Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Family Portraits, June 1961 - and more!

Here's a fun batch for your Wednesday! We'll start out with this nice family portrait, taken in the afternoon. Why, there's Aunt Polly, and cousin Mitch, and little Grundoon and Pugsley. Don't forget Peepaw. (Who calls their grandfathers "Peepaw", I mean, come on!). Disneyland's population is a mere 25 million. 


Next, Grundoon and Pugsley are with their charming mother, posing with the Chief over at the Indian Village. That hot pink satin garment -is it a tunic?- is certainly eye-catching (I've seen him wearing "electric purple" too). Meanwhile, there was just something about that mom that was making my spidey senses tingle. NOT IN A WEIRD WAY!


Well, by golly! Here she is with Pugsley, in a photo originally posted in January of 2021. I bought these slides separately, so it's kind of fun to see that they really do match up.


I might add that we saw that same woman when she was just a young girl in this Christmas photo that I shared in December of 2020.


18 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-
I thought those folks looked familiar. I never noticed the curvy 'finial' in the scrollwork of the case, surrounding the AP's before.

(And make that 26 million folks).

Thanks, Major.

JB said...

That IS a nice family portrait, which is kind of unusual, since there's always someone in the group who is making a strange face (either on purpose or accidentally). At first I thought the little boy on the left (Grundoon or Pugsley? Not sure which.) had exceptionally thick legs. But it's just Meemaw's legs visually combining with his. Also, the light is just right to make the photo even better. Hmm, is this family just arriving to the park, or just leaving?

Major, It really defies the odds that you bought these related photos in separate batches. I suppose, if they were bought on eBay, it's a little less miraculous. But if they were bought in L.A. thrift shops, especially from different shops and at different times, well... you must have been wearing you lucky rabbit's foot.
Thanks for today's pleasant photos.

TokyoMagic! said...

JB, that is funny about the illusion with the kid's legs! And the kid's brother is wearing the mom's coat or sweater on his head....probably just for laughs! Grundoon was always trying to be the life of the party, even at a very young age.

DrGoat said...

Neat family ala 1961. The third photo looks very familiar. Liked it the first time as much as the second, or visa versa.
I love the way the girl in the last photo is proudly clutching her copy of Uncle Remus, and sitting next to the latest technology in record players.
Thanks Major, comforting pics for a rough Wednesday.

Anonymous said...

I like how the photographer included the ‘America the Beautiful’ poster.

TM! Grundoon may be wearing mom’s sweater on his head — but mom is wearing the handcar.

DrGoat, glad you’re here, and I hope the rest of your day gets better!

Thanks, Major.

—Sue

JG said...

Grundoon?

What are the odds?

We owe this talented photographer, that Dumbo shot is Guidebook-Worthy, and the rest are pretty good too.

I’m trying to sort out the family group here, Gram & Gramps are pretty clear, Bosco in the back row and the lady in plaid are parents to Cousin Entwhistle on the far right, and the pretty blonde lady’s hubs is our unseen wizard. I’m guessing Blondie and Plaid are sisters. Gramps is rocking the ever-popular Sansabelt and white socks look, I’m green with envy. Not about his wardrobe, but because he is going to visit 1961 Disneyland.

I’m going to say this portrait is taken on the way in, since Pugsley and Grundoon would be mussed and fussy at the end.

Thanks Major!

JG

JG said...

That must be a younger Gram in the Christmas photo too!

JG

Anonymous said...

I guess that must be Gram in that Christmas photo after all. When I see that picture, my first impression is that she is a nanny...dressed in a white outfit that yells out "Nurse" to me. What a treasure trove of detail in the picture too...all the way to the Life magazines which were a staple at our home for many years. KS

DrGoat said...

KS,
Life, Look, the TV Guide and National Geographic magazines. Hours and hours of reading them. The equivalent of browsing on the net. I liked the old way myself, but it did lead to piles of magazines that got stored in the archive closet and laundry/storage room. In Arizona, there were no basements, which I would have loved to have.

DrGoat said...

Sue,
Thanks, hope so too.

Anonymous said...

Yep Dr. Goat. Now where in the world did we find the time to read them all? I barely get to my snail mail today as it is because I'm so darn busy. KS

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, yes, the wrought iron scrollwork is a nice touch, not necessary, but one of those little things that made a difference. And the “25” was a typo! I still have trouble typing the row of numbers without looking.

JB, you aren’t kidding, so many of our recent family portraits have been ruined by my nephew making a “hilarious” face. His dad always gets so upset. “Meemaw”, oh boy! If I was somebody’s grandpa and they wanted to call me “Peepaw”, I would move to Finland. And join a boy band. But that’s another story. Yes, I bought these on eBay, but at the time I had no idea that they were related to those other slides. You’ll see more of that young girl in the future!

TokyoMagic!, at first I had to double check. One of the kids is wearing a sweater on his head? But you got me. I hope you’re happy! ;-)

DrGoat, you have definitely see that third photo before (and the fourth one too). As much as I appreciate the convenience of digital music, I sort of miss having albums, and enjoying the sleeve art. Old records have a smell, as do the old sleeves. I liked the whole process of loading up the records, etc. But… those days are gone!

Sue, I wonder if the photographer especially liked the America the Beautiful poster, or if they would have been happy with any old poster? Never wear a handcar on your head, that’s one of my rules (it’s rule #374).

JG, I don’t get it, what ARE the odds? “Grundoon” was a Pogo character (as in Walt Kelly’s “Pogo”), maybe you know of it. It can be hard to figure out who is whom in photos like this, since groups can include family friends. I’ve never really known what Sansabelt pants are, I assume they had a built-in elastic waistband? You’re right, everyone looks way too chipper for it to be the end of the day, but why would they show up to the park so late??

JG, I can’t tell if those ladies are the same or not. But they could be!

KS, that’s two votes for it being “grandma” in the older photo! Yes, she appears to be dressed as a nurse. Or a school lunch lady? I tried to ID that LIFE magazine (we can only see a corner of it), but I had no luck. I don’t want to admit how much time I spent on that chore.

DrGoat, it should go without saying that I always hope that you are doing well.

Major Pepperidge said...

DrGoat, oops, somehow I skipped one of your comments. I love looking at old LIFE magazines, even today. I knew a man who had every issue! Can you imagine? I would happily lose myself in them for a few hours. My grandma used to have stacks of old National Geographics up in her attic, going back to the 1920s. They were fascinating!

KS, I think the reason that those magazines all went away is because people got so busy with TV and “other stuff”!

Anonymous said...

Major, I had to look up Grundoon.

Pogo was not carried in our home newspapers, and I only read it when we were traveling and it was in a paper somewhere else.

Yes, Gramps in the pic is wearing Sansabelt trousers, or a reasonable facsimile thereof. I never liked those, I need a belt to carry my utility knife, first aid kit, and 100 feet of climbing rope that I never leave home without.

Odd coincidence, I'm writing from Finland right now, between takes on my new boy band album.

JG

Nanook said...

Major-
I'm thinking the upper-right corner of the Life magazine is folded back on itself - and the white section seen is actually the inside of the front cover. (Now, if I could only figure out what brand/model that portable phono/radio is-!)

TokyoMagic! said...

TM! Grundoon may be wearing mom’s sweater on his head — but mom is wearing the handcar.

Sue, I didn't even see that! It looks sort of like a fancy dunce cap with a brim!

Bu said...

I'm so very late for this party...these photos are haunting. Noted and agreed that Dumbo shot is "frameable". (In addition, it's the "wagging" Dumbo ears.) There is something going on at the entrance. Something happened in the car ride/ticket booth/breakfast. Crossed arms is distant. Check dress at Disneyland is happy nurse with red cape in Christmas photo. Dad (not in picture is taking picture). Painting on wall in living room is a "thing"....It is attributed to someone that I cannot think of at the moment. It's different than "Ocean" down below it. I am going to investigate. It probably still exists. It is very incredible that these photos came from different sources...so there is a reason why they have been conjoined again...and Uncle Remus girl in middle of both photos is the link. Perhaps these photos will find their way back to her, or others in the photo. And THAT will be the story that I look forward to reading.

Major Pepperidge said...

JG, My dad was a huge Pogo fan, and he had a stack of books from the 1950s (collected newspaper comics), which we still have. The comic strip was so beautifully drawn, and Walt Kelly had a unique sense of humor. Sounds to me like you need the king of cargo pants, so that you can carry EVERYTHING that you need! Finland is lovely, but man, is that language hard.

Nanook, aha, I think you are right about the LIFE magazine! No wonder I had such a hard time, ha ha.

TokyoMagic!, aw, I don’t want Mom to be wearing a dunce cap, she seems too nice. I’ll call it a sorcerer’s hat.

Bu, with the technology that we have today, they should not only make Dumbo’s ears flap, but they should flap so fast that they actually drive the ride. Great idea, if I do say so myself! I dunno, “Crossed Arms” seems affable enough, he’s probably like me and never looks good in a photo. Or he’s constipated. I originally joked that the painting on the wall looks like a Cezanne, and it may be a reproduction, I haven’t taken the time to compare. Maybe it’s by Scooter Cezanne, Paul’s less-famous brother. I’d love to hear from the Mom if she is still around, but she would be “up there” by now.