Sue and the Autopia! May, 1964
Today I am sharing the last three slides from a group showing our friend Sue B. at Disneyland in 1964. She was taken there for her fourth birthday by her aunt Adeline, as well as two of her mom's friends, Carol and Marlene. Lou wasn't on this particular trip, but I used the "Photo by Lou Perry Courtesy of Sue B" watermark because it's kind of standard.
This is possibly my favorite photo of the whole batch, with adorable little Sue alongside Marlene. I often wonder why the adult didn't let the kid drive, but in this case Sue's legs probably wouldn't have reached the gas pedal - and in my recollection, you needed to have a real lead foot for those pedals. Sue said, I now especially treasure the Autopia pictures of Marlene driving me. I recently discovered these slides, two months after Marlene passed away in November 2020, after having spent the last 4-5 years driving her to doctor appointments (during which time we discussed lots of things including this 1964 Disneyland trip together). To see her, driving ME, now makes me smile.
They are in a Mark VI vehicle, those were brand new in 1964. The center rail was also brand new!
Next is this photo of Carol; she appears to be in a "viewing area", for lack of a better description. The actual queue is nearby, to the left. I guess she and Adeline were not interested in experiencing the highway of the future! Presumably she watched as Sue and Marlene passed by. The little boy with the leather cap grew up to be in a biker gang. But a nice biker gang.
And finally, here's a very nice photo of more Mark VI vehicles, most were probably not needed on that day, but it looks like at least one was being serviced (to the extreme left). Love the old gas pumps, full of delicious Richfield gasoline.
THANKS to Sue B., and to Marlene, Carol, and Adeline!
22 comments:
Major-
Marlene and Sue - ready to tackle the great open road - with babushka's properly in-place.
Thanks, Sue.
Image #1: Friend Marlene reminds me of Natalie Wood in The Great Race with her 'driving goggles' and head scarf.
Major, the center rail may be brand new but it's still stained with oil, grime, and rubber scrapings from the tires. I wonder, did they ever clean the rail from time to time? Maybe having the smudges there adds to the authenticity.
#2: The little kid is already in a biker gang: the Hell's Strollers.
#3: The car being 'serviced' is actually the sad result of the Hell's Strollers having stripped it everything of value. That's a nice crisp view of the Tomorrowland Station.
Thanks Major, Sue, aunt Adeline, and friends for today's photos.
- Jeopardously Balanced (The Grinch's over-stuffed sleigh atop Mt. Crumpit.)
Great pics, Sue!
I don't remember the gas pumps. I wonder where they gassed up the cars, after those pumps were removed? Backstage? And is there still a holding tank, buried somewhere beneath the Autopia's loading area?
Thank you, Sue, Adeline, Carol, Marlene, and Major, too.
Tokyo Maids! (As in, "a milking.")
The first photo with Marlene and Sue is a winner! It's got Sue and is postcard worthy. Beautiful shot and composition.
I remember those Autopia gas pumps when I was a little kid in the 1960's. Richfield Imperial Boron!
Thanks, Lou and Sue. And thanks again, Sue for sharing your warm memories of Marlene.
It looks like the Monorail is poking Carol in the back of the head.
The colorful flowers in these pictures are great. Even if you don't have 1000 pictures taken by Lou, I would still be very grateful to have any pictures like these. Thanks, Sue.
A world on the move! Look at all the levels of track in that first photo…and this was in the days before the PeopleMover! I guess that blue rail on the left between the Autopia overpass and the Monorail beamway must have been for the submarines. Not really any other logical option.
Thank you, Sue, for sharing these photos and your memories of Marlene!
Sue! You sure were a cute kid! And Lou definitely knew how to take great pictures. You are very lucky to have all
These visual memories of such a great period of time. We are very lucky you and Major have shared these with us!
A detail I don’t think I noticed before on these car models is the red trim color on the inner wheel of every car...... I just don’t think I ever saw that. Some of the cars in the staging are look like they have pieces of tape on them. I wonder if this is to let maintainence know where paint damage might need repair.
That first picture is indeed the cream of the crop. Sue and Marlene are style ICONS. I am coveting Marlene's black silk babushka.
I want to be there when Hell's Strollers rumble with Miss Piggy's motorcycle gang.
All those empty cars! Let's all jump through the screen and go for a spin. Richfield Gasoline: distilled from only the best eagle's blood.
Nanook, I’m hoping to find a nice babushka under the Christmas tree! Denim, because I’m a guy. Gotta keep my hair looking good!
JB, I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before, but I haven’t seen “The Great Race” since I was a small child, all I remember is bits and pieces of scenes. But I do remember how pretty Natalie Wood was! Good question about whether they ever cleaned the rail - my guess would be “on very rare occasions”. The Hell’s Strollers! Just the name strikes fear into the hearts of the townfolk. They’re always playing on people’s lawns, and they give them such a look.
TokyoMagic!, we’ve seen other photos with the gas pumps, but I don’t know how they gas up the Autopia cars now that there are no obvious pumps. Maybe they are still there, but they blend in now (since they are no longer sponsored by a gasoline company)?
K. Martinez, I agree, that first one might be my favorite of the whole batch, and that’s saying something. I don’t personally remember the gas pumps, but I’ve seen so many photos of them that I feel like I do!
Andrew, that darn Monorail, always poking. “Quit it!”, I would say, in my whiniest voice. “You started it!”, the Monorail would respond. I sure have fun.
Chuck, I know, sometimes I look at the pre-1967 Tomorrowland and think that the tangle of Autopia and Monorail tracks is impressive. Adding another major ride, twisting in between those two, is a truly impressive achievement. And when you include the Motor Boats scooting on the water, and the Subs, and the Skyway… talk about a World on the Move!
Mike Cozart, you aren’t kidding, we all lucked out when Sue found GDB, and was so happy to share her father’s incredible stash of photos! And from what she has told me, we have barely scratched the surface of Lou’s archives. Amazing! And thanks to you, I noticed the red wheel trim color (how did I not see it before?), what a cool thing. It reminds me of the old “red-line” Hot Wheels!
Melissa, there’s just something about a babushka and cat’s-eye glasses! It instantly turns any woman into a movie star who is hoping to not be noticed. Ah, Miss Piggy, her passions run deep. I guess May was the “off season”, but it does kill me to see all of those empty vehicles. Can’t I have just ONE?
Sue and Major, thank you very much for these fun photos. Making my day.
Sue was a cute kid, and she didn't grow out of it, like some of us.
Those little cars are cute too, I'm not sure I can keep all the models straight, but I'm grateful for those who can. That center rail needs to look used, it's part of the theming. Such beautiful flowers too.
I want to say I remember the gas pumps, but I'm not sure if it is a real memory or a memory of pictures. I do appreciate the photo of the Tomorrowland DLRR station, one of my favorite little buildings remaining. Even the 1998 debacle left it mostly untouched.
I do remember how the cars had a pedal on the outside where the CM could jump up on the car and run it for you. They must still have this, but I don't remember it from recent trips. This has never been one of my favorite rides, and I have skipped it on my solo visits, but I am curious to see the new version because it is new to me.
Thanks Major, and watch for that thug in the stroller, he will shake you down with a shiv made out of a candy cane. I may have had a hat like that about that time, except I don't remember wearing the ear flaps down, and look how I turned out.
JG
@ Chuck-
HERE's your 'blue rail'...
(Thank you, Daveland).
Nanook, see - I was right. It's clearly labeled "Submarine Voyage." ;-)
JG, ha ha, I know, I look at photos of my five year-old self and think, “Hey, I was pretty cute!”. Not so much anymore. I do love those early models of Autopia cars… in fact I love them all up until the Chevron versions that we have now. Instead of looking like shrunk-down versions of actual cars, they look like enlarged versions of Tonka toys. I agree with you, humble Tomorrowland Station is pretty great. I do think the cars still have the outside pedal for ride operators, but I wonder if the very first versions of Autopia cars had them? Maybe that was added for later versions. I used to love the Autopia, and I do like that they combined the Fantasyland and Tomorrowland tracks into one large ride, but it’s just such a “putt putt” ride. I understand WHY it’s that way, but it’s too slow for me.
Nanook, thanks for doing the research! And…
…Chuck, sorry, I missed that part of your comment. We had a plumber here and I was distracted.
Andrew, Monorail Red is always trying to get peoples' attention: "Hey lady! Monorail over here! RED Monorail! I'm the bestest coolest kind!"
Edit: Major sort of did the same schtick. Oh well.
Melissa, I don't think it would amount to much. Probably like the Jets and the Sharks: a lot of leather, a lot of finger snapping, a lot of singing. Miss Piggy's motorcycles would make more noise and smoke fumes than the strollers though. I suppose the Hell's Strollers could counter with stinky diaper fumes.
Major, playing on peoples' lawns wouldn't be so bad. It's when the little terrors start doing donuts in the lawns with their souped-up strollers that gets the townsfolk riled.
And they have bumper stickers that say, "My Other Stroller Is a Harley."
”And they have bumper stickers that say, ‘My Other Stroller Is a Harley.’"
That stroller is hilarious! I like the face shield though.
I should have known!
Love everyone's comments today. Thank you!
My friend and I call "groups" of strollers - "buggy brigades." They always travel in groups and aim for you...you have to move to avoid getting rammed into. (But I like "Hell's Strollers." Great name!)
Major, when the plumber's done, please send him my way. I need a new garbage disposal installed in my kitchen sink. The last one recently quit. But I do finally have a working fridge.
Andrew, I think you should photoshop your little 5-year-old self in Marlene's place, and we can go for a spin in Disneyland. (I still love that one adorable picture you posted of you in that little car.)
Quick update:
DrGoat has been really sick for a while - that's why we haven't heard from him, lately. (He doesn't have Covid.) I know he still tries to read GDB, so I'm sending more warm wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery (to both him AND his wife) while they're slowing trying to get back on their feet.
Hurry back, DrGoat! We miss you here!
Sue, thank you for the update. I've noticed DrGoat's absence and have been wondering. I was afraid it would be bad news and, well, it is; but not that bad (hopefully).
Get well DrGoat and Mrs. DrGoat! I'm sending healing thoughts you way.
What a beautiful day for a ride on Autopia! In the first photo it looks like Sue and Marlene are just starting out on their journey. I remember those center rails were extra wide in the load area and other narrow places to keep the cars in line. Out on the open road the center rail turned into a narrow piece of metal giving drivers more freedom to steer.
I love the photo of Carol with the immature landscaping beyond, but filled with hundreds of flowers! That kid ended up working at a bowling alley, fixing the pin spotting machines.
In the third photo I think I see Sue and Marlene off in the distance, heading out on their adventure in their Cavalry blue car.
Hope DrGoat gets better soon. Thanks Major and Sue!
Sue: cute as a little puppy in the passenger seat! And Ms. Marlene! That is some serious hairography! Awesome! I'm not sure that the viewing area is so much a viewing area, but a place to explore the magic of Richfield exhaust fumes! Product placement at its best. Those Autopia cars are super cool and I would love to drive up and down 5th Avenue in one of those- I'm just not sure if anyone would even pay attention. Possibly if one was painted "cab yellow". I remember gas pumps...but I think they were located in the ground...with just a spigot sticking out, not these glamourous ones. There was a gas station somewhere backstage, that looked like a gas station and you just drove up and filled up your tank. Perhaps back by the Pony Farm? There were people to work on your truck too...they also helped guests with jump starts and things on their cars in the parking lot...lots of locked keys in cars all the time. Some people were so excited they left their cars running with keys inside and locked doors. The guys knew eventually the gas would run out, so they left a note on the windscreen to call them and they would top them off to get across the street to a gas station. True stories. Marlene and Carol are super serious, safety first for little tiny Sue! Thanks for the cute photos this morning!
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