Main Street, September 1971
Hooray, it's Lou and Sue time! Photos by Lou Perry, scanned and shared with us by his daughter, Sue B. These are from a September, 1971 trip to Disneyland.
And hey! There's a young Sue, realizing that she could have had a V-8. Until she realized that it was a weird metallic-tasting tomato juice concoction. Then she decided on a Coke, like any red-blooded American kid. I like her sunglasses! We get a great look at classic Main Street, with no weird multi-colored bricks or baby-blue paint. Let's go watch "The Great Train Robbery" at the Main Street Cinema. I will try to not pass out when the cowboy fires his gun directly at the screen.
There's the All American College Band, performing around the flagpole in Town Square. Did they play traditional marching band tunes? Or more modern songs befitting those groovy guys? "Riders On the Storm"? "She's a Lady"? "Mr. Bojangles"??
We're still in Town Square, there's the College Band in the distance. I love the "just right" crowd here, adding color and energy to the scene. Let's grab some popcorn and ride the Horse Drawn Trolley up toward the Plaza!
THANK YOU, Lou and Sue!
19 comments:
Major-
There are some pretty Groovy clothes in that first image: the gent to the left of the Cigar Store Indian has some mighty far out striped pants with fabulous bell bottoms; and the gal to the right of the trash can has some - well, let's just say they appear to be one-of-a-kind - and NOT purchased at the One-of-a-Kind Shop in NOS-!
(Oh, Sue...)
Thanks, Major.
On Main Street: Major, when V-8 came in metal cans (like Hi-C) it did taste metallic. But now that it comes in plastic bottles the metallic taste is gone... but it tastes weird. As a kid, I think I only had one sip... and that was enough. Even today I still don't drink it but it does make a tasty, quick version of tomato soup. And it adds flavor and nutrition when you add some to just about any kind of homemade soup.
I think an oxygen atom just fell on little Sue's noggin. Those things hurt!
Following up on Nanook's fashion observations: Forget about trashcans, I count three (3) pairs of striped pants! (And two trashcans.)
Around the flagpole: My money's on the theme from Star Wars. Yeah, they were playin' it before John Williams even composed it. That's how cool and groovy these guys were. Best photo of a yellow Mouse-ear balloon we've seen here on GDB! (One trashcan.)
Still in Town Square: I think Bu told us what's inside that red box next to the popcorn wagon, but I can't remember what it was. I bet they're incubating baby churros in that box. They take 14 years to develop properly. That's why they cost so much, in Disneyland anyway.
There's one cannon. (And NO trashcans!)
Thank you Sue, and to your dad too. And Major, you too.
The first photo has so...much...muchness. Tweeny Sue. Nanook's aforementioned details. Stripes. Solids. Patterns. A dude who can't make up his mind and is wearing a patterned shirt with striped pants and horn-rimmed glasses and is apparently pulling a small-framed handgun (possibly a Walther PPK) from his belt holster. GAF. Hallmark. Burry's Coookies. The Carcinogen Shop. Patriotic bunting. A streetcar. All we're missing is a nun and a Servicemember in uniform.
I have only seen The Great Train Robbery once, and it was at the Main Street Cinema at the MK in 1979. I think my family spent at least 45 minutes in there, watching every single film being shown and quietly discussing them in our "library voices." There were maybe 10 people in there at the most at its most crowded.
I will admit I am weird - I miss the metallic taste of V-8, OJ, and grapefruit juice packed in steel cans with those adhesive pull tabs. It evokes a childhood memory of eating at the hot dog stand outside the Base Exchange (department store) at Travis AFB when I was 6 or 7. That was the only time we ever did that, which is probably why it stands out so much in my memory. The smell of a hot dog stand always takes me back.
In the background of the second and third photos, you can see the entrance to the garden seating at the Hills Brothers place. I hope that makes you smile, JG.
Blue babushka and rusty corduroy sighting in the third photo.
JB, the red box is a lead-lined uranium storage container for the nuclear-powered popcorn cart, allowing guests to "savor the challenge and promise (and buttery goodness) of the future."
Thanks so much, Lou & Sue. These are awesome.
Is this the oldest that we have seen Sue, here on GDB? Sue, please correct me if I'm wrong!
Sue, I'm guessing that you were upset, because you just found out that the Indian Village had closed for good.
In that second pic, it's kind of odd how the metal railing around the grass just ends abruptly, and standing in for it are some wonky stakes and wimpy rope.
Thank you for sharing these, Lou, Sue and the Major, too!
Sue with her hair reminds me a little of Suzanne Crough from "The Partridge Family". Nice pic with some groovy vibes.
Lou's photos have given me so much joy and evoke warm memories of my own visits to Disneyland. Always enjoy photos from the Lou & Sue team.
Thanks Lou & Sue and Major too!
Ah, wonderful L&S pics!
Sue is saying "Dad, get this angle. The Jr. Gorillas will really like it!"
Lou seldom knew what she was talking about at these moments... but fortunately, he listened.
The popcorn firing canon! The only sure way to fend off AEDs!
My goodness, L&S pics never disappoint.
Chuck, you’re right, I felt a twinge seeing the Hills Bros. sign. Might have been sciatica, but I think it was nostalgia. Thanks for thinking of me.
Remarkably light on trash cans today, but I’ll take the Cigar Store Indian in exchange. I wonder how long he has left, representing two forbidden notions these days.
Thanks Lou, Sue and Major!
JG
Aw, look at li'l Susie-Q, cute as a bug!
All those people across the street get the Vintage Fashion Award version of the Razzie.
Brass bands can't play Tom Jones songs - too big a risk of some girl throwing her underpants down the bell of the nearest tuba.
Well, that background of Hill Brothers caught my attention too. Hard to say but my first impression is that it was closed...or the garden was as I see it unoccupied. But that is only a sliver of it so I am probably wrong...the crowd look big enough to support it being open. September was the transition month and staffing would be reduced. Sue was cool in those shades. Stylish even at a young age. KS
Yep, TokyoMagic, this is probably the oldest (11 years old) I've been seen on GDB, so far. I think there are a couple more [very] nerdy pictures of me from this trip, that Major's posting in the future. It's fun to think that you're all now joining me on one of my favorite trips to Disneyland.
Ken M., I'm probably singing "Point Me in the Direction of Albuquerque!"
Thanks, all, for the nice comments. Will be back later.
Nanook, I predict that the look at the next Oscar will be striped pants with huge bell bottoms! And yes, I can’t quite figure out what’s going on with that woman’s pants - patchwork?
JB, my mom has taken to drinking V-8 lately, and when I first went to the store for her, I looked and looked for those little cans. I finally found the big plastic bottles! I’m not crazy about the taste, but it’s not bad, per se. Just not my thing. We used to like something called “Snap-E-Tom”, which was a tomato juice with some spicy heat to it. When we had colds, my mom would heat it up and serve it in a mug, which somehow seemed like the perfect thing. I’m not sure if Snap-E-Tom exists anymore. 1971 was definitely the era of striped pants, I know I had some right around that time, and I liked them! I had some with super fine stripes of many colors, it fascinated me. I think Bu said that the box contained popcorn boxes, extra oil, and long underwear.
Chuck, mixing patterns is a sign of elevated IQ! That’s why Einstein liked to wear loud plaids and polka dots. Just look at any photo of him, you’ll see. I do love seeing the classic Main Street shops and lessees, it’s comforting somehow. I saw The Great Train Robbery in a college film class. I didn’t take the class, I just sat in to watch free classic movies. Then I would take the tests with a fake name. I’m a li’l scamp! I’ve never been a fan of grapefruit juice, but we sure loved Hi-C and Hawaiian Punch, all in metal cans, the juice quickly acquired a strong metal taste right after you opened them (with the pointed end of a churchkey). I forgot to mention the nuclear-power stuff, but you forgot to mention the longjohns.
TokyoMagic!, I think you might be right, we’ve seen Sue as a toddler and as a four or five year old. And she was upset because GDB didn’t exist yet! Wonky stakes and wimpy rope, love it.
K. Martinez, jeez, how many people remember the name “Suzanne Crough”? I barely remember her character, since the younger kids were not exactly sizzling personalities. Let’s face it, we were all there for Danny and his wisecracks.
Stu29573, sometimes Sue would go into a trance and speak in a voice that was not hers. “There will be things called personal computers, and people will get on something called the Internet!”.
JG, seeing that Hills Bros. sign makes me wish I could go back in time so that I could steal a bunch of menus. Because I love to steal! Thievery is cool! I’ve seen a few Cigar Store Indians up for auction over the years, and they still look like new, not sure why they needed to be replaced.
Melissa, hey, in 1971 those people were the coolest! I’m wondering when women started throwing underpants at performers. Did it happen in ancient Greece?
KS, gosh, it’s hard for me to see what’s going on over at Hills Bros., you must have eaten your carrots to be able to see that it is closed. Guests stopped patronizing their store when they started selling liverwurst smoothies.
Lou and Sue, I think I need to find your email with the rest of the slides that I have not yet posted, I know there are some that are missing from my computer. So much to do and not enough time. Hey, what’s in Albuquerque anyway?
What's in Albuquerque? Evidently an intersection where you should have turned left.
Chuck, I knew somebody would go there! ;-)
‘Secret word of the day is…Groovy’, ahhhhh! And “Stripes”!!! Lots and lots and lots of Stripes.
I wonder if the other side of the marquee features Gloria Swanson? While reading her autobiography recently, I came to notice the movies actually changed quite a bit over the years at Main St. Cinema before going all Mickey. (Yes, I’ll fall down into any rabbit-hole Disneyland inspires.)
Cute shirt Sue. Nice wraparound flowers.
MS
Sue: do you remember this day?? The color of the film is amazing … like it was taken last month!!
Mike, I do remember a lot about this trip, as my dad and I were in California to visit my grandma (who lived in California). She had cancer and we knew it would probably be the last time we would see her—which it was. Going to Disneyland was definitely on the agenda, too, so we were able to have a lot of fun on this trip, then, also. I know I mentioned it before, but my dad was so much fun to travel with—he always turned everything into an adventure.
Sue
Mike, regarding the color...don’t forget that Major uses his magic on a lot of these images. Thanks to him, we have lots of good stuff to enjoy!
^ oops, that was me....
Sue
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