomorrowland, the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea exhibit was next door to the Hall of Chemistry. Disney re-used the sets from the 1954 movie and installed them in Tomorrowland as a walk-through exhibit.





What else was in Tomorrowland? A veritable buffet of exhibits such as The Kaiser Aluminum Exhibit:



The Crane Bathroom of Tomorrow:



Richfield Oil’s “Years Ahead” Exhibit with "The World Beneath Us" CinemaScope film:



Towards the back of Tomorrowland, you could see the Avenue of Flags. Each of the U.S. Flags was arranged in the order of their admittance to the Union. On each flag pole was the name of the state, the date it was admitted to the union, and its motto.



To the right of the Flags was the iconic Moonliner and Rocket to the Moon attraction:



At 80' it was the tallest structure in the park—8' taller than Sleeping Beauty Castle. Adjoining the rocket was the “Rocket to the Moon” exhibit/show. 100 guests at a time would enter either the Luna or the Diana for a 10 minute trip to the Moon and back.







Hungry? You could stop by the Space Bar and get a tasty snack:



Once you refueled at The Space Bar, you could zoom around the Autopia:



Last, and according to some, least...the Tomorrowland boats:



I hope you enjoyed this brief retro tour of Tomorrowland!

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

Traveling Thursdays: Vintage Williamsburg, Pt. 1

A recent acquisition to the Daveland photography archive was a large set of vintage 1950's images from Williamsburg, Virginia and other historic sites. As a young lad, I was thoroughly interested in history and Williamsburg was a mecca to me. My first visit there was during the summer of 1971, and then again in 1977 on a school field trip. One of these days I hope to return...with MY camera!

The first photo in this collection shows Kenmore in nearby Fredericksburg, a Georgian-style brick mansion built by George Washington's sister Betty and her husband, Fielding Lewis.

Next I have four images of the Governor's Palace in Williamsburg, built in 1722.



Thomas Jefferson & Patrick Henry were two of the Governors who lived here. In 1780, the government moved to Richmond and the Palace became a hospital until it was completely destroyed by fire a year later.



Thanks to Colonial Williamsburg, who purchased the property in 1928, the building was faithfully reconstructed and can now be seen by guests as it once was.





The George Wythe House, seen in the next two photos, belonged to George Wythe, a leader of the patriot movement in Virginia, a delegate to the Continental Congress, and Virginia’s first signer of the Declaration of Independence.



The house also served as General George Washington's headquarters just before the British siege of Yorktown, and French General Rochambeau made the home his headquarters after victory at Yorktown. In 1776, the house accommodated Virginia General Assembly delegate Thomas Jefferson and his family.



What better way to view this historic city than by carriage?



The stockade...not a good place to be "hanging around."



In the same batch is this image from the Bennington Museum in Vermont, showing a dress on display that was worn while its owner was dancing with George Washington.



See more Williamsburg, Virginia photos on my Williamsburg web page.

The Gates of Frontierland

The Frontierland Gates are a favorite part of the park for me. Expertly themed, they give a grand entrance into the old west. The first shot shows how they looked on July 18, 1955, the first day that all guests could enter Disneyland. Looking a little spartan, the roughly hewn log stumps added to the authenticity of the early frontier look...and gave a reason for the lack of landscaping!

Flash forward to July 1959, and the same angle looks a lot more lush. Whether it be New Orleans or a Haunted House, it is a well-known fact that Walt liked his exteriors squeaky-clean. Leave the darker elements for the insides!



Zooming in you can see one of the cast members keeping everything spic and span.



Today, the entrance to Frontierland looks very similar to what it did over fifty years ago. The biggest change is probably the phony timbers that supposedly keep guests from falling into the waters below it. I have to wonder...in all the years that the park has been open, has this really been a problem?



Two explanatory signs on the gate help give some history to Frontierland. Next time you are at the park, take the time to read them and get a better perspective of what Frontierland is all about. What you see inside of the gates is more than just some randomly strewn props.





You can see 7 of the 13 flags on this particular side of the fort. Right near the phones and the ATM. Oops. There goes my Frontierland buzz.



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

Conestoga Wagons!

The Conestoga Wagon was an early attraction at Disneyland that also became an early victim of "progress." High overhead, unpredictability of the animals, and a low guest capacity forced the closure of the Conestoga Wagon by 1960. Today though, we'll journey back into time and celebrate this mode of transportation that was vital to the westward expansion of our country. A December 1955 newspaper ad for Frontierland stated:

“You will ride the Conestoga Wagon in Frontierland—one of the most picturesque and vital vehicles in history. It was the Conestoga, not the Covered Wagon, that developed the West. The great wagons were first built in the Conestoga Valley of Pennsylvania, with water tight bottoms that permitted safe crossing of rivers."



Based upon the photos in my collection, it would appear that there were two different wagons; one painted blue that said, "Westward Ho!" on its side...



And a brown painted wagon that said, "Oregon or Bust":



To get a feeling of how cramped these vehicles were, here's a shot that shows the guests sandwiched inside like sardines. Without the oil.



See more vintage Conestoga Wagon photos on my Stagecoach & Wagon web page.

The Grand Canyon comes to Anaheim

This vintage photo from March 31, 1958, shows the opening ceremony for the Grand Canyon Diorama. Walt Disney and Santa Fe Railroad chairman Fred Gurley are shown presiding over the festivities held at the tunnel entrance located near the Tomorrowland station. A 96-year-old Hopi Indian chief, Chief Nevangnewa, blessed the trains on the diorama’s opening day; if the guy in white on the left of this photo is Chief Nevangnewa, he looks pretty good for 96!



Walt sure looks happy as the little Indian boy appears to be making marks in the dirt. Gurley looks a little stiff; maybe not the best dinner guest you'd want to invite over for your next party.



As the first train approaches the tunnel, the little Indian boy is left behind to wave. What a bummer. I came to Disneyland and all I got was this stupid stick.



See more vintage & current Grand Canyon Diorama photos on my Grand Canyon Diorama web page.

Sundays in Paris: Holiday Celebration!

In honor of the Holiday season, Jenny has written today's DLP Column, "A Comparison of Christmas Celebrations at Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney World Florida." The first photo for today's post is by Loren Javier.

Nowhere in the world celebrates Christmas quite like Disney. In the run-up to the festive holiday, the resorts become more magical than ever - making it a great time to visit the parks in Disneyland Paris or Florida. Here are a few of the wonderfully Christmassy things you might expect to see at each park.
Visitors to Paris Disneyland between November 7, 2011 to January 8, 2012 can enjoy the magical festivities of Disney’s Enchanted Christmas. Featuring around 7km of fairy lights and a spectacular 24 metre-high Christmas tree, visitors will be treated to a huge helping of Christmassy delights. For oodles of festive fun, guests can visit Mickey’s Winter Wonderland at the Chaparral Theatre in Frontierland and watch Mickey and friends sing, dance and ice skate their way around the stage.

Guests in Paris will also be able to peruse the snow-capped market stalls in Belle’s picturesque Christmas Village in Fantasyland or visit Princess Aurora’s Christmas Wish for an enchanting brand new show on the Central Plaza, which sees the Sleeping Beauty Castle transform into a dazzling ice palace. Elsewhere, It’s a Small World Celebration takes over from the usual version of the ride with merry decorations, highlighting how people across the world share the winter festivities.

Photo by Flickr user kellyv



If you visit Walt Disney World in Florida this winter, you’ll be invited to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom. Enjoy live entertainment featuring Disney characters, breath-taking fireworks and the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. Complimentary cookies and cocoa are also offered before a magical snow fall on Main Street USA.

Photo by Loren Javier



With 3D and animated displays, as well as millions of glittering lights, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights takes place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Osbornes became famous for decorating their own home every year with spectacular illuminations until Disney offered them the chance to share them with the world. The extraordinary lights dance across buildings, expertly choreographed to traditional holiday music before a flurry of snow, ends the evening on a high.

Photo by Anna Fox



Epcot also gets in on the Yuletide celebrations with their Holidays Around the World - Candlelight Processional. The story of Christmas is retold in the America Gardens Theatre by celebrity narrators, including Geena Davis and Neil Patrick Harris, every night from November 25 to December 30, accompanied by a mass choir and 50-piece orchestra.

Whether you’re visiting Walt Disney World Florida at Christmas time, or enjoying the festivities at Disneyland Paris, there are many spectacular shows, parades and attractions that are sure to make your Christmas one to remember.

See more Disneyland Paris photos on my Disneyland Paris web page.