Wednesday WOW: "Shane" goes to Disneyland!

Best known as “Shane” (1953), Alan Ladd was a very popular actor in the 1940’s & 50’s. I am guestimating these shots to be from the same visit in August 1956 that saw Ladd attending the Grand Opening of the Disneyland Hotel. Here he is with his family aboard the C.K. Holliday. Wife Sue Carol was also his agent and the one who got him his breakthrough role in “This Gun For Hire.” Daughter Alana and son David (ex-hubby of Cheryl Ladd) smile in the background.

In shot #2, the family poses on a Surrey (wonder if they had to pay the 10¢?) parked in front of the castle. Sure wish I could reach out and grab one of those Disneyland Newspapers!



See more Disneyland photos at my website.

Classic Polyester: April 1977, Part 4

We’re in Adventureland today, starting with a shot of the entrance to the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House. Get those "B" tickets ready! The rest of the post has a number of great color shots from everyone’s favorite Adventureland attraction, The Jungle Cruise!





Fortunately, the pole on the boat is blocking out the nasty feeding scene of the Veldt!







And now, it’s time for the big finish. A fun parade in Town Square with the new Mickey Mouse Club:





Two (from different days) featuring the Horse-Drawn Streetcar:





This shot I can’t place; perhaps it’s off property at another park or at the Disneyland Hotel:



That’s it for this 1970’s tour. Hope you enjoyed it! See more Disneyland Adventureland photos at my website.

Classic Polyester: April 1977, Part 3

Just a brief one today...still recovering from the weekend (which means a trip report will be coming soon). 3 great images from the Autopia; always rare to see photos from the actual "highway." Who wants to bother taking photos and drive at the same time?!?





Just so I don't get called stingy today, I'll throw in one of the Matterhorn:



Come back tomorrow for Adventureland! See more Disneyland Autopia photos at my website.

Sailing Through Sundays on The JC: Jungle Cruise, 1955

Here is a set of JC views from 1955. First to come into view is this rare Rhino, no longer visible on the JC attraction. The natives in shot #2 look purty darn threatening! Let’s keep our boat moving!



Two shots returning to the dock and the lanai. AMAZON BELLE: I believe this shot is of a small hut that sat just beyond the "Attacking Natives" before Schweitzer Falls. You can also see it in one of your previous posts. The Jungle Cruise narration done by Thurl Ravenscroft on Side B of the Tiki Room album referred to it as the "Witch Doctor's Hut." But the 1986 spiel had no mention of it.





See more Disneyland Jungle Cruise photos at my website.

Scholarly Saturdays: Encyclopaedia Britannica & Main Street Pt. 6

Today is the end of filmstrip #1, Main Street U.S.A. This particular segment focuses on the Disneyland Railroad. It is a rare occasion that I go to the park without riding one of the trains! It just wouldn’t be right! The C.K. Holliday is pulling into the station in photo #2:



Grumpy Susie is wearing her sour-puss face again; I’ll be she ended up being a pencil-pusher for the Government somewhere.



Here’s the C.K. again, chugging along its route, which at this time still looks fairly undeveloped in comparison to today’s journey. This was also back in the day when guests were closed into the Cattle Cars and were able to actually feel like....well, Cattle!



Susie & Bobby are about to get on one of the RETLAW one passenger cars:



This time around we get to see the E.P. Ripley pulling the passenger cars, sans Cattle!



And finally, the credits. Please talk amongst yourselves!





OK readers...here’s your chance to be heard. Let me know in the comment section which filmstrip you’d like me to feature next: Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, or Adventureland. It’s up to you! See more Encyclopaedia Britannica photos at my website.

Freaky Fridays @ The Haunted Mansion: Changing Portraits 1

The changing portrait hallway is a difficult one to capture good photos of both the before and after, due to the dim lighting. Here is the first portrait you encounter as you step off the elevator, known fondly as The Catwoman (not to be confused with Julie Newmar).



See more Disneyland Haunted Mansion photos at my website.

Tell-No-Tales Thursdays: Jack Sparrow’s Treasure

Before Jack Sparrow came along, this is what visitors used to see at the end of the ride as their boat went up the hill above the pirate grotto. This poor fellow was eternally straining to get his loot up the hill, but to no avail. Now, may he rest in peace as he is lost to the ages. This AA figure was "rescued" by Tony Baxter from the World of Motion at EPCOT center before it became Test Track.





The last scene you view as you leave the underground Pirates cavern is this treasure room with Jack Sparrow. The AA is pretty impressive (more so in person than in this static shot), however, I don’t really care for this scene, as it just looks like a room dumped in the middle of the previous pistol duel. The entire Pirates ride seamlessly flows from one vignette to another, and yet the Captain Jack treasure just seems a little out of place.

A few more views:













And no flash:



Unfortunately, the Imagineer’s attempts to have Sparrow roll a coin between his fingers was unsuccessful. One day maybe...

See more Disneyland Pirates of the Caribbean photos at my website.

Wednesday WOW: Walt in Frontierland, 1958

It’s difficult to find unpublished photos of Walt Disney, so for me, it’s definitely a “wow” when I do. This set of small black and white prints I am guestimating to be from 1958 and feature Walt touring Frontierland. In shot #1, he’s checking out the list of attractions on the signage.

This one is harder to make out due to its graininess, but it appears that Walt is hopping the fence at the Jungle Cruise. No need for a fast pass for Walt!



Any ideas of what Walt and crew are watching here? Whatever it is, I am guessing there will be some changes coming soon from the look on his face.



I’ll finish out the post with a few other photos from this set. The rafts used to transport guests from the park to Tom Sawyer Island are still very much the same...only the passengers have shown much change!



The Columbia is still under construction:



I believe this photo shows one third of the Gonzalez trio:



A Horse-Drawn Streetcar shot:



And a fitting farewell from the Spaceman:



Hope this post earns its Wednesday “WOW” moniker! See more Disneyland Frontierland photos at my website.