Odds and Ends
Here are some random and odd items from ye olden days of Disneyland. I scanned 'em, so you have to look at them.
First up is this nice paper bag, probably early 1960's. This one is likely for postcards or other small-ish merchandise. The condition is pretty good! And I love the decorative spot illustrations printed in white. City Hall, the Mark Twain, A hippo, the Disneyland Railroad, and even a Monorail (to name but a few) all made the cut.
Boy oh boy, there was a time when I was collecting Disneyland postcards like there was no tomorrow. Now I have all but the rare and very expensive ones, so I don't find many that I want these days. However, this card is pretty fun!
The "Inn of Tomorrow" on Katella provided their very own shuttle bus, customized to look like a Martian (?!). Pointy ears, Maybelline eyelashes, upturned nose, toothy mouth (how about some orthodontia), and even a metal tongue. George Barris, eat your heart out. If you're going to take a photo for a postcard, you might as well ask the ladies from work to wear their short dresses for a little "Oo-la-la".
Here's the reverse of the card, in case you were curious.
And finally... this luggage tag from the Disneyland Hotel was included as part of a lot of Disneyland paper. Of course I wish it was unused, but it's still a nice little piece of ephemera.
I hope you have enjoyed today's oddball items!
11 comments:
Major-
As nice as the bag and luggage tag are, it's hard to keep one's eyes away from that tantalizing bus from The Inn of Tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised to hear it was created for some Ed Wood production - but we all know the "budgets" for his films couldn't allow for such 'extravagance'-!! Eyelashes, no less-!! What a hoot.
Thanks, Major.
I've never seen that Disneyland bag before. I really like it. Did the other side have graphic images too, like the continuation of the lopped off monorail and Moonliner?
The Inn of Tomorrow shuttle bus wins today's prize for extra coolness. I was thinking of George Barris too when seeing this postcard, not that this bus was up to his standards. He and his team at Barris Kustom built some pretty cool customized iconic vehicles. What an era!
Thanks, Major.
Nanook, yeah, that postcard is the best. I’m guessing that the crazy shuttle bus wasn’t use for long. I wonder what happened to it? Likely they just removed all of the face pieces and just ran it as an ordinary bus.
K. Martinez, yes, the graphics are on both sides; I have seen much larger examples of this bag on ebay, but they go for more than I am willing to pay. George Barris designed some of my favorite cars of all time, including the Munstermobile, “Dragula”, the Beverly Hillbillies jalopy, and of course, the Batmobile.
Agreeing with everyone here. Never saw a bag like that.
I was always fascinated with the Stovall futuristic motels, but never stayed in any of them.
I'm sure I would remember that bus if I had seen it.
George Barris was a childhood hero who did some wonderful car designs, for sure.
But he always gets credit for the Batmobile when all he did was gussy up the Ford Futura concept car which was over 10 years old by that time.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/149815125075209302
Cool stuff, Major. thank you.
JG
That bag reminds me of the ones from eighties that had different attractions depicted all over them as well....but of course, in eighties colors.
All that bus needs is a helmet with antennae and it could be The Great Gazoo from the Flintstones.
By the way, that motel is still standing and still uses the Stovall name. It's a "Best Western Plus - Stovall's Inn." I'm with JG, I used to love their chain of futuristic motels and their names. I know there was also a "Space Age Inn" and one or two more that I can't think of the names right now. They always made me think of Tomorrowland, which was probably the point...just like the Alpine Inn, Castle Inn, etc.
TokyoMagic!, The motels you are thinking of that carried the Stovall name were Inn of Tomorrow, Space Age Lodge, Cosmic Age Lodge and the Apollo Inn.
There was another motel called Galaxy Motel, but was not under the Stovall banner.
Ken, thanks for listing those names! The Apollo Inn especially made me think of Tomorrowland. Was that the one that was located on West St., just south of the Paradise Pier Hotel and next door to Sambo's/Godfather's Pizza? Whichever one that was, it was bulldozed at the time of the Anaheim/Disneyland Resort expansion and is now the "Simba" parking lot.
@Tokyo & Ken, thanks for the names of those motels. I knew one was torn down for Disney expansion, but not sure which.
I have a postcard image (not the card) for the Inn of Tomorrow at the SW corner of Katella and West, the location in today's post.
Today's photo does not do the building any justice, it was pretty flashy with lots of blue and silver, exotic lighting and acrylic panels.
Tokyo, you are right, the motel is still there, but has had all the "future" crust removed and replaced with a brown woody look. The same brown of 1990's Tomorrowland, now that I think about it. :-(
The corner restaurant used to be Sambo's, now remodeled to Coco's. An OK breakfast place as I recall, but Sambo's was better looking '60's style building.
JG
You know, in the past I've recommended development of a comprehensive vintage Disneyland-area motel guide, but as long as you guys are here, there's no need.
That bus is, um, something else. And I want one.
Late to the party but chiming in... I've never seen that bag either. Well, I may have seen it back in the 60s but it didn't reside in my brain as a memory. THAT BUS!!! I must Tweet this blog post and share that bus!!!
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