Kodak Brochure, 1963
Everyone loves old Disneyland paper ephemera, it is one of the constants of the Universe theorized (and later proved) by Einstein. And today I am capitalizing on that love by sharing this scan of a 1963 brochure presented by Kodak; they were the providers of film and film accessories in the park for many years. It's pretty common, but still fun to look at.
There it is, that oh-so-1960's illustration on the cover. It's colorful, it's energetic, it isn't beholden to the artistic styles of previous generations. It's almost "pre-psychedelic". It looks like they used art markers, and while I am not sure when those came into use, 1963 seems early. Of course it might just be watercolor, too.
Unfold it to reveal two additional panels, with handy hints for amateur shutterbugs. If it's cloudy, what shutter speed should I use (assuming I'm using Kodachrome II)? Kodak's got you covered, baby! Most of the photo examples aren't that exciting, though I do enjoy the one with the spaceman balloon vendor, with the Moonliner (sans "TWA") in the background.
But the best part is this unique, stylized map of the park. Ink and gouache, perhaps? Like the cover, the graphic look is right in step with what was popular at the time. At first I thought the artist painted a fountain in the middle of the plaza, but now I realize that it is a tree. Notice the red dots (30 of them), indicating the location of all of the "Kodak Picture Spots".
33 comments:
Major-
Always a fun brochure. And yes, the image of the 'spaceman' balloon vendor is definitely a keeper. Perhaps, even better is the very pointy representation of Cascade Peak more resembling a pyramid; and what appears to be a very large, curved 'screen' in the Edison Square, backstage area of the Park on the cartoon-ish map.
Thanks, Major.
Yes, definitely a fun brochure and fun graphics! Imagine if the Castle really was painted in those same colors used on the cover of the brochure!
"Spaceman Balloon Vendor." Was that ever the name of a rock band?
I like the teeny tiny stylize image of a witch, complete with pointy hat and broomstick, standing in front of what I assume is supposed to be a Fantasyland building (Merlin's Magic Shop?). Above her is a teeny tiny stylized Tour Guide. She sure is carrying an awful large tour flag. Unless she is supposed to be on a putting green, holding the flag for the person trying to putt a ball into the hole?
Thanks for sharing this with us, Major!
@ TM-
Don't give (you-know-who) any more color ideas about the Sleeping Beauty Castle-!
Nanook, yeah....it looks pretty cool on a vintage paper item like this, but it would not looks so great in reality. "You-know-who" is probably submitting a work order, right now as I type this, for a change in the color scheme on the Castle. Of course, she would probably have to wait another 10 years or more, since I don't think they would authorize a new paint job, so soon after the current day-glo mess!
The second I saw the cover, the album Disraeli Gears came to mind. Wow, freaky. The tree does look like a fountain, and why is there a Bell 47 chopper flying over the park? TM, don't give 'em any ideas, man! This is a great brochure, and Major is right, love for Disney ephemera is in our DNA. Thanks Major.
Fascinating on a few different levels, particularly the map. I realize it just covers the highlights, but it's interesting how much is dead accurate and how much is not.
Note that the Main Street and Fantasyland buildings are portrayed largely as they look from above - large, gray, undecorated expanses covering big buildings with themed facades.
Main Street Station looks sorta vaguely like itself, while Fantasyland Station looks pretty close to the real thing.
Frontierland Depot and a couple of other Frontierland buildings are depicted as being at a lower elevation than the railroad tracks and looking into the Jungle Cruise, but the Shootin' Gallery is exactly where we expect it to be.
The Matterhorn only has one nostril and the Skyway a single car and cable.
The gate in the NE corner of Town Square is very prominently featured for no apparent reason.
There's a random building I've never seen before next to the Skyway Chalet in Fantasyland.
I think that really is supposed to be a fountain in the middle of the Plaza.
While this brochure may be from 1963, its photos and the map must predate that. The Disneyland Heliport moved north of the Disneyland Hotel around 1960, the Monorail was extended to the Disneyland Hotel in 1961, and the Moonliner was repainted Douglas blue and white in 1962. And yet...there's the Swiss Family Treehouse, which opened in late 1962. Maybe it was just lightly updated from an earlier version?
Regardless, this has been a real treat, Major. I think I'll head down to see the Columbia off at the wharf. Y'all have a great day!
The cover is such an eye-catcher - I love it!
In the second scan, is that a pudgy little indian (lower left)? Adorable. :)
TokyoMagic! Did you also notice the funny posture on that "stylized Tour Guide"?!
In the last scan, I love the way the artist drew the Mark Twain - and love the color-choices used, too!
I really think that IS a fountain, in the plaza . . . Major, why do you think it's a tree? Just curious.
I'll have to look at this brochure more-closely, later when I have more time.
Thank you, Major!
JC, the first two Disneyland Heliports were located at the SE corner of the Park, behind Tomorrowland, although L.A. Airways never operated Bell 47s. I have seen photos of Walt emerging from a '47 at the Park's pad, so maybe there was some kind of connection there for the artist.
TM! & Sue, I don't think that's supposed to be a tour guide. It looks to me like it's supposed to be a castle guard wearing a steel breastplate and helmet and holding a pike or spear with a pennant on the end.
In the second scan, what is that pagoda-like structure in the middle of the left column? I know a Chinatown of some sort was proposed for Main St. at one point - could that be it?
Great observations, Chuck! My guess is that the building you didn't recognize next to the chalet is just an unfaithful representation of where you would enter and exit the building. Thanks, Major, for this neat souvenir!
I agree that for some reason, they were trying to show a fountain in the Plaza. It appears to be two-tiered, with water in both basins.
Sue, I noticed that funny posture on the Tour Guide!
Chuck, you could be right about it being a guard, rather than a Tour Guide. I see what you are describing about the figure. The one thing that threw me off was the red plaid skirt that they put on the Castle guard! ;-)
Andrew, I believe you are right about what they were trying to depict with the Skyway Chalet. That was always the way it was shown on the very large souvenir wall maps. If we look at Lou and Sue's pic from just two days ago, we can see that the entrance and exit doors into the Chalet, were in what almost looked like a separate building, tacked onto the structure that the gondolas entered and exited from.
TM, I looked and looked and looked for the witch and tour guide on the map! "There aren't any people on here at all???" Then I figured out where you meant, Lol! I think the "tour guide" is a knight, btw.
This reminds me of how in my past "photographer life" I was so geeked out by film speed, shutter speed, F stops, focal lengths, etc. Wow, I was a nerd! Now computers do everything (although not always well). If you want to get a "fully manual" digital SLR, it will cost you many times what the full auto version costs. Ah, irony.
Interesting that over in TOMORROWLAND the Adventures In Science attraction show building is included - of course this was never built. And the poor Monsanto House of the Future .... placed in .... but not a touch of color....
Growing up I have fond memories of stylized maps from Santa’s Village, Sea World , Knott’s and of course Disneyland .... but often they were annoying because of things left out or poorly depicted. The Disneyland overview maps included in the souvenir guides from the mid 1970’s really used to frustrate me because the two guests entry tunnels below the Main St. station were drawn like two model train toy tunnels laying atop the track blocking the train’s passage!!
Some of the later Disneyland wall maps from the late 70’s that were copies of copies updated from Sam McKim’s original PERFECT maps often include things I figured were just added in by the artist even though they didn’t appear to have any relationship to the actual attraction - like the way Big Thunder was represented - the station was nothing like the actual station - and there’s geysers and a cowboy on a horse shooting his guns up into the air!!??? Later of course I discovered the map artists ( by the Al White Studios ) did those maps and went off material provided by WED - so a 1976 concept for Disneyland’s Frontierland with a WDW big thunder station and big thunder geysers and a Disneyland version of Western River Expedition proposal explained the odd details on the Disneyland wall map for Big Thunder!
OMG, those illustrations are everything! I would love to have the castle from the front cover on a t-shirt.
The tree in Town square looks like a fountain to me, too. I guess it's shaped like a weeping willow, but it looks blue to me. Then again, I do have a mild blue/green color blindness, so anything on the edge between blue and green reads as blue to me.
I miss the Kodak picture spots. They made even us clumsy photographers look like we knew what we were doing.
Many of these little sketches are almost what you would expect if the artist worked from verbal descriptions only. "There's a fort, and a castle, and an old town, and part of it is jungles and Asia..." I like the little "pagoda" which must represent Adventureland somehow.
Also interesting how the heliport is moved to cover up the wide expanse of backstage, which McKim's maps made into dark forests. I wonder if this was a "correction" to cover up where Edison Avenue had been started. I know I have done things like that in a rendering when the program changes.
I've never seen the view of the spaceman in the yellow suit, selling balloons no less. Had to be staged, with costumes from central casting. All the Disney space folk wore silver suits.
And that cover image is the best thing. Major, I think you are right about using Art Markers, the colors are brilliant! I think there were some liquid watercolors with colors that bright, but I never worked with them. That sketch is the lineal forerunner of the beloved psychedelic Mickey paper bag. I love the loose, sketchy feel, and Melissa is right, this should be a t-shirt.
Thanks so much.
JG
Nanook, the artwork on this brochure is so different compared to the typical Disneyland graphics of the day, I kind of wonder how they found the artist. Was it somebody in-house? Did this person ever do another Disneyland item?
TokyoMagic!, these days it isn’t that hard to imagine the castle painted in those colors, unfortunately. You are thinking of “Sunshine Balloon Spaceman”, by the way. I didn’t even notice the little witch in front of Merlin’s Magic Shop, how funny. “Witches are magic, right? I’ll just put one right here.”
Nanook, you-know-who is already stocking up on orange, yellow, and metallic gold paint!
TokyoMagic!, oops, I should have read your comment to Nanook before I left MY comment to Nanook. I hope you’re right about it taking another 10 years before she can make additional changes, but… the 70th anniversary is in just 5 years! MORE PINK! MORE BLUE! MOOOOOOOOORRRRRRE!
Jonathan, the cover for Disraeli Gears is one of the most iconic of the 60’s! A band called “The Dukes of Stratosphear” (XTC under another name) did a psychedelic album with a cover that was obviously a tribute to Disraeli Gears. Funny that you actually recognize the model of that cartoony chopper.
Chuck, one of the things I like about stylized Disneyland maps is seeing what they include or omit, and what they completely change. As you have surely seen, the big souvenir maps included Liberty Street and Edison Square for years. I wonder if kids who bought those maps thought, “I guess we missed those parts”? Good eye on some of those details, like the Frontierland buildings being BELOW the level of the RR tracks! I hate to say it, but it does sort of feel as if that map was blasted out in one night without a lot of planning. Yeah, why DID they add that mystery building next to the Skyway chalet? I do think that tree looks like a fountain, but… WHY? So strange. Where were the editors to say, “Hey, Mitch, there’s no fountain there. No more martini lunches for you!”. As I’ve pointed out in other maps, they can be wildly inconsistent when it comes to accuracy. Thanks for your fun comment!
Lou and Sue, this brochure is pretty easy to find these days, thanks to eBay. Did Lou have one rubber cemented into one of his albums? ;-) The Mark Twain looks more like the “Cordelia K” at Knott’s Berry Farm. I guess the mob has spoken, that IS a fountain. Weird.
Chuck, I wonder if Walt ever took a helicopter from the Burbank studio to the park? Maybe that would explain the Bell 47 photos you’ve seen!
Once again, Blogger told me I had to make my response to the Junior Gorillas smaller, so I've divided it into two sections!
Chuck, I agree, it looks like a guard, though it does sort of look like he is wearing a red (plaid) skirt. Hey, I don’t judge.
Andrew, all I can think of is that the pagoda was supposed to represent part of the Jungle Cruise… there actually was a pagoda-style temple in the ride, though it was crumbling and not colorful. Of you could be right, it might be a nod to the proposed (but never built) Chinatown, artwork did appear in one of the guidebooks.
TokyoMagic!, the fountain appears to be filled with water imported from the Amazon river, too! Amazing what you can tell when you really look. Ha ha, I thought it was a tour guide at first too, as I said to chuck, it’s that red skirt that threw me.
stu29573, I did the exact same thing, I couldn’t decide if I was really dumb, or if TokyoMagic! was pulling my leg. He does that! I probably am pretty dumb, but I did finally find the witch after hours of crying and making a scene. I wish I was more knowledgeable about f-stops, ISOs, focal lengths, and so on, I’m jealous that you know that stuff.
Mike Cozart, is the Adventures in Science building the one with the U-shaped roof? Interesting! I think that flower-shaped thing is not the Monsanto house, but is a stylized Midget Autopia track, unless I am looking at the wrong thing. I’ll have to dig out my 1970’s souvenir guides to see how the tunnels under the train tracks were represented! I agree, Sam McKim’s maps are unbelievably great. I like Collin Campbell’s maps too, but not as much. Nina Rae Vaughn did a great job with some of the later maps of the 1990’s and 2000’s, totally in the spirit of Sam McKim’s, and very well drawn. Interesting observation about the maps using a combination of details from different parks!
Melissa, see, your idea of using that artwork on a t-shirt is genius. Disney marketing, what are you waiting for? I convinced myself that the fountain was a williow, but now I’m back to “fountain”, even though it makes no sense.
JG, the map reminds me of some of the earliest Disneyland merchandise, in which the various lands barely look like the final product. Tomorrowland has a suspended Monorail and a crazy rocket with multiple fins, Frontierland and Fantasyland look totally different; only Main Street is usually close, though even that is sometimes depicted with dirt instead of paving. I think I have a photo of the Spaceman in a yellow (brown?) suit, take a look HERE. I like the silver suit better, but it’s interesting to see him in something different - I pointed out how much it looked like the suits in “Destination Moon”.
Chuck, thanks for the info, I have always had a soft spot for the Bell 47. It is iconic in the aviation world.
Major, I think you are looking at the Midget Autopia track. The House of the Future is just off the bottom left corner of the Matterhorn. As Mike Cozart points out, it's not rendered in color - just black lines that fade into the trees and slurry - and it's hard to see. I missed it myself until I read Mike's comment.
While taking another look at the map today and reading everyone's comments/observations, I noticed that it appears to have snowed recently, in Town Square!
Now, I have more time to look at this brochure . . .
I LOVE the wire fencing in the yellowed-spaceman-with-balloons picture!
Yes, that one figure does look like one of those castle guards - the ones that wear the puffy red and yellow striped shorts with leggings and that ax-like thing on top of their helmet . . . whatever they're called. Or maybe just a knight with a material or mesh "apron."
Major, this brochure looks VERY familiar . . . I'm HOPING mine ISN'T rubber-cemented to anything!!
Mike, good eye on the House of the Future!
Melissa, I would love this castle on a T-shirt - or even on a tote bag.
One thing I didn't notice until now - are the little people all over the map. Not a busy day, as there's maybe 75 little peoples shown.
What is that thing with the gold dot, about an inch below the House of the Future - on the map?
Extra fun post today, Major!
Sue, that might be the clock of the world. Not sure.
DrGoat: You are SO right!! Thank you!
I just had another thought to 'throw out there' . . .
Would "young" people even use a map like this, today?? I ask because I know a few young adults who can't read a map if their life depended on it. They rely on their phone's GPS for everything. (Disclaimer: I'm not making fun of anyone, but just asking a serious question.) And, Andrew, I already assume you can read maps, as you are an intelligent teen.
Sue, that's the Clock of the World. Either that or it's a garden "gazing ball" to go with the fountain in the Plaza!
Major, I had forgotten the post with the Destination Moon suit, thanks for linking to it. I see I commented, so must have read it.
Still sad that he is reduced to selling balloons to earn enough for fuel to return home.
JG
Major-
I was waiting for MIKE to reply, but the 'building' he's referring to sits just below the blue & green circles (Hobbyland, itself crammed between the Crane Bathroom of Tomorrow & Flight to the Moon) and is that dogleg structure to the south (with the blue 'dome' in its roof) and east of where Edison Square would have been located. I presume that 'U-shaped structure' just south of the Tomorrolwand Skyway station is the "newer" canopy for the Space Bar.
Agree with Chuck about that 'white squiggle' being the Midget Autopia.
MAJOR - NANOOK: yes! That’s the Adventures in Science unbuilt building!
MAJOR - regarding the odd images in the later wall maps of the 70’s : the Big Thunder depictions were not other parks designs added onto the Disneyland map - WED was providing “current” concept art to the Al White Studio artists who did those post Mckim wall maps . In the Clem Hall Big Thunder Railway concept art for Disneyland , a much larger train/ mining depot like the one built for Florida was proposed for Disneyland - where guests board the trains “underground”. The inclusion of Rainbow Ridge was a later addition and Disneyland was to have had the geyser plateau in its place - as built in Florida . Also between 1970 through 1976 The Western River Expedition attraction was in the Disneyland master plan 7 year expansion to be built about where Discovery Bay was later going to be developed . After 1976 The Western River Expedition was still being considered for Disneyland at the very northern part of the Rivers of America and was still being considered as late as 1982. The last proposal of The Western River Expedition at Disneyland would have connected Frontierland to Bear Country via another “land” called LAND OF LEGENDS.
The 1974-1976 Disneyland master expansion plan is a unusual “missing-link” park development : The program was to introduce as many NEW Florida attractions to Disneyland as well as some TOTALY new ones . Before Discovery Bay was fully developed a Fantasia massive dark ride was planned to go to the Western left of It’s a Small World .... to the Western left of FANTASIA was planned a Island at the top of the World attraction ( nothing with Discovery Bay yet) to the Western left was a secondary Frontierland entrance leading to The Western River Expedition “Mesa” ..... where the friendly Indian Village was.
It’s amazing how a single attractions GREEN LIGHT can completely change a parks development.
BTW - The Al White Studios was a separate company formed by former disney illustrator Al White . Disney farmed our thousands of projects to them created artwork for Disney News , tons of merchandise like wall maps , souvenir pennants, and other souvenirs . They also create paper restaurant cups and trays used at the Disney parks - almost all of the Al White artists had worked for Disney at some point . They were still active into the 1990’s. In fact if you purchased any original art from Disney Auctioniers or the Official Disneyanna Conventions in the 90’s and early 2000’s it was mostly likely from the Al White Studios!!
TIL that the WRE was planned for DLR. EIEIO.
@ Melissa-
Remind me again - where does Old MacDonald fit into the picture-??!!
You know what I want? I want one of those old Picture Spot Signs with the cutout of a cartoony guy with a camera. It doesn't even have to be authentic or to scale. Something to class up the patio.
I think Old MacDonald fits somewhere into Critter Country. But knowing Disney, they can probably shoehorn him in anyplace.
I'm going out on a limb and assuming that the big space between Main Street and Tomorrowland is a hole that Space Mountain has since filled.
Magic Ears Dudebro - If you 'Google map Disneyland,' you'll see a great shot of that area. Space Mountain takes up some of that space, but there are also work buildings and a parking area, squeezed into there, too.
Post a Comment