Friday, May 03, 2019

A Pair From May 1966

I think I'm getting down to the last few scans from May, 1966. It was a good batch.

I love this first photo, with an odd combination of olde-time nostalgia and plastic futurism. Traffic on Main Street was gridlocked, with Streetcars, an Omnibus, and a Firetruck completely blocking the road. Darn contraptions! Walt probably loved the hustle and bustle. The firetruck was seen in more detail in this post from last November.

It's strange to see the two Monsanto exhibits (the House of the Future and the Hall of Chemistry), knowing that their days were numbered.


I think this is our last look at our friend Molly Holiday. Some kid probably threw that pack of cigarettes on the ground, and she just picked them up because she is a good citizen who hates litterbugs. Yeah, that's it. Behind Molly is the Trading Post; they did not take cash, but would only trade for whatever you might have on you. "You can have that rubber tomahawk, but you'll have to give me your cast-iron apple peeler".


15 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-

With the pack of cigarettes being red, I wonder if they're Pall Mall's-?? I certainly hope no errant ashes drop from her cigarette onto her ticket book tucked right-there in her purse. Also, love the white, zip-up boots on the gal standing behind "Molly". (Perhaps she would consider trading those for a Frontierland trinket...)

Thanks, Major.

TokyoMagic! said...

There are a couple people in that first pic, that don't seem to care that they are about to be run down by an Omnibus.

Molly looks like she might be wearing false eyelashes. Or maybe she just went heavy with the mascara that morning? I'm going to miss her. Goodbye, Molly!

Melissa said...

I love the look being exchanged between the horse and Blue-Shirted Street-Crossing Dude. Those two just get each other, like on a deep and spiritual plane.

Molly is trying to trade her ba-blue-shka for a war bonnet.

In 1966,
It was a very good batch.
It was a very good batch of pictures of the parking lot;
Such pretty cars they got.
I'm gonna miss the pics
From 1966.
(Sorry, Mr. Sinatra.)

Andrew said...

In the first pic, Goofy's taking a joyride on the fire engine. Wish the characters would do that more often now!

And speaking of trades, the ultimate trade-off was about to happen with the New Tomorrowland of 1967... "I'll give you the Carousel of
Progress, but you have to hand over alll of those model planes from the Flight Circle!" is probably what all the imagineers were saying.

K. Martinez said...

Perhaps Molly Holiday would eventually "kick the habit and join the unhooked generation". Thanks, Major.

DrGoat said...

Nanook, I think you're right. Pall Malls. My Uncle smoked those things, and he always had a pack with them. My Dad smoked Lucky Strikes.
Going to miss Molly, she has that thing going on. Also check out the white, zipper up the back boots on that gal behind Molly.

Alonzo P Hawk said...

Ah the 60's. Sad to see Molly go. Our last vision of her smiling face (and Babushka clad head) about to fire up a coffin nail.

Oh the lipstick stained butts laying in the sandy ashtray. What a way to fade out.

Thanks for the memories Major.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, having some experience with a smoker (my brother), I can tell you that ashes are gonna get everywhere. Sure, that lady can trade her boots for something (perhaps a nice rubber-tipped spear), but then she has to walk around Disneyland barefoot!

TokyoMagic!, ironically that couple lived for many years until a satellite fell on their house. Molly’s eyelashes are real! She can’t help it if they look too good to be true!

Melissa, ha ha, maybe they knew each other in a past life. You know Molly would look great in a war bonnet, and soon everyone in her home town would be wearing them too.

Penna. Andrew, if you click on the clickable link in my second paragraph, it will take you to a nicer photo of Goofy in the firetruck! It would have been hard to trade in the old Tomorrowland, but it would have been a good deal - the new one was so amazing!

K. Martinez, Molly has already joined the Pepsi generation - I think it’s illegal to belong to TWO generations!

DrGoat, it’s funny, my dad smoked when I was growing up (he stopped, eventually), but I’ll be darned if I can recall what his brand was. I’m all for white zippered boots, but maybe on somebody a little less grandmotherly!

Alonzo P Hawk, I guess we can be grateful that smoking isn’t quite the thing it used to be. I still remember going over to my grandmother’s house after she and “the girls” had their bridge match, and it was like a London fog in there.

Chuck said...

In the second photo, we get a bonus glimpse of Pompon Lady from Molly's entourage.

I think that Disney really missed a golden opportunity when they reopened the Plaza Pavilion/Pavillion in 2012. Imagine how awesome the place would be if it were the Polly Holliday Bakery?

Anonymous said...

She is a pretty lady. Sorry to see her slip away. I hope she had a long and happy life.

Part of the trade-up for Old Tomorrowland was seeing Captain Nemo's pipe organ move from the Nautilus to the Haunted Mansion ballroom. So that was ok, I guess, but I still miss the giant squid. I wonder if he was cut up into audioanimatronic calamari?

I've never been a fan of smoking cigarettes, but had a cigar once in a blue moon long ago in my misspent youth. I think the pendulum has swung too far, when marijuana smoking is practically encouraged, but using tobacco is almost a felony.

Cheers all.

JG

Melissa said...

Yeah, I concur - those do look like my Dad's Pall Malls.

Major Pepperidge said...

Chuck, yes! Ponpon lady was Molly’s friend and confidant. Hmmm, the Polly Holliday Bakery, I like it because it is unexpected.

JG, I have wondered if Molly was in showbiz at all, or modeling, since she looked very elegant. Either that or she was just a classy dame! I think I’ve read that the rubber squid was falling to pieces; I remember reading a rumor that it had been used in Ed Wood’s “Bride of the Monster”, but the timing is way off. My dad still smoked the occasional cigar, but I wish he hadn’t, since it was his failing lungs that ultimately did him in (not to get too morose, but…).

Melissa, are you saying that Molly stole your father’s cigarettes??

TokyoMagic! said...

Chuck, the "Polly Holiday Bakery" That is genius! They could serve Mel's Chili (in a bread bowl, of course) and the servers could greet the guests by saying, "Kiss muh grits!"

Melissa said...

Oh, it's a jolly holiday at Polly's;
Polly bakes her cakes so light.
Other bread is gray and melancholy;
Polly's bread is dazzling white!

Matthew said...

By clicking on the link to "this post" I never noticed the detail on the firetruck of two lanterns hanging off the side near the back.

Oh... and this post is really interesting too!

Always your pal,
Amazon Belle