A Pair From July 1962
Here are two pretty nice scans from some slides dated "July, 1962". Disneyland was seven years old!
A father poses with his two sons in front of the Sunkist Citrus House and the Penny Arcade - I wonder if there was a reason they took the photo there, or if it just felt like "as good a place as any"? Perhaps they'd had some olde-time fun in the Penny Arcade.
Next is this very fun photo of one of the happy sons returning to the Autopia load/unload area, with his cool Mark V vehicle, painted a pearlescent blue. A NASA guy stands safely on the curb because he values his feet and ankles. I love the joyful expression on the boy's face, and the many colorful cars in the distance.
13 comments:
Major-
After yesterday's cornucopia of dour faces, today's images are smiles a-plenty. Now, that's more like it-!
Thanks, Major.
This is good people-watching pic. Dad and sons look genuinely happy. Looks like there was a 'blue light special' on ostrich plume hats that day; we gots a blue one and a white one. The ladies on the right are looking down at something. I'm guessing horse biscuits. ;-p
Judging by the grin on Happy Son's face, I bet he went on the Autopia a second time! I cant decide which car color I like best; the "pearlescent blue" or the purple. The NASA guys look like the gas station attendants of that era. As soon as you drove up to the pump, they would dash out, ask how much gas you wanted, then clean your windshield and other windows, check the air presssure of all four tires, check oil pressure, and buff your chrome bumpers to a high shine. And just before you pulled away, they would give you a nice set of drinking glasses.
Nice pics, Major. Thanks.
^ One of our gas stations also handed-out an ‘envelope’ with a daisy sticker and daisy seeds. Oh!—and S&H green stamps, too!
JB: I'm not sure if the gas station guys in my time were exactly THESE guys...but they did do all of those things. In a "dock worker town" you really don't get the Orange County scrubbed NASA guys at the local Texaco. I will say that it's nice when traveling through New Jersey where they pump the gas for you, a law from the 40's. I remember some of my NJ pals sat a a pump near me while they chatted...waiting for the gas to be pumped....Me: "uh.....guys?...you want me to do it?" (they didn't go over the border much.) For Halloween, I will go as one of these NASA guys with the Disneyland logo patch. It's interesting that that patch didn't change...if at all still (?)...up into my time. I think it would be an easy costume....although I don't think anyone would get it unless an Autopia car was with you....and perhaps, not even then. Over to "A day with Dad" in front of "Bo Foster's, Sunkist Citrus House". Sunkist was such a staple and symbol of "typical California life"....with people in other parts of the world who watched the Rose Parade with its sunny winter Jan 1st morning on TV...thinking that us Californians just hung out on the beach, surfed, and drank Orange Juice....maybe that is a little true. I think I've mentioned Bo Foster before, who was the "Walt Disney" of Sunkist, working for Sam Pericone: who basically was "Sunkist". Bo was famous for his plaid trousers...a different (very) loud pair every day. I saw him pretty much every day, smoking his cigs on Main Street before the park opened. He was a passionate and very competitive company soft ball sponsor. You had to work in the park to be on a team, so he'd hire basically professional ball players (literally) to work a couple of days a month to "be cast members"...so that they could play on the team. The "Sunkist Super Jocks"....and yes...they had a logo that creative services designed, and yes....the name says it all. That is "GDB after dark" material, and I suppose it's just an article of clothing, but at the time, no one blinked an eye (I'll have to search for photos: I think the article of clothing had a smiley face on it like a character) , and of course Bo's team were always the champions, and of course the players were rewarded handsomely- or so the legend goes.... The sports teams in those Disneyland leagues were pretty hard core. I went to a couple of OTL games: (Over the Line)...a friend had a crush on one of the players...and being at the beach, well the girls were in bikini's and the guys in their trunks...that was another "Californian" thing...but we didn't drink orange juice....(more GBD After Dark). It was always a fun time at the beach with a bunch of very enthusiastic Disneyland employees. I went to a few soft ball games too...more friends with crushes....I manned the blender in bleachers for the margaritas, and was head cheerleader after a few nips and sips. I hope the tradition of sports teams still exists at the Park. The ethos of the Cast Activities team spirit...(formerly the DRC: Disneyland Recreation Club) was that the teams who worked together, played together...and it fostered a good working relationship inside the park..which translated to a "feel good" and friendly/family environment for guests. Perhaps that is the difference now, and back then the family spirit was quite visceral. (despite hangovers and such) Possibly today that's considered an HR issue. Well....lawyers seem to be the heartbeat of TRE in many instances....and I'll leave my memories intact in a TRE-free environment. Thanks Major for the introspective rabbit hole.
Great comments, Bu! My wife used to work as an accountant for Sunkist, in their iconic, futuristic headquarters near the 101 freeway. Went to a "Casino Night" in the courtyard in the center of the building one year.
WHAT!!! Do I see burnt out lightbulbs in the second "N" in "Penny Arcade," and in the middle arch of lights below?? FOR SHAME! I was told this never happened!
Mom's name is Penny, maybe. She managed to get herself in the picture with 'the boys'. Those headlights give the Autopia car a personality.
Thanks, Major
Zach
Photo 1 is the best kind of memories. Disneyland is a place where you can just decide to take a portrait snapshot anywhere and have it look good. Dad and the boys just having fun.
Lady to the left carrying a wood tackle box, waiting for Mom to finish the photo.
Junior is having a riot driving that car. I bet he wishes he could have one to take home. The fire extinguisher is in its customary location on the overpass light pole, all good.
Was NASA guy working on a disabled car before Junior pulls up? Looks like an engine and chassis to our right almost out of frame.
Good stuff today, Major, thank you! I’m sure the family remembered this trip for a long time.
JG
Nanook, I’m still not satisfied! These folks are a little *too* happy!
JB, I love that people would wear those ostrich-plume hats as if they were the most normal thing in the world. What happened to them after they got home? My guess is that mom threw a bunch in the trash, or at least pulled out the feather. I’m pretty partial to the pearlescent blue. Purple is a fine color, but I am not personally crazy about it; admittedly partly as a result of art training (long story). I’m not sure I ever experienced the gas station attendants that you mentioned; maybe one would clean our windshield. My dad did get free Hot Wheels toys at a gas station once, my brother and I were thrilled!
Lou and Sue, daisy seeds?! I love it. I wonder if this was done during Ladybird Johnson’s “Make America Beautiful” campaign?
Bu, I remember going to Oregon and being so confused when I learned that I was not allowed to pump my own gas. Not sure if it’s still that way? And as you implied, it must be weird for people from those States to come to a place like California, where you do it yourself! I’ve definitely experienced the folks who assume that everyone in California surfs, or at least goes to the beach daily. You can buy repros of those patches, though now folks pass them off as authentic “vintage” patches… the only way to know if it’s a repro is that those are smaller. But the average person wouldn’t know. “Sam Pericone” sounds like a mobster name. He ran Las Vegas, and you’d better not cross him! But I guess he was “Mr. Orange Juice” in reality. It’s fun to read old Disneyland newletters and such, and see things like the softball team, the bowling league, and I’m sure there were many other social clubs as well. Those were the days. I’m curious about the “article of clothing” you mentioned! You didn’t drink orange juice?? What’s not to love? I was lucky, my grandparents had over 30 citrus trees, so when we visited, we got fresh-squeezed juice all the time, and man, there was nothing better. I miss it! I assume that the Disneyland Recreation Club is no more, which is sad - think of how much more fun a job would be if you could also socialize (in a wholesome manner) with guys and girls of your own age? I don’t know if having those clubs cost money to the Disney organization, if so that’s probably the reason they’re gone.
Steve DeGaetano, I pass that old Sunkist building all the time. Other buildings have sprung up in the old parking lot, including a Trader Joe’s, which is literally across the street from another Trader Joe’s. I’m not sure what corporation now uses the old building, but I’ve always thought it was a neat design. That’s not a burnt-out bulb, Walt painted it black (right after he painted that other one half-red)!
JG, it’s true, today’s photos really make a case for Disneyland being the “happiest place on Earth”. I hope mom has some salmon eggs in her purse, trout love those. Junior wishes he could take one of those cars home? I WISH I COULD DO THAT! I don’t think that NASA guy was working on that car, we’ve seen rare looks at mechanics in oily coveralls. I’m interested in those gizmos that (I guess?) lifted the Autopia cars, or something. They look custom-made for the park.
Oops, sorry zach, I accidentally skipped you! It's nothing personal! You never know, maybe mom's name WAS "Penny". Autopia cars definitely have faces, the Mark VI cars without headlights look sinister.
During my time at the park in the 90’s and early 2000’s there was a SKI CLUB , a GOLF CLUB and a SURFING CLUB. However these were cast member outside clubs and had no sponsorship or hosting by Disneyland or the Walt Disney Company. I think as a liability Disney disbanded the club associations before Paul Pressler arrived and after Eisner. Disneyland did however arrange cast outings to museums , historical sites and there was La vegas trips and trips to different studios to watch TV show tapings.
AUTOPIA and several
Other Tomorrowland attractions featured costumes /uniforms that were rather institutional
Continued : Disneyland didn’t get an official costume design until the early 70’s with the 1/2 blue 1/2 yellow raceway jumper . This design was implemented at both DL & WDW around 1974. Prior to that WDW’s GRAND PRIX RACEWAY used a Goodyear racing team style jumper that matched real-world Goodyear track jumpers of the period - in a medium blue with narrow double white stripes . In 1983 Tokyo Disneyland used the same 1974 AUTOPIA /GRAND PRIX RACEWAY costume but in yellow and red to go with their GRAND CURCUIT RACEWAY sponsor’s team colors ; BRIDGESTONE .
Bu, here in Oregon (as Major noted) we have the same law about not pumping your own gas. Well, we did have that law, until a couple years ago when they did away with it. Although, at most stations an attendant can still do it for you.
"Californians just hung out on the beach, surfed, and drank Orange Juice". You mean there's more? :-p
Steve, Ha! I didn't notice the burnt out lights. Rarer than spotting Fudgie!
Major, the only thing I can remember getting (free) from a gas station back then was a little cloth pouch of shiny yellow-colored 'gold nugget'-shaped bubble gum. I loved it! They also had a ton of Hula Hoops strung above the gas pumps, but I think you had to pay for those.
Major, I think NJ and OR were the only two states that had that no-self-pump law, for a long time anyway. Maybe NJ still has it?
NJ still has it…but it’s more a “traditional” law rather than a “law law”…and at one time gas was so much less expensive in NJ it was worth a trip across the border. It’s still less…but I only fill up if I’m out there anyway. They make up for the gas with the all the tolls btw. Just a trip to work would cost me (or my company) a small fortune. Bridges and parkway/turnpike tolls…and the highest property taxes in the nation. They do have the most diners though…and I do love my Jersey diner food…not sure anyone does that culture better.
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