Monday, February 25, 2008

Kaiser Hall of Aluminum Fame (and post #600)

Hi Folks - here is another repost, in an attempt to stop bots that are commenting on this particular post at the rate of several hundred times a day. I've found that if I delete the original post and then republish it, the spam stops. Of course I then lose the original comments from readers, so I have copied them and will append them to the text. Now you know!

Welcome to my 600th post, everybody!

In honor of this momentous occasion, here are two very rare slides taken inside the oddly-named Kaiser "Hall of Aluminum Fame". This was one of a number of sponsored exhibits in Tomorrowland - - basically an entertaining commercial for the lightweight wonder metal. In order to get into the exhibit rotunda, guests walked through the 40 foot long aluminum telescope (I seem to remember reading that Monsanto's "Mighty Microscope" was built in the same spot years later). 


What we see in this photo is a group of people checking out the "time sphere". I assume that it used a two-way mirror effect, and (according to the souvenir booklet) people would see an "ancient knight, today's firefighter and spaceman of the future telling of the advantages of aluminum". I wonder if a script - or even recordings - of that original spiel exist in Disney's archives?


Here's a detail... look in the background, there's KAP, the Kaiser Aluminum Pig! There must have been several figures of Kap throughout the exhibit. It looks like his display might have read "aluminum won the war", or something to that effect. Kap looks like he's sitting in a - - biplane? Quoting the souvenir booklet again, "You and Kap Pig put aluminum on its mettle in a series of tests and demonstrations of the advantageous properties of this wonder metal." Raise your hand if you would like to have an original KAP figure. Anyone? The Kaiser folks need to bring KAP back, sell toys and other merchandise with his likeness.


Below is a second photo, with a similar view. What I wouldn't give to be able to see more of the displays in the background!


Is this Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the dead? Back in the days of ancient Egypt, all of the best mummies were wrapped in lightweight, recyclable aluminum foil - - It kept them fresher, and made for easy reheating. And you could clean up in a jiffy! The Hall of Aluminum Fame closed in July, 1960... gone, but not forgotten! 


I didn't think that I would EVER do 600 posts when I started this blog! It's been a lot of work (but fun) and the comments that many of you leave are what keep me going. I learn new things all the time, and of course it is always nice to know when folks are enjoying my efforts. So thanks to those of you who take the trouble to chime in.

On a side note, I have not missed a day since Thanksgiving, and so I will be taking a couple of days off. See you all real soon!
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Here are the original comments!

Progressland said...
Congratulations on your milestone! These photos are outstanding for their rarity and especially interesting because of the reflection of the Guests. They look hypnotized! It seems very possible the display could have said "aluminum won the war," given Henry J. Kaiser's efforts in that regard. That spiel you reference does still exist!

Davelandweb said...
Wow! After a rare post like that, you definitely deserve some time off! Excellent shots into an exhibit that is hardly seen or remembered. Thanks for all the great work, Major,

Congratulations on 600 Major, all have been appreciated to the MAX. It has definitely been a "E Coupon" ride. Looking forward to 600 more. These pictures from Kaiser are fantastic. Thanks.

Anonymous said...
Congrats on the 600 posts! I have read and enjoyed them all! I started reading a year or so? ago, and have gone back and read thru the older ones, and now I read daily (along with the posts from your fellow bloggers)- yes, even on the weekends (especially on the weekends, cuz more time to admire the pics). Thanks for taking the time to bring these to us readers! B in Orange

Congrats on 600 posts! Dang, I'm just about to hit 100 and I thought that was a lot! My hand is up for that PIG, I've only seen drawings of it, now that I've seen a picture of it, I want it!

These pictures are so amazing I will have to study them all day, so much for work today!

Thanks and Congrats, have a nice break, we'll be waiting patiently for your return!

Hearty congratulations, Major!

600 posts is truly amazing.

Thanks for sharing theimage of the Kaiser Hall of Fame. As you are aware, there aren't many shots from the inside of older Disneyland attractions.

Chris Jepsen said...
Progressland: Okay,... WHERE does the Kaiser speil still exist? It needs to be in the Disneyland folder on my MP3 player.

Major: Thanks for the first 600! I'm looking forward to many more! But enjoy your break from it.

Fred Cline said...
I don't care about aluminum. Show me something else.

jedblau said...
Post of the month! Thanks so much for these amazing images!

mr wiggins said...
Congratulations on 600 -- next stop, 1000! 

You don't know how much your work is appreciated.

Merlinsguy said...
Give me a G! Give me an O! Give me an R! Give me an I! Give me and...oh you get the point. 

We all love your blog.

Magical Hotel said...
I linked your site to my new blog http://magicalhotel.blogspot.com/

Kevin Kidney said...
Major, this is wonderful!
You've inspired my blog's post this week...
-Kevin

Thanks for all the work you do to keep this going. It has been a great source of fun and brought back many memories.

Dan Goodsell said...
what a great post to hit 600 on. I have always wanted to see the KAP and you deliver that classic tantilizing peek.

Also I am thinking that is a Wolf there in the background as in the Big Bad Wolf who is giving KAP a hard time possibly about some building.

Thanks for all of your nice comments, folks. And yes, maybe that IS the big bad wolf!!

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