Twain Related, 1960s
I hope you are all enjoying a nice Memorial Day weekend, and that you will take a few moments to think of all of the men and women who have served our country.
It was a cool, overcast day, sometime in the 1960s, when these photos were taken. The cast member working the dock stands ready to lasso the Mark Twain - he always says, "Whooooaaa, big fella!". He is whistling the Irish Spring theme, because... why not? Notice the blue and green wall along the far shore... I'm not sure what that was for. Judging by the crowd over there, it's possible that "Pirates of the Caribbean" was newly-opened. Such a long queue!
Meanwhile, on board the Twain, Mom and Pop found seats, but want to sit where they won't get wet if the rain starts. I like the artistic short focal length, a nice touch. Notice the man with the trombone to the right, presumably from the Strawhatters.
In theory I should be home today, or tonight at least!
17 comments:
Woo-hoo, Double Babushka Monday!
It looks like the lad in the purple striped trousers is whistling along with the nautical CM.
Major-
The blue & green fencing was placed along the banks of the Rivers of America to give guests visiting the Park in the 1960's the same feeling guests in the 21st century would feel when Fantasmic overtook the area as The Blob would.
@ Melissa-
Look carefully... it appears to be Triple Babushka Monday-!! I think the young lad and the CM are having a whistling battle-!
Thanks, Major. And thanks to all the fine men and women who have served our country.
Melissa and Nanook, let's hope that young lad is whistling-back. Or he has a bad case of motion sickness.
There's a unique "feel" to these photos. Different, which makes them nice. Thanks, Major!
Thank you to all of the men and women who have served, and to those who have given their lives serving our country. Also, thank you to those who are currently serving our country. I offer my utmost respect and heartfelt gratitude.
Ah, now I spot the elusive third babushka! They should form a close-harmony singing group.
Yes these photos have a un-posed feel and capture some unusual angles and “typical activity” views.
I’m not 100% sure of the reason for the blue and green fencing but id guess it was when that bend of the river removed the raw , natural riverbank with a more finished stone , brick and wrought iron “levy” in front of the Main section of New Orleans Square - which would have been more appropriate for the 1850’s time frame the land was representing at the time.
.....and a deep THANK YOU to our hero's who have and actively serve our country and keep our Republic safe and free!!
I deeply need a pair of pants like the Whistling Kid has. Actually, I'm pretty sure I had some. They went well with my brown fringed leather jacket. I was a cool cookie, I tells ya!
They're 'Dueling Whistlers' I think. The young man 'kissing' the ropes and his friend look like most of the people I went to college with.
And a heartfelt thank you to those who served and are serving our country.
Thanks, Major,
Zach
If you look really closely, just above the left-most white stanchion at the front of the Twain, you can see a green-painted band shelter. I first thought it was the bandstand that used to be on the bank of the Rivers of America, but the corners didn't look quite right and I hadn't thought it had been moved.
Then I thought it might be the stage for the French Market, but I always think of it as having some sort of "back wall" for the performers as you can see in this 1967 photo.
Then I stumbled on this photo from September of 1966, and it appears that the stage for the French Market was originally an open-air affair.
Amongst the barbecues and celebrations of the beginning of summer, please take a moment to remember those who've served that are no longer with us. We owe them so much.
Memorial Day is a moment to mourn those who served, and also to be grateful that they lived. The world owes them so much.
Great pics, Major. Special views today.
I think the construction wall is for the waters edge improvement, not sure what else it could be.
Chuck, thanks for the research, I will return to examine later.
Cheers all.
JG
Thanks to all the men and women who served our country who are no longer with us. I will always have gratitude to those who serve to protect our freedom.
I’M BACK, BABIES!
Melissa, there is nothing more fortuitous than TWO babushkas! Also, I need purple striped trousers NOW.
Nanook, I’m so confused about the correlation between the blue and green fencing and The Blob! Did The Blob go to Disneyland? Could he buy a Child’s ticket book? What were his favorite rides? Is he a “he”? TRIPLE babushkas, truly this is a lucky day! A “whistle-off”, those will become more popular than dance-offs.
Lou and Sue, yes, that boy is taking slow intakes of air to attempt to prevent hurling. I wonder if anybody has actually gotten “sea sick” on the Mark Twain?? Thanks to Lou for his service! (I hope you give him my best regards the next time you see him).
Melissa, They could call themselves “The Three Babushkas Plus One” (since they need someone else for their quartet).
Mike Cozart, I think your theory about the blue and green wall makes sense; though the very large crowds on shore make me wonder if something else was going on. It could have just been a busy weekend, or holiday (maybe it was a Memorial Day from the ‘60s!).
Mike Cozart, yes definitely. I always think of my dad on Memorial Day (a Vietnam vet and Navy Commander).
Stu29573, I didn’t have purple stripes, but I did have a pair of pants with very thin multicolored stripes that were my favorites, this would have probably been around 1970. Even though I don’t know what you looked like back then, I’m imagining Dennis Hopper in “Easy Rider”!!
zach, oh, a college boy, eh? ;-) I’ve always wanted to say that. I also want to tell kids to get off my lawn, but first I need a lawn instead of bare dirt and some old tires. Something to strive for!
Chuck, wow, good eyes on that bandstand. IT does look very much like the one that was right on the riverbank, but it is strange to see it so far inland. I don’t think that we are seeing the bandstand from the French Market, as it looks quite different. For now I am thinking that it’s the old riverfront structure, relocated. Or am I crazy? Thanks to YOU for your service, Chuck!
JG, I think that the blue/green wall was very early “Galaxy’s Edge” construction!
K. Martinez, I wish we didn’t have wars where so many good people are lost, but am thankful that there are those who are willing to give their all for us.
Hope everyone is having a good day.
Thanks to all our Dads that served and thank you Chuck for for your service and so glad you got through and are here as an important member of the Jr. Gorilla club. My Dad took his "Final Flight" (as they call it in his squadron) June 1, 2000. There were 3 left at the time he passed away, but they're all gone now.
zach, that's pretty much the 60s alright.
Major...a very safe trip home and thanks!
DrGoat, I know your dad served in WWII, I wonder if he talked about his time in the service with you? My own dad was strangely close-mouthed about it, especially when it was about Vietnam. My sister once tried to interview him for a school project, and came away with very little. As you have pointed out, some of us really lucked out with wonderful parents, and they make all the difference.
Major, my uncle Hal was the same, said very little about his time in Europe. I pieced together much of what I know from outside sources, as you and Chuck know. I think this might be a common response.
Chuck, I feel pretty sure that the bandstand in the photo is the same French Market bandstand seen in the linked pics. I think it was consciously modeled on the old one including the colors. I remember that the FM bandstand has a lift, similar but less complex than the Tomorrowland bandstand. I don’t know if there is an underground performer access to the FM stage, but I dont think so. I think it just serves to hide the band instruments when not in use. The back drop panels that come and go might be part of the stage lift. That’s my theory anyway.
JG
As far as I or my sister can remember, he didn't speak of it at all. He just said that they were stationed in Italy not too far from where he was born. That and a few stories about how well they were treated by the locals. According to the 460th Bomb Group book, the group did about 50 missions, B-24 Liberators, and some penciled in writing in the back indicating he was in the 763rd Bomb squadron stationed at Spinazzola Airfield in the southern part of Italy. No stories except for a vague recollection that he said it was scary and very cold up there.
P.
I never even knew my father’s father served in the South Pacific until I saw it on Ancestry.com long after his death.
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