Randos, August 1967
Two photos from August 1967, but from different photographers. One was named Bob Thompson, the other was named Thom Bobson. What are the odds? Anyway, both of these qualify as Leftuggies™, because they are the only members of their clans.
First up, Main Street USA. Bustling with activity. I love seeing all the vertical signs as you look northward: The Upjohn Co.; Carnation Ice Cream; Sunkist Citrus House; and furthest away, the Coca Cola Refreshment Corner. Perhaps this photo was taken a few weeks earlier, there's a "4th of July" vibe with all of that bunting. The alien crossing the street is doing a fairly good impression of an actual human kid.
Now we're over at the Disneyland Hotel, our photographer (was it Thom? Or Bob?) was startled to see a genuine Monorail at the station. Mark II, don'tcha know. In the distance, snowdrifts of white oleanders soften the appearance of chain-link that surrounds the park and keeps out goblins.
14 comments:
You can always tell the alien kids from the real kids; their knee joints bend backwards, like this one here. Their metallic endoskeleton just doesn't work the same as ours. The cigar store Indian isn't fooled by him for a second.
Oh! I spotted another alien! The 'kid' in the white shirt and black cowboy hat, just behind the street-crossing alien. Note that they're both wearing similar cutoffs; a newbie mistake. Aliens never learn.
I spot three trashcans here.
It's easy to take the appearance of Main Street for granted, especially when you're there, anxious to get to all the attractions. But it's really quite a remarkable accomplishment.
That's a nice photo of the Monorail. Seeing it outside the Park makes it look even more futuristic somehow. Maybe because we're seeing it in real-life surroundings. Is that a smidgen of the Haunted Mansion (the cupola and a couple of chimneys) we see just under the Monorail's 'tail'?
Thanks for the Randos/Leftuggies, Major.
Oh, I forgot to mention it last night: Andrew has posted another trip report. This time: Disney California Adventure. As always, it's a good one!
Ashamed to admit I do not recall noticing that giant, three-dimensional, tile-covered mortar and pestle at the corner of the Upjohn Pharmacy. I remember people mentioning the “mortar & pestle,” but it somehow never quite registered. I take full responsibility for my actions and throw myself on the mercy of the Court.
Merican Irlines - my favorite way to ly.
JB, I believe that you have correctly identificated the smidgen. Well done!
Always loved the mortal & Pestle prop on the corner of Upjohn Pharmacy. I wonder where that prop is today. Anyone know?
Back in the day I used to go to the Sunkist Citrus House for a cup of orange juice and a donut before the morning rope drop commenced.
Great Main Street photo with lots of personal memories tied to this section of the street. Thanks, Major.
Photos of a free-range organic Main Street before it was polluted with artificial colors and flavors. Only 3 trash cans, but I’m still happy. Mom is resting her giant straw suitcase purse on the left one. The purse contains a linen embroidered hankie, a pack of Kleenex, cough drops, band aids, Vicks Vap-O-Rub, packets of Sweet-N-Low, a plastic spoon or two, wallet, checkbook, keys, sunglasses, power drill and bits, an imperial socket set with breaker bar and ratchet, and a soldering iron.
I fondly remember those generic signs at the Hotel Station, I wonder if that was an intentional design choice enforced on the vendors “Comply with the Hotel sign program”? Seems like all those airlines and rental car companies would want their logos and emblems displayed? Except National Airlines, clearly late to the party, and lucky to get a sign anywhere, even stuck on as an afterthought.
JG
I agree that Hotel signs or any signs for that matter must follow some general rules...I can see font and size...and perhaps a SMALL logo...but nothing flashy to detract from what people came the Monorail station for: TO RIDE A MONORAIL THAT GOES TO DISNEYLAND USA. I remember that all of the major airlines had satellite offices/ticket sales/etc. prior to the inter-webs. Of course, you also had your handy dandy travel agent to do all of that for you as well. I do miss the pomp and circumstance of getting trip tickets/maps/etc etc. in a nice vinyl packet with luggage tags and all the little extras to get excited about a trip. I travel several times a week, and I wouldn't call my state of mind "excited to go on a trip"....it's more "how long is my..or "will be my" commute today?" Little luggage tags would absolutely get me excited as it is alllll about the small things. The shops at the Disneyland Hotel: Disney owned "United National Operating Company" UNOCO. You Know Coh. Super glamourous name. Story goes that Dick Nunis and Jack Lindquist (or someone) were waiting for a flight between United Airlines and National Airlines....and the rest is history...Shopping at the Disneyland Hotel was fun and much less stressful than the park. The Tour Guide fashion shows were from UNOCO shops. My lovely travel professionals at the Walt Disney Travel Company were also there. Where did those luggage tags go? Those might be a "thing" now. Disney Charge was also accepted at UNOCO shops. Charge...not credit...you got your bill with your paycheck, and it was due in full payable at Cash Control. Not a credit card...if you didn't pay...they deducted it from your paycheck. At WDW at the time, I guess only executives were given the Mickey Charge, as people seemed to get nervous when I used it...at Disneyland...as long as you were a permanent employee..if you asked for it, you got it. Back to photos: that is quite the fanciful logo at the pharmacy. Very whimsical, and never noticed it before. Lot's going on in that photo. Lot's of people using the sidewalk. The road must be "lava". Not sure people stick to the sidewalk anymore. Guess you need curbs to have a sidewalk. "Ouch". For the few curbs left...people: PLEASE. Not everything and everywhere needs to be a ramp...some authenticity here, please! I miss the erector set monorail station and the entire erector set shopping plaza. I felt that it was architecturally significant enough to keep...if not in it's entirety, but give a "nod" to it with new architecture. The new Monorail station is...well...large. I'll leave it there. In a perfect world, you would recreate the Monorail Bar, and make that an amazing mezzanine. I love to spend other peoples money, or in the words of a co-worker..."um, bro...you don't even WAKE UP for less than a "G" Magic cost money. Thanks Major!
JB, yes, and walking with two legs rather than four is always a tricky adjustment. Some can pull it off better than others. There could easily be two or three more aliens in this shot, the only way to know for sure is to yell at them and see if they let their guard down. I recently saw somebody on Facebook wishing that they’d extended the Monorail to John Wayne Airport, which is a nice idea, but how would that work in an amusement park?? I guess they’d have to have a separate admission just for airport commutes? Thanks for the heads up on Andrew’s blog! And good eye on the Haunted Mansion cupola.
Chuck, hey, I miss lots of details all the time, so don’t feel too bad. And don’t blame yourself, blame kids and rock and roll, like I do.
K. Martinez, they displayed the Upjohn mortar and pestle lamp at a D23 Expo years ago, I saved some online photos of it, but I think I lost them in a recent computer disaster. Donuts keep being mentioned to me (Sue!), I’m fighting the urge to go buy some.
JG, it sounds like Mom’s purse is much like Mary Poppins’ carpet bag. It can hold everything and anything! I’m sure that the subdued signage at the Disneyland Hotel was a design choice. They didn’t want every shop to try to outdo the next with a bigger, crazier sign!
Bu, I have to wonder if any of the businesses tried to get Walt (or Jack Wrather) to change the rules just for them? “We’re paying good money to be a lessee!”. I was just doing some research on some of the Motels near Disneyland, and some of them had offices for TWA, or rental car agencies. Anything to set them apart from all the other little motels with heated kidney-shaped pools. I always am amazed at the frequent fliers who are so bored with airplane travel that they don’t even glance out the window. To me that’s part of the fun! But I guess if I did it three or four times a week, it really would get old. Hard to imagine though. I’ve never heard of UNOCO until now. I’ve seen luggage tags for the helicopters to and from LAX, though they are rare - not sure if I’ve ever seen any other type of Disneyland-related luggage tags. I agree, the mid-century vibe of the “erector set” architecture is charming, but as usual, there is a point when people just think it is old and crummy. Think of the jillions of beautiful buildings that have been torn down in the name of modernism.
@ JG-
"... an imperial socket set with breaker bar and ratchet..."
Man - that 'Mom' must be a pro - although she forgot to pack her set of Bristol spline wrenches. (Take that, Torx-!)
More fashion flash forward…black crew socks wouldn’t be a thang for decades, yet here they are.
MS
Maj, sorry to hear about Computer Disaster, those are the worst, yet you keep us amused daily, Herculean.
Also, completely agree about airplane windows…even though I just watched ‘Airplane 75’ last night as part of my recent Gloria Swanson studies…no matter how blasé I may get, the fact that we’re FLYING over familiar landscapes never goes by unappreciated by me upon takeoff. Heck, just clouds can be pretty exciting seen from within or above them. It’s the simple things that make the world go round, especially when like Myrna Loy or Jerry Stiller, there are plenty of cocktails involved.
Nanook, I guess I can’t ask Mom to work on my computer.
MS, I generally think of older men wearing black socks (with shorts), though not “crew socks” exactly. More like men’s hose, up to the knee. I always thought it looked silly! Yes this is my second computer disaster since starting the blog (with one or two less-serious events), it was a bad one. I lost hundreds and hundreds of scans, not to mention many hundreds of saved reference photos and other stuff.
Chuck, thanks for the (tentative) HM confirmation. "identificated" sounds like a synonym for "chewed".
JG, you left out the band saw and lathe.
Major, yeah but, if you yell, "Hey, you! Alien!", everybody would look in your direction. Oh wait, it would be reverse psychology, only us Earthlings would turn and look. The aliens, playing it cool, would not look. They would just continue walking their awkward walk, and whistling. Q.E.D.!
Nanook, you must be a 'toolhead'.
In an old Disneyland LINE was an article on UNOCO .. “ what is UNOCO …. A dancer at the Tahitian Terrace??? I remember ringing up employee gallery purchases …. And I have a recollection that UNOCO had a different discount than the 20% and 35% …… I think it may have only been 10% or 15% ….. but something stands out in my memory that they were discounted different than other Disney employees ….
I also remember that the discount was different...but the discount at certain shops (read: Emporium type products) was the same. Then there was some shift in the universe from some law that said "all employees despite rank should have the same discount" then it was flattened out. Before that, management got more than the worker-bee's like me. There must have been a "thing" as IS the thing in that part of the world...which is why during the '84 strike the line could come onto directly in front of the ticket booths...as it was "public access to private property". It was disturbing. As long as the "peacefully" picketed and did not harass guests they could do their thing. Some guests left due to their union affiliations and went back home...I understand, but a five year old with excitement may not feel the same. In addition to the picketers the press was swarming too. It was good news making for them. It waas kind of horrible and the yelling and screaming was disturbing ("peaceful") to work around. Chanting, etc. for the press. It was anything but peaceful, and cameras were out taking photos of those working. Cameras were also out at the employee entrance on Harbor taking photos of everyone coming in. Not a cute scene. Forever changed me.
BOB THOMPSON was the music - jingle writer ….. the creator of GO GO GOODYEAR!!
"Hello, fellow regular humans. Are you also enjoying land of Disney?Is the Walt available for interrogation?"
Were the vertical signs on Main Street also scaled slightly smaller at the end towards the castle than at the Town Square end to make the street seem longer, like tapering the width of the street?
I almost always go for the window seat. Humans have been around for 200,000 years, and that view of the Earth from high altitude has only been available for about 75 years. Incredible when you think about it. But then again, if I have to make a connection I'm sitting on the aisle so I can get out with my backpack before everyone tries o pull their Volkswagen-size pullmans down from the overhead compartments.
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