Paper Ephemera
Hooray for vintage Disneyland ephemera! My favorite stuff. I would describe my collection as "pretty good", but not great. Maybe it's largely a case of quantity over quality. But that's OK! I love it all. I have two nice pieces for you today.
In the 1950s, the park gave out a number of "Information" handouts - my theory is that some of them were given to guests when they paid for parking, while others were handed to them at the ticket booths. There are a number of variations on this style, with Dumbo waving a banner - several with blue backgrounds rather than pink, and one pink version that is slightly smaller than the one I scanned for you (my example is from 1957).
I'm not sure why guests needed a map, since they were already there, but I'm not complaining. Even in 1957, Disneyland was so new that they needed to answer such questions as "How long should we plan to stay?" and "Can we bring our cameras". No cameras, fool! A friend recently alerted me to a variant of this brochure that I MUST HAVE. Variants are my jam.
Arguably the best part of this brochure is the array of color photos inside. I particularly like the Rainbow Desert photo, with the Mine Train and Stagecoach, though they are all good. I wonder how they got the view from behind the giraffe's head? Did somebody climb a tree? A later example of this pink Dumbo brochure includes a photo of the Viewliner.
I'm sure many of you have seen this "See and Enjoy... Disneyland's Newest Attractions" flyer from 1958, introducing such wonders as the Columbia, the Alice in Wonderland dark ride, and the Grand Canyon Diorama. All still with us, and all still wonderful. I have always thought that the drawings on this flyer are a bit amateurish, but that's part of the charm.
The version above, printed on a sort of "newsprint" paper, is probably the most common, although there is a version on greenish paper, and another on pinkish paper. Collect 'em all!
I hope you have enjoyed today's paper ephemera.
22 comments:
Major-
Love the brochures, as usual. So much terrific info/images packed into a small space. I'm most-intrigued by this tidbit in the 1958 brochure - "... board the new Excursion train..the deluxe Passenger train.. or the fast Freight.."As all three trains share the same rails, I'm curious just which parts of the space-time continuum were 'modified' in order to accommodate the fast Freight...
Thanks, Major.
"Disneyland...will always be within everyone's budget." Hahahahahahaha. Well, I suppose it is... if you're willing to put off little Timmy's cancer surgery for six months or so. Disneyland's focus seems to have shifted somewhat from those earlier times.
I was gonna suggest that the behind-the-giraffe's- head photo might have been taken from the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. But, for one thing, it didn't exist yet. And even if it did, I'm pretty sure you couldn't position yourself to get this shot anyway.
I'm admiring that last image from a technical perspective: I guess you scanned each version separately? Positioned them in Photoshop and added the drop shadow effect? I'm gonna feel foolish if I'm wrong. So answer carefully, Major. ;-)
Nanook, I'll take a wild guess and say that Tomorrowland is where the space-time continuum was modified... Duh! Walt had to get special permission from the Anaheim City Council.
Thanks for the paper trash, Major. Well, that's where most of these brochures ended up... even before leaving the park. I wonder what percentage actually survived so that collectors, like yourself, could preserve them?
Was the water in the Rivers of America really ever that blue?
I’ll read everything later today...but have two quick, very important questions:
1. WHY include a helicopter in the Moonliner shot?? It takes away from the Moonliner, IMO.
2. Can we see The Dent? I don’t have my glasses on, and I’m on my tiny cellphone...so I can’t see the picture very well.
I’ll be back later...thanks, Major.
Sue
I think the maps were included not so much for the guest who was already there but for the future guest who might be given the brochure by a friend who had been there. “Dude - you have to check out Disneyland! It’s rad!” (I pride myself on my ability to write period-accurate dialogue.) Additionally, couldn’t these have been distributed to area hotels, gas stations, and rest stops, much as tourist flyers are today?
Note that Tomorrowland has been re-imagined one year forward from 1986 to 1987, shifting it from the year of one momentous then-future event, the return of Bill Haley and the Comets, to another, the year I graduated from high school. While they were off on a few things, look at just how much they got right. For example, while we didn’t get a chance to visit the Moon on my graduation trip, my family did have an opportunity to travel aboard a Harper Goff-designed submarine. It’s like Walt and his boys knew the future!
The giraffe photo was probably taken by a photographer sitting on the head of the other giraffe. He then rode it over to the main thoroughfare in Adventureland to get the shot of the Bazaar.
The “natural” arch bridge is quite possibly the least-convincing Disney rockwork ever, but I still love and miss it. Every. Single. Day.
The can-can dancers are all wearing primary colors. Some are the primary colors of pigment and some are the primary colors of light, sure to please both your art teacher and your science teacher (ever notice that those are never the same person, even though we have universities with Colleges of Arts & Science?).
Bonus - entrance plaza attraction posters, including Space Station X-1 rather than Satellite View of America! Hooray!
JB, you are correct - it was the addition of the Tomorrowland station that warped reality.
TM, bodies of water can experience fits of melancholy just like everyone else. Some days are worse than others.
Major is just being modest, his collection is exceptional! Why, did you know he has enough Disneyland ephemera to stretch from Seattle to the great state of Idaho and all the way to Great Falls, Montana? Did ya, Huh? I gotta cut back on the caffeine. Every time Major shares his collection, I am instantly transported back in time. As George Patton once said about war, "I do love it so." As sure as JB's opening sentence today was the best ever, so is your collection, Major. Thank you for sharing it with us!
“…will be within everyone’s budget…”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…. gasp … HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
These are cool, Major. Love the ancient dialog.
JG
"Collect them all!" like Troll dolls...or what I called them as a kid "Wish Nicks"....or "Wish Nik"...I would collect all of these and spend my time getting lost in the smell of old paper and language of another time. Lots of interesting points...I love the map...even though...it may not make total sense...but possibly these things were brought back home, given to neighbors, with the "ya gotta visit this Disneyland joint". Then, they would simply use this map to get there. Beverly hills is full of poodles don't ya know. Fullerton: full of oranges, LA Airport operates out of a shed, not notated, but depicted is Signal Hill with it's oil...pumping and pumping as Norma Desmond said...Corona and Riverside have nothing, but Riverside is home to the Mission Inn which is a wonderful place that I highly recommend seeing (not an ad.) Disneyland will ALWAYS be in everyone's budget. "OK". Disneyland is Walt's camera kingdom. But don't put that stuff on TV! There are four lands and Main Street...which is a street...not a land...so don't get them mixed up! I go to Disneyland for historical education. Perhaps hysterical now. Push button plastic dream homes! Collect them all! Africa and South American goods all under one roof! Who knew? What happened to Guatemalan Weavers...that was actually a super duper cool shop! Some Chubasco character probably bullied his way in. I have a lot to contribute today, but no time....thanks for the morning paper Major!
Nanook, I noticed that too, and wondered if Santa Fe wanted a modern diesel-style train on the tracks? I think I’ve heard that rumor, and it might have been at least part of the reason why they stopped their sponsorship eventually. As for the tracks… who knows!
JB, yeah, that’s a good one. The last time I was thinking about buying a ticket for the park, it would have cost me $175 for a one park, one day pass. With $30 for parking… yikes. I’ve seen other shots in other publications, taken from behind the giraffe’s heads, and still can’t figure out how they did it. A camera on a stick? And yes, I did some Photoshop tomfoolery for that last image! While I’m sure you are right that most Disneyland paper wound up in the landfill, there’s a lot of it out there still, even from long ago.
TokyoMagic!, they used to drop in Ty-D-Bol tablets once a week, so yes, the water really was that blue.
Sue, you see helicopters in many early Tomorrowland shots. Not sure why exactly - just to add excitement? To advertise the helicopter service to and from LAX? The print quality is too soft to see the dent, but I’m sure it’s there.
Chuck, yes, it is totally possible that those Dumbo brochures could be found in racks where you might find other brochures for nearby tourist destinations (Marineland, Knott’s, Forest Lawn, etc). In fact, there’s a later iteration of these brochures that I would almost guarantee were found elsewhere. I didn’t notice that the date for Tomorrowland had been changed to 1987! Interesting. And also completely accurate. We went to the Moon for my graduation, but it was a budget trip. I never thought about how the photographer could be sitting on the head of another giraffe, it checks out. I too love that natural arch, for the same reasons as you. Hey, green isn’t a primary color! You’ll be hearing from my attorney. I would love to find a “Satellite View of America” poster, though I am very happy to have my Space Station X-1 poster.
Jonathan, like I said, I do have a LOT of Disneyland ephemera! But now that I’ve talked to some of the top collectors, I feel as if my collection is lacking in so many rarities. But that’s how collecting goes, I guess. It’s always fun to discover something out there that I never knew about. I’m glad you enjoy this stuff as much as I do! And yes, JB really found the key quote on that brochure, it’s beyond ironic.
JG, breathe… breathe….! I’m not sure if that quote makes me laugh, or cry. Probably the latter.
Bu, “Wish Nicks”, never heard that before. I blame my mom for my collecting bug, though it seems as if none of my siblings got it, so maybe it’s just all ME. I love old paper ephemera, not just Disneyland, and the aroma of old paper is definitely one of the things I enjoy. As long as it isn’t that musty smell, as if it has spent the last 60 years in a damp basement. I’ve seen poodles in Beverly Hills, taking a c*** right on Rodeo Drive. Of course the owner just keeps walking. Those little spot illustrations are charming, I wonder if there was a color version of this map? I still would like a push button plastic dream home, personally. My mom and dad’s house is a GE “Medallion Home”, though many of the push button features are long gone now.
@ Chuck-
"Some are the primary colors of pigment and some are the primary colors of light, sure to please both your art teacher and your science teacher..." It would also please Technicolor Process #4: 3-Strip Camera/Dye Transfer Print.
None of my art teachers taught me diddly about colors; I had to learn it all in Home Ec.
The color photographs in the first brochure are great. but I still prefer that jaunty line art.
Major-
Undoubtedly, this fit right in with your folks house... Just LOOK HERE.
Major, I see you favor your art teacher.
Nanook, yes, it would. Imagine how those colors would pop if it were recorded, printed, and projected that way instead of on a throwaway piece of paper!
Major, that line drawing of Fred Gurley was actually based on (or maybe is) a concept sketch done by Sam McKim (I have a signed copy from back in the day in the train room). Maybe the other drawings are concept sketches too (I hate when my windjammers have their main masts shorter than the fore masts).
And according to Michael Broggie, indeed the Santa Fe wanted to run a more-modern diesel train on the line. Which was never going to happen. With sponsorship fees at about X thousands of dollars a year (don't have Broggie's book handy), it was a no-brainer for them to end the sponsorship (and Disney even wanted SF to pay for the removal of all references to them through the Park!)
Nanook, "Fast Freight" was of course a bit of marketing fluff--not only by Disney, but for real railroads too. Certainly 10 MPH can't be considered "fast!"
Nanook, for all my griping about the “in your face” colors at Disneyland, I love them when they are in those old 3-strip Technicolor movies!
Melissa, all you need to know is that brown is the best color.
Nanook, I love that!
Chuck, my art teachers did a good job of teaching me to be very snooty! Everything would be better if it was projected in classic Technicolor.
Steve DeGaetano, very cool that you have a sketch signed by Sam McKim! I wish I’d met him, and of course I wish I had something with his signature. I feel like Disneyland wanted that sweet sweet Santa Fe money, so I have to hand it to them for having the gumption to say “no” to their demands for a modern diesel locomotive. In a way the Viewliner sort of filled that bill, though I realize that it ran with an internal combustion engine. And lasted a very short time. Disneyland would have made the “fast freight” locomotive seem as if it was going faster by having the conductor make whooshing noises over the PA system.
Major-
Part of [what most folks remember as] the 'Technicolor look' that made it seem slightly "surreal" - was deliberate coordination of costuming/lighting/set design - often producing either 'just a bit much', or some colors deliberately chosen to stand-out. Plus, there was some thought given to compensate for the shortcomings of the process. It should be remembered the original prints of many Technicolor films: Gone With the Wind; The Wizard of Oz; A Star is Born (1937), to name but a few, had decidedly 'muted colors' from the re-release prints, which is what most folks living today, remember.
And the Technicolor 'look' changed in 1950 when Eastman Kodak introduced its color-coupler camera negative film (#5247), eliminating the need for the Technicolor 3-Strip Camera; thus creating the Technicolor Process #5: Single 'Strip' Camera/Dye-Transfer Print (IB). Although this process had a more "realistic look" than Process #4, it still could produce images of great joy, as we [hopefully] can all recall.
Essentially all restored Technicolor films presented on BD's & HD's are derived from IP's or reconstructed camera negative(s). That Technicolor - no matter how lovely - is newly-created, and is NOT an exact copy of an original, DyeTransfer print, as seen in theatres, from projected motion picture film - warts and all.
Also... depending on which set of printing matrices was used, and how far into its print run, etc., not all Dye Transfer prints will look exactly the same. But that's a discussion for another day.
Nanook, do you happen to know if any original Technicolor prints of films such as “Gone With the Wind” survive in good condition? It would be fascinating to compare what the artisans wanted back in 1939 compared to what people want now. On a side note, I watched “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on Apple Plus weeks ago, and was amazed at some of the almost day-glo colors of some of the character’s clothing. I know this has nothing to do with Technicolor, but more to do with what some restorer decided was right for today’s audiences. Back to Technicolor, I’m sure it’s hard to guess what somebody wanted 70 or 80 years ago, though it does seem as if they go for the “wow” factor. “Look at those saturated hues! They used to look dingy and muted!”. Disney cartoons that were shot in Technicolor have been restored to VERY vivid results. Too vivid? Also, wasn’t Eastman Kodak’s color process notorious for being unstable, and turning pink or red? I am fascinated by these old film formats, though you are clearly way more knowledgeable than I am.
Major-
Most of the time, Disney's "restorations" leave a lot to be desired. In their zeal for so-called 'perfection', they truly lose sight of what the original images looked like. Regrettably, most 'film restorers' working these times have little first-hand knowledge of FILM, and often re-create odd-looking "restored prints". (I suspect A Charlie Brown Christmas may have suffered that fate).
Depending on how well both positive and negative dye coupler film stocks are treated, they won't necessarily fade - but as we all know too well, the number of both negative and positive faded prints is quite high.
Technicolor's [unintended] claim-to-fame is using B&W orthochromatic and panchromatic films in their 3-strip camera (with appropriate filters - both on the blue-sensitive orthochromatic film, and physically in the camera, in front of the green-sensitive panchromatic film, to capture the primary colors). There's nothing to 'fade' with the B&W records. And on the other 'end' - using a "blank" B&W receiver film, which would be [literally] printed with yellow, cyan & magenta aniline dyes from three separate printing matrices (dye transfer, or imbibition printing). As it turned out, those aniline dyes are [essentially] 'fade-proof'; not so with dye coupler technology, as Eastman Kodak would discover, to its chagrin-!
[Ultimately] six separate pieces of film has its own set of issues, and Technicolor for all its glory was never all that sharp - a problem that could be overlooked thanks to an incredibly high contrast ratio - and in the early days, a B&W 'key image' as a part of the green record was pre-printed on the receiver film - used to cover-up the edges in the image where colors would mix unrealistically. This degraded the 'colorfulness', and was eventually dropped in 1944 as Technicolor improved the process. (Did I mention there was also a mordant involved with the receiver film, and it changed over time-?) Needless to say, the layers of technical minutia involved from camera to release print was intense, these musings barely touching the surface.
The very idea such a complicated system was first conceived of, designed, built and proved more-than-acceptable speaks to the craziness and determination of the human spirit. Who in their right mind would think of such a thing-? But as the overwhelming success of Technicolor and elapsed time proved - nothing could touch it until Eastman Kodak perfected dye coupler technology for 35mm film, roughly 35 years later.
Major-
Yes, I'm certain many original [or parts of] Technicolor prints survive - at AMPAS, George Eastman Museum, BFI or The Library of Congress.
Also, when I mentioned 'the mordant', I should've said the formula for the mordant changed over time - not that the mordant somehow changed the image. The function of the mordant is to attract and hold color dyes so they do not spread or bleed during the high pressure dye application.
Just a few minutes ago I was talking on another forum about how improbable so many things seem when you know the story of how they came to be, and how many highly improbable things leave just come to take for granted.
I've always been fascinated by makeup that's sensitive to different colors of light, like the stuff used for Frederic March's transformation in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and how it worked in black and white since it was activatdd just by the stagd lights.
@ Melissa-
Yes - what a great example-! So true too, with such "simple" technologies as Pepper's Ghost - also used to great effect in a 'certain' Haunted Mansion...
Major-
"... roughly 35 years later". Ah-hem - make that 15 years later-!
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