More Vintage Halloween Pix
Have three more vintage Halloween pix for you today! The big day is less than two weeks away, don't you know.
This first one is from 1962, and there is a quartet of kids sitting on the stoop of a brick house. They're wearing their classic plastic vacuform masks - the masks don't seem to be Ben Cooper or Collegeville examples. Two of the kids are holding boxes of animal crackers - am I the only person who liked the idea of animal crackers more than the taste?
This next one is simply labeled "1962"; the same year as our first image. I admit to having doubts about it being a Halloween slide, it looks so summery. But I'm going with it anyway, because I love to live dangerously. "Action" is my middle name! The girl on the left is perhaps a princess, she has a scepter, and has the "royal wave" down pat. The middle girl... well, I can't quite tell what she's up to. She kind of looks like a miniature fairy godmother. The girl to our right has some strange thing stuck to her head - talk about a "flock of seagulls" hairdo! She has her baton, so maybe she's a majorette.
And finally, from sometime in the 1950s comes this quintet of kids in their interesting costumes. The two on the left appear to be gypsies - that's my theory anyway. He will tell your fortune while she dances with a tambourine. I'm not sure what is up with those two next to them, but with their red hair, maybe they're both trying to be Lucille Ball? I'm trying to figure out what is going on with their clothes. Thank goodness we have a nice normal cowgirl to the right.
I have a few more old Halloween photos for you coming up!
24 comments:
Major-
My vote is for the 2nd image as being the most odd. A pair of Lucille Ball's, you say-? Apparently TM! has finally gotten to you-! It had to happen some day. Mark your calendars.
Thanks, Major.
I can't pick a favorite. They're are fun and creative. The facemasks in the first pic are goofy and fun too. Looking forward to more Halloween pics as Halloween is tied as my favorite holiday along with Christmas. Thanks, Major.
The kids in the first pic appear to be petting a kitty or a doggie. I don't see pointy ears, so it's probably a doggie.
My vote for the two redheads is, Pippi Longstocking and her almost identical cousin, Pippa Longstocking. I say "almost," because her cousin's beauty mark is on the opposite side of the face, and also because she/he appears to have an Adam's apple.....maybe.
It's time for Tenuous Disneyland Thematic Linking!!! (It's a thing- Just go with it.)
Here goes: The third kid from the left in the top pic seems to be wearing a mask based on the 1950s EC Comics' Tales From The Crypt character "The Old Witch." This character was used by Marc Davis whilst designing the Haunted Mansion. He changed "her" to a "him" and painted a picture of him with a noose around his neck and holding a hatchet. He labeled the painting...The Ghost Host! BAM! A total Disneyland/ Haunted Mansion/ Halloween mashup!!!
...unless that's not an Old Witch mask. In which case, never mind.
I think the middle picture is of little girls playing "dress up" - or possibly "show" - which is what us neighborhood kids (girls and boys) would do. We'd break into groups of 2 or 3 and take 15 or 20 minutes to dream-up a little 5 minute skit or dance, and then take turns performing for each other. Today's middle picture looks like the sort of costumes kids would whip together. What baffles me is that "flock of seagulls" hairdo...looks like a cut-up paper grocery bag glued to an upside-down crystal bowl. Creative - but mom won't be very happy!
Thanks, Major, for all of these cute-kid pictures!
Boo!
These are scary in a lot of ways.
I grew up in a middle class, blue collar neighborhood where store bought costumes were rare. So lots of ghosts, bums and Dad's huge shirt and tie. And some nickle candy bars at a couple of houses. Just change your tie and go again! Mr D'Amico handed out walnuts.
In the first pic the kid on the left might have borrowed his Uncles Lucha libre mask.
Thanks, Major.
zach
And the Golden Gorilla goes to... Sailor Witch Underpants Girl! Honorable mention to the Oddly Specific Orange Wig Twins!
The first pic has the Animal Crackers, a yet to be determined pet, a possibly semi-famous witch mask, plus a cat mask and a police badge on the kid in the back. Still, the second photo has that extra something that can't be denied. Looks like those are split leafed philodendrons growing outside so it sure ain't Arizona.
Also, that house that the last pic was taken in has absolutely nothing on the walls. Not into the fine arts I guess.
Tokyo, that's definitely a he. The green nails give him away.
Thanks Major.
That clown mask is nightmare fuel! Fun fotos today, I think the kids are playing in the second picture too Sue, like my sister and cousins and I did. Make outfits out of sheets and tablecloths and doilies and paper bags and a necklace of a single feather on twine. Why are the Lucys wearing beribboned potato sacks? Thanks, Major.
@Melissa
Sailor Witch Underpants Girl was in training waiting for the invention of social media when she could reign supreme as Sailor Witch Underpants Grandma.
Mee-yow! Police Cat is on the prowl!
Sailor underpants girl is a prime example of why the girls at the school where I worked were required to wear shorts under dresses or skirts - yikes!!!
I agree with Sue and Kathy!, I think they are playing dress up - let's put on a play. Either that or it was a very hot Halloween that year in Southern California :)
Nanook, you really think the second photo is the weirdest? Seems kind of sweet to me! I don’t know about TM getting to me, but I definitely took a dig at Lucille!
K. Martinez, I’ll be curious to see what kind of Halloween transpires this year; last year we got more kids at the door than ever. Obviously this year will probably be really different.
TokyoMagic!, I assume it’s a dog, but, like a black hole, it sucks in all light and energy around it. Even the kids’ hands are being drawn in by the gravitational pull. Those redheads definitely appear to be related to Pippi Longstocking. I remember that even as a kid I couldn’t sit through those “Pippi” movies when they aired on TV.
Stu29573, that is kind of a tenuous link, but I like it anyway! I’m a big fan of those old EC horror comics, and even have a few originals from the ‘50s (not in great shape so they aren’t worth much). I loved the way Ed “Ghastly” Ingels drew the Old Witch. I’ve seen the artwork by Marc Davis, he used a lot of different things as inspirations for his paintings. Does that particular artwork show up in any of the Mansions?
Lou and Sue, yeah you are probably right. Like I said, it looks so “summery”. I never did any sort of dress-up like you mentioned, and certainly didn’t think up little skits or dances! You should have been in showbiz. The girl who did the “flock of seagulls” thing on her head went on to make millions in high fashion.
zach, I definitely did more than a few costumes that involved old shirts and a loud tie from the thrift store. My brother was into monster makeup, so he had white and black greasepaint, so my look was more of a clown than a hobo, I guess I was a bit of both! We had a guy who gave out bags of pecans because he had pecan trees on his property. We never wanted them, but my mom did.
Melissa, “Sailor Witch Underpants Girl” is the name of my new novel. In stores everywhere.
DrGoat, I didn’t notice the police badge on the kid in the back. I guess the theory was to put on anything that stuck? I was going to mention the complete absence of anything on the walls in photo #3, but then forgot. It must be yet another basement, but even so… why not a few Pink Floyd posters?
Kathy!, the clown definitely reminds me of the movie, “Killer Klowns From Outer Space” (which has an awesome soundtrack by The Dickies). it’s not a “good” movie, but there’s something about it. And I can’t figure out what those redhead twins are wearing!
Alonzo, I am just sad that Sailor Witch Underpants Girl and Grandma couldn’t team up to fight crime together. Because they’re the same person. Ya see.
Melissa, who would win in a fight, Top Cat or Police Cat?
Irene, I confess that I didn’t really notice the unfortunate circumstance of photo number one, maybe I should delete it? Oh well, too late now. Moving as much as I did as a child, I remember trick-or-treating on hot SoCal nights, and also in the snow in Pennsylvania.
Yep, the Ghost Host picture is in the corridor of doors at Disneyland and is one of the Sinister 11 at Disney World. Just Google "Marc Davis Ghost Host" and you'll recognize him right away. Actually, at first I kind of resisted that he was the Ghost Host. It just seems that the picture doesn't match the voice. However, someone pointed out that the man in the picture and the hanging body are dressed the same so I guess I can't deny it any more...Plus Davis actually said it was.
Found a pic of one of my home made costumes. 1956 maybe. Some sort of knight. Our uncle made all of our cool costumes.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/737675613959358610/?nic_v2=1a1Fr7U7G
Major, even as a child, I was never able to sit through ANY of the Pippi Longstocking movies, either!
I forgot to mention that my newest blog post includes quite a few of the old "Ben Cooper" style Halloween costumes, which my brother and I wore during our childhood......just in case anyone is interested!
DrGoat, WOW! So cool! What a nice uncle.....and so talented, as we already know!
Stu29573, thanks for the info, I’ve probably seen the Ghost Host 50 times and never knew who he was! I agree, Paul Frees’ baritone doesn’t seem to match that face - I’d expect more of a “Crypt Keeper” voice if you know what I mean!
DrGoat, WOW! That knight costume is awesome! Amazing what one can do with corrugated cardboard (I am assuming that’s what it is?). Thanks for sharing!
TokyoMagic!, I always thought Pippi was pretty homely. Couldn’t they find a cute freckled little girl? I guess they needed to get across that Pippi was a freakishly strong tomboy so she couldn’t be too adorable. I am definitely interested in your newest blog post, but am getting ready to head out of town. Hopefully I’ll have time to look at it in a day or two!
DrGoat- Amazing costume. Grab another handful of candy!
zach
DrGoat, ditto - that costume is awesome! Your uncle was very talented - he should have written a book or something... ;-)
I wondered at first if the red head twins might be Wilma Flintstone, with the jagged white sleeves and red hair, but of course that doesn't explain the earrings, freckles or ribbons. Curiouser and curiouser!
Kathy! Don't you wish we had video cameras or cell phones, back when we were little, to have captured some of our silly performances?!
DrGoat, your costume IS amazing!! You're tied for first place with Ken. Though TokyoMagic! as a teddy bear is quite adorable (on his blog post).
zach, ha ha, he gets a full-sized Snickers!
Chuck, it makes me want to see what I could come up with using just cardboard and paint.
SunnieDaze, I believe that photo pre-dates the Flintstones by five years or so! Also, why two Wilmas and not “Wilma and Betty”? I always liked Betty more.
Lou and Sue, I wish we had good video cameras or cell phones way back then for many reasons. Think of having high-quality footage of so many things that are now long-gone!
Dr. Goat. Your uncle was very talented. What an amazing Halloween costume. Looks like you had a cool uncle. Thanks for sharing that.
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