Sunday Snoozles
Here's a trio of Snoozles from July 1964, from some murky 126-format slides. They all feature the Disneyland Band, and that's not a bad thing. They're marching up past the Wurlitzer store. Folks in the background have stopped to watch, most of them looking rather serious, including the fellow with the pink ostrich feather in his hat.
It occurs to me that many of these band members look a lot younger than I might otherwise imagine. Were there different Disneyland Bands depending on the day, or shift? Dorothy Gish is appearing in a movie at the Main Street Cinema.
The woman in white (to the left) is a real marching band groupie, she'll follow these guys all over the country. Well, up and down Main Street, anyway (and maybe even over to the Mark Twain). If one of the trumpet players catches her eye, she'll give them a wink that will make them blush.
24 comments:
Major-
"The woman in white (to the left) is a real marching band groupie..."
I wonder if in another 20 years, or so, this lady became a Rod Miller groupie-??
Thanks, Major.
I sure hope that Disneyland's marching bands weren't required to handle in-the-way-tourists the same way that the Queen's marching guards handle in-the-way-tourists. Sort-of like THIS!
Thanks, Major, for more Snoozle scans....
"and FORWAAAARD...MARCH!"
^ or sort-of like THIS!
You can't get any more serious than having a big fluffy pink ostrich feather in your hat, I always say.
Something about the light and shadow makes these photos look like a real street in a real town.
In the 2nd photo, Major, that's not the Wurlitzer building; it's the Howitzer building. I mean, really, who's gonna buy a big ol' theatre organ at Disneyland? But cannons... that's different! It'd be easy to wheel it around the Park all day 'til it's time to go home. And it would come in handy to fend off any Killer Swans or AEDs. (Now we know how The Dent got there!)
Sue, those guards would have been taken more seriously if they had fluffy pink ostrich feathers stuck in their fluffy black bearskin hats.
A nice set of Snoozles, Major.
I don't think I've heard of Dorothy Gish before. I'm going to assume that she was the sister of Lillian Gish and Gilligan Gish?
Thanks, Major! And a very happy Snoozle Sunday, to all!
Sue, that's pretty rough, but at the same time, you really should be aware of your surroundings at all time. I'd be willing to bet that those clueless people were American tourists.
That would be funny if the DL marching band was told not to take any detours, no matter who or what was in their way. I remember in high school, the members of the marching band were instructed that when they were in a parade, and passing through the "judging zone," they were not to miss a single step, even if it meant stepping in a big pile of horse do-do. I was a school mascot, and I don't remember stepping in anything like that, or knocking down any of the viewers who wandered onto the parade route.
^ ...Said the infamous Christmas tree who got snagged and tethered to the Main Street trolley rail...
;oP
Hey, TM! You also forgot their other sister, Trish.
"Sue, those guards would have been taken more seriously if they had fluffy pink ostrich feathers stuck in their fluffy black bearskin hats."
JB, I tend to agree. To be honest, it's hard to get intimidated by a guard that looks like a combo-toy-soldier-fluffy-teddy-bear-doll. But what do you expect from people who don't know the difference between soccer and football. (I can make fun of them, because I am one of them - in part.)
;o)
Hey, TM! You also forgot their other sister, Trish.
Sue, ha ha! That's a better name! And yeah, I never knocked down anyone in a parade, at Disneyland, or as the school mascot, but while I was "stuck" in those streetcar tracks on Main St., I did almost get run over by Santa!
I don't think I've told this story before......my high school's marching band performed at Disneyland every year, and would get to march down the entire parade route. As the mascots, we were told that we could join the band, but there was one problem. It was a long standing tradition, that the identities of the mascots be kept a secret until the end of the school year. For various city parades, this wasn't a problem because we would just drive ourselves to the parade route, park in the neighborhood, put our "heads" on, and then join our school's band at the start of the parade. But for the Disneyland parade, we were told that we would not be able to drive ourselves to Disneyland, and that we would have to travel on the bus with the band. We decide that we weren't willing to break tradition, and reveal our identities to the entire band. We also knew that we couldn't "stay in costume" for the entire bus ride there, and the bus ride home. Plus, there was time set aside for the band members to just hang out and enjoy the park. It just would not have worked out. Oh well, it was my senior year and I was already performing in the Christmas parade at Disneyland that year, so that pretty much made up for it.
"The woman in white (to the left) is a real marching band groupie, she'll follow these guys all over the country. Well, up and down Main Street, anyway (and maybe even over to the Mark Twain)."
Like that time I stalked the Dapper Dans all over the Magic Kingdom.
Nanook, in a way, aren’t we ALL Rod Miller groupies?
Lou and Sue, I kind of love that they just marched as if that guy didn’t exist!
Lou and Sue, that lady crossed the line. Literally!
JB, if a Presidential candidate wore a hat with a big pink ostrich feather, he/she would get my vote. Issues be damned! Howitzers are cool, I can’t help thinking of the endless WWII movies I’ve seen with those mighty weapons. You could fill one with confetti for civilian use (though it still would need to make the ground tremble). Why not dye the bearskin hats all kinds of colors? Black is so dreary.
TokyoMagic!, Gilligan Gish??
TokyoMagic!, I’m afraid I agree, the people who were being annoying were likely from the U.S. However I was very surprised to hear an interview with Sir Ben Kingsley, and he described American’s as “so very polite”, which was nice - and different. I think I’d have a hard time stepping in horse doo-doo, if I saw that it was imminent. Time to do my famous hippity-hop!
Lou and Sue, Trish was the only one who didn’t act. She had a bakery, “Trish’s Knishes”.
Lou and Sue, I assume that the Royal Guards not that cuddly, in spite of their fluffy hats. They would be much more intimidating if they wore Keppy Kaps.
TokyoMagic!, I picture you waking up in a cold sweat, traumatized by your near-death experience with Santa. “Jolly old elf” my foot! I wonder why the mascots were supposed to be anonymous? Surely many people knew your identity? You know, the paparazzi and all. Did you get any interesting reactions from people who learned that YOU were one of the mascots?
Melissa, I can imagine the Dapper Dans… “There she is again!”!!
Trish Gish....the "hidden" Gish sister. She worked the candy counter at Macy's whilst the other two sisters did the "The Movie Game". I read something this morning about Dorothy Gish, who was dragged 40ft down Hollywood Blvd, by a fellow who was "also in the "movie game" (the presses words, not mine). I think in 100 years, our language will be examined quite a bit, as it has evolved with speaking in emoji, and WN. That stands for "what not", but you say "double yew En", because that is easier. I actually I think I'm the only one left that says "what not". In any case: lets talk about white pants, and white blouse, and I am very much hoping this photo was taken before Labor Day...for a lot of reasons...the band is also wearing white shoes. Just saying. When I wake up every morning looking to buy a piano or giant movie house organ, I think "let's go to Disneyland!" I don't think anyone says "movie house" anymore either...not sure what people say...seems like the last picture I saw was a Dorothy Gish number. There are "model type" illustrations in the Wurlitzer windows...any thoughts? Bring back the feather hats. You can still buy Ostrich Feathers. I'm not sure if it's PC. Doesn't seem like it...maybe it's too expensive? But $1000 mouse ears are cheap? I'm not understanding. I'm going to make my own feather hat and wear it proudly. Apparently, you can get fire retardant feathers as well. I looked it up. The Queen's Guard. Don't mess with them. You are in the way...not: they are in your way. I'm sure the Disneyland band had to make adjustments...even if "lady in white" is so very close. I would have an issue with that. Personal space especially while playing a musical instrument is important. Rod Miller groupies: It IS a thing, and it WAS a thing. I think it's still a thing. I suppose you don't have to be George, Ringo..."and the rest" (that's what we say on Gilligans Island) to have groupies. Is a groupie just a small baby grouper? Thank for the misty Sunday photos!
I forgot to mention that the band would get "points taken off" if a member was out of step for any reason, while they were marching through the "judging area." A lot of the parade appearances for the band were part of a state-wide band competition. As mascots, we were reminded before the parades to be sure and get out of the street and up onto the sidewalk before entering the judging zone, and to walk behind the judges' table. We weren't involved in the competition part of the parades, but the school's drill team and "tall flag" carriers were.
I wonder why the mascots were supposed to be anonymous? Surely many people knew your identity? You know, the paparazzi and all. Did you get any interesting reactions from people who learned that YOU were one of the mascots?
Major, it was just a school tradition that had been around for many years. Personally, I didn't tell a single soul! But I know my fellow mascots (there were four of us) told some of their friends all of our identities, so some people did know. They revealed who the mascots were at the last school assembly of the year, and we were called up on stage to receive a special pendant/medal. My best friend (since junior high), was a little bent out of shape that I didn't tell him, but he got over it. I probably would have told him, but I knew that he would have at least told his sister (who was also at our school), and she had the BIGGEST mouth on campus! For me, it was actually fun keeping the secret.
I can’t help it, marching bands bore me stiff. I wouldn’t interfere with one though. In fact, I would go out of my way to avoid one. Maybe this is linked to my pathological distaste for baseball, and most other sports as well.
Tokyo, those are fascinating stories, thank you! My school was too small to have a marching band, barely had a band at all. Our mascots didn’t wear outfits like you describe, they were pretty girls with different outfits than the cheerleaders, that’s all.
Sue, have you seen what happens to people who attempt to interfere with the Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in DC? It isn’t pretty.
Yes, the Main Street of this era looked real, and I can spot only one trash can through the mob.
Thanks Major!
JG
JG, my school was also too small for a marching band. We used to joke that by the time they got halfway through the first song they'd have marched out of town.
@ TM!-
"As the mascots, we were told that we could join the band, but there was one problem. It was a long standing tradition, that the identities of the mascots be kept a secret until the end of the school year. "...They revealed who the mascots were at the last school assembly of the year, and we were called up on stage to receive a special pendant/medal". Ahhh - another piece of the puzzle.
I'm assuming this "special pendant/medal" is in the shape of a large, white oval-??
Bu, I think that (somehow) I wound up with an old OLD issue of “Photoplay” magazine - from the 1920s - that has Dorothy Gish on the cover. It’s fascinating to read about old Hollywood, and funny to see the brief reviews that already sound tired of many movie tropes. I’m sorry Dorothy was dragged 40 ft down Hollywood Boulevard, but what can you expect from those crazy actors? I doubt anybody says “movie house”, but I remember my dad still sometimes called movies “flickers”, which seemed so funny to me. Are we going to see the latest Charley Chase comedy? There was an ostrich farm in our town when we first moved there back in the 1970s. A camel farm too. Those went away rather quickly, I wish I’d had the foresight to take photos. Fire retardant feathers? I’ll build a home out of them! I have no doubt that the Disneyland Band had to err on the side of “the guest is always right”, no matter how obnoxious they were.
TokyoMagic!, let them take points off, I’m not stepping in a steaming pile of horse poop. A true visionary band leader would have seen the offending pile, and used a secret hand signal so that EVERYONE in the band did the same hippity-hop. Dung avoided, shoes clean, America happy. And no points to go on one’s permanent record. I’m stunned that even your best friend didn’t know that you were a mascot. The whole situation sounds like a potential episode of DeGrassi Junior High. A VERY SPECIAL EPISODE. “My mom is getting a divorce from my dad. I’m experimenting with drugs. There’s a bully in my class. And worst of all, you didn’t tell me that you are Winston the Woodchuck!”.
JG, while I’m not sure I’d want to watch hours and hours of marching band performances, I did go to the Tournament of Roses parade on year, which was practically the same thing. So many school bands! But it was OK. And I’m happy to see the Disneyland Band - less happy now that they are hip and crazy. Pretty girl mascots - a much better idea in my opinion. I can’t imagine anybody being crass enough to actually mess with the Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. What the heck??
Melissa, the “band” should have been one guy with a kazoo.
I too have been told by people of Hong Kong and the Netherlands that “Americans are very polite”…. But in all my travels in Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and Mainland China the most common comment I’ve heard about American’s is “ we are obsessed with tipping” infact in Hong Kong and China “the people of Los Angeles over tip” …, BTW the Chinese consider “Los Angles” the whole west end of the United States ….. names like San Diego … Anaheim … Seattle … Phoenix…. Las Vegas mean absolutely nothing to them …. The Germans think Americans are very friendly ironically many Americans think that about Germany. In a Rick Steves book - Europe Thru The Back Door - Germany ranked as the top euro nation for friendliness and helpfulness.
Lately I've been running into British people online who see L.A. in movies and come to the conclusion that we "don't have humidity in the States." As if I didn't live half a mile from a literal swamp.
Tokyo!, that's what I thought, too; those people standing in the parade route were probably clueless Americans. (Along with Major, it sounds like that's what most of us thought.)
Sue, yeah, I've always thought those bearskin hats were pretentious, sort of comical, hard to take seriously. At least the British guards aren't as comical as the Greek guards, with their pleated skirts and poofy balls on the toes of their shoes.
Tokyo! (again), you coulda just slapped one of your white ovals over your face and ridden the bus to Disneyland! Secret identity, retained! (Oops, Nanook did a 'white oval' joke too... oh well. What's done, is done. I write my comments using Major's premium e-Ink; non-deletable.)
Bu, I would assume that ostrich feathers are PC (or maybe Mac), since they molt them, like peacocks do. It's just a matter of going around and picking them up off the ground before they get ruined (or soiled).
Major, speaking of "flickers", most of my extensive (ha!) knowledge of old movies comes from the Fractured Flickers TV series with Hans Conreid as host. This was in the early 1960s. A Jay Ward production, it featured all the usual voice actors: Paul Frees, June Foray, and Bill Scott.
Mike, according to Terry-Thomas's character in "It's A Mad, Mad... World", "Americans are obsessed with bosoms!" (Or words to that effect.) But "tipping" works, too.
@ JB-
It goes like this...
"In all my time in this wretched, godforsaken country, the one thing that has appalled me most of all is this preposterous preoccupation with bosoms. Don't you realize they have become the dominant theme in American culture, in literature, advertising and all fields of entertainment and everything. I'll wager you anything you like, if American women stopped wearing brassieres, your whole national economy would collapse overnight".
I was going to add something here but I think Nanook's post will wrap-up today's comments... LOL
KS
Nanook. That was Epic. No more to say about anything else, ever. Goodnight.
I'm assuming this "special pendant/medal" is in the shape of a large, white oval-??
HA, HA! Nanook and all, I have to laugh at the "white oval" jokes! I know it's pretty ridiculous. With my current post, I've experimented with replacing "white ovals" with "googly eyes."
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