Sue B. (of "Lou and Sue" fame) sent me a number of scans of vintage photo prints (photos taken by her dad, Lou Perry). Like some slides, these prints had turned very pink, but I wanted to share them, so I just converted them to black and white. They still look good! All of these are from 1958.
Here's a swell picture of the TWA Moonliner, with the Flight Circle directly in front of us. Who knew that those cheap, simple molded fiberglass chairs would be so fashionable 60 years later? I tried to figure out who manufactured (or designed) this design. The Eameses? Herman Miller? But I just couldn't tell.
Boy oh boy, where is everybody? There's somebody in the doorway of the Golden Horseshoe (likely a CM), and a lady looking in the window to the right, two fellows in the shade to our left, and that's it! Maybe the stiff wind scared people away.
Next we have two similar photos of Sleeping Beauty Castle; this one is my favorite because the Disneyland Band is casually walking toward the bridge that spanned the moat, possibly on their way to perform on the bow of the Mark Twain. I also like the two ladies to our right, they look bewildered.
Another photo, another day? Or the same day, but a different dimension? Perhaps a parallel universe where everything is exactly the same except that the word "food" is spelled "fude"? Anything is possible, according to Alfred Einstein (my neighbor).
Thank you, Lou and Sue!
Is that patio furniture on the Golden Horseshoe balcony? I've seen pictures of performers up there, but I have no idea if guests were ever allowed to eat outside like that.
ReplyDeleteIn the picture with the Band, my vote is that they're heading to perform on the Mad Tea Party. I assume they don't do that anymore.... which would be too bad. Thanks, Lou and Sue!
I'll say it again, Lou is a true artist. Eat your heart out Ansel. What great photos! Is the Moonliner not a thing of beauty? I think those bewildered ladies are time travelers. They are wondering where the Subs are. Oops. Speaking of Einstein, I'll bet even he couldn't read the Clock of the Future. Thanks to Lou and Sue and Major P.
ReplyDeleteIn the high contrast B&W, the shot of the Golden Horseshoe looks like an antique photo of a real 19th-century building.
ReplyDeleteA vote for Arne Jacobsen as the influence for the Tomorrowland chairs. Cool was never so comfortable looking. These flight circle chairs also resemble a row of Atomobiles, only 9 years into the future.
ReplyDeleteThe Golden Horseshoe shot is a beauty. The lack of clutter on the esplanade makes the building standout nicely. How I would like to visit pre-Matterhorn Disneyland.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lou, Sue and Major.
JC said it correctly. Wonderful pics. I love B&W. I suppose because a lot of my early life was captured that way.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics, every one of them. Do like the first pic of the castle, with the two Brewster gals from Arsenic and Old Lace.
Thanks Lou & Sue and Major.
What do you get when you mix Werner von Braun, John Hench, A TWA Lockheed Constellation,A V2 guidance system, a slenderized Boeing B17 cockpit, and an industrial boiler? Why, The Moonliner, of course! (Heck, let's throw in some Queen Mary port holes just for fun!) She's one of the most influential rockets ever built, considering she never flew an inch. Always a welcome sight! Great photos today!
ReplyDeleteThe ladies are not bewildered. Just looking both ways before stepping into the street, like they were taught. No one wants to get run over by a buckboard. I'm pretty sure.
ReplyDeleteThe flight circle always reminds me of an episode of Disneyland the featured the Lockheed Constellation and control line airplanes. My memories may be combined. I find that happening more lately.
Thanks, Lou and Sue and Major, of course
dz
Andrew, the chairs on the Golden Horseshoe were designed by the noted Irish artist Paddy O'Furniture. In the early years, guests were permitted on the porch roof, not sure when this ended, also same at Knotts Calico Saloon. At some point, I want to see the show from the upper loft.
ReplyDeleteThose at the Flight Circle are similar to Eames designs, but are not. I'm going with Stefano on this one.
Major, the last photo of the castle was taken in the universe where there is no letter "J" in the alphabet.
JG
Andrew, they did let guests onto the balcony in the early years, but I don’t know when that practice ended exactly. There’s definitely furniture up there, though, which is weird!
ReplyDeleteJonathan, “Ansel” who? Just kidding! Those ladies look confused enough to be time travelers who arrived in an era they didn’t expect. “Where are the flying cars?”.
Melissa, the only difference is that Frontierland is so clean! No horse poop or mud. Well, not much anyway.
Stefano, Arne Jacobsen, that’s a name I don’t know! But I don’t pretend to have much knowledge of mid-century design. Thanks for the name, I’ll Google old Arne.
K. Martinez, it really would be weird to somehow go back to a pre-Matterhorn Disneyland. I think I would sense that the mountain wasn’t there even when not thinking about it consciously. Like a missing tooth.
DrGoat, you’re right, these look like the boxes and boxes of black and white photo prints that are in my mom’s garage. I always wondered why she didn’t use color film, and I’m sure that she was trying to save money on my dad’s Navy salary.
Stu29573, you left out Chesley Bonestell. Poor Chesley, always left out because his name is “Chesley” probably. If his name was “Vic McCool”, you would have given him full credit!
dzacher, ha ha, there’s nothing more gruesome than an old-timey Surrey accident! The victim is slowly squished. Once you’ve seen one, you’ll never forget. I wonder if that episode of “Disneyland” is available to watch on Disney+?
JG, ouch, “Paddy O’Furniture”! The pain. Knott’s seemed to allow people onto their 2nd floor balcony for a much longer time. I will bow to you and Stefano when it comes to Arne Jacobsen. Or (in that alternate universe) “Arne Acobsen”?
Major, in that universe, he is known as Arne Iacobsen.
ReplyDeleteIG
I read an article on movie special effects some time back, where they referred to the painted background of one scene as being "bonestelled".
ReplyDeleteJG
Andrew, I love your idea about the band playing on the Mad Tea Party! It also would've been great if they played while all of them rode on the Skyway - 'Sensurround'
ReplyDeleteHow about that baby buggy in the last picture?! That may be the early SUV version . . . I don't recall seeing buggies in other pictures from the past . . .
Lou turns 91 this month and I can definitely say that all of you have made the past year a lot more fun for him. He always looks forward to all the laughs and kind words. Thank you!
Major, thank you for rescuing these pictures!
Sue
The bewildered ladies remind me of that clip of the confused women clapping between sketches on Monty Python's Flying Circus. https://giphy.com/gifs/old-ladies-clapping-applause-monty-python-5xtDarpxnOOsgIaztmM
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