A Menagerie, August, 1965
If you were a guest visiting Disneyland in August of 1965, you might have been lucky enough to see this historic reunion of four key Disney characters. It was sort of a summit meeting. There's Thumper and Flower the skunk (both of them were not seen often), along with Pluto the Pup and Goofy. The little girl in the stroller can't believe her eyes and looks to her mother for reassurance.
Flower apparently left early, and the other three are discussing how to best exit the park without causing a stampede. "I say we split up!", says Thumper. Pluto said "Arf" (because he can't talk, of course), and Goofy was not much help with "Gawrsh!". This is why Thumper has high blood pressure.
26 comments:
DENT sighting in last picture!
Major-
Yes, it was quite the meeting of the minds-! (Even Jack Gilford showed up with his camera for the occasion). And the SBC is just the right backdrop [dented turret, and all] for this rare moment.
Thanks, Major.
Nanook, isn't it funny how that dent now jumps out at us!
Never noticed it before a few days ago.
It's cute how that little boy, in the last picture, is joining the characters. His curiosity has gotten the best of him!
F-L-O-W-E-R!
Thumper looks a little dirty, here. Isn't he supposed to be light gray and white? He looks like he's been rolling around in the fireplace with the Disney dalmatians.
Nanook, Jack Gilford was upset when he found out that the park didn't sell Cracker Jack.
Sue, did you ever stop and think who put that dent in that tower? It could have been Thumper. He does get a little crazy occasionally. That might be why Thumper is in disguise, cleverly rolling in the fireplace with those rambunctious puppies, as deduced by TM. After all, he is Roger Rabbit's uncle, so I'm not surprised.
Thanks for these goodies Major. I've never seen this much of Pluto's backside.
A conspiratorial foursome, suspicious behavior by the plush crowd. Note the Masonic obelisk in photo 2, a sign of the meeting place.
Jackie O in photo 1 moves to investigate.
I cannot unsee the dent. Not a trash can in sight.
Seriously, isn’t it a little odd for the characters to all stand like that, with backs to the crowd, displaying the zippers in their costumes?
JG
Little girl in first photo: "Mom...Flower looks stoned". Little girl in second photo: "Oh yah...that skunk is messy." That smell of skunk is a close relative of what Flower may have been into prior to his "trip" to the castle. Whatever works. I've seen photos of characters in this position where they are all facing each other in a very small circle...I'm sure they are talking about what the plan is after work, or going through their grocery lists: Pound of butter, loaf of bread...etc. etc. They seem to be completely disinterested in the people around them...but perhaps in the set right before this one they were all kicked in the shins by out-of-control sugar filled tikes...who knows...that was common. I do like that version of Goofy...much better than any other version. Pluto during this time kind of always looked like a kid wearing a onesie far too big for him. Flower and Thumper? Very random...but perhaps they were re-releasing Bambi so they had to "do the do." I would like to see a Bambi costume but unclear on how it would look. Probably like those Halloween costumes made of that plastic-y toxic-y fabric and that crispy plastic-y mask. I now can officially see the dent, and possibly may be able to point it out to others.
This is actually the three leaders of the most Dangerous Disneyland gangs meeting to draw up a truce and divide up the turf between them (Flower was Thumper's right hand skunk). The division was made easier in that the turf was, in fact, already divided.
Later, Goofy would lead a power play against Thumper and Pluto and establish the "Fab Fivez" as the rulers of the whole land.
The "Gwarsh" thing was a front.
Lou and Sue, I guess the dent is the new Fudgie.
Nanook, let’s just be grateful that Jack Gilford didn’t choose to wear his short shorts that day.
Lou and Sue, I guess it’s like the trash cans, I haven’t gotten into the habit of looking for the dent yet. BUT I WILL!
TokyoMagic!, as Thumper matured, his fur got darker, and his voice got lower and raspier. And for some reason he acquired a Bronx accent.
TokyoMagic!, do you remember seeing Jack Gilford imitating a bubbing pot of oatmeal?? I do!
DrGoat, I did not think about Thumper’s relation to Roger Rabbit, it’s another case of nepotism! No wonder Roger doesn’t like to mention it, he wants people to think that he “made it” on the merits of his talent. The backside of Pluto, another rare feature of these photos!
JG, it is kind of weird that the characters are all huddled together. What in the world could be going on? They’re probably talking about ME. Hey, you’re right, there’s Jackie O!
Bu, I used to have a friend who “partook” a lot, and whenever he smelled a skunk, he would inhale dramatically because he enjoyed the aroma. Weird. You’d think that the CMs would find a better time to make their post-work plans than right in the middle of their shift, and right in front of the castle! Their handler needed to bring out the whip. Interesting thought about Bambi possibly being re-released… I’m sure Wikipedia has the info about the release schedule, but I am about to head out the door.
Stu29573, I always suspected that Goofy’s act was a ruse. But I DIDN’T suspect that he was the most brutal leader of a crime syndicate. Maybe it was in the Enquirer?
It just occurred to me, the characters are planning to meet at Chao's after their shift is over.
Pluto moonlighted as a bartender over there, back in the day.
JG
LOL!!! Chao’s!!!! That is hilarious! Thanks for the laugh JG.
Stefano, you first mentioned The Dent in your August 24 comment. Please tell us what you know about it. That thing’s apparently been there since Day One, it looks like. It’s “peaked” the interest of some other folks that I’ve mentioned it to - and we’re wondering if you or anyone knows how it happened and why it’s never been fixed.
Good laughs, today - thank you, Major and all!
Alas, I am still "Dent Blind." I looked at the picture Sue pointed out...on a cell phone...and nothing.
Is it at the top or middle? I feel so dentilliterate.
Hey Andrew! Please please attach a link here of that excellent photo you found of the dented turret. It may help Stu and others get a better view of The Dent. Am at eye doctor’s office, at this moment, getting eyes dilated...otherwise I’d attach a link. Thank you!
Stu, it’s in the middle—towards the front
Bu, I'm glad you enjoyed that.
Years and years ago, I mentioned in a GDB thread how I once got take-out from Chao's so we could have dinner in our hotel room. Let's say that the food would not be their claim to fame.
One of the CM's in the thread mentioned how Chao's was a watering hole for the staff after work, with strong tiki drinks. Now I'm sorry I missed that.
JG
Stu, the dent is very visible in this pic from Tokyo Magic's blog a few days back... (sorry I can't post as a hyperlink, copy and paste the text)
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L2eiEOkud4M/YO2B06y0oYI/AAAAAAAAT8Q/v-uV1O1FbWIbh4GSUks8Wbh9fILicH2IACLcBGAsYHQ/s689/Aug.%2B1976%2B%25281%2529.jpg
The dent is in the far right hand turret about midway down from the pointed top. There is a yellow pennant on the pinnacle, but that is hard to see in the photo.
Andrew posted this link in the comments on that post.
https://i0.wp.com/www.micechat.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC_1936.jpg?resize=610%2C913&ssl=1
This last link is a more modern photo with the new jazzy shingles, but the dent is still visible.
This cracks me up somehow that the dent has been an Opening Day Attraction and never fixed in all the multiple renovations of SBC over 65 years. Maybe it has mystic significance like the purposeful flaws the Japanese carpenters include in their buildings to avoid angering Providence by making something accidentally perfect?
Clearly it is not obvious to visitors IRL, so maybe no need to fix it.
JG
I SEE IT!!
I SEEEEE THE DENT!
Babushka with a fringe on top. Wasn't that a song?
Chicks and dogs and skunks gonna push ya,
When you wear your Sunday babushka,
When you wear your Sunday babushka with the fringe on top!
Watch that roof and see how it’s dented;
Watch them shingles and see how they’re bended.
Look for the dent ‘til you think you’re demented or your eyes go pop!
In your pretty pink babushka with the fringe on the top!
Long ago when I was doing TNR with a feral cat colony, one of the mama cats was a black and white tuxedo cat with a narrow white blaze that went from her chin to the top of her little noggin, so what else could we call her but Flower?
I wonder if that cute little dent ever imagined it would get so much love so many years later! I too want more info from Stefano! What’s his call sign?
Celeste
@Melissa
You still got it! Tin pan alley got nothin' on you.
@Melissa, always worth a glance at the previous day threads to find gems like that.
Thank you!
JG
Thank you all for the kind words.
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