Frontierland Publicity Pix
Here's another batch of vintage publicity photos, shared with us by the Mysterious Benefactor! He's not as spooky as he sounds.
A band of scurvy pirates disguised as suburban nerds (what a great name for a band) looks hungrily at the Mark Twain, dreaming of seizing it for their own evil purposes. "We'll take it out on the high seas! Aaaar!", said the girl in the red velvet dress. Mom obviously thinks that it's a great idea, she has already knit eye patches for everyone.
If you build a fake rock, kids will climb it. "Gorilla's Law". That girl is at the top, because she is the most ruthless and bloodthirsty of all the children. Do you think she won't use nunchucks to repel the boys? Think again.
Well, it's pretty clear who's in charge now. Look at that girl, laughing scornfully! The boys (and one younger girl) are trying to put on brave faces.
We all remember the time when a pack of Newsies invaded Tom Sawyer Island. All of the regular guests who happened to be on the island were forced to read giant old-fashioned newspapers from front to back - even the comic strip "Momma" (by Mel). But it's OK because the Newsies then sang and danced their way into their hearts.
And finally - well, I already educated you about "Gorilla's Law". Those kids can't stay away! In this case they are climbing Castle Rock, I don't ever remember seeing it surrounded by trees as it is here, but then again, most photos that I have are 20 or 30 years older. I hope there are no Newsies at the top of Castle Rock.
THANK YOU, Mysterious Benefactor!
4 comments:
I dunno... anybody who goes by the name "Mysterious Benefactor" sounds pretty scary to me. And he never shows himself! Not in the daylight anyway. Maybe he's a vampire! *Svengoolie character*, "SILENCE! For it is I... Nostalgiaferatoo!" (It's Halloween season.)
1) Wow, almost everybody in the first image is clad in red velvet, or red something. The foreground girl has a baby sitting on her head. Does that mean she's babysitting?
2) That's an interesting shirt nunchucks girl is wearing. Sort of a jungley print. She should be in Adventureland, not Frontierland! I think the kid struggling to take her place is one of the Lost Boys from Peter Pan.
3) Scornfully laughing nunchucks girl: Evil. Pure EVIL! She is possessed by Pazuzu! Don't get too close to her or you'll have green bile spewed all over you.
4) The kid really does look like a Newsie. He must've sold all his papers and ditched his canvas bag. Major, your "Newsies" commentary made me laugh.
5) Like you said, so strange to see all those big trees crowding out Castle Rock. Maybe it only looks this treeful from this particular angle? Nice mix of light and shadow.
Today's Mysterious Benefactor pics were people-centric. Thanks, M.B.. And thanks, Major for a wittier than usual commentary.
The baby boy in the first pic is reaching out to pull his sister's braid. Or maybe he's attempting to push her in the water!
The rock in the second, third, and fourth pics, is "Merry-Go-Round Rock." In the second pic, you can see that kid at the bottom is trying to push the rock around. And in the third pic, you can see the kids sitting in the little "carved out" seats. There was also a "Teeter Totter Rock," but both of those features were removed because they ruin everything.
I wonder if "Newsies Kid" was screamed and yelled at by Christian Bale?
Thank you, Major and Mysterious Benefactor!
I envision the Mysterious Benefactor as resembling Humphrey Bogart in a worn Mac and fedora, passing you photos in a maroon leather folio in a foggy back alley in Oxnard. We are forever in his debt.
Our daughter had a red velvet dress much like the little girl in photo 1, and about the same era. Mrs. G resembled Mom in that photo too. The MT should be equipped with missiles.
I loved Merry-Go-Round and Teeter-Totter Rocks, and also the fact that their plateau was an 8 foot drop with no railing, I once jumped down from that plateau to the ground. Rattled my teeth, but I survived. And yes, of all the magnificent things Disneyland once had, TSI was ruined the most.
Ugh, flat caps and Newsies, take them away!
You’re right, Major, I don’t recall Castle Rock in the midst of trees either, but this is a beautiful view.
Thank you Major and MB!
JG
JB, the Mysterious Benefactor is not scary, AS LONG as you do everything he demands! I’ve never watched Svengoolie, though I am aware of him. All the red clothing makes me think that the first picture was taken near Christmas, but there’s nothing else to back it up. I can’t really see “rock girl’s” shirt that well, I guess it does have a sort of “native” pattern to it. Pazuzu, you’ve got to get a less-silly name if you want to be scary! I’ve never actually seen “Newsies”, I don’t generally love musicals, and I can’t read, so it’s a double whammy for me. I do believe that Castle Rock had many trees near it, just like other features at Disneyland (Cascade Peak), I guess the slow growth of the trees sort of sneaks up on the maintenance staff until it’s too late.
TokyoMagic!, baby boys gotta do what they gotta do. Sis was nice, but she has to go. Somehow I thought that Merry-Go-Round Rock was wider and flatter, it’s an odd shape. I guess I confused it with Teeter-Totter Rock? I swear, most post-screaming interviews I’ve seen with Christian Bale show him acting very calm and nice as if he needs to prove that he’s not an insane jerk.
JG, the MB’s appearance changes regularly, one day he’ll look like The Fonz, the next day, Mad Max, and the day after that, maybe even Humphrey Bogart. His wardrobe expenses are through the roof. It does seem to me that I remember Sears catalogs with little girls wearing red velvet, so maybe you’re right, it was a fashion trend. It does feel pretty Christmasy to me though. Jumping down 8 feet sounds like ankle-breaking time, you’re lucky you just had your teeth rattled. I wish we could still climb Castle Rock!
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