Shooting Gallery
The Mysterious Benefactor continues to provide more wonderful vintage slide scans; these are all from June of 1978, and even though I titled the blog post "Shooting Gallery", perhaps it would be more accurate to say that this is the plaza in front of the Shooting Gallery. As is often the case, the vintage people-watching is the most fun!
First of all, how about that slurry, eh? I've seen a lot of slurry in my day, but that stuff is choice. Those people don't even realize that their happiness is up a full 9 percentage points just because of what they're walking on. It's been scientifically proven!
There's Chip the chipmunk, looking pretty cute as he poses with a family - one shy boy has to be pushed closer. Doesn't mom know that those characters are kind of scary? Dale doesn't seem to be anywhere nearby, maybe this is like when Lou Costello tried to make movies without Bud Abbot.
The next three are also from June, 1978, though they may have been taken on a different day. Or just at a different time? There were actually a few others from this series, but I figured you didn't need to see five very-similar pix in a row.
Same scene, different pipples.
And one more. The photographer seemed to wait until the view of the Shooting Gallery was wide open.
Well, that was all for today, but we're not done with the Shooting Gallery just yet!
22 comments:
Major-
Did I hear someone say 'flared pants'-?? I believe I did. (Or perhaps 'stripy socks'). Yep, I had 'em both.
Thanks, Major.
I had a Mickey shirt just like the one that the boy in the plaid pants in the first two photos has on. I still miss it.
I also wore running shorts and striped socks as casual wear well into the '80s like the boy next to the stroller in the same image. I don't miss that at all.
It's funny how styles change. I remember being teased by co-workers at my first assignment in 1993 because I went running in a pair of shorts that went down to my mid-thigh. "You going boxing, Chuck?" Eight years later, I wore those same shorts to a PT session with a group of cadets. "Wow, sir - don't you feel cold showing all that leg?"
Since no one has mentioned it yet, I have to point out the Rolly Crump-sculpted, faux knotty tree trunks along the Shooting Gallery boardwalk. I really love how these photos capture a moment in time and these peoples' lives. Thanks, Major!
Wow!! I remember this time Period and area so well, especially the sound of all the bullet/bee-bees hitting the metal shooting gallery targets ! The electronic shooting gallery didn’t appear until 1984. Along with the shooting gallery shots and pings was the Frontierland Entry stockade — it was a tune that played over and over all day , but it wasn’t Frontierland without hearing it each visit! The track Disneyland used was selected by Jack Wagner- the longest running voice of Disneyland. It was called WESTERN SALOON ( solo banjo) and came from the Capitol Records Media Music production series. I’ve heard it in tv shows, cartoons and radio commercials over the years - but it screams 1970’s - 1980’s!! It was replaced around 1992.
Seeing these pictures also reminds me that we would run over and try and see construction progress on Big Thunder - I was so excited about its construction at the time. One time my friend Eric and I moved a wooden bench over to where a construction fence panel was lower - but we couldn’t see anything. A security guard came over and said “ you boys can get a good view over there ...” and pointed to an area that had no construction wall at all and just those metal barricades with those vinyl covers on them. Construction workers were unloading the wood that was being inserted under the coaster track to look like real railroad ties. Even that was exciting for me!
On a side note : the 1984 electronic shooting gallery was the only attraction WED FLORIDA completely designed and fabricated. It was installed in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World and is still in use today.
Thank you Major and Mysterious Benefactor!
Picture #1 brought to you by a generous grant from The Babushkas and Bottoms of the 1970s Foundation.
I'm pretty sure that's Robert Reed in the blue shirt in pic 1. Ok, maybe not, but that was my first thought...That ain't Susan Olsen, though...
Mike, between Western Saloon and Swisskapolka, you just couldn't go wrong on that end of the park.
Lots of good people watching Major. Thanks. And yes, that is the most beautiful slurry ever poured. Part of my job is recommending courts and sports field surfacing and they've got nothing on that. It's a thing of beauty.
Chuck, I'd like to think that I wore my Mickey shirt with jeans, not plaid.
Thanks again M.
The 70s. The dawning of the age of Aquarius, and the end of any fashion sense. And what was with the giant socks that reached ones knee cap? I love shooting galleries to this day. Fortunately, I live in Montana where you can shoot anywhere and point and click means...you're out of ammo. Now I'm going to listen to my Edgar Winter albums. Thanks Major.
If it were the weekend I'd hear the guy target shooting on Mt Elizabeth just East of me.
I loved the Shooting Gallery when it was metal targets and pellet guns. It was a thrill as a kid to be shooting a real gun. I can't remember any of the targets but it must have been fence posts and bottles and critters (insert obligatory 'oh my' here).
Disney did it right, even down to the slurry and posts.
Thanks for the commentary, thanks to MB and thanks to MP,
dz
BTW, I had PLENTY of those giant socks! I still have a couple in my shoe shine kit to pull over my hands while polishing. The cost of use is way down on that pair.
dz
Nanook, I’d say that 1978 was just around “peak flared pants”, if memory serves. Physics showed that larger flares were impossible.
Chuck, I had a shirt like that too! Disney must have sold a million of them. I see photos of myself from around that time and think how unbelievably dorky I look, but I suppose a lot of people think that when they see old pictures of themselves. Or maybe not!
Andrew, er um, I thought those were real tree trunks? Did Rolly actually sculpt them? Maybe you’re pulling my leg.
Mike Cozart, I miss that old shooting gallery with the real projectiles; the last time I tried the electronic shooting gallery, it was a very unsatisfying experience. It really felt like the reactions of the targets was underwhelming, and didn’t give that instant “hooray” you felt when you knocked over a sheet metal bison or duck. I don’t remember the music that was played at Frontierland’s entry, I’ll have to look that up. I MUST know it, but it doesn’t come to mind. I like your story about the guard who nicely told you where you could go to get a good look at the construction, that was cool of him. He must have seen other fellows just like you who were so interested. As always, thank you for your great comment!
Melissa, I’m hoping that the generous grant goes to me??
stu29573, ha ha, Robert Reed, with his curly perm. A young lady who cut my hair when I was in high school wanted to give me a curly perm, and I said, “NOPE!”.
DrGoat, now that you mention it, I have no idea how they pour that huge expanse of slurry without any apparent seams or expansion joints. Sure, we put men on the moon, but how about that slurry technology!
Jonathan, I remember a lot of people being into tennis; Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, etc; it seemed to be a big deal, though maybe it was just the crowd I was surrounded by. Seems possible that the tennis look influenced regular fashion, though?
While I loved the Shooting galleries as a kid. When I ended up working the Big Game Shoot for a summer ('71) the main issue was that there could be ricochets. While we were given ear plugs, we were on our own as to eye protection. I wore my prescription sunglasses day and night. KS
Just one summer after the first Star Wars movie and little did these folks know some 40 odd years later they would be a stones throw from the real deal.
If these don't make you miss tube socks and canvas Nike's I don't know what will. Slurrytastic post Major.
@Dr. Goat, I'm with the Major here, the colored paving is a classic Disney design feature, but how is it done? I'm stumped. I assumed it was a color coat over monolithic asphalt concrete, but it is so smooth.
Major, was the photographer's intent just to document the shooting gallery elevation, were these official documentary photos, or just a curious visitor. I could see being interested in those calabash posts.
Thanks Major and MB.
JG
dzacher, I used to live near a firing range that was used by the local police, it was a little unnerving to hear gunfire at random intervals! I understand why they needed to shift away from air guns shooting metal BBs (or pellets), just too dangerous, but MAN it was fun!
dzacher, it seemed like those socks lasted forever, I remember a pair that my grandma bought me, I swear I had them for over 10 years. I like your “life hack” of using them while polishing your shoes.
Alonzo, it is pretty strange to think that someday there would be a big Star Wars land in Disneyland! I just listened to a podcast that covered “Rise of the Resistance”, I was only moderately interested, but they raved so much that now I am VERY interested! For some reason back then we were really into Adidas and Puma shoes.
JG, I think you are right, it must be a skim coat over something else, but the lack of seams is mysterious. Does it eventually crack and get nasty? I don’t see how it wouldn’t. From what I have been told, all of the photos from the Mysterious Benefactor were taken by a professional photographer, for use in brochures, annual reports, and anything else that you can think of. That’s why we’ve seen at least one of the photos showing up in a book.
Pretty views, so wide open. I didn't realize how large it is in this area. Rachel and I are going back in April for the first time since 2005. Can't wait! Thanks for the great pics. 🙂
Nancy
Major, thanks. I confuse the MB with Mr. X and can't recall if these were business or pleasure.
There are some pool deck "cool coatings" in the market now, and some for rehab of cracked and broken concrete, but none of these look quite like the Disney "slurry".
I know a guy who worked recently (2010) for WED (or whatever they are called now), if I see him I should ask him if he knows what it was. Per Google view today, the paving in this spot now looks like gray concrete with some aggregate visible, and with lots of cracks. Nowhere near as perfect, but not out of character in the "era". Maybe it was always concrete, and the slurry was blasted off at some point.
JG
Major Pepperidge, I hope I'm not pulling your leg! I got that fact about the "tree trunks" from a book called Seen, Unseen Disneyland, which has an endnote referencing that that tidbit was pulled from Crump's It's Kind of a Cute Story, so I hope that it's verifiable!
Dr Goat, I'd like to think I did, too, but my parents have documentary evidence to the contrary. :-)
Major and Dr Goat, we apparently all share great taste in clothing! Aside from that shirt, I also had Mickey Mouse pajamas and Mickey Mouse Club pajamas. That would have been about 1973. Believe it or not, I didn't own another piece of clothing with Mickey Mouse on it until 1995.
I like a good knee sock myself, but I'm more partial to this sort of thing.
Out of curiosity, what kind of prizes did they have at the shooting gallery back in the day?
June 1978 was a wonderful month, as I graduated from high school, then!
In the 2nd to the last picture, that blond gal with the white T-shirt and shorts (off-center, to the right), is wearing the male version of the 'very stylish' guy's fashion that most of you men claim to have worn. But the girl's version was minus the stripey knee-socks. I do remember wearing this style - complete with the blue suede and white striped Adidas. And the shorts were made of a shiny, satiny material.
Regarding 70's fashions, I loved wearing those shoes seen in the 3rd picture - on those gals walking past each other, toward the middle of the picture. The one pair has the long "tie" that wraps and ties around your ankle . . . and the other shoes were those tan leather platform shoes that we nicknamed "buffalos." Hey guys, remember! - YOU wore platforms, too!!! But they WERE cool, then.
Sue
^ oops, in my 2nd paragraph above, I meant to say that gal "is wearing the FEMALE version of the very stylish guy's fashion . . . "
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