This blog has nothing to do with gorillas (though I love 'em)...fellow bloggers have inspired me to share vintage images of Disneyland from my personal collection. But don't be surprised if you see something from a World's Fair, Knott's Berry Farm, or someplace else that is cool!
I'm using up the last (well, almost the last) scans from a batch of May 1979 slides from Universal Studios. Hollywood, that is. They're not the most exciting things in the world, but the price is right.
From our Glamour Tram we look across a canyon toward some typical SoCal hills. It's pretty green (being May) actually, I'm sure in a few months this looked much browner. There are some houses up on that ridge, I am told that the Studio owns them and lets directors and certain powerful bloggers stay there, which would be pretty cool. I'd watch the trams go to a fro while talking to my agent on my three pound cellular phone.
Looky looky! There's another tram far below. Or is it us, viewed through a time warp? The tram is right on the edge of a pond (any idea what it was called?), with a production going on in that little excavated canyon, where there is part of a plane fuselage. I sure wish I knew what was being filmed.
Here's a more-familiar sight, an elegant mansion that is nothing more than a façade. It's like Hollywood itself, am I right? ZING! Thank you, Bruce Vilanch, for that joke. I need all the help I can get. Next to the mansion, a log stockade, and some random double-decker buses.
Ah, the Western Stunt Show, full of punching and shooting and guys falling to their doom after being plugged full of lead. These stuntmen were so tough that there were no airbags or foam cushions, just that half inch-thick rubber mat.
Who among us has not been on a slow bus from Vescovato to Bastia? Well OK, not me. I had to look up both places; Vescovato is just south of Milan (Italy), while Bastia is on northern tip of the island of Corsica. There are several routes available, both involving a ride on a ferry. The bus seems fairly prominently placed (right next to the tower from "The War Lord", I have no idea if it was used in a significant movie of the moment. "Ciao, Bastia!"??
And finally, here's a photo of a woman regarding a gigantic automobile, which turns out to be from "The Wiz", a 1978 film from director Sidney Lumet. In spite of the fact that the Broadway musical had been a huge hit, the movie was a commercial failure - I haven't seen it for decades, but seem to recall that it was a tough hang - it's possible my opinion would be different now.
My supply of Universal Studios slides is getting slim, but there will be more!
Happy Friday! I have two very nice randos for you this time.
This first scan is from a slide hand-dated "April 12, 1968" - which means I can refer to Jason's Disneyland Almanac for some fun facts. April 12th was a Friday; the park was open from 9:00 AM 'til midnight. The high temperature was a pleasant 69º, dipping to 54º in the wee hours. In the photo, our photographer was in Tomorrowland, right next to the multi-trunked Senegal Palm. That flowerbed is full of colorful blossoms. Asters? Or some kind of fancy daisies? I have no idea, really! This angle is unique in my collection, I like the way the Skyway is angled overhead, passing (seemingly) above Rolly Crump's souvenir stand, while the blue Monorail sits at the station, waiting to zoom into hypersonic speeds.
Next is a nice photo from July, 1972. I'm kind of surprised that I don't have more good pictures of the Alice in Wonderland attraction, especially since a portion of the ride was outside, ready for any photographer to snap a pic. Here's a "snooty caterpillar" vehicle in lilac, with an impressive six guests aboard. I've always liked the detail of the "false eyes" on the sides. Most of the kids look sort of zonked out, but the girl with the orange top had fun, anyway.
O yez, o yez! All rise for more STUFF FROM THE BOX! The honorable Judge Pepperidge is presiding. We're still enjoying (?) items from the tiny Westinghouse Automobile Lamp Kit box that you saw fairly recently.
Our first item is this cool lucky coin from Aku Aku - a Polynesian restaurant in the venerable Stardust Casino in Las Vegas. Aku Aku debuted in 1960, and was there all the way until 1980, so it had a good long run. This coin has an Easter Island moai on the obverse, and as the reverse tells us, rubbing his nose brings good luck. Always a desirable attribute in Sparkleberg. I have several of these, the others being silver in color.
Here's a beautiful vintage photo (scrounged from the interwebs) of the large moai in front of the Stardust Casino - he's wearing a Santa Hat, just like the moai on Easter Island originally wore (needs verification).
It's nice to meet the actual artist who carved that fairly authentic-looking moai - she isn't named, but clearly has much talent, as all of you can see.
I've mentioned my fondness for little employee pins before; it's actually been a while since I've bought any, but there was a time when I snatched up quite a few. They tend to be not much bigger than .5" or .75", and are sometimes made of 14 karat gold (I forgot to look to see if this was marked "14k"). This one belonged to a Phillips 66 Company employee (a multinational company headquartered in Houston Texas), given on the occasion of this person's 10th year with organization.
This next item is a vintage ID badge from the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Undated, but possibly from around WWII? The thing that gets me about this one is that photo. I'm sure the man was a fine, salt-of-the-earth fellow, but that picture is creepy. He looks like a ghost! Or maybe a zombie. Or a zombie ghost. "He's coming to get you, Barbara!".
This next tiny brass-and-enamel pins (about .5" in length) was a mystery to me, but it only cost $20,000, so I bought it just for fun. There are several radio stations that used the WEEI call letters (including one in Rhode Island), but the lightbulb shape was a helpful clue: The Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Boston built and signed on this station as the first incarnation of WEEI, from which the call sign was derived. It was established... as a public relations vehicle... highlighting the usage of the latest and most advanced radio equipment. I am unsure of the "BEBBC" letters on this pin, perhaps one of you can figure that out. There's a lot more history than I can relate here, so click on THIS LINK if you are interested.
And lastly, here's a very nice little brass (or bronze) coin featuring the profile of Benjamin Franklin. It's a souvenir from the Benjamin Franklin Memorial (aka the "Franklin Institute") located in Philadelphia, which is one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States. While I have no date on this item, I would not be surprised if it was produced in the 1930s.
Everybody loves a parade! Especially JG, who would never use the opportunity to hit some rides with shorter lines during the spectacle. NEVER, do you hear?
Meanwhile, Sue B. has scanned more slides taken by her dad, Lou Perry - these are from Disneyland's 30th Birthday Parade. These are sort of random views of the parade and of Main Street area; it's a lot for one post (10 images), but they felt as if they belonged together, rather than split up.
I would imagine that dancing on top of a moving parade float takes some getting used to. And what if the float slams on its brakes because a deer runs across the street?? I'll bet it happens more often than you imagine. I've read that these dancers are trained to "tuck and roll", so that they incur no damage more serious than some mussed hair (but not too mussed).
The Queen of Hearts from "Alice in Wonderland" is mercurial, temperamental, and pusillanimous. Well, OK, she's not pusillanimous, I just wanted to use a big word to impress you all. Did it work?
A Poppins Penguin has hopped out of a chalk painting and into our hearts. "Mr. Pepperidge, after studying the X-ray, we've determined that you have a penguin in your left ventricle, and we'll have to operate ASAP". "Jeepers!". The Tweedles are nearby.
Hey! It's the Queen of Hearts again! Holding a bouquet of balloons, purchased at Party City. The Queen knows that balloons are the international symbol of friendship. There is a character in a blue dress behind the balloons, but we will never be able to identify her, and it is a fool's errand to even try.
I would expect the Town Square flagpole area to be packed with guests during a parade, and yet there is room to swing at least two mid-sized cats, much to my surprise. Since this was September, perhaps the crowds were a bit less than they would have been in July or August, since kids would be back in school (except for the lucky few whose parents were willing to pull them out of class for a day at the park).
Whoa, what's in those shopping bags? Something bulky, and hopefully expensive. The lady in the pink ensemble looks like she walked off the set of "Miami Vice" (she played Sonny Crockett's love interest, Belinda Bikini, a forensics scientist & fashion model).
It looks like this was the tail-end of the parade, you can see the Rope of Sadness being deployed by cast members. Don't be sad that the parade is over, be grateful that we had it to begin with. Bogdan and Alexei Tweedle, the Queen of Hearts, more Poppins Penguiins, and even Winnie The Pooh can be seen.
Other than the balloons, this corner of Town Square looks pretty "normal". I like that two Skyway gondolas are visible!
Lou had a good view of the Opera House, which featured Wagner's most famous opera, The Walt Disney Story. If you have 9 hours, you can watch the entire thing. In the end, Walt drives a magic sword into an evil (and smelly) ogre named Fronk. SPOILER ALERT.
And finally, here's a kind of neat look up Main Street as the final float heads toward the Castle. It's fun to see it with everyone milling in the street. Look closely, you can see Mary Poppins' hat at the base of the float.
I have some SPECIAL GUEST PHOTOS for you today - something a little bit different, from GDB friend LTL ("Long Time Lurker"). He had emailed me and said that he had some photos of himself at a kiddy park ("Tinkertown", what a great name) which he believes was at the corner of Laurelgrove and Ventura (Boulevard) in the San Fernando Valley - sweet! Amusement parks and Vintage Los Angeles. Right up my alley. But then LTL went down several research rabbit holes!
In regards to his personal photos, he said: The backs are stamped "May 1960". In one photo, a building adjacent to the lot says "Bowl", so I think it's Kirkwood Lanes (now Pinz) in Studio City. Based on buildings across the street, it would be the lot to the west of Kirkwood that, temporary, held a little kiddie land. I think these photos were taken at either one of the TWO kiddylands on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City... each next to a Bowling Alley! Here's LTL (aka "B") aboard what might be a little car ride - the boxy shape makes me think it could be a Jeep, but it's hard to say. He looks like he's having a fun time!
This second photo is fascinating to me! In the distance is a row of stores lining Ventura Boulevard - surprisingly, there are stretches of that area street that still appear very much the way it looked 60 years ago. And you can see the "BOWL" sign for what LTL believes was the Kirkland Lanes. It seems that SF Valley history is scant, so I love these - this second one in particular!
As I mentioned earlier, LTL discovered that there were several "Kiddylands" in the area. My mom, who grew up in nearby Encino, said she remembered one on the south side of Ventura Blvd, but she did not recall its name - this would have been a decade or two before LTL's time.
Here’s a neat historic photo (circa 1948) - the caption reads View looking east on Ventura Boulevard from near Laurelgrove Avenue toward Vantage Avenue (12200 blk of Ventura). The Hollywood Hills behind Universal City can be seen in the background. At lower-left is the Panorama Bowl (out of view).
A historical note says that the photo was taken from atop the next-door Ferris Wheel at Kiddyland. SO COOL!
Looking up info about Kirkwood Lanes, LTL found this photo of a charming woman named Cleo Moore (actress, Miss Van Nuys of 1947-48), and actress. Zoiks!Cleo Moore showing Joe Kirkwood Jr., Ron Waller, Bob Waterfield and Bob Kelley, partners in the Kirkwood Bowling Center, 12655 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, her form in proper bowling prior to the premiere opening tomorrow. The $1,250,000 ultra-modern bowling center will have 32 AMF lanes, automatic pin setters, rathskeller restaurant and cocktail lounge, a kiddyland and nursery section and parking for several hundred cars.
LTL's family lore remembered the little park as "Tinkertown", but upon further research, he found that it was actually called Collins Kiddyland, at 12249 Ventura Boulevard. I honestly drove right past this address earlier today! I asked LTL about the Tinkertown name, and he said My guess (currently) is that our family informally called it "Tinkertown". My Mom's side of the family came to LA from Upstate New York in the early 1940s... maybe it was just a generic term they used, like Scotch Tape. Wow, it may have been an actual Upstate New York "regional dialect" (attn. Superintendent Chalmers).
Here's a vintage aerial view (sorry about the watermarks), you can see the amusement park right near the center.
Another aerial view, with part of the incredibly beautiful LA River winding through. To the left, a pedestrian bridge at Laurelgrove crosses the river.
There is now a Wells Fargo in that location, though I believe that the driveway for the bank is more or less where Collins Kiddyland was.
Here's a startling photo! Valley Times, May 20, 1960: "Sherman Oaks resident Eugene Gluhareff holds his son, Andy, whom he intended to send on plane ride, as he looks at wreckage in which two Valley boys were hurt." Photograph was taken at Kiddieland amusement park located at 12249 Ventura Boulevard in Studio City.
LTL's research continued! Here is an ad from the December 7th, 1946 issue of Billboard magazine... there was a "Tinkertown Amusement Company" for the sale of a kiddy park "in the heart of the San Fernando Valley". Fascinating!
THEN somebody posted this photo (from an old eBay sale) showing a kiddy park at 3640 South Crenshaw Blvd (written on the side of the double-decker bus). Same address as in the ad!
Another ad from Billboard, this time from December 21, 1946:
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Now for some related asides (from LTL's thorough digging)... another San Fernando Valley kiddy park was "Uncle Ben's Kiddyland" at 8439 Van Nuys Boulevard (in Panorama City which is a bit north of where Collins Kiddyland was). There's a Walmart there now.
Here's a photo that was very tiny, so I enlarged it using witchcraft. If you don't look at the small details, it looks OK.
Check out this vintage newspaper article. Fun. Laughs. Thrills. A house for $14,995, just put $295 down!
I'm not sure where LTL found this amazing color photo from Uncle Ben's Kiddyland, but I love it.
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Also, David Bradley, who ran the legendary Beverly Park (where the Beverly Center now stands) ran another Kiddyland, at 6127 Sepulveda Blvd. LTL found this rare photo:
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!
Another sidebar explored the bowling alley mentioned in the third photo, referred to as the "Panorama Bowl" - but LTL believes that this is erroneous, and that it is actually Kirkwood Lanes (mentioned in the photo of Cleo Moore). The place started out as the Valley Recreation Center:
It shows up briefly in a 1956 B-movie, "When Gangland Strikes" (featuring Slim Pickens!) - you only have to scroll to 40 seconds in:
And it was later renamed "Bowl-A-Rama". Everything is better with "a-rama" added to the end! I will also accept "a-gogo". LTL found this amazing color scan (from a slide apparently), talk about rare!
And he also found this moody, film-noir night shot:
And finally, here's a vintage postcard showing the general Studio City area, such a great image!
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WHEW! I'm exhausted, and LTL did all the work! But it was also super fun, I love LA history, and trust me, San Fernando Valley history is not plentiful. It's definitely an area that I wish I could visit with a time machine.
I hope I did LTL proud, I tried to include much of what he sent me, though there was more. He can yell at me in the comments if he needs to! THANKS to LTL for doing so much research and sharing it with all of us!!
Howsabout some photos of Main Street USA? It don't cost nothin'! Nothing but YOUR IMMORTAL SOUL.
Town Square has many charms, but one of the best is that you can look back toward Main Street Station and will often see one of the wonderful Disneyland RR locomotives. In this case, the Fred Gurley; old number 3, as I calls it. It debuted on March 28, 1958, less than six years before this picture was snapped.
Some of the slides from this batch have taken on a slight purple tone, which I tried to ameliorate, with limited success. Main Street still looks pretty gloomy, not to mention practically deserted - we can only see a few people; I think Santa's arm is visible to the extreme left. What, he can't enjoy a day at the Happiest Place on Urf? Today is a great day for trashcan counters, and I'll sit back and let you have fun.
I'm sorry, Jungle Cruise, you are a great ride, but the photographs of you are (generally) not so wonderful. For one thing, there are usually lots of heads in the way. For another, the boat is on rails, so the pictures show the same scenes over and over. And over.
Like the African Veldt. I just can't deal with a word with "l", "d", and "t" all in a row. It ain't right. The "d" is silent, just spell it "Velt"! It's what John Wayne wanted, and you don't want to disappoint John Wayne, do you?
The "Lost Safari"? They aren't lost, they're right over there! A rabid Rhinoceros would like to eat the entire hunting party, but they've scrambled up a convenient tree trunk. Laughing hyenas are enjoying the show, and a few antelope are just glad that Ricky the Rhino doesn't want them.
There's the Autopia, and then there are Autotopias. You know, little car rides! All good amusement parks had them. Disneyland's versions are perhaps the most famous, but here are a few others. This first one is from the 1960s, and these sporty miniature roadsters have a pretty strong resemblance to Disney's Mark V Autopia cars - but they are a little bit different. I have no idea what park we are looking at, but would bet dollars to donuts that these cars were a product of Arrow Development. There aren't many clues, could it be Six Flags Over Texas?
This next one is from July 1971, and luckily we can read the lettering on the side of that red beauty: SIX FLAGS. Not that this narrows things down much more, because a search for Six Flags car rides reveals identical postcards from several parks, including Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags Over Mid-America; if I had to place money down, I'd at least guess that this photo is from either of those two parks (since other Six Flags parks had "antique auto" rides).
