Friday, January 25, 2008

Clock-o-licious

I wonder where the idea for the Clock of the World came from? It doesn't really seem to be very futuristic, and yet it's funky fifties look fit right in next to rockets and flying saucers. It appears in a few early concept sketches closely resembling the finished product. Check out the family with their straw hats bedecked with red ribbons as they admire the plastic house (or are they looking at the posters?).


Both of today's pictures are from May, 1958, although they are from different lots. This one, taken from inside Tomorrowland, shows us that it is about 3 o'clock (we can't see the minutes, which appeared on the small globe). Behind it is Circarama, sponsored by American Motors.


As you can see, there was a large diagram showing the concept behind Circarama for those who had no idea (and why should they?).

9 comments:

Matterhorn1959 said...

Love the Clock of Tomorrow. Such an unusual icon, but now it seems so appropriate.

The Viewliner Limited said...

The first picture is the best picture I have ever seen of the world clock. I am not sure where the imagineers got the idea for the clock, but here is a link for a movie made in 1948 called the Big Clock. Maybe some inspiration, who knows.
http://greenbriarpictureshows.blogspot.com/2006/01/just-crazy-about-that-big-clock-if.html

Unknown said...

Major,

At the time, the world was a much larger place than today. I read a piece on the clock in the E-Ticket and it mentioned that being able to know the time anywhere in the world was as amazing as most modern technology to us.

I agree...it doesn't seem very futuristic, but then...Walt needed to fill some space in Tomorrowland back in the day!

Thanks for the shots!

Major Pepperidge said...

Viewliner, that is a very interesting reference, that clock certainly seems to be related to the Clock of the World!

And Biblioadonis, you are right, it is sometimes easy to forget that the world was quite a different place 50 years ago. Thanks for reminding me (really)!

Chris Merritt said...

Yes gods - what amazing shots!

Smee said...

Major, don't mean to drive people off your site, but anyone interested in vintage photos should look at what the Library of Congress is beginning to put on the web. Lots of old color photos - have not seen Disney yet, but probably just a matter of time, and scanning.
http://flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress

Major Pepperidge said...

Smee, I have seen these photos (well, not ALL of them), they are definitely worth checking out.

Anonymous said...

Hi Nice Blog .If your time is less valuable, then it is probably less worthwhile to web time clock .

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