Saturday, March 18, 2023

A Double Birthday Celebration

Today is Saturday (I know all of the days of the week!), and in general today would be an "Anything Goes Saturday". But this particular Saturday happens to be the big birthday day for TWO Junior Gorillas - Mike Cozart and Zach . We can't let that go by without comment!

Sue found this fun photo of a vintage birthday cake (with Smurftastic plates and napkins) for Mikey. Sorry we couldn't find a photo with a cake with the name Zach on it! I hope both of you have wonderful clown-free days.


Sue B. (and her dad, photographer Lou Perry) to the rescue, with a new batch of scans from October, 1981. It's a BIG batch too, and there are some exceptionally nice shots in the mix. Including today's beautiful pictures of Main Street. CHECK 'EM OUT.

It looks like Lou was standing more or less in front of the Carnation Ice Cream and Tattoo Parlor, looking across the street toward Main Street Cinema, which was still showing silent classics and not Mickey Mouse films exclusively (though "Steamboat Willie" was frequently on the bill). To the left of that is "Rings & Things" ("I'd like three rings, and half a dozen things"). and then the Market House... we can see "Sun Giant" listed as one of the Lessees (they were there along with Del Monte). Imagine visiting Main Street on a beautiful October day and finding it this quiet!


Hmmm, well maybe this blocked off corner was in front of the Ice Cream Parlor. Because the angle seems about right as we look directly at the Market House. Notice that the Flower Market is now on East Center Street. 


I don't know why it surprises me to see that the Hallmark store was still going strong in 1981; But they were there for 25 years, finally ending their lease in 1985. 


And because Sue knows that Mike (and probably Zach as well) loves Disneyland attraction posters, she included this incredible beauty, from October 31, 1963. Whoo-eee! 


Happy Birthday to Mike and Zach, and thanks so much to Sue B. and Lou Perry!

I still have family in town, but I should be free by tomorrow!

36 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

My favorite actor of all time....Harlod Loyd!

Anonymous said...

Good catch,TM!
They were misspelling even back then!

Happy Birthday, Mike and Zach!
I’ll be back later, when you cut the cake.

Sue

TokyoMagic! said...

And there I go and misspell Loyd! But they didn't......just Harold.

These are some nice empty Main St. pics! My mom loved jewelry, so she always wanted to go in the "Rings and Things" shop.

Happy Birthday, Mike and Zach!

Thank you Lou, Sue, and Major, too!

TokyoMagic! said...

There I did it again. Why am I having trouble typing that second "l" in "Lloyd"? Misspelling is contagious, I guess!

Nanook said...

Major-
It would appear that Jensen's Old World Bakery, in Blue Jay (Lake Arrowhead) is still there-! Good to know. (Maybe my next birthday cake...)

These Main Street images from October, 1981 were taken a few weeks following a visit several friends and I made back on September 11, 1981 - when we made extensive [stereo] audio recordings of many, many attractions and general park sounds - including an extended recording of the Main Street Maniacs performing at the Market House. Good times.

Happy Birthday to Mike & Zach-!

Thanks to Lou and Sue for providing these swell images.

JB said...

I envy you, Major. I'm only up to Thursdays; I can't seem to wrap my head around Fridays.

Happy birthday to Mike and Zach! I don't pay much attention to birthdays (including my own) other than to ruminate on the thought that I made it through another year, and am still around to experience another.

Hmmm, a store-bought cake, from "Old Country Bakery" if the paper doily is to be believed. But store-bought cakes are OK. Sometimes they're tastier than homemade.
I can't decide if the utensils are stainless steel or black plastic. The cake server appears to be metal, so I guess the forks are, too. We can just see part of a bowl on the right. Looks like it has cantaloupe wedges in it, along with some vanilla ice cream(?).
I'm missing the cigarettes and booze; where are the cigarettes and booze?!?! Thanks for the "Smurftastic" birthday photo, Sue. I look forward to your 'special day' pics.

"Tattoo Parlor"... I wonder how long it'll be before we see "The Pot Shoppe" on Man Street? And I'm not talkin' cookware.
Major, I think "Steamboat Willie" was/is always on the bill. At least, one would think so, given its historical place in Disney lore. I know I saw it there in 1975.
That one guest standing in front of the Cinema, the one with the odd-looking souvenir hat, looks rather strange... almost wooden. (har, har)

People are still dressing rather nicely in 1981. Where are the tank-tops and sweat pants?

Tokyo!, that is sooo funny! I didn't notice the "Harlod" spelling.

Nanook, is it "Old World" or "Old Country" Bakery?

Thanks to Lou & Sue & Major for the amusing pics.

MIKE COZART said...

DEAR TOKYOMAGIC:

WE HAVE REVUED YORE RECENT POST AND HAVE COUNTED MORE THAN 3 TYPOS AND OR SPELING ERRORS. WE ARE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER YOU A POSITION WITH OUR CURRENT DISNEYLAND SIGN SHOP. WE FEEL YOU WILL FIT RITE INN WITH OUR TEEM.

PLEASE CONTAC US FOR FURTHER DETALES. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR CONTINUED INTERUST.

SINCERELY,

DISNYLAND GRAFIC COMMUNICATIONS (SIGN SHOP)

“It Could Only Hapen At Disneyland” - now open EVERYDAY!!

MIKE COZART said...

Thanks folks!!

Today is also PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN’s 56th birthday!!

Thanks Lou, Sue and Major!!

……major : what are these things called “attraction posters”??? And why are they so big!?? Seems like a waste to me! The wall space could be used to sell something!!

Melissa said...

Happy Smurfday, Zach & Mike! Being a twin is pretty special even when you're not related to each other.

Chuck said...

Happy birthday, Mike & Zach!

October, 1981. I wonder if those trees feel an impending sense of doom…

I hear Sauron shops at Rings and Things.

“Harlod Lloyd”…Bu, is that photographic evidence of one of your shenanigans?

The last one shows a vastly different world than that of today. October 31, 1963, and not a Hallowe’en decoration in sight. Pretty sure there’s no Jack Skellington in the Haunted Mansion, either.

A thought occurs to me (that was the loud popping noise you just heard, followed by the small of burnt fuse)…was the “wandering ghost light effect” in place and operating in the years between the facade’s construction and the attraction’s opening? Seems like it would be a great way to keep interest and anticipation going.

Posters! And another thought! (I am running out of fuses.) This view is what they were trying to replicate when they redressed the entrance for Saving Mr. Banks.

Chuck said...

TM!, it would seem misspelling is the order of the day. “…the smell of burnt fuse…”

Good greif…

TokyoMagic! said...

The last one shows a vastly different world than that of today. October 31, 1963, and not a Hallowe’en decoration in sight. Pretty sure there’s no Jack Skellington in the Haunted Mansion, either.

Chuck....ha, ha! There was also no Haunted Mansion in the Haunted Mansion, in 1963! ;-)

TokyoMagic! said...

....WE ARE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER YOU A POSITION WITH OUR CURRENT DISNEYLAND SIGN SHOP.

Mike, I'll take it! But only if I can get away with lots and lots of shenanigans, during my employment. They haven't installed any cameras at the park yet, right?

TokyoMagic! said...


October, 1981. I wonder if those trees feel an impending sense of doom...

Chuck (again), I bet that's what was taking place on the west side of Main St. Look at that pic showing the barricades. That tree in the foreground is smaller than the ones across the street. I do know all of the trees lining Main St. had been replaced (and recently) by the time I was working in the Christmas parade that year.

JG said...

Happy Birthday Mike and Zach! I’m sure Harlod Loyd would Join me in Wishing you many Happy Returns of the Day!

Lou and Sue, thank you for these views of Main Street where the Tobacco Chief surveys the Happy Hunting Ground of trash cans. The Park of the 80’s is a wilderness to me as I didn’t visit once. I wish that I had since there was no inkling of the damage to come.

Chuck, just put a penny behind that fuse.

I didn’t remember Rings & Things till now, my Mom also insisted on visiting that shop. Sun Giant was a brand of nuts and dried fruits etc. at this time we sold to their competitor Blue Diamond, the folks with the “Can a Week” slogan.

Tokyo, you would be a great fit in the Sign Shoppe! Mike, that is hilarious and sadly true.

Thanks Major, have a good time with the family, I hope you have good weather for a change!

JG

Nanook said...

@ JB-
Yes, that should be ‘country’. This seems to be a post for faux pas-!

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Mike and Zach. These photos are certainly a 'sign' of the past. So leisurely and uncrowded days after the summer season. For the Cinema, as we CMs would say, I spent a year over one or two weekends collecting your "A" tickets at the turnsytle there. And that was the lineup. Multiple screens so you could see them all. It was busy on really hot days. Gee...wonder why? LOL KS

JB said...

Chuck, there are some Halloween decorations visible: The Hallmark shop has Jack-O-Lanterns, skeletons, and vultures in their window display.

Nanook, "faux pas"... What do quadrupeds have to do with it?

Dean Finder said...

Happy birthday Mike and Zach!

I'm 100% certain tht either one of my brothers or I had a "Happy Smurfday" party at some point in the early to mid 1980s. Definitely had a cake from the local Viking Bakery complete with plastic balloon bunch.

JB - It's weird that smoking tobacco is almost an unforgivable faux pas, but marijuana is perfectly acceptable, like eating vegetables. Though I'd imagine any pot shop at Disneyland will tie into "Alice in Wonderland"
A few economists have noted that fashions turn much more conservative during downturns. We could be seeing the effects of the Volker recession of 1980-2 influencing fashion between the Disco excesses of the late 1970s and the neon explosion of the late 1980s.

There was a Rings and Things shop at my local mall in the 80s. Was the Disneyland location part of a chain?

Mike, you already bested all of us on the achievements of the Disney Sign Shops. (EPOCT Left Lane)

Though now I'm considering a Name change to Harlod Lloyd.

Gojira said...

The cake was from Jensen's Old Country Bakery, in Blue Jay, CA. It appears, from Google Maps, to be a grocery store. Nice batch of photos. Happy Birthday!

MIKE COZART said...

While I often will bring attention to the mistakes of the Disney sign shop I’m in no place to “throw stones” as I’m a horrible speller ! The signs of a great doctor or architect is that they are poor spellers!! Lol I cant speak regarding the medical field but in architecture the specific type of hand lettering of documents was essential … blueprints are legal documents… everyone had their own style but they all had a basic similarity…. It was required. In school we would have to write whole research papers on architects or architecture by hand in the appropriate lettering guide-styles. I think the same with sign painters , after awhile when lettering something you are more focused on the font , spacing and kerning and not on the actual WORDS …. It kinda becomes a visual graphic and no longer vocabulary…. If that makes sense.

However , in the Disneyland sign shop there are so many levels of approval needed before something goes on display to guests … so no excuses there Disneyland !!

Nanook said...

@ MIKE-
Evidently all that "approval" paid little attention to such things as the correct references to [The] Sleeping Beauty Castle; [The] King Arthur Carousel; and [The] Tom Sawyer Island - NONE are possessive [the namesakes 'don't hold the deeds'] - unlike Peter Pan's Flight; Mr. Toad's Wild Ride; and Snow White's Adventure ('Scary', or otherwise). As for Storybook or Story Book Land - all bets appear to be off-!

JB said...

Dean Finder, as you know, in many states (as it is here in Oregon) marijuana is legal. And there are pot shops every couple of blocks. So there's no excuse to not eat/smoke your daily "veggies". That said, I've never partook of the stuff myself. Never had the desire, or need. Besides, it smells TERRIBLE! Like a cigarette that's been soaked in cat pee and sprayed by a skunk... TWICE!

Chuck said...

JB, for clarification, I was referring to the last photo, which we know was taken on Hallowe’en 1963, but I do see the (modest) decorations in the October 1981 pictures. That’s probably what’s scaring all the guests away.

JB said...

Chuck, ah. Looks like I too, have committed a "four paws".

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Mike Cozart & Zach!

Thanks for today's pictures & post- Lou, Sue & Major.

My favorite today is the last one- it has the great posters, the station & also the handcar.

-DW

Anonymous said...

Thanks for all the birthday wishes! And happy birthday Mike and Pirates!

Oh, my uncle Harlod isn't happy with the tone of some of these comments.

Thanks Majer. Oops I mean Major

Zach

"Lou and Sue" said...

Zach, haha! Just give Uncle Harlod an extra piece of birthday cake. I hope your birthday has been fun!

Mike, I sure hope you're having a nice birthday, too!
I know i always tease you about having EVERYTHING from Disneyland, but I do remember you saying that this Main Street Cinema marquee (misspellings and all) could've been yours - if you had a way to haul it home. If you check in again tonight, please share that story, again. If any new readers hadn't heard it, I think they'll enjoy it.

Nanook, you were very wise to tape 1981 Disneyland. (Now, Major needs to figure out how to add sound to GDB.) Have you ever checked out DisneyChris.com ? He has a lot of recordings from the past - under the section titled "The Turnstiles Are Now Open" (near the bottom of his site). I bet you have recordings that he doesn't have.

Thanks, all, for your nice comments, and lots-a-laughs, too!

"Lou and Sue" said...

One last item...

I cnduo't bvleiee taht I culod aulaclty uesdtannrd waht I was rdnaieg. Unisg the icndeblire pweor of the hmuan mnid, aocdcrnig to rseecrah at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Aaznmig, huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghhuot slelinpg was ipmorantt! See if yuor fdreins can raed tihs too.

Anonymous said...

Sue, I read that easily, why can't I do Jumbles?

JB said...

Sue, that IS an interesting bit of knowledge. I did know that we read 'words', not individual letters, but I never knew about the first and last letter placement thing. Srtoa mekas snese, wehn you tinhk aobut it.

Anonymous said...

Pey!

—Sue

Anonymous said...

Ha! Silly me!!...you can’t switch the first and last letters.
—Sue

JB said...

After half an hour, and some caffeine, I finally figured out "Pey!". (It was the "!" that threw me off. ;-)

Melissa said...

I have blind spots in the eye I use for reading, and sometimes with a long word my brain will fill in the middle letters faster than my eye can process them. That's why, every February, I get confused when Protestants' day rolls around.

MIKE COZART said...

Major: yeah I had the chance to be given the original Main Street Marquee … it was replaced with the current one when Disneyland was gearing up for the park’s 50th …. When my dad and I went up to WDI to pick up my PeopleMover car with a trailer with my dad’s truck … the truck had a hitch for a 5th wheel camper … so we had a trailer - with sides to take the PeopleMover home … siting in the property control lot was the OLD Main Street Cinema marque … still attached to the overhang. While they were getting the forklift to place the PM car into the trailer they asked me if I wanted to take the marque too … as they needed to get rid of it! I always say get it when you can and worry about WHERE you will keep it later… but the trailer only fit the one PeopleMover car and my dad said “HELL NO!!!!!” About trying to take the Main Street cinema marquee. I wonder if someone got it or if it was trashed ???