Spring Fling Items
Oh boy, vintage Disneyland paper ephemera, or VDPE! Not the greatest acronym, I admit; just don't think about it too much. I love any items having to do with the Spring Fling events, which ran from 1962 until 1974. Why? I just do. My first Spring Fling-related post was way back on November 2nd, 2008; you'll see a rare 1967 flyer for that year's event.
First up I have a flyer for the 1968 iteration, featuring a character wearing mouse ears who resembles Roy Williams - the Big Moosketeer himself. He's credited with coming up with the mouse ears, among other things!
Here's Roy, in case you didn't know what he looks like.
Spring Fling was largely about music all around the park, similar to the old Big Band and Dixieland at Disneyland events. Bobby Vee (with The Mustangs)! I'm mostly familiar with his song, "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes", but according to Wikipedia, he had 38 "Hot 100" chart hits, with 10 of those reaching the Top 20. You could see Disneyland stalwarts such as Bill Elliott, the Clara Ward Singers, The Royal Tahitians, and The Young Men From New Orleans. But you could also see The Moods, The Californians, and the Levee Loungers.
Oh boy, that '68 Mercury Montego looks like a honey. For all I know it was a lemon, you car nuts can tell me whether it was any good. Lots of other prizes were available, including a trip for two to Rapid City, South Dakota. THE DREAM! (Just kidding, Rapid City, I love you).
Next, I have two scans of a ticket from the 1963 Spring Fling event, courtesy of Lisa Sage, who kindly shared them with me, and gave me permission to share them with you. She saw my blog post featuring the flyer for that event, with those same silly rabbits. A $4 ticket is the equivalent of about $40 today - still a bargain with all of the goodies included.
Luckily, inclement weather was not an issue, the day had a high of 71º, with a low of 47º. I'll bet it was a fun time for all!
THANK YOU to Lisa Sage for sharing scans of her ticket!
14 comments:
Major-
Based on that drawing of Roy Williams, he clearly missed his calling as a prima ballerina-!
There's a nine-minute recording from WED containing a ton of early Disneyland promos, and included on it is the radio spot for the 2nd Annual Spring Fling [from 1963], with Paul Frees delivering the narration. Obviously, it has different performers providing the musical entertainment and different prizes - one of them being a party for 50 of your friends. (There's no specifics on a location or what the 'party' includes - not to mention...just how many 1960's teenagers had 50 friends-??
Thanks, Major.
That's um... a strange cover for the Spring Fling Program guide. I suppose that IS supposed to be Roy on the cover? I also suppose that he's some version of the Roman god, Bacchus?
"(except shooting galleries)" Well that settles it; I ain't goin' unless'n the shootin' galleries are free! [Ptui!.. JB spits tabacky juice into a spittoon.]
I was wondering why Rapid City, SD, until I read that it's for that Disney movie premier. I don't think I've seen that particular movie, and if I did, it didn't leave any impression on me as I don't remember anything about it. Although, now that I think about it, it may have been serialized in the newspaper's Sunday comics over many weeks.(?)
I like the ticket with the rabbits on it. Colorful, amusing, and eye-catching.
Thanks for sharing, Lisa. And thanks for the VD, Major. ;-)
Of course THE ONE AND ONLY ORIGINAL FAMILY BAND teamed up John Davidson and Lesslie Ann Warren again …. And it’s famous as the film Goldie Hawn ( The Giddy Girl) met her future husband Kurt Russel. Walter Brennen makes his last big screen appearance and Eddie Munster -Butch Patrick makes his first musical appearance . The musical was also Walt Disney Productions last feature film musical - until Pete’s Dragon … as musicals were quickly falling out of favor in the late 60’s as SWEET CHARITY, HELLO DOLLY and other big musicals were bankrupting the major studios.
The big dance number tune from FAMILY BAND ; “West of the Wide Missouri “ plays in the loading building for all the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attractions. The tune “Dakota” was recorded as well for big thunder , but was left off the final attraction soundtrack.
THE ORIGINAL FAMILY BAND film also is historic for Disneyland fans as it is the VERY FIRST film represented in the long line of Emporium Windows vignettes … however they were done in 1968 as painted wooden flat dioramas … as mechanical animated sciences would be be done till later.
@ MIKE-
"...as musicals were quickly falling out of favor in the late 60’s as SWEET CHARITY, HELLO DOLLY and other big musicals were bankrupting the major studios". Why leave out the real turkeys: Paint Your Wagon and Song of Norway.
Thanks Lisa and Major for posting these items. I’ve never heard of Spring Fling before. I’m not sure I would enjoy the music, but maybe the acts would draw crowds away from Pirates and Haunted Mansion. Maybe second prize is TWO trips to Rapid City?
JG
@ JG-
"Maybe second prize is TWO trips to Rapid City?" Ahhh - the classic comedic reference. Touché, sir-!
Nanook, 1963 seems kind of late in the game to be making Roy Williams references, but I guess the Mickey Mouse Club was in syndication by then, possibly reaching a whole new audience. I’ve heard that recording with the Paul Frees promos, I think it was on one of the officially-released CDs, or maybe it was from the old kiosks.
JB, I agree, of all the things to show for a Spring Fling event, how did they decide on THAT? No idea. The shooting galleries were always excepted because of the Geneva Convention. I wonder if that movie premier in Rapid City was the biggest thing they’d ever experienced? Hollywood movie stars! I assume Walt was there, but maybe not? I like those rabbits too.
Mike Cozart, I’ve never seen that movie, though it has been mentioned on various blogs (including TokyoMagic’s blog). I’ll bet that it isn’t on Disney Plus! I didn’t know that Kurt and Goldie (my close personal friends) met on that movie, in fact I did not know that Goldie was ever in a Disney film. “West of the Wide Missouri”, I’ll have to look that one up and see if it sounds familiar. Cool detail about the Emporium windows!
Nanook, “Song of Norway”, I first knew of that movie from a book with a title along the lines of “The 50 Worst Films of All Time”.
JG, you’ve heard of Spring Fling, I’ve mentioned it on my blog several times! You were just too busy playing Pokemon Go, admit it. I’ll bet it would have been fun to walk around the park in the evening and find various styles of live music in different venues, even if I didn’t necessarily want to stop and hear the entire performance.
Nanook, that is an oldie but a goodie.
I wouldn't mind a Spring Fling today with both silly and fantastical prizes. It was an interesting concept how you "win" these prizes: I would like to see the bell and the mechanics behind automating the turnstiles in the 60's, and photos of the bowl of plastic eggs...or the slips of paper that told you what prize you won. Fantastical prizes like cars are fantastic, but I wouldn't mind some "free candy" from the Candy Palace, or a box of oranges from Sunkist. Roy Williams as Bacchus: it's possible. Bacchus: named by the Romans, or Dionysus as originally named by the Greeks: the god of fertility, later the god of wine: often depicted along side grape vines and scantily clad others. As the Theatre of Dionysus is the documented origin of theatre as we know it today: in school we studied these things for months and months: later performing "The Greeks": which were more performance art than theatre: to us students anyway: and of course these are still performed today. An interesting rabbit hole for those interested. Roy Williams is the inventor of Mouse Ears, correct: as so goes the legend. Who knows what some of these legendary stories are: Roy Williams was certainly a big personality and also worthy of a rabbit hole or two. Thanks Major.
"Song of Norway": My lineage compels me to support it...but even with Mrs. Brady leading the cast: how did this film ever get green-lighted? I'm not sure even in Norway it was a bit hit: although: it was a big deal in Norway: probably due to the fact that movie theaters were only in a couple of cities, and only a few Norwegians actually got to see it. We didn't make the three hour trek to the nearest movie theatre however....perhaps if they premiered the movie like the "One and only original family band" in South Dakota: perhaps it would have done well. Lots of Norse blood in the Dakotas....
I've seen that "except shooting galleries" exception in other Disney offerings over the years. Just dug out a circa 1980 Disney News and some Magic Kingdom Club packages included then-exclusive Passports instead of ticket books, good for all attractions except you know what.
One suspects there was a fairy compelling reason to specifically mention that one exception. Obsessive shooters hogging the guns all day? Kids going deaf from the noise? The price of ammo? Did somebody get surly and/or lawyered up when cut off after an hour?
@ Bu-
I hate picking on Song of Norway but, well... you know. To add fuel to the fire, during the invitational premiere of the film, folks walked out. No kidding. (Or was it Paint Your Wagon-?) Either way it's not good - both titles opened in Los Angeles at the Cinerama Dome Theatre.
Bu, I wonder if crowds would care about having a lot of different musical acts around the park these days? Perhaps that would appeal to the locals who visit twice a week every week? The main thing is that the Disney folks would not want to pay all those musicians. Bowl of plastic eggs? Is that how they did things back then? I guess it’s as good as any way, at least they’d mix easily and they’re all uniform, so there’s no issue with grabbing a larger scrap of paper versus a smaller one. Roy Williams seemed like such a Disney devotee, and at some point he was “let go”, that must have been heartbreaking for him. I believe he worked at at least one other studio as a gag man before returning to Disney.
Bu, you don’t have to love “Song of Norway” just because you have Norwegian ancestry! There’s lots of German stuff I’d rather not be associated with. Obviously. I used to love to read about bad movies. “Golden Turkeys”, etc. And then I’d expect to laugh and laugh when I saw those movies, only to confirm that, yes, they are bad.
DBenson, the only thing I can think of is that the shooting galleries were cash-only, and maybe that complicated matters somehow. I know, it’s not much of a theory. I can’t believe that they’d care if there were trigger happy guests who spent quarters all day long, as long as the money was coming in.
Nanook, I’ve never subjected myself to “Song of Norway”, but I seem to remember that the Golden Turkey Awards mentioned Muki The Wonder Dog (probably have the name wrong). Muki, we hardly knew ye.
”I wonder if that movie premier in Rapid City was the biggest thing they’d ever experienced?”
Um, probably not.
Lisa, thank you so much for sharing your ticket scans! Did you go to the Spring Fling? I hope so, as it would be fun to hear all about it.
I must say I LOVE that cute little Mickey-Mouse-eared guy with a silly spring in his step! But I have sooo many questions about that brochure [that nobody answered in today's comments]....
1. "Hertz Chauffeur-driven 1968 Continental Limousine for 10 Days"--Is a chauffeur included? Wouldn't this get REALLY embarrassing after a couple days??
2. "GE Electric Clothes Brushes"--
WHAT is that? and WHY?
3. "No purchase necessary to win."--
HOW is that possible? Don't you have to pay to get in?
I also LOVE the instructions under the "Prize Procedure"....
"...a bell will ring at intervals throughout the evening. If a guest is entering the turnstile when the bell rings, he is declared a prize winner. (Entering the turnstile is defined as ready to push the bar, AFTER it has tallied for the person ahead.)"
I can picture how this would go: EVERYONE would hesitate for a few extra seconds, trying to be the next winner. Lines would move EXTRA slow, all evening.
Thanks, Major and Lisa. Fun stuff!
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