Lotsa Twain
The Mark Twain photos from the Mysterious Benefactor continue. So many!
The first three are from a series showing a distracted cast member talking on the phone. To whom could he be speaking, and why? Admittedly the phone is authentic to Sam Clemens's era, so it's not that bad. The guy walking past looks guilty about something. I'm on to you, fella!
I wondered why they needed a little clock right at the turnstiles, but it looks like it says something like "Next Sailing At". So it's just for the Columbia?
It seems like it would be "bad show" to have a Mark Twain CM casually chatting on the phone like this, but what do I know? I'm just a simple nuclear physicist.
Dude! The cigarette! What. The. Heck? Things were lax back then, folks. I don't ever recall seeing a cast member with a cigarette in his mouth. I've seen photos of Stagecoach drivers chomping on a cigar, but somehow that doesn't seem as egregious.
We've seen a few other photos from this series of night shots, you can't miss the woman in white! THE WOMAN IN WHITE... she haunts my dreams. Philosphers and moonshiners have speculated that this was a Grad Nite, and I concur.
And finally, here's an unusual composition. The color is a bit off too, but we can pretend that it is Autumn and that the leaves have turned yellow.
THANK YOU, Mysterious Benefactor!
21 comments:
Major-
Isn't it obvious-? The CM is clearly saying: "... and hold the anchovies-!" I may have trouble falling asleep tonight after seeing that CM smoking 'on-stage'-! Just how bad was his nicotine withdrawal that he simply couldn't wait-??
Thanks to the MB and you.
It does appear that Mike was on the phone for quite a while. That is such a large phone.....and why does it have that really long piece of fusilli pasta hanging off of it?
That photo with the cigarette is from 1985, based on the "30th" name badge the cast member is wearing. I sure don't remember seeing any cast members in the seventies, eighties, or later, smoking out in plain view of the guests. At Six Flags Magic Mountain, sure, but not at Disneyland.
Yes, that night pic was most likely taken during Grad Nite, based on that red and white umbrella off in the distance. Those were used for backdrops for the photo ops with the Disney characters in their special "cap & gown" costumes.
Thank you, M.P. and M.B.!
Lotsa Twain. Marky Mark Twain's little sister.
Man, that Clemens-era phone sure has a BIG dial! And it has 12 digits! The finger holes around the perimeter look kinda confusing too.
Clock? Major, what clock? All I see is that phone with the huge dial.
The cigarette-smoking CM is named "Dave" (his nametag says so). And he's got his hands in his pockets!!! Someone call Disney RIGHT NOW and get this hooligan fired! I was going to mention his unbuttoned vest, but that seems to be the norm now.
Thanks, Major and the Mysterious Mr. B.
This past weekend I read the story about the CM who sank the Mark Twain on opening day. Though I'm sure lots of our knowledgeable Jr. Gorillas (Mike, TM!, Nanook, etc.) already know this story, I had never heard it, so I'll share it now--for any others who maybe never heard it before, either...
In 2005, CM Terry O'Brien admitted that he was the one responsible for sinking the MT, that first day in 1955. His assignment was to use a 'clicker' to count the guests as they entered the MT loading dock 'holding pen' before boarding, and to keep the number to 200 to 300, as no one, at that time, knew how many people the Mark Twain could/should hold. At the very first pen-loading [and counting], Terry got bored and started talking to guests and workers, while clicking and not paying attention to the count. Then that group boarded and sailed away, but ran into trouble while circling TSI. The MT sunk off the track and into the mud because there were too many people onboard. It took 20-30 minutes to get the MT back on the rail, and, as soon as it arrived back at the landing, everyone rushed to get off, tipping it into the water again, so all the folks had to wade into the water to get off. Terry's boss asked him how many guests he let on the boat, and he said (guessed) about 250; his boss then said it would be better to keep it at 200. After Terry later looked at the clicker in his pocket, it showed he had put 508 guests on. He never told anyone about the "508" until 2005.
Thanks MB and MP, for today's MT pictures.
Regarding that smoking CM, I SURE HOPE he quit smoking years ago...otherwise he probably isn't in the best of health, after all these years.
Could these, perhaps, be pictures of what NOT to do?
"Ok, class, can we spot why Dave was sent to the churro mines?"
Of course at Six Flags, the conversation was a little different.
"Ok, class, can we spot why Dave is now our CEO?"
Just a thought...
"Ok, class, can we spot why Dave is now our CEO?"
Because he smoked and cursed like a sailor, in front of our guests, and because his head was filled with absolutely horrible ideas for the park."
The smoking cast member Dave was channeling his hero, Walt Disney himself a heavy smoker. Addiction is a terrible thing.
I’m going to pretend that the CM is on the phone with Security, reporting the guy who is smoking, meanwhile the Guest boarding trying hard not to make eye contact is the real malefactor. I can do this because I’m in my pretend world and I can do that.
Seriously though, smoking guy looks like a real lout. Are we sure that wasn’t part of a Black Bart & Sheriff shoot-em-up show?
I like the Faux Fall shot, hold it up to a mirror and get the entire Mark Twain.
Sue, that is a great story. Somehow restores my faith in humanity, like the soft asphalt story. Disney wasn’t perfect in the beginning and Some Mistakes Were Made.
Thanks Major and MB. Major, I hope you see him often to tender our profuse thanks for these admittedly single-minded pictures.
JG
Nanook, I approve of holding the anchovies, but still, it seems “non-Disney” to have a prominent CM chatting on the phone! And yeah, that cigarette is surely something that even Walt (*cough cough*) would have pushed back on.
TokyoMagic!, maybe Mike was talking long distance. “Sure, I get in some hot water with the supervisor, but I save a ton of money!”. I was just thinking, I do remember one old black and white photo with an accordion player in Frontierland who was smoking, but that’s it, and I’ve shared over 10,000 photos. I assume that the Mark Twain was illuminated with a big spotlight for that one photo, blinding everyone on board.
JB, they needed big dials in the old west because sometimes they used their six shooters instead of their fingers. Anyone named “Dave” is probably mentally ill and should seek immediate medical intervention.
Lou and Sue, I’m not sure I’d heard that story of thte “sunken” Mark Twain before, or if I have, I’ve forgotten it (which is more likely). It is hard to imagine that steamboat holding over 500 people! I wonder how they got the Twain back on its rail? Was a diver required (presumably)? I hope they have a photo of Terry O’Brian on display with a big red X over his face.
Lou and Sue, wait, according to old ads, doctors recommend Chesterfields because they soothe the lungs!
Stu29573, Dave eventually changed his name to… Bob Iger! Maybe Dave got the girls, because he looked like such a bad boy?
TokyoMagic!, ha ha, you mean like Bob Iger??
K. Martinez, my brother quit, and then years later took up the habit again. I literally think he would rather die than try to quit again.
JG, that’s it! “Mike” doesn’t want to be a snitch, but rules are rules. Well, OK, he does want to be a snitch. I’d love to know how long our smoker worked at the park. Did he move up the ladder? Or was he a seasonal hire who was gone by the end of the Summer? I’ve always had my doubts about the soft asphalt story, it sounds like one of those Marty Sklar “never happened” legends. But you never know! I don’t see the MB often, but we do communicate now and then.
Sue, thanks for the floundering MT story; I hadn't heard it before.
I think Stu(numbers) might be on to something. The MB is curating photos that show us what NOT to do as a CM.
Major, Oh I totally agree. The "Daves" of the world are off their rocker, and should be avoided at all cost! ;-)
It looks like the Mark herself is puffing a big cig too, out in the moonlight.
I’m going with - Mike is on hold at guest relations, while trying to rat out Dave for smoking and his lazy pal for ignoring guests to the Mouse manager, who is also clearly flaking out today.
The Grad Nite giveaway is the young mans jacket and presumably tie.
So many great tales on this river, if they ever mess with it!…again.
MS
I know the story of the Mark Twain taking on sone water as guests would all run to one side or the other to see the sights the live narrator called out . I know water came up onto the lower deck sides …. But never heard anything about it coming off the rail or getting stuck in the mud… honestly I don’t see how that is possible … the guide rail is 4 feet off the surface … and to get the flat bottom boat of the Mark Twain in the mud would mean something pretty catastrophic had happened and I’m sure everyone would know about all the opening day deaths and drownings at Disneyland!! Lol. It sounds like the story of the water coming up into the listing boat deck has taking on a EPIC retelling by someone … as Wyatt Earp said regarding his real life experiences being portrayed in early film in the 1920’s “ YUP!! That’s exactly as it happened! ….. give or take a few lies”
Mike, welp, that CM was sort-of ‘up there in years’, so that may explain the story, too. Just wondering, how many people max would fit on the MT?
Sue
I do seem to remember KS saying that the boat would tip if the crowd rushed to exit and the deck would drop below the dock edge, but not going awash.
JG
Hi all! No I didn't die... although sometimes without access to GDB I feel as if I might have. OK, let me attempt to dispel some rumors here. What you very well are looking at is photographs used in a presentation around the concept of "Good Show/Bad Show." These Cast Members, Mike Gilbert (on the phone) & Dave McGinnis (smoking On Stage) were placed in staged positions which would then help trainees attending a Lead Development & Management Intern class to identify Good Show vs Bad Show. Being on the phone, turning your back to Guests, hands in pockets, and smoking on-stage were all considered... say it with me, "BAD SHOW!" Congratulations you passed the class. Go forth graduates and bring about Good Show to all you encounter.
Always your pal,
Amazon Bell
PS - Your last Mark Twain post on August 15, was excellent and starred Marty Gentry, Chris Seidman, and our own Columbia Cab'n Boy, Christopher Lamberth.
Hello, the original smoking Dave here. Thanks for that narrative Matt. I forgot that it was all in the name of bad examples. I vaguely recall that it was staged, because I remember lighting and then quickly putting out the cigarette so it would look more realistic.
I think that I'm talking to Chico in that photo.
(and yes, I quit smoking at least 20 years ago)
Matthew, it's great to know you're still with us! I've missed your comments; it's been a while. Glad you're back!
Smoking Dave, welcome aboard - it's great to hear from you...and I'm glad you quit smoking! Good show!
Sue
Hello Matt and Dave! Thanks for clearing up this mystery, we knew it had to be something like this. Dave, good for you for quitting! The Smoking Man should be only on X-Files.
JG
Matthew, thanks for chiming in and for the useful and fun info about those photos! It's kind of funny, looking at our reactions, and it turns out that the "behavior" of the CMs was *supposed* to be outrageous. Why don't you have access to GDB? And Smoking Dave, it's amazing to hear from somebody who is actually in one of these photos, thank you for your comment!
When I first glanced at these photos I'm wondering how I ever missed this post: I've been busy. These photos are SORCERY. Not with telephone calls and smoking: that's all normie. UNBUTTONED VESTS. RAMPANT AND PROLIFIC. WHAT IS GOING ON?! (I said to myself). After I pulled myself from the ceiling, the smoking (which of course you would never ever see) told me these are staged "don't do this at home" and I was right. When I rolled back the tape, I remember seeing this in a good show bad show video/slide show at some point. These infractions: like smoking on stage are exaggerations: let's see an overflowing trashcan...or props used in some Hunchback show/production used on the Columbia. Those are bad show too. Talking on the phone was normal: lightly "bad show". The guys hands in his pocket are more bad show than the phone. The POSTURE is bad show. Looking away from the guests is bad show. Attentive and on phone would actually be kind of acceptable. If your lead is calling you: you have to answer. I do remember smoking boy: Dave and the other one. Phone guy: no recollection. You didn't take many guests on the Mark Twain unless you were taking them to the wheel house, so we didn't have much interaction. What's odd about the Grad Night (or was it Grad Nite (?) photo is the open ODV umbrella in the distance all lit up...very odd...sticks out like a sore thumb. Maybe it was done to pick up the red on "white outfit girl without face"? The Mark Twain certainly is lit too. Perhaps those kids are also lit? I don't think they did breathalyzer tests before you entered the park. And these are probably employees? They would post these "opportunities" to be in photo shoots to get a button or a copy of the photo...to show up in the middle of the night....and I for one: did it too. Immortalized in Disneyland history. Since the unbuttoned vest thing seems to be more normal than not: can smoking Dave or another person weigh in on what were the stipulations where this was OK on stage? It all seems like a little thing...but it's all the details all together...and why did I have to keep my vest buttoned when others didn't? Even in ODV.....cooking popcorn on a hot day certainly is way more hot than hanging out on the Mark Twain in the shade talking on the phone and smoking. Thanks Major and MB.
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