I have just a few scans left from a lot from August, 1960, and I can't really make much of a theme out of these orts, but that's OK. Orts are orts! To quote Kipling (Scott Kipling, my best friend in the third grade).
Here's a nice-but-standard look at the Sub Lagoon, with blue-green water that the Ty-D-Bol Man would enjoy. "There's no maelstrom's today! Aaaar!". That's how he talks. I can't quite read the name of the submarine, I think it might say "Abe Vigoda". The saltiest sailor that ever pooped a deck! Screechy the Iggle says "bonjour" to the passing blue Monorail. Hey, look! There are merms to the right!
When you think about it, cowboys were the sailors of the West. I think this large crowd has gathered in front of the Shooting Gallery in Frontierland. I'm not sure what is going on exactly, it looks like there was a gunfight (smoke from the six-shooter still lingers), and some kids covered their ears to protect them from the loud BANG. One fella seems to be greeting the guests, while another seems to be pointing his gun at his back? Is this a Shakespearean betrayal?? If so, kids love shooting and betrayal based on their smiles.
Major-
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite 'kid poses' is when ears are being plugged using one's fingers. In this shot we get two [perhaps three] for the price of one. OSHA alert for the girl-? standing on Dad's-? shoulders supporting herself on one of the log roof rafters.
Thanks, Major.
Y'know... you could've made ortmeal out of these slides. But being the generous Major that you aaaar (had to continue the pirate theme), you posted them here for us to see, instead! And we all know how tasty ortmeal is, especially with raisins or dates. You sacrifice so much for us!
ReplyDeleteWow, I didn't realize that Screechy was a French iggle. What is that red and white flag that looks like it's sticking on top the flank of the Matterhorn? Is it on top the carousel? Or Fan 1? If it wasn't for it being a little blurry, this would be a really nice picture.
I'm not sure what's happening in the second photo. That cloud of smoke means that one or more guns have just fired, within the last five seconds or so. Yet the cowboys don't seem to be reacting to it. The guy closest to us is casually holding his gun in his left hand. Maybe he has a gun in both hands?
That's an interesting hat the kid (in white shorts) has on: black with a gold band and a red feather(or something). He is also wearing... PINK socks!... But I won't judge. At the back of the crowd, on the right, that lady is wearing a hat with a plate of spaghetti on top. Or maybe it's a Caesar salad.
Interesting pics, Major. Thanks.
Nanook, my eyes went right to that girl, who is literally "hanging from the rafters." And it looks like the last row of people on the far right, might have been standing on the railing that ran along that plank walkway in front of the shooting gallery. I wonder if Walt ever observed people doing things like that, and if so, if he ever told them to shape up or else they would be ejected from his park. I hope he was really mean to people like that. I hope he also picked up trash from the ground, and ran after the people who discarded it, saying "Excuse me! Excuse me! You dropped this!"
ReplyDeleteThanks you, Major!
JB, Screechy is actually Canadian. His bilingual skills come in handy south of the border.
ReplyDeleteNever noticed that little flag on the Matterhorn before. It almost looks like the flag on top of some switch stands, but I don’t think there’s a switch there on the track. Hmmm…
Thanks, Major!
That red flag is actually on top of the steeple, above the load building/chalet for the Matterhorn. See here:
ReplyDeleteGorillas Don't Blog - January 22, 2015
Hmmmm, I must have done something wrong when typing the link. Try this one:
ReplyDeleteGorillas Don't Blog - January 22, 2015
Ah... the Sub Lagoon mermaid era. That makes the photo above average.
ReplyDeleteThe gunslinger was probably showing his gun to the kids when... whoops!
At Disneyland or Knotts, when the western gun fights started I plugged my ears too.
Ten points to Griffyndor for using the word “ort”. (Golf clap).
ReplyDeletePhoto 1 really has it all, Ty-d-bowl blue, mermaids, blue monorail, red Autopia car, and the Abe Vigoda, surely my favorite of the Disneyland fleet.
The gunslingers really have a good crowd, an opportunity for character study. Just your normal, wholesome, blood-thirsty crowd of theme park guests, waiting for one of the players to make an error and be converted to orts before their eyes.
Just great stuff today, the dialog is on point. Thank you!
JG
Nanook, you can see several kids somehow propped up on those columns, it was such a good idea that everybody had to do it!
ReplyDeleteJB, I like ortmeal with brown sugar on it, and maybe a glug of half-and-half. Yum! You don’t have to be French to speak French, but I did see Screechy wearing a beret once, so…! I think that flag is the one on top of the Matterhorn Chalet. And like you, I’m really not sure what is going on in that second photo; you’d expect at least one dead body on the ground after gunfire. It’s a mystery!
TokyoMagic!, Walt had John Hench beat people up for him. After all, he had an image to protect. But John Hench was a raging ball of fury! He once punched a man for sneezing. “WHAT DID YOU CALL ME??”. “I just sneezed, sir!”. “Well, don’t do it again!”.
Chuck, Canadian, eh? (See what I did there?). That little flag is the greatest little flag I ever saw and I wish it was my best friend.
TokyoMagic!, yes, that’s the one I mentioned to JB! Thanks TM.
Grant, I wish I’d seen the mermaids in the Sub Lagoon. Maybe I did, but if so it was when I was so young that girls were still yucky. The last time I saw a train holdup at Knott’s, the gun firing the blank was SO darn loud, I must have jumped a foot in my seat.
JG, I studied ort in school, so I know all about it. Modern Ort, Pop Ort, you name it. The Abe Vigoda was known as the “lucky sub”, it just had a certain quality. You don’t see many photos of gunfights in Disneyland, so I was happy to find this one, even though it’s not the greatest pic in the world.
Windwagon Smith made a case for the prairie being like an ocean, so of course cowboys would be like sailors.
ReplyDeleteA brown Matterhorn for sure...I think I like how the Matterhorn evolved into a steely-granite snowy peak...however, I will say that the brown Matterhorn actually reads "larger" for some reason...just goes to show you that mountains have scale. Didn't know Screechy was Canadian, but now it explains it all! No offense to Canadians as I thoroughly enjoy working and living in Canada when I had to. For those who don't know a "Nanaimo Bar"....I highly recommend that if you ever happenstance upon one, you must indulge. I don't think I've ever seen one in an American bakery. Also, when in Canada, check out your neighborhood "Loony" store....which has very little to do with being crazy. Speaking of crazy: the guy getting shot doesn't really seem very "bad guy" to me....perhaps they were both bad guys? They kind of look like your neighbors from Yorba Linda- and perhaps they were! I'm not a fan of loud noises like blank shots and such: so I would very much be plugging my ears too. Looks like all the people are REALLY enjoying it...which is kind of morbid really...like the public hangings at Knotts Scary Farm...and don't they "burn witches" in Salem Mass during Halloween? If you need me, I'll be in Storybookland where none of this is nearby, and the world is full of rainbows and MERMAIDS! Speaking of: I'm not sure if Walt is the one who said "...and we should have mermaids out there on the rocks...waving to people!". and clearly those platform corals were built for such purpose. The two official stories we had were: The employees suffered from green hair from the chlorine....or...the more popular: all the sailors that came into the Park (and there were many back then given that Long Beach and other military bases were close by) would be whistling and hooting and hollering...and some tried to swim over to them. That one actually makes more sense than green hair. I honestly don't think they would care if the ladies got green hair or not. But a bunch of jabronies cat calling...seems unsavory for a family Park. I'm surprised they don't shove Ariel and Sebastian out there for a paid meet and greet/photo op in today's world. Question of the day: where was the Rivers of America pumped out to in WDW?....and when they drain the sub lagoon: were does it go? I probably should know all that....thanks Major for the thought provoking post today.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see the rafter girl because I was staring intently at Wayne Newton in the front row. Judging from the smoke I think the gunslinger shot himself in the foot. He's being more calm about it than I would.
ReplyDeleteCertainly, extra points for the mermaids.
Every photo with Monorails is a good one, especially combined with the Abe Vigoda. They are RARELY seen together.
Danke Schone, Major
Zach
You know, it makes sense that they would name one of the subs the Abe Vigoda. For decades, most US Navy subs were named after Fish.
ReplyDelete^ Har!
ReplyDeleteBu, I sort of like the original dark gray Matterhorn - I understand why it was eventually lightened (for that “aerial perspective” effect), but there was something impressive and massive. To me, anyway. Canadians - who doesn’t like Canadians? Well, certain nut jobs that we are stuck with, sadly. I’ve never heard of a Nanaimo Bar, but I’ll bet it has creamy nougat. Remember how loud the pistols used to be on the Jungle Cruise? The blanks have been reduced to something slightly louder than an old cap gun, but I’m OK with it. I have no idea if they do a witch burning in Salem, that seems to be in pretty bad taste, considering that the women who were killed were probably just a little odd, or they just got on somebody’s bad side. I have no doubt that at least a few guys jumped into the Sub lagoon for the mermaids, but that can’t have happened that often, right? I’d never heard about the hooting and hollering, but boys will be boys. I’m sure the chlorine was intense, and yes, I’ve heard about the green hair. It would look fashionable now.
ReplyDeletezach, Wayne Newton, such an odd personality. I love the story of how he confronted Johnny Carson after years of jokes at Wayne’s expense, and by then WN had become a karate expert. Or something. Why can’t all movies have Abe Vigoda?
Chuck, YES!
zach, don’t encourage him (though I realize that I did too).
"who doesn’t like Canadians? Well, certain nut jobs that we are stuck with, sadly.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Major. (Though I have no idea who you are referring to.) ;-)