Whatever Happened to the Church Lady?

“Saturday Night Live” has been around for over 45 years. When it’s on, it’s on; when it’s off,…well, you know how the saying goes. Still one of my favorite characters from the show was The Church Lady, hilariously portrayed by Dana Carvey. This photo is from a 1988 episode with Morton Downey, Jr.

Over at Disneyland, it would appear that Church Lady made a surprise visit back in 1969:

Practically twins. The Church Lady’s talk show consisted of guests that she would judge and rebuke, to the delight of onlookers. One of my favorite episodes had her interviewing Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker (Phil Hartman and Jan Hooks) at the height of the Jessica Hahn scandal. Hooks practically walks away with the episode with her portrayal of the flamboyant Tammy Faye.

While comedians are often funny thanks to a good script, this video of Dana Carvey doing a stand-up routine proves that he was quick on his feet and able to deal with a drunken heckler…as the Church Lady:

Church Lady: what this troubled old world needs now more than ever.

See more Classic Movie and TV photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: What Would Mork Say?

In the popular sitcom “Mork and Mindy” (1978-1982), actor Conrad Janis played Mindy’s father. Kind, yet also old-fashioned, he objected to his daughter living with the alien Mork (Robin Williams). And yet, just thirty years before, he made some very unwanted advances on poor Shirley in “That Hagen Girl.”

Watching Janis attack Shirley was Kathryn Card, who played a chaperone at the dance where all this illicit behavior occurred. Because the town gossip speculated that Shirley’s character was the illegitimate daughter of an older local attorney played by Ronald Reagan, it was assumed she was a “bad girl.” Tired of all the whispers behind her back, little Shirley decides to go out on the town with Janis and live up to her reputation. Here she enjoys a soda with Jean Porter before going out to a bar with the slimy Janis.

What happens to Shirley? She ends up getting expelled. If only the writers had given poor Shirley’s character a backbone and thought forward to 2021, they could have had her hire an attorney and sue Kathryn Card, Janis, and the school for allowing the unwanted advances and they probably would have ended up naming the school after her.

Back to Card: you might recognize her from playing the mother of Lucille Ball on “I Love Lucy.”

Card’s character was constantly annoying Lucy’s husband by calling him Mickey instead of Ricky.

And back to “Mork and Mindy,” I remember recently seeing a video where Shirley said she wanted to meet Robin Williams. It never happened here on earth, but both of them went to dine at the Lord’s table in 2014. Perhaps they met up there.

See more Shirley photos at my main website.

Welcome (Back) to Disneyland

Welcome (back) to Disneyland! Back in 1976, guests saw quite a different entrance. At that time, the U.S. was swept away with Bicentennial fever, as the country had its 200th birthday. Disneyland contributed to the celebration with “America on Parade.” I had to zoom in for a closer look at Monorail red!

This particular parade never did much for me. While it was great that the Disney celebration showed their patriotism, the parade (and its scary characters) just seemed out of place.

Whoever had this character as a nanny is probably still scarred today.

To help take the edge of those gigantic figures, how about two less scary shots from the same decade? These two ladies look thrilled to be at the Park:

Where did the attraction posters go? Based on the photos in my collection, it seems like they were taken down around 1968. It looks positively bare!

How many of you have ventured back to Disneyland? Would love to hear how the experience has been for you.

See more vintage Disneyland entrance photos at my main website.

Janet Leigh at Pacific Ocean Park

During a break in the filming of “Who Was That Lady?” Janet Leigh took her daughter Kelly Curtis to Pacific Ocean Park (1958-1967) in Santa Monica. The film was released in February 1960, so these shots could have been from 1959. Note the little circus wagon in the first photo.

To keep Kelly company, little Greg Champion (son of dancers Marge and Gower Champion) joined the fun.

That ice cream bar sure looks good.

Was this a studio arranged publicity shot opportunity, or did the paparazzi just happen to stumble upon Janet and kids? I’m guessing #1. Poor little Jamie Lee, born in November 1958, was apparently too young to go to the Park that day with her mom and sister. Maybe this is what triggered the babysitting issues in “Halloween.” 

This gent has hit the jackpot; he has spotted a genuine movie star!

I wonder what was up ahead?

Perhaps a scary clown? Or just another pesky photographer.

See more Janet Leigh photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Changing the Curls and Red Skelton

In the 1930’s, Shirley Temple reigned supreme. Everything she did was reported in the papers for a public that just could not get enough of Shirley. The blonde curls that adorned her crown were her signature, as seen in this adorable photo from “Bright Eyes,” 1934. By 1937, Shirley was growing up, and it was time for a (gasp) change. “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” was the first film to debut this new look for Shirley, and just to make sure the public wouldn’t throw a riot, the film showed both hairdos. 

From an October 30, 1937 publicity blurb:

SHIRLEY TEMPLE GETS NEW COIFFURE

The golden curls of Shirley Temple will go rural for “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm,” her new picture. The famous locks will be brushed back and tied with ribbons behind her ears for the farmyard scenes of the picture. It will be the first time in her career that her famous coiffure will be altered—and it will only be for less than a quarter of the picture. Here you see the screen’s little darling and her new hair-comb.

At the beginning of the film, Shirley wears her signature hairdo, hidden under her hat:

Once Shirley’s unpacked, the first thing that goes is the old hairdo. Helen Westley (as Aunt Miranda) attempts to appease the public’s wrath with this line: “As long as you live here, you’ll wear your hair this way.” “I like it!” Shirley cheerfully replies. “It’s so nice and cool!”

It truly was a lot about nothing; regardless of what the public thought, Shirley wasn’t changing back. Just to make that fact clear, in her next film, “Little Miss Broadway,” there is a scene early in the movie where Shirley’s character is getting ready for bed, assisted by the daughter (Phyllis Brooks) of the man who just adopted her. “I used to have curls all over my head, once,” Shirley tells her. “That must have been lovely,” replies Brooks. “Yes,” sighs Shirley, “but they were lots of trouble!” And that was that!

In the book “The Westmores of Hollywood,” by Frank Westmore and Muriel Davidson, they state that Shirley’s curls came from their family’s makeup dynasty. Bullcrap. True, father George Westmore created the long sausage curls that 20-something Mary Pickford wore that helped her look much younger, but Shirley’s hair and hairstyle owed everything to her mother Gertrude. Although George had six children involved in the movie business, the only one with a movie credit in common with Shirley was Perc, who worked on “The Story of Seabiscuit” (1949).

While working on this post, I stumbled upon a website that showed photos of little Shirley with her teeth...and with her veneers:

The photos show Shirley in 1936. She lost her baby teeth, just like any child, but was never photographed with any teeth missing. Dr. Charles Pincus, who graduated from USC, was responsible for inventing the “Hollywood Veneer,” a removable snap-on cap that covered just the front of unsightly teeth or spaces. The caps were worn by Shirley for filming and public appearances, but they were only temporary, and had to be removed daily when eating, chewing, or sleeping. 

In other Shirley news, I stumbled upon this YouTube video that the Red Skelton Museum uploaded last month, which shows the September 24, 1963 episode with Shirley. So much fun! Shirley has a hard time not cracking up at Skelton’s antics, yet her charm and star power had not diminished one bit. In the one comedy sketch where she plays a snooty debutante, she is loads of fun. She also has a musical number set in 1863 by the seashore, “By The Sea.” Her voice is pleasant and not surprisingly, she doesn’t miss a step in the dance routine.

See more Shirley photos at my main website.

Monday Miscellany

Today it’s back to the Palm Springs Biltmore Hotel, with a 1950’s color shot of singer/actor Tony Martin and his dancer/actress wife, Cyd Charisse. Get a load of that watch/jewelry on her wrist! Like any MGM star, Charisse was glamorous even off hours. Note the perfect manicure!

Martin was first married to Alice Faye from 1937-1941. His 1948 marriage to Charisse lasted until she died in 2008.

Back in San Diego, I found myself downtown near the Hotel Churchill and shot a few of these ground level shots. Here’s the vintage postcard I posted previously:

…and my contemporary shots. Not surprisingly, the surrounding area has changed and been built-up over the years.

It’s all in the details; for me, at least.

See more photos at my main website.

A Dip in the Disneyland Hotel Pool

As we get closer to summer and temperatures continue to rise, a dip in the pool sounds mighty good. How about the one at the Disneyland Hotel? This February 1959 image shows some suits standing at the edge of it, ignoring the beauty of the blue waters. What are those pink and aqua curtains?

At the entry area to the pool, you would have seen this sign for the Coral Club, which explains those exclusive little curtained cabanas in the previous shot:

10am to 6pm? There goes my early morning swim.

See more Disneyland Hotel photos at my main website.

Hump Day on a Pack Mule

Just when I think I’m completely jaded as far as vintage Disneyland goes, a previously unseen view will pop up for sale. Such was the case with this August 1960 image, which a guest took while riding a pack mule, or possibly waiting for one. Nothing like a rear view of a mule and its rider to start your day. I wonder if the White Wings had a Frontierland gang to take care of those “accidents” along the way?

Here’s the next sequential shot in the duo of images; our photographer turned around to get this one:

Anybody need Blacksmithing or Wagon Repair? Just head on over to Rainbow Ridge:

This previously posted image from January 1965 gives you an overview of the area you have just seen.

As does this one from February 1964:

See more vintage Disneyland Pack Mule photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Shirley Gets Spanked!

This photo shows a very muddy little Shirley Temple in the 1937 John Ford directed film “Wee Willie Winkie.” Don’t look too hard for this scene, as you won’t find it. Deleted before it was released, it’s one of those gems that one wishes still existed. In the set still below, you can see the area where it occurred.

Even a mud puddle needs art direction.

Ford appears to be on the right of this shot when you zoom in:

What happened after Shirley got muddy? She also played in Mrs. Allardyce’s (Constance Collier) petunia garden. Bad Shirley.

This scene no longer exists either, but thanks to this set still, we know where the gossipy Mrs. Allardyce had her garden.

Naturally, she got spanked by her mother, played by June Lang.

Not to be found in the finished movie, it too was deleted. How could anyone spank Shirley?!?

See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.