Two Beauties From the 1950s
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY! I hope you are wearing something green. As usual, our friend Sue has provided us with a fun photo from her personal collection (but not taken by her dad), featuring some people wearing what I can only assume is authentic Irish costumes. The man on the right probably just won the gold in the Olympics, what an accomplishment. The lady is holding paper hats, I can see part of the word "Erin", so they must be a tribute to "Happy Days" actress Erin Moran. THANKS SUE!
Like the title says, I have two beauties for you today, classic '50s views of a bustling, vibrant Disneyland.
Let's start with this great look at Fantasyland as seen from the deck of the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship. The Pirate Ship looked great from the ground, but wow, what a view you'd get if you took the time to go aboard. There's that cute little ticket & information booth, the Mad Tea Party, the Carrousel, and even a tiny glimpse of the eucalyptus trees in the distance that worked as a wind break for the orchards near the park.
It's always fun to zoom in on people down below. They look like ants! Ants wearing 50s fashions.
I wonder if the two girls to the right just got tickets at the little booth? They are either headed toward that couple who may be their parents, or they are going to enjoy a few moments in the air conditioned Mickey Mouse Club Theater.
It was a busy day, but gosh, it looks like it would have been a wonderful time to be there; a certain amount of guests add a sense of energy and movement to the place.
Next is this awesome view of the original Tomorrowland, as seen from a Skyway gondola. The old Astro Jets are to our left, and the Flight Circle is just beyond that. The building past that is where the Crane Bathroom of Tomorrow would be, maybe Grant McCormick's mom was a hostess in there this very day. I believe that the circular building with the slightly conical roof is where the "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" exhibit was located.
Zooming in, we can see a Wen-Mac wind sock flying above the Flight Circle. But I only have eyes for the forbidden views of the backstage area, including the Dominguez house (the original Administration Building), and the large warehouse-like industrial sheds that housed the Main Street shops. I'm not sure what that smaller light blue building is that's between them, please chime in if you know.
NOTE: I have family coming into town today, and they'll be here for a few days. There's a chance I might not be able to check in until Sunday. You know how needy people can be! But I will definitely read the comments each evening.
18 comments:
Major-
St. Patrick's Day certainly brings out the 'worst' in fashions. That gentleman really needs to lose that shirt - although I imagine it was part of the getup for the festivities, and all the gents are wearing them.
I think those "two girls" are Hollywood spies and are there to check-out the 'depth' of the 3D presentation of 3D Jamboree-! The Flight Circle is really attracting quite the crowd. (One wonders if that same sort of reaction would exist in these times...)
Thanks Sue for the St. Patrick's Day fun; and Major - may you be touched with a bit 'o Irish luck-!
As for that first pic, I was going to say that the word "Erin" was part of the phrase, "Erin Go Bragh!"....which literally translates in English to, "Go Erin Moran!" And in a pinch, it can also be used to offer encouragement to Erin Gray, as well. Now having said that, Major, it looks more like it reads "era..", so now I'm totally stumped. I also see the line, "Kiss me I'm a Rep." I wonder what they were rep-ping? It looks like there is a line in the background. I wonder if that was for the bathroom?
In the Tomorrowland photo, that blue backstage building was "Lillian's Apartment." They had separate living quarters, when they were both at the park.
Thank you, Major and Sue! Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!
Major-
In the close-up Fantasyland image, the bare bulb in the "emergency light fixture" atop the ticket booth can be plainly seen. (It looks to be an A21-size bulb. No messin' around, here-!) Also appears to be a Disneyland mailbox attached to the light pole adjacent to the ticket booth.
As Tokyo! notes: That one hat says "kiss me I'm a rep". A rep of what? A company? A state legislature? And what are those skinny stick-things some of the revelers are carrying? A comical version of a shillelagh? It looks like almost everybody is wearing white with their green accents. I won't even ask about the leis. Maybe this is aboard a cruise ship.
The Fantasyland pic sure is vibrant. Lots of people, lots of enjoyment. But only two trashcans that I can see. No wonder there's a piece of trash on the ground.
In the Tomorrowland pic, there are a few military personnel in khaki uniforms; Army? Seems strange, not being able to see the Moonliner in an early Tomorrowland photo. The photographer must have taken the pic when the rocket was circling the Moon.
Chuck has his "Chuck Thing", Sue has these holiday-themed photos. Thanks, Sue. And thanks, Major for the early Disneyland photos.
So many fun details today, but in the interest of time I’ll just focus on the second photo.
Those four guys in uniform watching the Flight Circle demonstration are probably young enlisted Marines, although there is a chance they are Naval officers. The shadow on their caps makes it impossible to tell if the headband is khaki or black, and since they are facing away from us, no insignia can be seen. My assessment of “Marine” is based on their slender build, the fact that they are a group of four, and that there were four Marine installations within an easy drive of Disneyland, and that everyone in the Marines at that time wore khaki shirts and trousers as a summer or tropical uniform, whereas in the Navy it was only officers and petty officers.
In the wide angle shot, there is another fella in uniform off to the far right. The lighting makes it impossible to tell whether he’s a Servicemember or a security host, although the body shape and posture suggest to me that he’s more likely the latter.
We get a good look at the Dominguez House, which I believe was named for the Dominguez Palm, a rare and nearly-extinct species; to my knowledge, there is only one left in the world today. You also get a good view of the exterior of the Woodworking Shop tacked onto the back side of the Opera House facade.
If I recall correctly, I seem to remember that that little blue building was used for something.
Thanks for the fun pictures, Major & Sue!
There is a lot here! Fantasyland looks like National Geographic material. Hustle, bustle, color...a keeper and worth more forensics. 4 NASA guys to run the Teacups...they must have had endless payroll. The little Mickey flag about the Fantasyland Theatre (Air Conditioned) is still used today and the graphics haven't been altered. It fly's above the Firehouse, AKA Maison Walt. I think one flys above the train station too, but that may be the "Disneyland" flag...(?) The "Backside of Dent", and THIS is how a castle should be color corrected. Authentic. Fantasyland itself is enough Saturday morning cartoon, but let's desecrate the symbol of the Company recognized Worldwide. I digress. Nice to see all the Tomorrowland flags and the "real" US flag there at the entrance. Lots of great fashions, and very few kids. Looks like a perfect day in the park. The umbrellas everywhere are amazing, and the Tomorrowland ones need to be reproduced so I can put them in my backyard. More NASA guys in Tomorrowland, but the ladies are in the ticket booths. Don't trust the guys with cash! Backstage Disneyland looks like it's own little "Land" in this photo. How very charming with the tree in Ron's front yard. It would have been great if this house was preserved, and it's nice that the Pope house still exists even though not on it's original foundation. Going back there to the Pony Farm was like traveling back to 1945. And I THINK they DID have an orange tree back there! The blue shed was moved to behind Moon/Mars and became the Balloon Room later. I recognize those mullions and windows. I cut many a finger off in that building and was forever in First Aid getting tetanus shots. (We used razor blades to cut the strings). We were told that backstage would never be really "nice" because if guests wandered back there (all. the. time.) they didn't want them to think it was part of the Park. Thats why break areas in most places were slabs of concrete covered with corrugated sheet metal with a few vending machines and a video game. There is so much great stuff in these shots I don't know where to stop and start. So, I will leave it there. KISS ME I'M A REP! Which means: "Kiss me I'm a reptile, and if you do so you will join our other reptilians who run Alligator World down the street in Buena Park." Happy St. Patricks day (I am 4% Irish) and thanks Lou and Sue and Major for the morning fun.
Kiss Me, I'm a Republican? Personally, I like Bu's "Kiss me I'm a reptile".
St. Patrick's Day is one of my favorite holidays. Some of my favorite food too.
Great pics of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Thanks, Major!
Happy St. Patrick's Day to all.
After some thought, maybe that’s shorthand for “kiss me, I’m a replicant.”
I dreamt of an electric sheep last night. Should that worry me!
I'm leaning toward those St. Patty's folks being on a cruise (they're at a banquet anyway) It might be a work related thing. Their expressions seem to say "I'm here and having fun because they told me I had to."
If I had been at Disneyland the day of the second photo, I would have certainly been watching the Flight Circle. I wish we had pictures of them using the water trough section for boats. I've never seen one, I don't think. Interesting fact: if you flew with a jet pack from the Flight Circle, it made reality turn backwards.
Fun pics today!
St. Patrick’s is one of those holidays bigger in America than in the country of origin, Ireland, where it passes almost unnoticed. But who cares, it’s an American holiday now. I’m not Irish, much, but Mrs G is, quite a lot.
I’m with Ken, the food is good. I’m looking forward to colcannon and Guinness, maybe a boxty with leftovers, and soda bread.
Major, you’ve outdone yourself with these two pics. All the ladies in flowered frocks and sensible shoes, all the men dressed like my Dad. I’m placing photo 1 at 1956-7 based on the plain trash can.
In photo 2, there’s an Autopia car as a static display far to the right. I don’t recall seeing this before? And only one solitary trash can here too? Is that Cox Pilot in the center ring? So many questions…
Bu, thanks for the ID on the balloon room, this is the kind of detail I crave. Waving to Grants Mom! Bye!
JG
Great photos today!
What's wrong with the first photo? ... White wine?? ... At an Irish party??? Guess he didn't know we all drink only Guinness!! Well, maybe some water if the beer runs out. ;)
Hey, as a bona fide Irishman I know from whence I speak. Well, my ancestors arrived here from Ireland in 1780 so that counts as bona fide, right? :)
Major, my mom could have been working the BOT that day and I may have been hanging out at the Flight Circle waiting for her lunch break. Or if it was a hot day I was possibly in the 20,000 Leagues walk through next door. When lunch time came there was a gate in the yellow and white fence, immediately to the left of the BOT building, allowing access to the backstage area and employee commissary where we ate lunch. As Bu said, it wasn't "nice" back there.
Thanks Major and Sue!
And... Happy St. Paddy's Day to all!!
JG, mom, being a super friendly lady, waves back.
@ Chuck-
That's the Dominguez home and Callens home, "pushed-together" to form the Administration building.
Stu, we have photographic proof of that reality reversal. It’s true - I seed it with my own eyebulbs!!
Nanook, wait - is there a Callens Palm, too? I had no idea there were so many different subspecies!
The St. Paddy's Day picture looks like and Irish version of a Toga party. Notice so many in white in the background as well. I guess green beer was not the rage. Yep, the backstage area wasn't designed to be pretty at all. Especially when the Dominguez/Callens home was demolished. Mostly trailers back in my day and the break area was exactly as described by BU...minus video games which were an undiscovered species. KS
“ I dreamt of an electric sheep last night. Should that worry me!”
Chuck...
No, that’s where wool electric blankets come from!
Major, put those houseguests to work—scanning!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone! Am enjoying today’s laughs!
Sue
Absent all the people, Tomorrowland in this view could be mistaken for the campus of a school like Cal Tech or a company like HP of the era.
I'm enjoying a Guinness with lunch in honor of the day.
Breath taken.
Thanx
MS
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