Two Beauties From July, 1964
I have two nice ones for you today, starting with this unusual interior from one of the Main Street shops. But which one? I think it might be from The Emporium, but am not certain. The tree with the face is pretty weird. Against the wall... hats galore! So... maybe this is from the Mad Hatter shop, which has been in at least two Main Street locations, and one Fantasyland location.
I never get tired of views looking into Tomorrowland - in this case from the edge of the Plaza. You've got posters, you've got flags from every State, you've got the Clock of the World, the Monsanto Hall of Chemistry, the Douglas Moonliner, a balloon bouquet, and even the Telstar satellite model above "America the Beautiful" to the left. Sorry, JG, only one trashcan.
16 comments:
Major-
My vote for the Mad Hatter shop is in Fantasyland. What say the 'experts'-??
And in the 2nd image - that's one mighty-fine sample of white plumage. Gary certainly isn't going to get lost wearing that hat-!
Thanks, Major.
That tree-with-a-face is gonna give me nightmares tonight. And why does it have white 'bark'? It's nice to see an interior shot of a shop though. They're as rare as... well, as rare as a white tree with a creepy face. Nice photo of the smiling lady, too. Wonder if she's a CM or a guest?
Even with all the good things you mentioned, Major, the star of the show is clearly "Gary"; the kid in the foreground. At least that's what his hat says. (Or maybe it's "Bary" with one "r"?) Red shirt (with Mickey patch), blue hat, giant white plume. Red, white, & blue... Gary is a very patriotic kid. Oh, and I think there is another trashcan in the picture. It's right above the obvious trashcan, on the far side of the Clock of the World.
I see that Nanook also thinks it's "Gary".
I wouldn't have guessed that the first photo was taken in Disneyland. That tree just doesn't look "Disney" to me. The second photo, on the other hand, couldn't be anywhere else but Disneyland! Thanks, Major.
Yes, that first one was taken in the Mad Hatter Shop in Fantasyland. The book, "Disneyland: The First Quarter Century," has a picture of Jack Benny mugging for the camera, in front of that tree.
JB, good question as to why the tree is white. Could it be from a Disney cartoon? There was that winter themed cartoon short.....what was it called? Maybe the tree is from that short?
The short that I was trying to think of is from Melody Time and it's called Once Upon A Winter Time, but I just watched it on YouTube, and there weren't any whit freaky nightmare-inducing trees with faces in it. Still, it might be inspired by another short segment titled Trees from the same film. There are some white snow-encrusted trees in that one.....sans the terrifying face, however.
Here's the Jack Benny pic I was talking about. In that 1980 book, it was very cropped, and you couldn't see that there was anyone else in the photo with him, or much of the background. This is the same pic, just uncropped:
Jack Benny in Fantasyland
My vote for the VFA is the woman in the left center of the second photo in the shiny olive & aqua dress with white shoes, purse, and sunglasses. Her outfit reminds me of my grandmothers and photos of my mother from the era.
That Mickey Mouse Club emblem on Gary's shirt looks like it might actually be a button. This would have been taken during the era when the Opera House was the "MMC Headquarters;" could this possibly have been given to kids who stopped by?
TM!, I love that Jack Benny photo.
Chuck, I agree with you about that being a button on the kid's shirt. I have one that's almost identical, from the 1970s. (The button on top is from the 1990s):
Mickey Mouse Club Pinback Buttons
Definitely the MAD HATTER , fantasyland . I’m not sure how long that faced tree remained … but I’ve seen interior shots from the early 70’s with it but the rest of the shop had at some point received a simple Alice in Wonderland Re-skinning before being demolished for the 1983 NEW FANTASYLAND.
I doubt that faced tree has any direct connection to any specific Disney film or cartoon ….. just a fantasy creation like giant toy ice cream trains , caricatures stand castles , and old west mine shafts that dispense corn chips .
Nanook, with all those hats, your vote makes sense. I’m a little disappointed that Gary’s ostrich plume is white, but oh well.
JB, yeah, that tree is kind of freaky, and not the thing you see in any other shop at Disneyland. I assume the woman is a guest. Gary is very patriotic, and particularly loves fife music. Because… well, he just does, OK? I think that Mickey Mouse Club thing is a pinback button, they made that same design for decades. And as I continue to read your comment, you said kind of the same thing I said about the tree!
TokyoMagic!, that Jack Benny, he thinks he’s so great, well I’m sick of it! I have that book, but haven’t looked at it in a very long time. I still remember buying it and carrying it around with me the rest of the day at the park, and wishing I’d picked it up on the way out. I have no theories about the tree, hopefully somebody else does.
TokyoMagic!, yeah, “Once Upon a Winter Time” doesn’t have any anthropomorphic trees, just Mary Blair “greeting card” style art. “Trees” also had no trees with faces! Oh, there’s Jack with that tree. He’s with his daughter Joan, who took over for Mary Livingston after Mary found herself paralyzed by stage fright.
Chuck, that woman certainly looks “put together”, like you she reminds me of my grandmother and ladies of that time, they had luncheons for the “Philharmonic Club”. Lots of smoking. Good thought re: the Mickey Mouse Club headquarters in the Opera House!
TokyoMagic!, I have one of those buttons too, and would bet that it is from the 1980s if not later! Mine has a white background, not the blue.
Mike Cozart, that tree is so creepy that I would be surprised if any Imagineer saved it to keep at their home! Thanks for the info about the shop.
Mike Cozart, I agree, I think the tree was just a fantasy element that evoked a general “cartoon vibe”, perhaps.
Major, thanks for noticing the trash can for me! Those original Tomorrowland cans have a sturdy “aircraft aluminum” look with lots of rivets. I think there might be a second can visible just above the first, at some distance behind.
Gary and his feathered hat win the sweepstakes today, I think. But the stylish ladies just behind him are runners-up.
The hat shop striped counter and sign seem very Disney, but I’m having a hard time with the fluorescent ceiling, which seems out of character for a themed location (except Tomorrowland again). I’ll accept the judgment that it is in the Park, but I would have guessed maybe in the Hotel shopping area or something like that.
Thanks for the pics today!
JG
The Telstar is just visible to the left.
And the Tree is Tangaroa’s Sister.
Actually, all trees have faces, but some are easier to see than others.
JG
I have very very strong memories of that tree: when I first saw it it was extremely familiar : along with the striped cabinetry behind. I don't have much more memories than "I remember that"....but I think she's kind of cool in a creepy way. The blue looking florescent lighting is kind of abominable. That is never a good thing anywhere. I'm glad LED's have evolved to a place where they don't look like an episode of "Frozen". Gary's feathered hat is perfect. I would like to wear that every day as "normal wear". It would certainly be attention grabbing. Not sure of the archival qualities of those ostrich feathers: perhaps there are few tucked away in closets somewhere. Doesn't seem like something you would throw away: but perhaps they just kind of melted into dust? Thanks Major for hat day '24.
JG, I think you’re right about that sneaky 2nd trashcan. Those cans were designed to withstand the rigors of re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. It’s hard to not give Gary first prize, he has a certain swagger. I think that fluorescent lighting was just the way things were done back then, I guess they figured most people don’t think about it that much (or they don’t look up).
JG, yes, I mention the Telstar satellite! “All trees have faces”, is that from a book? LOTR maybe?
Bu, I have no doubt that you have strong memories of that tree! I wonder if I saw it when I was a kid? Probably not, my parents wouldn’t have taken us into the Mad Hatter, we’d just want them to buy something. Fluorescent lighting has come a long way, I remember it often being greenish when I was a kid, it was very unpleasant. I’ll bet various bugs have devoured a lot of those ostrich feathers over the years, but I’d imagine that they are replaceable! Maybe not in bright pink or blue, but white? No problem.
Major, I can now see your comment on the Telstar, looking at my larger screen.
No, the "all trees' quote is just me being weird, but it's something I can imagine having read somewhere.
Thanks!
JG
There's something about the face in that tree that makes me think of the Madame puppet.
JG, oh man, if you were using your phone, well... I can't do anything on my phone! Or I avoid it, at any rate, because I don't like it. I guess I'm just an old fart. The "all trees" thing definitely sounds like a quote from something!
Dean Finder, the link goes to a dead site. Do you mean "Madame" from "Wayland and Madame"? I sure remember that "duo" from many game shows!
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