Valentines Day
It's the most romantic day of the year (no, not May 4th - Star Wars Day), Valentine's Day! Named after actress Karen Valentine ("Room 222") back in the 1970s, it's the day when many boxes of chocolates and bouquets of marked-up roses are given to sweethearts all over the land.
I had no scans that were appropriate for such an occasion, but Sue B. did! Here are four of Lou Perry's photos of Mickey Mouse with his best girl, Minnie. They were taken in 1985 (Disneyland's 25th anniversary) as the two stars stood outside of the Opera House in Town Square.
Mickey still looks good, bright-eyed (but not bushy-tailed) and cheerful. I like his golden bowtie, was that a nod to Disneyland's birthday? Maybe he has a walk-in closet with thousands of bowties in every color of the rainbow and every pattern. Admit it, you'd have one of those too if you could.
There's Minnie! She was probably off to the side greeting excited kids, like that girl to the left who can hardly believe her eyes. "The girls in gymnastics class are going to be so jealous when they hear about this!".
Did the characters sign autograph books back then? It looks like Minnie is signing her name for that ecstatic little girl. "To Lisa, stay frosty! - Minnie Mouse".
Aw! I'd tell them to get a room, but they are just too adorable. Their love is as strong as it was in 1928.
Many thanks to Lou and Sue!
26 comments:
Major-
"Stay frosty" I was thinking more along the lines of "Stay gold".
So, are the only differences between Minnie and Mickey the eyelashes, polka dots, shoes and bowtie-? Wow - they really are two peas in a pod.
Thanks, Major. (And whatever you do... NO Whitman's Samplers-!)
These are all such nice photos of Mickey and Minnie that I don't think I'll ruin the mood by being snarky. Like in the last photo where they got their noses Super Glued together just 'cuz it's Valentine's Day. Nope; not gonna go there.
In the first image, what is that lady holding in her hand? Part of a camera?
Mickey and Minnie's eyes look like they might be able to close/blink. Did they do that in '85? If they did, it must have been by some sort of mechanical method. I'm sure they didn't have those video-type blinking eyes like they do today. (That IS how they do that, right?)
Thank you Lou and Sue. And thank you, Major, too.
- Junior Bowman (the little kid in diapers, shooting arrows at unsuspecting victims. HE'S A MENACE TO SOCIETY!)
Nice photos today- thanks Lou and Sue (& Major too). 1985 was actually the 30th anniversary- I was still working at the park during the 25th anniversary in 1980.
-DW
Awwww, very nice photos of Mick and Min!
Nanook, Minnie is also into the makeup. She wears blue eye shadow and red lipstick (which is kind of hard to see in these pics). She probably also wears a little mousecara. Whaa, whaaaa!
Major, I have two Karen Valentine comic books! No, really!
Thank you Lou, Sue, and Major, too!
Hearing Karen Valentine’s name always make me think of this trailer for Hot Lead and Cold Feet, although in my memory the “Don Knott’s…Jim Dale…Karen Valentine” was a lot more drawn out and exaggerated. One more childhood memory bites the dust.
Nanook, now you tell me. I sure hope I kept the receipt…
Thanks again, Lou & Sue!
Thanks, iPad, for making Don Knotts plural without asking me. I guess we really did lose the War With the Machines. Where is John Connor when you need him?
If Mickey had a bushy tail, he would be a squirrel. Now you know. Of course, "Mickey Squirrel" doesn't have much of a ring to it, so I suppose it's better that he stays a mouse. Actually, Disney doesn't have any big name squirrel characters, do they? I mean there are a few cameos in Snow White and such, but no "Sidney Squirrel" or anything. Now Warner has Slappy Squirrel, who is fairly hilarious, so I guess they one upped the House of Mouse there. What am I talking about? I have no idea.
I actually prefer the older Mickey and Minnie relationship like in Plane Crazy. Lots of slapstick hi-jinx! Now it's a bit too sweet, IMO (that's cool kid talk for Immediately Mailed Ostrich). Still these are nice, mainly because of the thrilled little girl.
Thanks, Lou and Sue!
Why am I not surprised Lou was there to capture the moment. Great pics of Mickey and Minnie. Love the quizzical look on the girl's face in the last pic.
1985 was he year my old school Italian grandmother (with a wooden spoon in her hand) told me I had to marry Peggy before she died. We married in '86 so she got her wish and passed away in '88.
It remember Karen Valentine but can't say I remember anything I saw her in. Didn't know she even had a comic book! The archives in my brain got damaged during the flood of '68.
Still watch the Andy Griffith Show, but the only movie I watched that Don Knott's was in was the Incredible Mr. Limpet.
Happy Valentines day to all, and thanks Lou & Sue and the Major of course.
PS Tokyo M. had a great Valentine's day card post a bit ago. Brought back memories of elementary school Valentine's day with all those little paper valentines.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
As always, Lou and Sue deliver the goods. Any scene, any topic, there’s a photo to suit.
Dr. Goat, I remember that flood, but that’s all. Who was Karen Valentine?
Thanks Major, a fun day.
JG
Nanook, Minnie used many cool catchphrases, she is nothing if not trendy. And yes,Minnie and Minnie are like the White Rabbit and Mrs. White Rabbit… only the most subtle clues tell us which is which. Whitman Samplers, yuck! How have they survived all these decades? I’d rather have a bag of peanut M&Ms, frankly.
JB, every year emergency rooms are filled with people who have superglued their noses together on Valentine’s Day. I think the lady is holding some sort of slim Kodak camera, I have a vague memory of those. I don’t believe Mickey and Minnie could blink back in ’85, and I don’t believe that the effect is achieved via video eyes! But I am probably wrong.
DW, MATH! Can you tell that it isn’t my strong point? Actually, I think I just wrote a post with some other “Lou and Sue” photos that are from 1980, so my brain was already in “25th Anniversary” mode.
TokyoMagic!, you are right, we can’t forget about Minnie’s makeup. Mickey just uses a light moisturizer before bedtime (from Clinique). And of course he eats right and exercises. Karen Valentine COMIC BOOKS?? I had no idea!
Chuck, to this day I am surprised that Karen Valentine did not have a bigger career, she seemed destined for a bigger stardom than she got. And if you bought a Whitman Sampler you have no one to blame but yourself.
Stu29573, Tex Avery had a character called “Screwy Squirrel”, he was very annoying and abrasive, which is why I think he never really caught on. He was like a more aggressive version of Woody Woodpecker, who I also never cared for. Slappy Squirrel, I haven’t seen him! In general I prefer the old black and white Mickey/Minnie cartoons, they have a rambunctious quality that disappeared as the quality of the cartoons improved.
DrGoat, Lou was EVERYWHERE! Sue will sometimes send me sneak peaks at other photos that he took, it’s pretty incredible. Really wonderful stuff. Aw, I’m glad your Grandma got to see you get hitched. I’m sure she was very happy. I used to love Don Knotts movies… “The Incredible Mr. Limpet”, “The Reluctant Astronaut”, “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” (classic theme song too), and i’m sure there are others.
Lou and Sue, Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too!
JG, I assume that the flood in question was in SoCal? I was too young to be cognizant of such things. there were so many cartoons that needed watching! You really don’t remember Karen Valentine? She was sort of “America’s sweetheart” for a very brief time thanks to ‘Room 222”. The movie that Chuck mentioned (“Hot Lead, Cold Feet”) and “The North Avenue Irregulars” are the only other projects that I am aware of, and I’ve never seen either of those!
Sue (and Lou) continue to provide great pictures that have the charm that just can't be captured by a professional. That last picture is absolutely perfect for its time. Years ago, a long stem rose was given to female guests at the main entrance. I assume that 'magic' touch no longer happens today. Happy Valentines Day! KS
I loved Karen Valentine! She was the American “quirky” girl of the 70’s and early 80’s. Late last year I got jury duty and the paperwork said I was to report to ROOM 222 of the Newport Beach Harbor Courthouse!! I thought that was pretty funny and eased the irritation of me getting jury duty ( AGAIN!!) it’s weird I get jury duty all the time - from dmv records and voting registration - while I have friends who have never had jury duty.
I wanted to mention this to yesterday’s post but forgot: regarding the Snow White Wishing Well at Disneyland : that was designed and built for a sponsor : The Variety Clubs of America. Under the direction of Harvey Gillet, the design on its fabrications drawings don’t even mention Snow White and that it’s look is to compliment the castle. It’s called the VARIETY CLUB WISHING WELL.... and the money WED knew was going to be tossed into that “wishing well” would go to that specific charity/organization. The proceeds still go to charities today but I’m not certain if Variety Clubs of America exists and gets it.
After the original Tom Sawyer island mill was demolished for Fantasmic .... and Disneyland felt shameful they did that , rebuilt the one there today. The interior pieces are parts of the original .... but the shell was built a new . When Pirates Lair infected Tom Sawyer Island it was renamed WILL TURNERS BLACKSMITH ... and is no longer Harpers Mill. I have a empty prop Harpers Mill flour burlap sack I got at a Disneyland property control sale for Disney employees back in the 90’s. The odd thing about re-theming the structure from a grist mill to a blacksmith shop is odd because the interior would be ill suited for any kind of blacksmithing work - and the structure probably would have caught fire if Will Turner tried!!
If I was on a rehab project for Tom Sawyer Island, I would Secretly remove the blacksmith sign off the mill and replace it with a sign that reads ROOM 222.
Very cute photos for today, thanks for sharing Sue! Those little girls couldn't take their eyes off M & M! I don't understand the puff of curly hair in the middle of the fist photo -- the person's head looks to be the size of the woman's hand. Mike Cozart, I get jury duty every year too like clockwork, and I even always have to actually report to the courthouse (only year I got cancelled was 2020). No fair! Happy Valentine's Day, Major and Junior Gorillas!
I am mortified. I meant "Thanks, iPad, for making Don Knotts possessive without asking me." Improper use of comma's to make plural's really drive's me nut's! Thank's for not calling me out on it, guy's!
Major: people supergluing their noses together sounds like a joke .... but I bet in the history of super glue I bet it’s happened at least once. As a model maker I have a slight fear of super glues.... I use them all the time and in many different viscosities ..... and sometimes with a ZIP KICKER that helps the super glue to instantly set ( it chemically heats the glue so before you accidentally glue something to your hand , you get burned first!). In the early 2000’s I was on a Rhein River Cruise .... we went up from Amsterdam , thru Germany and the Mosel River and into Switzerland. There was an Australian couple on the boat ... the wife was so nice and so friendly and out going ( she made me think of mrs roper ) her husband was such a grump! Anyway one morning at breakfast he came to the dining room with a giant cartoon like eye bandage and we found out the night before he went to put contact lens re-wetting drops in his eye and put in SUPERGLUE!!!! (?!?!?) why would those items even be together or mixed up!??? Anyway the ship’s doctor couldn’t do anything so when when docked at nite he was taken into a town for some minor surgery !! That freaked me out even more about using super glue!!!!
"Disney doesn't have any big name squirrel characters, do they?"
Well they did make a "True Life Adventure" movie in 1957 about a squirrel called Perri. Not really a character though. And Chip n'Dale are Chipmunks. Sort of squirrel like?
The one thing I remember from The Ghost and Mr. Chicken was the line "and they used Bon Ami!" The other thing I remember was the scene where Knotts is about to give a speech and all his speech papers blow away. That was funny.
I've also used many types of superglue (CA) in my model rocketry. I've also used Zip Kick. We call it "Porta Potty on a Warm Day."
Atta boy, Luther!
Tokyo, it would also be easier to tell the two apart if Mickey sported a mousestache.
Stu, now that you mention it, Rocket J. Squirrel doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, either. And Bullwinkle J. Moose? Ha! Actually, when you think about it, only about half of all cartoon characters have alliterative names; maybe less than half. Except Disney characters; seems like more than half of them do.
Major, I think you meant to say 'mouseturizer'.
Chuck, its one of my pet peeve's as well. ;-)
That last picture is so wonderful, the little girl framed by the two mice. I often miss a lot of detail on the iPad screen that comes out on the big monitor.
Major, I'm pretty sure that Dr. Goat was making a joke about his brain archive being destroyed in the flood of '68 and I was making a similar joke about my memory.
There was a big rain year in the winter of 68-69 and we were worried about our farm flooding. But I don't think this made many headlines outside of farming areas since mostly farms were affected.
The high water subsided without damage to our home and buildings, but we lost a lot of shallow rooted trees that basically drowned. We got out of the peach fruit business that year.
JG
DrGoat, thank you so much for the shout out about my Valentine's Day post!
Major and DrGoat, I should have specified that I had two comic books featuring Karen Valentine. One of them is a Room 222 comic book, and the other is a comic book adaptation of The North Avenue Irregulars.
JB, yes...a moustache on Mickey would also help us distinguish between him and Minnie.
Major, they did try to make Minnie "trendy" when they created an "eighties" look for her and gave her her own parade called "Totally Minnie!" Yeah....I know!
Awwww, is there anything sweeter than giant vermin in love?
KS, wow, so nice that they used to give roses to ladies at the main entrance! I’m sure that practice ended decades ago.
Mike Cozart, I have a friend who seems to be called up for jury duty every year. Meanwhile I can’t even remember the last time I received a summons. I don’t believe that I have EVER heard about the Variety Clubs of America and its tie to the Snow White Wishing Well. Or if I have, I have definitely forgotten it (which is very likely). I wonder what they mean by “Variety Clubs”? I also didn’t really know that the “mill” was actually Will Turner’s “Smithy”. Arg. Cool that you have that prop flour sack! I can only wish that YOU would be put in charge of re-theming TSI. I wonder how many people would even look twice at “Room 222”!
Chuck, hey, it’s OK, we all make mistakes. Well, not ME, but most people do, and I can sympathize.
Mike Cozart, I’ve seen Adam Savage (of Mythbusters fame) using the “kicker” for super glue. In fact, I am often surprised how often craftspeople use superglue, since it seems to me that it often is crumbly. Maybe I’m doing it wrong. Oh my gosh, just reading about somebody putting superglue in the EYES is horrible!!
Sunday Night, you are right about Perri, I forgot about him. Wart turned into a squirrel in “The Sword in the Stone”! I haven’t seen ANY of those Don Knotts movies since I was a kid, but I’d happily watch them now!
Stu29573, so I assume that the Zip Kick is odiferous??
Stu29573, it took me a second to get what you meant!
JB, when I was a kid, I was real dumb and often drew mustaches ABOVE the noses of my pie-faced humans. Like I said, real dumb. I think “Rocket J. Squirrel” is a pretty cool name! And yes, I am ashamed that I did not say “mouseturizer”!!
JG, well, there you go, I’ve been had. AGAIN! I still remember the year 2000 had big rains, and the local news channel had their “STORM WATCH 2000” feature. So many things can go wrong with farming, it’s kind of a miracle that anybody can make a go of it.
TokyoMagic!, AH, I see. I thought you meant that you had entire comic books devoted to Karen, sort of like those Bob Hope or Jerry Lewis comic books. I remember “Totally Minnie”, but I didn’t remember that they updated her look.
Melissa, I can’t think of anything!
JB and Major, I think that's a Kodak 110 instamatic. That was my mom's usual camera back then.
Ok so VARIETY CLUB is a children’s charity and is still active today : it was founded in 1927.
Yes... I got the Harpers Mill “blue Star flour” there was also smaller burlap bags for Harpers Corn Meal - I don’t know why I didn’t get one of those ... I think the flour sacks were 10.00 each - unused prop stock.
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