Beautiful Tomorrowland, 1956
By now, most of you know that I, Major Pepperidge (being of sound mind and body) particularly love vintage Tomorrowland. There are several iterations, of course, and they are all great, but I have a true fondness for the earliest version. It's not the flashiest or fanciest, but it has a charm and optimism that manages to come through, even though Walt was famously cash-strapped by the time he got around to building this land. Both of today's scans are from 1956.
I mean, come on! Talk about POSTCARD WORTHY™. This is about as nice a photo of the TWA Moonliner as you'll ever see. It gleams against a deep-blue sky, perfect weather for heading to the Moon. Or I should say, "conditions are nominal".
Zooming in, we can see the lady who was posing for this picture, elegantly dressed in a classy gray outfit. To the right of her is a perfect little 50s family.
Nearby, guests could enjoy a spin on the Astro Jets. Fly One Today! There must be 16 people in line, I don't know if I can wait that long. Our photographer captured this scene with the jets in mid-flight, which is always more fun. Somehow that checkered center support recalls the National Air Races of the 1930s.
Another zoomed-in detail. That one rocket appears to have sprouted eagle wings - it must have been exposed to astro-radiation. We can also see the Autopia, and a few Skyway gondolas as well.
23 comments:
Major-
Wowie-Zowie... these are some beauties. I'd like to think the lady in the first image is a grammar school principal, dressed to the nines [including opera-length-? gloves], and of course - sensible shoes.
Another citing of gigantic jean cuffs - seemingly on a lad who'd be far too old for such "Mom nonsense" - and a total embarrassment for any upstanding teenage boy-! (Although I'd happily wear those very jeans if I could locate a working time machine and the dungarees were needed for admission...)
Thanks, Major.
Moonliner) Wow, this really IS an excellent photo! I'm keepin' this one for sure.
Is the tippity-top of the Moonliner painted silver? I always assumed it was white.
Seems like we've seen the Lady In Gray before (?)
Astro Jets) Another great photo. But I can't help thinking that the ride looks like it was set up in a supermarket parking lot. Something about the flat expanse of asphalt/slurry. (Was it indeed, asphalt? Was Disney using slurry from the beginning?)
"Admission 35" That's outrageous! 35 cents to ride the Astro Jets? Or maybe it was 35 quatloos? Yeah, musta been quatloos. Quatloos are a dime a dozen.
Zoomed-in Astros) Nanook mentioned it first, but: The guy in the white shirt takes the prize for "Tallest Pantcuffs". They look exceptionally stiff and shiny. Maybe they're made of duct tape. Major, the eagle wings look like ears. Kinda cute and cuddly, actually.
Thanks for the exceptional photos, Major.
People came the world over to glimpse the ASTRO JETS : the first ( vertical ) rotary motor in the United States!! Canada had 114 of them. Mexico 33. And in Hawaii with six you get ROTARY MOTOR. The Tomorrowland Astro Jets Rotary Motor was such a hit , that after guests left Disneyland , they went home and started ROTARY CLUBS all over the United States……
When my dad came to California in 1960 he wanted to see ( Disneyland) but more important THE MONSANTO HOUSE OF THE FUTURE and THE MOONLINER in person.
Great images Major! Thank you kindly!!
Definitely postcardworthy! The skies of that great, big, beautiful yesterday are so blue they make the red-and-white of the Moonliner and Astro Jets looks extra patriotic.
The elegant lady posing under the Moonliner looks an awful lot like Wallis Simpson. So many great summer clothes on display, from the bevy of full-skirted cotton dresses to the young lady in the red short pants and saddle shoes with black socks. That guy needs his huge pant cuffs to store his ticket book and souvenir map. I can remember going outside to play in rolled-up jeans and then a bunch of dirt falling out when I unrolled them indoors later. When I sold kids' clothes, I had so many mothers get so angry when they couldn't get the exact right length of jeans for their little ones, and I was always so tempted to ask them if they seriously couldn't figure out how to roll up a gosh-darn pair of pants.
I'm fond of Tomorrowland Prime as well, mostly for aesthetic reasons. The architecture, the color, all the contrasting shapes and use of negative space, the olive-and-toothpick lighting, the Giant Jigger, etc. There's a lot going on visually compared to the sleekness and sense of motion you get in the 67 makeover, but it's all so interesting it avoids looking messy.
These are fantastic fifties pics, Major! And my...that certainly is a smart outfit that lady has on. If she were to ask me if I like it, I would tell her, "You know I always have...."
The mother of that perfect little 50s family really should wear shoes, when walking around Disneyland all day.
I think I'll call the cuffs on that kid's jeans, "Coffee Can Cuffs." It looks like he cut the top and bottom out of a couple coffee cans, and is wearing them as ankle bracelets.
It's all about the fashion today, Major! Thanks for sharing these with us!
In the last two photos, you can see that fabulous Fifties fencing, roaming free in across its original range. Today, it’s nearly extinct, with a small population barely holding on in a secluded, fenced-off preserve.
JB, I was thinking we’d seen her before, too, but Melissa’s observation that she resembles Wallis Simpson might be why she looks familiar to me.
Mike, “ROTARY CLUB”…isn’t that what you get when a bored beat cop spins his nightstick on its lanyard around his wrist?
TM!, “Coffee Can Cuffs”…that was an actual thing in US military “fashion” from the ‘50s at least into the early 2000s. The legs of field uniform trousers were usually worn bloused over the top of the boot, with the cuff end either tucked into the boot or turned under and held in place by an elastic band, strap, spring, or cord (different uniforms had different built-in features and different military branches had different regulations). While most people don’t care out in the field, in garrison a lot of people went to a lot of trouble to try to make their uniforms look exceptionally sharp, with razor-sharp creases, sewed down pockets, cardboard frames in their caps, and what in extreme cases seemed like a quart of starch per shirt or pair of trousers. At one assignment, I had sets of “office” cammies commercially pressed that had so much starch in them that I sounded like a stiff paper bag moving around - not something I would want to wear in the field (“Hey, Bad Guys - I’m over here!”) and not something I did again after I left that unit.
Anyway, to get the bottom of the bloused trouser cuff to look sharp, some guys (not me) would cut up coffee cans and tuck them up inside their pants leg at the top of the boot. There were also commercially-manufactured doohickeys that did the same thing but were supposedly easier to work with and more comfortable. I have a pair that a retiring co-worker gave to me that are made from heavy rubber and are adjustable in diameter with integral Velcro straps. I wore them once. I found them uncomfortable and, frankly, rather ridiculous.
Most of all of that went away with the newest field uniforms and a design and use philosophy that emphasized function over fashion. Old habits die hard, however - I still tuck my pajama pants in my boots.
JB, based on the exchange rate given, 12q to 10¢, 35q works out to 29.1-something ¢. Rounding, we’ll call that an even 29¢ (I know 29 isn’t an even number, but work with me here). Adjusting for inflation, 29¢ in 1956 would be $3.12 today (assuming a constant exchange rate between dollars and dekaquatloos (Dq), which I’m not sure is realistic considering the current economic conditions on Triskelion). Is $3.12 a good price for a ride on a carnival spinner these days? Despite all my mathematical calculamations, I haven’t the foggiest idea.
Ah the Moonliner! I could wax with eloquent verbosity on that glorified boiler, but I shan't since I have done so many times before. Let me just say that yes, the tip was silver.
The second shot does look rather supermarket parkinglot-ish. (it's a word because I say it is!) It looks much more impressive in the on ride, close up action photos- but don't we all? I had no idea that chain-link was so futuristic in the mid 50s! It was probably made of radioactive materials that made the eagle wings sprout. Weird!
TM, “Coffee Can Cuffs”…that was an actual thing in US military “fashion” from the ‘50s at least into the early 2000s.
Chuck, who knew? I didn't! And I would certainly pay $3.12 to ride the Astro Jets, or Dumbo Flying Elephants, today. Actually, Dumbo should cost a little less, since the vehicles don't go up as high. Or maybe they would charge the same in order to cover the cost of the flapping ears? In 2023, if Disney decided to charge per attraction, there would probably be a charge per inch, for how high up you take your Dumbo vehicle.
These images are gems!
Sue
I agree, Sue. Wish I could remember a little more of our 50s trips to the park. My mind was too busy just taking in the glory of Walt Disney's Disneyland. What I do or don't remember of the 50s and 60s times looms large in shaping the person I became.
My jeans back then were only a couple of inches longer than they should have been, so my cuffs were less dramatic. Dirt and sand still got in them, requiring an occasional fold down and empty process.
Thanks Major, eternally grateful for pics like these.
Major, photo 1 has it all! Well, except for the stuff in photo 2. Thank you!
Moonliner, Autopia Eagle, the Tower of the Three Winds (lost one on the trip back from New York), olive-pick lights, even the Space Bar sign, perfectly framed, and Mrs. Sternbrow complete with gloves spang in the center. Who could ask for more?
Photo 2 is a cross between the Reno Air Races and the Safeway parking lot and I love it.
Chuck, thanks for the disquisition on military styles, fences and interstellar economics, good start to the day.
Tokyo, stop giving Disney ideas!
JG
@ JB-
I think the former 'champ' for highest cuffs is still the record-holder. LOOK HERE.
Major-
Also... there's a Tom Sawyer island AP mostly-obscured below the Richfield sign (in the 2nd pair of images).
Nanook, I’m not sure I thought “grammar school principal” when I saw that lady, but then again, I don’t know what I thought! I think those cuffs look great, in fact they look just like the ones I have right now! ;-)
JB, I’m just glad that there is no purple or pink on that rocket. Just sayin’. I don’t believe we’ve seen the Gray Lady before. The Astro Jets was an “off the shelf” ride, we’ve seen identical versions at other locations (though I can’t remember what those are at the moment). I’m not sure about the slurry, but assume that it was not used in the earliest of days. We laugh, but I’ll bet there were complaints about the 35 cent price to ride the Astro Jets! Those cuffs were actually made of stainless steel.
MikeCozart, um… er… was the Astro Jets really the first vertical rotary motor in the U.S.? There’s some obscure trivia. And now I know why the Rotary Club has its name, thank you. Your dad had great taste, both of those Disneyland icons would have been worth the trip.
Melissa, whenever I see Wallis Simpson’s name, I think, “WALLIS??”. Kind of like Bugs Bunny when he said “Hansel??”. It’s an unusual name. Did her friends call her “Wally”? I guess maybe those huge pants cuffs were the precursor to cargo pants. I’ve owned cargo shorts, but never cargo pants. Oh wait, I take it back, I did have a pair of cargo pants. I still find dirt and gravel in the cuffs of my pants after taking my mom for her walks at the park. How it happens, I’m not quite sure. I swear when I was a kid you could get pants not only in your length, but even in half-inch increments. Maybe I’m mistaken. The early Tomorrowland was pretty great, you can tell it was done on a budget, but it somehow worked.
TokyoMagic!, I’m sensing another “ILL” reference, since you used the word “smart”, which normal people don’t use (ha ha). Wow, I guess that lady really is barefoot. Seems like a bad idea. “Coffee Can Cuffs”, wasn’t that a song by Pat Boone?
Chuck, the article you linked to seems to indicate that the fencing dates back to 1959, but obviously it was there before that. I thought cops only spun their billy clubs in silent movies. I can’t believe that the military is so particular about the state of soldier’s clothing! Why don’t they lighten up? Let them wear stuff that is flowing and breathable. Also, how about more scarves? I have ideas! The coffee can idea sounds like something from a Honeymooners episode, I believe you and yet it is amazing to think that people did it voluntarily. If you wear pajamas with feet, you don’t have to wear your boots to bed. Another life hack from Major Pepperidge!
Chuck, as a Disney fan, this doesn’t happen often, but I can look at Trekkies and think, “Wow!”.
Stu29573, if anyone would know that the tip of the Moonliner was silver, it would be you. My small model that is in my bedroom at my mom’s house has a silver tip. Tomorrowland had a lot of wide open spaces back then, which contributed to the “parking lot” vibe.
TokyoMagic!, I am sure that if I divided the cost of a modern ticket to Disneyland by the number of rides one could typically do in a day, it would probably come out to something not far off from $3.12!
Sue, yay!
DrGoat, my memories of the park don’t go back quite as far, and my older brother claims that we experienced some attractions that I have completely forgotten (such as the 20,000 Leagues walk-thru). Do they still do air races in Reno? That would be something to see!
Nanook, ha ha, it’s true, those are impressive!
Nanook, oh trust me, I noticed that poster!
I just wonder how much longer Jean Cuffs will take to return back in style? Compared to some of today's dress-down look (and I am putting that mildly), this would be a step up! Mine always would eventually drop making the jeans way too long for my little legs. So I used rubber bands. What a pain to be a grade school fashion statement! LOL KS
Major, there's the official uniform standard, and then all the things guys do "above and beyond" to make themselves stand out. Nothing wrong with making sure you look sharp and professional - I commend that - but it can get out of hand...particularly when leaders starts putting pressure on lower-level personnel to meet their personal, unofficial "above and beyond" standard...or else. That's a foul in my book - red card, five minutes in the penalty box, and loss of down.
Speaking of scarves...goofing around one day when I worked at McDonald's in college, a friend of mine (who was in the Air National Guard) and I both shined up our McDonald's belt buckles, put on black, polished boots bloused over our black pants, and put on maroon ascots. We seriously considered tracking down some maroon berets and putting some sort of "M" crest on them before the joke got old (note - we never actually reported for work this way).
KS, your rubber banded cuffs solution is essentially what military uniform boot blousing straps are, just worn in the inside of the turned-under cuff.
Digging the shady lady, who’s paper hat matches the mod umbrellas she’s standing under.
MS
Melissa, no doubt that Mr. Tallcuffs is also storing an 8-piece fried chicken in those flaps.
Tokyo!, "Coffee Can Cuffs" is an excellent description. And according to Chuck, the military stole your idea. I'd sue. (Not you, Sue. You're safe.)
Chuck, I'm not surprised at the economic situation on Triskelion. Apparently, there are only three Triskelionites on that rocky wasteland of a planet. Not many business opportunities.
Stu, thanks for the silver tip verification. And, until a few weeks ago, there was never a mention of "shan't". Now GDB is DRIPPING with shan'ts all over the place!
DrGoat, Why, in my day, as a kid, I got so much sand in my cuffs that my jeans fell down from the weight of it all. That's why I had to wear a belt; to keep from accidentally exposing myself in public. There was enough sand to fill a 6x6 foot sandbox! Which was fun for a while. Then the cats discovered it...
JG, "a cross between the Reno Air Races and the Safeway parking lot." I love that description.
Nanook, point taken on those cuffs. I knew when I wrote the comment above that somewhere on GDB I remember seeing another kid with taller cuffs. (How did you find it??) Still, today's Tallcuffs are stiffer and shinier. So that counts for something... maybe 29.1 quatloos.
Major, yeah, I'd guess that asphalt was the coating-of-choice back in the first few years of the Park. Why stop at stainless steel cuffs? Neutronium would be much better! Although, transparent aluminum would be more practical.
Chuck, if I was in the military, I would impress my superiors by dedazzling my entire uniform! They’d make me “King of the Platoon” an honorary (but permanent) title. I appreciate your idea about making the most of your McDonald’s uniform, I would have saluted you if I’d seen you in the full getup.
MS, ha ha, the “shady lady”! My kind of gal.
JB, I know I’ve heard the word “Triskelion”, and that it is a Star Trek thing, but I sure couldn’t tell you which episode it was. Did they all eat Triscuits throughout the show? “Bones, these wafers are crunchy, salty, and perfect for anything from the food synthesizer”. “Dammit Jim!” I’ve had gravel and sand in my pants cuffs, and then gone to a person’s house, and crossed my legs, only to have a few spoonfuls of filth spill out. “Sorry, Steven Spielberg!”. He keeps a tidy home. Nanook has good brows AND a photographic memory. I’m sure asphalt was both readily available and easy. Not sure where else slurry had been used, maybe Disneyland pioneered its use?
I forgot to mention the attentive crowd at left, watching the show in the Flight Circle.
I'm going to believe that Cox Pilot is just out-of-frame flying one of those model planes, because that thought makes me happy.
JB, there are apocryphal stories about soft asphalt that was placed so soon before Opening Day July 17, 1955 that some ladies high heels sank into the paving, which hadn't yet set completely.
I'm not sure I believe that story entirely, because so many early pictures show the familiar "slurry", which looks to me like a coating over concrete, but it might have been the parking lot and not the concourses inside the Park.
I don't recall wearing blue jeans "Levis" before high school, I recall a kind of cobby twill cotton in dark colors, green and brown mostly. Dad wore these for his farm work clothes, got them at Sears or maybe Penneys. I remember Mom buying them for both of us at the same time, only mine had "double-knees" and the fabric was so stiff that you could barely move in them until they were almost worn out. I seem to remember turning up the cuffs like that too, since mine were bought all a little too big, so I could "grow into them" before they wore out.
JG
JG - those pants sound like Sears' Toughskins. I remember getting those as hand-me-downs from my brother cousins and they were still stiff.
Oof, looks like the comment form ate the ampersand. "my brother and cousins" not some kind of weird "I'm my own grandpa" situation
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