I'm digging into the BIG BAG O' PINS again. In general, the only thing that the pins in the bag have in common is that they rend to be larger than most pinback buttons. But all six of today's examples are from Disneyland. Maybe you've heard of it?
America's Bicentennial was a big deal in 1976, everyone was feeling particularly patriotic, and they were suddenly less interested in Vinnie Barbarinio, and more interested in history. Disneyland had "America on Parade", a salute to our nation, with giant doll-headed figures glaring at guests. And there was merchandise! Much of it featured the cute drawing seen on this ribboned button, with Mickey, Goofy, and Donald in a tribute to Archibald Willard's famous "Spirit of '76" painting - which had also been used on a 1939 cover of "Mickey Mouse Magazine".
Were YOU "one in 200 million"? If there's one thing I can say about this button, it's that it is very legible. Congratulations, guys, you did it! I was curious to see what the latest "population" is, but couldn't find anything beyond 750 million people - it might be higher now.
I know I posted a photo of this pin (or one just like it) years ago, but who remembers? Nobody, that's who. This is from the actual day of Disneyland's 25th Birthday Party in 1980. 46 years ago! Perhaps some Junior Gorillas were there?
I remember picking this one up in an antiques mall in the midwest. It's the only one of these pinback buttons that was made when Walt was still in charge! The DGA had a special day, I wonder if they rented out the whole park and kicked everybody else out? "You non-directors make me sick! Don't come back!". I quite like the little drawing, and wonder if it was done by a Disney artist? Maybe Ward Kimball? Yeah, I doubt it too.
A guy at a store on Melrose Avenue told me that I had to buy the next button - one given out to Elizabeth's Taylor's guests during her 60th birthday party at the park. In this case, we know that she actually did rent the whole park out. I'm sure Michael Jackson was there (shamone!). I guess I'm glad to have this pin, though it's not exactly one of my prized possessions. It's an interested historical footnote. HOT TAKE: the pin is ugly.
And finally, a pin that was given to me by a friend, "celebrating" the closure of the classic Submarine Voyage on September 8, 1998. Booo! Over the next nine years, a number of ideas (such as one based on Atlantis: The Lost Empire) fizzled out, and nothing happened. Finally, in June of2007, the "Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage" opened. I'm very glad to still have a submarine ride, and think that the lagoon portion of the ride is beautiful - the dark ride portion is a bit less wonderful in my opinion, but kids probably love it.
Stay tuned for more Pins From The Bag!
Major-
ReplyDeleteI have a cumulative attendance number of 900 million for just Disneyland as of January of this year, and about 1 Billion by February of 2025 if DCA is included.
According to Jason's Almanac, the Park was open until 1 AM on 9/19/1964 and it was a 'Date Nite'-! (Maybe the DGA was known to be a bit more 'racy' back in those days...)
Thanks, Major.
Hmmm... "Disneyland"?... Is that something like Freedomland? Sounds vaguely familiar.
ReplyDeleteI like the pin + ribbon combo. Especially the elegant "Disneyland" printed in gold.
"I Was One In 200 Million"... I dunno... Is that something like "The 700 Club"?
Well, I wasn't "There! July 17, 1980" for Disneyland's 25th Birthday Party. But I was "Here! In Eugene, Oregon"... That must count for something! I like how the colors 'pop' against the black background.
The small, balding director in the chair looks like he could be Danny DeVito.
The Liz Taylor pin is colorful (violet, to match her eyes?). And it does make your pin collection more complete. Who knows, it may end up being the most valuable one in your collection!
I like the Submarine pin a lot! Colorful and interesting. AND, it has Donald Duck! My favorite today. It's a bit pixel-y but that's probably due to the enlarged image.
Nice set of pins, Major. Thanks.
Directors' Guild members at Disneyland
ReplyDeleteRobert Wise: "Mickey and the gang, walking down Main Street, snapping their fingers. They see Chip, one of the ANIMAL animals. Music up and the rumble begins."
Roger Vadim: "Jane Fonda as a tour guide. She takes the riding crop backstage and finds Cinderella ..."
Blake Edwards: " ... And Clouseau says, 'No, I want the Moose. The Mickey Moose. Your hearing is loosey."
John Ford sees the burning cabin: "This is pathetic. We need an actual Indian attack. Dozens of 'em, shooting arrows from the canoes. Flaming arrows. The whole damn boat's on fire as we try to reach the fort in time ..."
Billy Wilder to I.A.L Diamond: "Shirley MacLaine as Snow White. Jack Lemmon as the prince. He's insanely jealous and suspects she's seeing one of the dwarfs. Cary Grant as Doc, the only one he doesn't suspect ..."
Jerry Lewis: "Me as a dwarf. No. Me as ALL the dwarfs. And the prince. HEY LADY! LADY WITH THE APPLE! ..."
Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma somberly exiting Peter Pan's Flight: "We'll have them find the body on that one."
I’ve got most of those from the 70’s..and 80’s. I also have that Submarine Bon Voyage button …but it doesn’t not have Donald Duck on it!!(???) I wonder how many variants of those there are ….??
ReplyDelete“It does NOT have Donald Duck”
ReplyDeleteI love that first button......and I loved "America On Parade." I was just remembering those "This has been a Bicentennial Minute" segments they ran back in 1976. Remember those? I wonder if they will be running "Semiquincentennial Minutes" later this year? Maybe they would have started by now. I just saw a commercial for a commemorative "250th" item. I'm guessing that many more will be following.
ReplyDeleteI used to work down the street from Disneyland, and I remember on the day of Elizabeth Taylor's birthday party, many of the motels in the area had added happy birthday messages to Liz, onto their motel signage. I also remember the news coverage that night. They said that Michael Jackson hadn't shown up yet, and they weren't sure if he was coming. Maybe he sent Bubbles in his place? I recorded that news footage and I've digitized it, but I haven't uploaded it to YouTube yet. And Major, you are right....that button is UUUUUUGLY!!! I wonder why they didn't use a photo of her, or a even a caricature?
That "200 Million" button is awfully plain. They sure didn't invest any time or effort into the design. For the "100 Millionth Guest" event in 1971, they created a cute little logo:
Disneyland's 100 Millionth Guest
Thanks for sharing more from your Big Bag O' Pins, Major!
I forgot that the bicentennial one originally had a ribbon. Yay, another occasion to cheer I was indeed there. That Liz party was a big deal, but I'd never seen a button...fugly indeed, like the latest, and previous, LA Olympic graphics.
ReplyDeleteMS
DBenson, you win a small fragment of the Internet today, brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI was one of the 200 Million, in fact, I was at least 2 of them.
I remember the Spirit of 76 cartoon drawing, but not the button. It’s kind of odd, the 250th is this year and no one seems to care.
Mrs G rented the Park to celebrate her 60th birthday too, but only enough of the Park for her to stand on in any given moment.
The Director pin is populated by Baby Louie or whatever the Roger Rabbit character was called. Always with the cigar.
And how very like the Pressler Park to celebrate closing an attraction for a decade. Imprecations upon them.
A fun digression today Major, thank you.
JG
Nanook, thanks for the updated numbers. I personally don’t want to include DCA numbers, it feels a bit like cheating. I want the attendance for the original park! Not that YOU have to provide it, you have a life. I wonder if any famous directors went to Disneyland on 9-19-64??
ReplyDeleteJB, “Disneyland” is a delicatessen with mile-high sammiches! I like the ribbon on that first pin as well, I think I have two without the ribbon. Funny you mention the 700 Club, you can tell I am a member by my unnatural hairdo. Do you have a button proving that you were in Eugene, OR? If not, how can we believe you? I was thinking that the director drawing reminds me of Mort Drucker a little bit. I’m sure it’s not his work though. I don’t really have a Disneyland pin collection, to be honest, I’ve just managed to save a few over the years. The actual photo on the Sub pin is kind of “grainy” for some reason, not sure why.
DBenson, I want to see that Jane Fonda movie! MAKE IT HAPPEN! You forgot to have John Ford insult somebody and get drunk. Great director, but boy he sounds like a tough hang. Blake Edwards - is it just me, or have many of his movies not aged well? As a kid I liked a lot of them but not so much now. Jerry Lewis… I have a friend who LOVES Jerry, and will start laughing describing a scene from one of his movies, but MAN, that comedy does not work for me. I guess I’m just a grump! Alfred and Alma, on the other hand… the best!
Mike Cozart, I did a brief Google search, and all of the “Bon Voyage” buttons I saw had Donald on them, so perhaps you have a very rare variant! I was hoping maybe there were others with different characters, but no such luck.
Mike Cozart, I knew what you meant!
TokyoMagic!, I do vaguely remember those Bicentennial Minute spots. “Semiquincentennial”, now that’s a word. Walt would have loved it. I hope the commemorative “250th” item that you saw was a plate from the Franklin Mint, those things will be worth so much money. So did Michael ever show up to Liz’s birthday at Disneyland? Either he wanted to make a dramatic entrance (I have friends like that, they show up late so that everyone is so happy to see them), or else he was just one of those people who was always late to everything. Liz probably didn’t want a photo of herself used, unless it was from when she was young and beautiful (and she really WAS). I think I have one of those “100 Millionth Guest” pins, but it’s not in the bag!
MS, I confess to having a fondness for the 1984 Olympics graphics. They are definitely “80s”! I honestly am not sure I’ve seen anything for the upcoming Olympics at all.
JG, DBenson’s post reminded me of Melissa’s old posts. High praise indeed. Ah, so you were there in 1981? Did you get a button? I think I know why people aren’t in the mood to celebrate at the moment, but I will say no more. I hope Mrs. G (somehow I imagine The Fonz saying that) got a good place to stand for her money! I remember how distressed I was when the Subs closed, it really did upset me. And then we’d get those rumors about it coming back in various forms. As I’ve said, I’m glad to have the Nemo subs, I just wish I loved the ride a bit more. It has many good things to recommend though.
Sorry Major, I was wrong, I wasn’t part of the 200 million, I thought that pin was 1976. My last visit was in 1978, until 1990s.
ReplyDeleteJG
In our old house ( well it really wasn’t old - it was new when we moved into it in 1970) we had a built in bookcase that separated a part of a breakfast nook and pantry area from the living room .. the lower section had cabinets and inside was a leatherette box that collected guides , brochures and buttons from previous visits to Disneyland , Knott’s , Santa’s Village etc. when we were moving to our newer house in 1978 the contents of that box became the start of my Disneyland & Walt Disney World collection…… I remember saving those items … but for whatever reason I didn’t separate the buttons … those I bought or collected later. It’s amazing to look back at see the amount of things Disneyland used to give out … things beyond guides and brochures. I remember posters being handed out to guests in the evening as they left … Disney Productions 50th…AMERICA SINGS, The Bicentennial, Space Mountain, Mickey 50th…. I remember one visit as my family exited I was riding on my dad’s shoulder’s and castmembers stood posted along the exit turnstiles with boxed and boxes handing out “I’m Goofy About Disneyland” posters … and exclaiming “have a good evening and thanks for visiting us!!” . ( it was Goofy in a Disneyland Band gold uniform banging a drum” …. My dad handed the rolled up in plastic poster up to me and said “hold on to that it might be worth something someday!” ……. If only he had known!! Lol!!!
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine used to always talk about the Jungle Cruise attraction poster giving out to guests one summer … I always thought he was mistaken confusing it with the Space Mountain attraction poster ( reproduction of course!) given out to guests in 1977. Then when he found his posters … sure enough he had 1976 Jungle Cruise attraction poster !! ( reproduction ) these were indeed handed out to guests to celebrate the Jungle Cruise “new addition” scenes in 1976. My family’s 1976 Disneyland trip we got an America on Parade poster …. I would have probably had blown a gasket ( in a good way)if I had been handed a Jungle Cruise poster!!
@ DBenson-
ReplyDeleteYou've outdone yourself-!
I hope the commemorative “250th” item that you saw was a plate from the Franklin Mint, those things will be worth so much money. So did Michael ever show up to Liz’s birthday at Disneyland?
ReplyDeleteHa, ha! I saw an article a while back, listing the top ten things that people bought as an investment, thinking that their value would go up, but ended up not keeping their value. One of the things on that list was "commemorative/collectible plates." The 250th item I saw advertised on TV was a two-dollar bill. The image on the back of the bill was in color.
From what I remember, Michael Jackson never showed up at the party. At least, that's what they kept reporting, as the night went on. Maybe he was stuck at home, nursing a sick giraffe? However, Larry Fortensky was at the party, so Liz probably wasn't bothered by Michael Jackson's absence. I do remember M.J. being at Liz's 65th birthday party, which was held at the Hollywood Pantages Theater. That birthday party was actually televised.