Chipmunk Rampage! July 1972
Many of you will probably remember an eye-shattering pair of pants from a previous post, and you might even remember the kid attached to those pants, not to mention his father. Well those pants are back, and so is the kid and his dad! This time they are over by the entrance to Tomorrowland, beneath the Peoplemover track, and in the reflected warmth of the silvery panels that flank T-land's walkway. Not to mention those odd "flying cuttlefish" fountain thingamajigs.
As you can see, Chip and Dale are signing autographs, and handing out copies of their memoir, "Nuts! Our Lives in Show Business" (with a forward from Kurt Vonnegut). The boy's pants are WAY outmatched by the young lady's red dress. I think I had a bedspread made from that same red and blue fabric.
If there's one thing Chip knows, it's how to connect with his fans. In those days it was perfectly OK to hand kids a pack of smokes or even a genuine Cohiba. Jerry Lewis did it all the time on his telethon. Notice the kid's mouse ears with the rare chin strap - I guess that kid was a test pilot or somethin'.
Also notice that kid to the extreme right, who is cooler at the age of three than I will ever be. "Chip! Baby! Let's you and me meet at the Sands next week. Dino will be there, and Frank might show up too. We can ditch Joey Bishop if he shows his face, am I right?".
Dale is a shameless ham, but he doesn't care. He lives for the business of show!
10 comments:
Major-
Those sunglasses are just too cool. And those contrasting patch pockets-! Some kids are natural-born fashion plates-!
Thanks, Major.
So the "wearing your pants low" trend began with Dale back in the seventies? And just what is that kid with the fancy pants holding in the second and third pics? Could it be a red licorice whip from the Castle Candy Shoppe or the Candy Palace on Main Street?
I wonder if Clarice ever made appearances at Disneyland or Walt Disney World? I've seen pics of her at Tokyo Disney and DL Paris.
Love the fact these were taken under the PeopleMover track with working fountains. Thanks, Major.
Man, do those fashions bring back memories.
Were chinstraps on Mouseketeer hats rare? I know I had at least one set with a chinstrap as well as a cavalry hat from Frontierland with one. I seem to remember it being an option, like having your name stitched in the back, with the cast member stapling it in as you watched. It was much more humane than stapling it to your head.
Don't be silly, Ken - Silence of the Lambs won't be released for almost 20 years.
I wonder if the elbow on the right in the first picture belongs to a cast member dressed as Alice --the skin tone suggests a California golden girl.
Thanks for these pictures Major, this is the first time I've seen these sculptures gushing water. Like the entrance to Pacific Ocean Park, this area looks 50s-60s moderne but also timeless and very attractive.
Not going to lie, when it comes to the original Disney characters, Chip and Dale are not exactly my all time favorite...
...that is, unless we're talking about their characters from the classic Disney Afternoon show, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers. I really loved that show, along with Darkwing Duck and Talespin. Used to watch them all the time when I got home after elementary school. Ah, sweet childhood memories!
Fun fact: in that show, the clothing for Chip and Dale were based on Indiana Jones and Thomas Magnum from Magnum, P.I.
Nanook, I hope that, someday, those crazy patterns will come back in style. I miss my red, white and blue checked suit jacket that my mom made me wear to church when I was a kid!
TokyoMagic!, I don’t know how to break it to you, but Dale isn’t even wearing pants! He was a TRUE trendsetter. His bold fashion statement still hasn’t caught on. And yes, I think that looks like a red licorice whip.
K. Martinez, did Clarice only appear in that one cartoon short? If so, I’m surprised that she was at TokyoDisneyland - how many people even knew who she was? Maybe they didn’t care.
Chuck, I was kind of joking about the “rare” chin strap, I really have no idea. They were probably common on mouse ears for small children. And come on Chuck, why would they staple the hat to your head when they could use hot glue?
Stefano, it could be Alice - unfortunately she doesn’t show up in any of the other pictures. I have some other photos on this blog that show those weird fountains before they were turned into planters. I agree with your comparison to POP!
The Disney Dudebro, yeah, even as a kid I thought that Chip and Dale were annoying. Stealing from Donald or destroying his Christmas tree! That being said, their costumed counterparts are pretty cute. I never watched any “Rescue Rangers”, though I know it was very popular - did they still have them speak in those sped-up voices? Sounds like a little of that would go a long way. I did love “Duck Tales” though! Chip’s outfit for RR definitely looked like Indy’s costume, but I did not know about the “Magnum, P.I.” reference for Dale.
These are fun pictures, great to see them.
Thanks Major.
JG
Man, it was hard to be a kid in the 70s, wasn't it? If the pattern on your polyester jumpsuit didn't burn your retinas while you were putting it on, you'd fall off your high-heeled white shoes.
The adult size mouse ears I got at Walt Disney World a few years ago had a chin strap. I didn't find it very flattering, so I held them on with a couple of bobby pins instead. Maybe it's just my giant noggin, but I don't think the beanie would have stayed on without some kind of assistance.
However good or bad Chip and Dale’s cartoons were, they're always great characters to interact with in the parks.
Just noticed the little fellow in red. I think he has to go.
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