Beautiful Tomorrowland, September 1971
The ever-generous Sue B. sent me more scans of her dad's slides (Lou Perry, you know him!), this time they are from September, 1971. I liked some of them so much that I saved these for a Friday post. It's the equivalent of having your TV pilot (say, "The Major Pepperidge Variety Hour" with guest star Carol Burnett) set to air right after the Super Bowl.
It's crazy for me to look at a beautiful photo like the one below, and think that it reminds me a little bit of when how I felt when I first saw color footage of the 1939 New York World's Fair. These are over 50 years old after all, and for anybody born in the late 1990s (or even in the 2000s), 1971 probably seems like ancient history.
We find ourselves in a crowd of people heading in to Tomorrowland (is it late morning?). And not just Tomorrowland, but 1971 Tomorrowland, with those wonderful Peoplemover trains moving slowly overhead. The transportation of the future! If only I could see what those guests in the yellow train were seeing.
Oh, something like that! 15(ish) feet in the air, looking down toward the Plaza, which at this time was almost completely hidden by those Chinese elms and olive trees. Is there a castle to our right? Shrug. Notice that two Horse Drawn Streetcars are visible, one closer to us, and one on the opposite side of the Plaza - all things must be kept in perfect equilibrium.
And last (but certainly not least) is another view of the entry into Tomorrowland this time from straight on. There's the GE logo from Carousel of Progress. The partial signage from Adventure Thru Inner Space. And of course the Rocket Jets, and even those nutty fountains to the right.
THANK YOU, Lou and Sue!
24 comments:
And to think that the opening of Walt Disney World was just weeks away.
These shots are wonderful. You can't beat Tomorrowland 1967.
That woman's hair extension in the last pic cracks me up. I had an aunt that had that same hairdo with extensions. She was real a doozy. My aunt that is.
Thanks Lou, Sue & Major too!
Major-
Ahhh - so this is what the future should look like-? I remember it well.
Thanks to Lou and Sue.
Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. Tell me again, why this Tomorrowland doesn't still exist?
In the first pic, the two ladies with the glasses (walking towards us) are simply too groovy for words. I want one of those outfits, but I can't decide which one. Maybe the red, white, and blue one, because I could wear it for the next five years, and I could get a LOT of mileage out of it in 1976.
What is wrong with those olive trees in the Plaza being so big and shaggy? Tell me again, why did they have to be removed? I prefer all of the green and the shade, even with a partially blocked view, rather than having the Plaza be bare and open, and hot and sunny.
They really do ruin everything, don't they?
In the third pic, there is an ice cream vendor wearing a straw hat. I wonder if Bu ever had to wear a straw hat while working a cart, or if those were gone by the time of his arrival? And that checked shade over the cart looks like a leftover remnant from the original 1950s Tomorrowland.
Thank you so much, Lou, Sue and Major, too! These photos make me smile!
Time, or the perception of it, can be strange.
Busy, exciting, Tomorrowland! It's been 48 years since I rode the PeopleMover, but it seems like the yellow PM train is headed for Adventure Thru Inner Space, right?
Trashcans: Three, I think. One is iffy, at the left edge of the smiling lady in the red and white striped jacket's face.
"Oh, something like that!" Wow, it's almost metaphysical how this photo looks like it was taken from the yellow PM train in the first photo. I wonder if Mr. Perry planned it that way? I think we can see Cascade Peak amongst the trees. And whatever that thing is to the left of the Peak that looks like Godzilla.
Another "We are there" photo. A great big beautiful tomorrow beckoning us to enter. Whatever happened to that place? I love how the trees frame the Tomorrowland entrance.
Thank you once again, Lou, Sue, and Major.
There was nothing wrong or dated with this Tomorrowland to incite change. Changing things just to change things does not make them better. Changing things to be marginal is just lazy. There, I've said it. That being said, let us celebrate 1971 Tomorrowland! To first settle the costuming question: YES! IF you were assigned to a Main Street location (the hub was considered Main St.) you COULD ask for a hat, and they would provide a straw hat (sized to order) to go with your Main St. Merchandising costume. You had to ask. Generally, NO ONE wanted to wear one. Girls could not get a hat: boys only. It generally got in the way: you moved around a lot as a vendor. The straw hat was surprisingly hefty and was a REAL straw hat. Not rattan or another lightweight material. It was sturdy, and if you shoved in into your locker (there was a hat rack on the top)- it would not crumble like a cheap straw hat. It was probably expensive to make and buy. That umbrella was Tomorrowland, and was gone by my time. It's cool. If you had a Tomorrowland umbrella TECHNICALLY you should have been in Yellows as TECHNICALLY you were in Tomorrowland, NOT Main Street. If you were a few short feet away in front of Monsanto you would have been in Yellows. No other vendor costume included a hat. Boys at Coke Terrace did not wear the bottle cap hat like the girls. The trees around the Plaza are wonderful. I was watching a Utube last night where Tony Baxter talked about the removal of those trees and that three of them were planted at his house WITH twinkle lights still on them. Taking these trees out of this area is criminal. But I am one of those tree hugging people, so removing any tree from anywhere gets to me as trees have no scale. It looks like suit and hat from yesterday is still wearing that suit and hat...but got hot and removed his jacket. Still in '71 people were dressing fancy, but this guy looks like he has one of the black name tags on...so maybe it IS that same guy (?) I love the outfits on the two ladies in pic #1: positively groovy. The red white and blue outfit is all ready for the Bicentennial not too far away (with matching handbag of course.) Also on videos last night was commentary and sheer fascination of guests "dressing up" for Disneyland in the 50's/60's. No...they weren't dressing up...they were just respectful of a beautiful park. For Grad Nights (don't know if that happens anymore...) there were strict dress codes and all of the guys had to wear jackets. If you did not comply, Costuming had a trailer set up to "rent" jackets to the guys so they could enter the park. The jackets were regular costumes- usually the Main St. stripe polyester ones. They didn't charge anyone. Not sure about the guys who simply would not comply. The chaperones had to take care of that. Grad Nights the Plaza Inn became the Chaperone Headquarters which we would have to host and run the paging system. It was not a fun job, and you had to be rather forceful. "Grads" were not allowed in. The grads were not nice with all the guys trying to one up each other trying to impress the Grad-esses. I did it once and that was enough. Working that graveyard shift really messed with your internal clock. Private parties were palatable until 1 or 2, Grad night: "nope". Working late AND a park full of only 17-18 year olds...."NOPE". Thanks Lou and Sue for the photos and memories!
Great photos today!
In the last photo, bottom-left. I saw the maintenance worker and the lady in the pink dress and thought “why would they blank out their faces? Are they the only innocent people here?. And then I realized it’s just a sign. Maybe even I sign that I’m crazy.
Thanks Lou, Sue, and the Major!
Hard to beat Lou Perry views of 67 Tomorrowland to celebrate Friday.
JB, I make out three TL trash cans in photo 1, along with a tiny bit of Rocket Jet. Four cans in Photo 2, the Hub is the Happy Hunting Ground of trash cans, and a final 2 in photo 3 reprising their earlier act.
I like these transitional spaces where one land fades into another and the TL umbrellas mix with Main Street light poles, it’s like a cinematic version of real life where things of one era are found next things from another era, only tastefully done instead of crassly as in the Real World. Disney does this so well, even now.
I firmly believe there will be a special place in Perdition for people who destroy healthy shade trees.
Thanks Lou, Sue, and Major too!
JG
Yes, I know what you mean about the pics giving a 39 World's Fair vibe. How could anyone resist not wanting to check out this version of Tomorrowland? Lou once again lifts my spirits on a tough day.
@ Budblade-
I saw the maintenance worker and the lady in the pink dress and thought “why would they blank out their faces?" Look carefully - those are actually hanging planters-! Perfect for any espionage assignment.
Tomorrowland has never looked better and irrespective of what guests are wearing, this design remains timeless. I never tire at looking at these shots. Reading BU's comment about his straw hat not being of the 'cheap and disintegrating type', I compare that to my old hat from the JC which I packed along with me for many years until it just fell apart (sigh). As for Grad Nights, it was usually the JC for me. Of course we 'amped up' the spiel to an 'Adult Restricted' tone. Fortunately no more than 2 or 3 nights for me over the years I was there. KS
K. Martinez, good point about WDW! I have kind of a blind spot regarding WDW in many ways (having never been there). Did they do hair extensions in 1971? Somehow I thought that was a slightly more recent thing.
Nanook, I WISH!
TokyoMagic!, yes, those ladies (and I think there’s a third partly hidden) look awesome. Fashionable and cool! Those olive trees had to go, I’m sorry. How else could we see a tacky sculpture of Walt and Mickey? (I’m sorry to those who love it… I wish they’d found some other way to pay tribute to Walt). Disneyland got all of their straw hats from a nearby Shakey’s Pizza. Yes, they stole them. Wow, you’re right about that checked shade, it looks like it could be 25 years old at that point!
JB, yes, I believe that the yellow Peoplemover train is headed toward ATIS, those lucky guests. I also think you’re right about that third trashcan. We can’t know what Lou was thinking 50+ years ago, but he knew what he was doing! It’s so strange to think that anybody would look at this Tomorrowland and think that it needed to change.
Bu, I agree with you, change for change’s sake is pointless. If they had a great concept, that’s one thing. But putting in the Rocket Rods? They MUST have known that it was hugely problematic. I’d love to know if there were engineers who told them that it would ruin the Peoplemover track and break down often? “Quiet, nerd! If I wanted your opinion, I’d beat it out of you!”. That’s how I talk, as anybody who met me can attest. Now I wish I had one of those real straw hats that sound like they would protect you from gunfire. Is rattan more lightweight than straw?? I had no idea that the umbrellas were color-coded to their lands, that’s kind of cool. I’m torn about the trees… I love big beautiful trees, but it does get to a point where you can’t see the castle, or (from the castle) you can’t see Main Street. I have photos where the trees are so big that you can hardly see the Main Street buildings. In real life that would be nice, but at Disneyland, I want to see those beautiful façades. I think they only do Grad Nights at DCA now. I have a friend who’d never been to Disneyland, but she went with her husband, a high school teacher. They figured they’d get a free trip to the park if they agreed to chaperone Grad Night. She had such a terrible experience that she never wants to go back. And it wasn’t the kids that were the problem, she said the cast members were aggressively rude. Made me sad.
Budblade, I thought the same thing when I first saw that photo! “What the…?”. I figured those people had their faces hidden by the witness protection program. Welcome to crazy town, I like it here!
JG, I mostly think of obvious transitions, like the famous example between Adventureland and the Plaza, but you’re right, it’s fascinating to see the two styles start to change from one to another. I know that at least some of those trees were moved to a famous person’s yard, I got to see them in person! I’d like to think that others might have been saved as well, but maybe I’m being too optimistic.
Sunday Night, I’m glad today’s photos helped you out on a tough day. Hopefully you can have a relaxing weekend!
Nanook, I like to wear a flower pot on my head to confuse predators.
KS, I think it’s cool that you were allowed to take your JC hat with you! It’s a shame that it eventually fell apart, but you got many years of use out of it. I had no idea that they would alter the JC spiel for Grad Nights! Now I need to know what naughty things they got away with!
The first one is just breathtaking!
[passes out from lack of oxygen]
Hrmphlbp…where am I? Oh, I guess I’m on the PeopleMover. Lou must have dragged me up here (Sue probably had my feet). Hey, there’s a couple of khaki-clad probably-Marines-although-could-be-Naval-officers-or-chief-petty-officers in front of the nearer streetcar. I’ll just lean out to get a better look and whoops oh bother I’m falling…
[blackout]
Oooh…my head hurts. Must have landed on it. Glad it wasn’t anything valuable.
Somebody seems to have helped me over to the shade of the Plaza. And look - there’s a couple of TM!’s relatives over to the left.
Thank again, Lou & Sue.
I think I’ll stagger over to First Aid for an aspirin.
That great, big, beautiful tomorrow sure was a carousel of color.
Dreamy stuff today. Thanks. Those silver mosaics never looked better.
MS
Major, best to not post any more photos that are going to take Chuck's breath away; TOO DANGEROUS!
A World On The Move...
Major, those trees probably found homes, mature olive trees like those command premium prices for landscaping, especially around here.
Chuck, if only we could pass out and end up in 1971 Tomorrowland. Question is, how to get back? Or would we bother. We could wait a few years and buy Microsoft shares for $0.90.
JG
Thanks Lou and Sue. The last pic is a beauty.
So many thanks to David, Sue, Chuck, JG and everyone for well wishes. You are all the most decent of people. Would name you all but it's a bit of job just getting a comment out there.
Warmest wishes to you all.
Thanks Major. for everything.
Chuck, I told you not to get that gill surgery, but you wouldn’t listen. On the other hand you swim beautifully! I somehow missed the servicemen, and now I feel a deep sense of shame and self-loathing. So… situation normal! I once asked Disneyland First Aid for a “nostrum”, and I got it!
Melissa, you ain’t just whistlin’ Dixie.
MS, that could be the ultimate Tomorrowland (even though I do love Space Mountain, which wouldn’t be there for another six years).
JG, while I did not know that mature olive trees were so desirable, I figured that the park often went looking for mature trees when they needed them, so I hoped that at the very least, they might have been saved backstage for some other project. Like Walt’s “Journey Into An Olive” ride that was never built. While I would not have had the wisdom to buy Microsoft shares for 90 cents, my friend told me that I should buy Apple when it was $14 a share. I remember exactly where we were! I thought the company was going to fail at that point. If only I’d listened to him!
DrGoat, thank you for checking in and commenting! It’s so good to hear from you, and I am glad that you had a chance to feel the love from the comments from the other day.
JB, I see Godzilla, too!
"I know that at least some of those trees were moved to a famous person’s yard, I got to see them in person!"
...MIKE has these, too?!?!
Chuck, I'm not taking you to Disneyland anymore. You fall down too much.
DrGoat, it's always a great day when we see you here!
I enjoyed all the fun comments, thanks everyone!
Dr. Goat, so good to hear from you!
Hope you’re feeling better!
Major, I hope those trees found good homes.
I went to an Apple job fair in 1978 when I was a programming ace… opted for architecture instead.
JG
And look - there’s a couple of TM!’s relatives over to the left.
Chuck, yes...the two obscured people in the last pic are relatives of mine. However, they have always been the black sheep of the family. One of them is a blockhead, and the other one is a real square.
The Italian company ( Venice) that made the straw boaters /skimmer hats for Disney , Hollywood and hat shops and historical clothing companies all overt the world ( they also supplied the same hats for sale on Main Street ) went out of business after making these hats the same way since the 1870’s … they survived WWI …. WW2 …. But were unable to survive Covid. They made both versions extremely popular with men during the 1800’s and in the 1930’s - but still popular in the 1960’s …. The made the American style boater ( higher center and narrower brim - this is what Disney costuming used) and there was the Euro-Holiday style - this is the kind Ricky Ricardo wore - lower center , wider brim. Several companies make the straw hats now and call them “boaters” and “skimmers” but they are cheap and thin and look like clown hats now. Even when it’s something not generally in popular use or fashion there is comfort knowing the item is still being made by SOMEONE … SOMEWHERE ….
On a side note : the same defunct company that made the straw boaters also used to make the straw gondolier hats used on its a small world from the 1960’s till the 1990’s .
Mike, whenever Old Man Trouble makes trouble arise, just put a big straw hat over your eyes......
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