Splendiferous Tomorrowland, 1960s
Oh yeeeeaaaahhh! Vintage Tomorrowland, my favorite. Here are two beauties for you.
I loved the Autopia when I was a kid; I don't love it quite as much today, not sure why. Is it because I drive a car in L.A. traffic on a regular basis? Is it because of the changes to the current iteration? Is it because I can no longer feel love or joy? Or... is it all of the above? Whichever the case, I can still appreciate photos of the classic Autopia queue building, with Screechy, the Richfield Eagle. "Eeeyaaaaahhhhh!" (or something like that). This photo also provides some quality people watching, with Ms. Redpants right in the middle. And even though I estimated that these are from the 1960's, I just noticed that the man slightly to the right of Redpants is carrying a 1958 or '59 souvenir guidebook.
EEEEYAAAAAAHHHH!
And why not end today's post with a swell picture of the Monsanto Marzipan House of the Future? They had to rebuild it out of plastic, which was embarrassing, but they turned it into one of the selling points of the attraction. Not a natural product in the whole durn place! Wood? Pffff. Wool or cotton? Don't make me barf. Linoleum (which is made from linseed oil)? The mere idea gives me ennui.
16 comments:
Major-
The fashion award in the 1st image has to go to the 'cowgirl' in the turquoise cowboy shirt, black scarf, fancy belt buckle and fabu sunglasses-! In the 2nd, is that prized babushka - with a Carnation-? pattern.
Thanks, Major.
Nanook, I agree with you about that lady on the far left, taking first prize in in the fashion category. And she's doing her best Rizzo impersonation. But I guess there are worse things she could do! I made that reference just for Major, since we found out only yesterday, what his all-time favorite movie is.
Thanks for these extra nice pics, Major! And since both of them were taken in Tomorrowland, they go together....like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong.
Also looking splendiferous is the little girl on the left in her poofy blue dress. "Screechy". Good name for an eagle. If it wasn't her name before, it is now. I also like the getup of the red-head in her green blouse, white belt, and that interesting skirt; there must be a name for that design? It looks too specific to be just a random artsy print.
It takes Screechy six months just to lay that giant egg she's clutching. After all that expenditure of time, energy, and resources, she takes the egg with her everywhere she goes; can't leave anything to chance! You don't often see eagles with blue plumage. Their natural habitat is limited to select Richfield gas stations and here in Disneyland.
Major, now that you mention it, the HotF does resemble molded marzipan. It looks like Alice (in the poster on the left) nibbled on the candy house; notice the missing wedges. This would have been during one of her 'giant' phases, of course.
Nanook, I agree about the carnation design on the lady's babushka.
Major, I liked your scoffery of all things natural, having to do with the House. Thanks for the early '60s (or late '50s) photos.
TWO MISMATE PLAIDS AND A FLORAL BABUSHKA? The world is inside out, law and order upside down, human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria! Somewhere, my old Home Economics teacher Mrs. Mylar is spinning so hard in her grave she's reversed the Earth's rotation.
JB, I noticed that poofy-dressed little girl, too. Her skirt is so short and full that I hope she wore her good underpants in case a stiff wind comes along.
I think this may be the best picture of the Autopia entrance and Screechy's roost we've seen on GDB.
People flocked to the House of the Future because they really wanted to see what life on Marzipan is like,
Screechy's been on that ball all day- and boy are her wings tired! (Insert rim shot)
Madam Red Pants was forced to wear them by her children who got tired of her always trying to slip away from them in the crowd. "Geez, Mom's gone AGAIN!" Of course if they hadn't used swear words like that, she might not have minded being seen with them. Just sayin'.
I never realized the gas pump sat right there in the queue, wonder how long that lasted?
The pretty red-haired lady on the bench is striking, and the lady with silver glasses and white blouse could be my Mom esp. in 1958. I don’t see anybody that might be my Dad, but he could be out of frame. It’s possible it is her since they went to the Park before my time. I’ll say it is her since no one can prove otherwise.
The eagle is eye-catching too, thanks for the enlargement.
The HOTF was perfectly unnatural, back when that was enticing. What determined the order of the state flag placement? Was it by date of accession to the Union? Seems like the order is running right to left from 31 to 33.
Nice pics Major, thank you.
JG
@ Melissa-
Mrs. Mylar-?? Really. Is she a member of the DuPont family-? I saw those mis-matched plaids - I had difficulty sleeping...
@ JG-
"... and the lady with silver glasses and white blouse could be my Mom esp. in 1958".
WIth the Monorail beamway hovering in the background, this image is from sometime in 1959.
Nanook, yes, the “cowgirl” is hard to miss, though my eyes are also drawn to the woman in the background with white high-waisted clamdiggers and the red top (and red hair). Can’t tell if that babushka has a rose pattern, a carnation pattern, or something else.
TokyoMagic!, “Grease” has had a large enough cultural impact that I do get a few references to it. It’s so funny how everyone I knew loved that movie, and then I’d see clips and think, “Really??”. Oh well, as usual I am out of step. Also have you seen that YouTube video of Travolta singing “Greased Lightning” without the music? It’s hilarious.
JB, Sometimes a name just fits. “Audrey Hepburn”; I dunno, it is the right name for that face. And “Screechy” is a name that any eagle would be proud of. I wish they’d made the Richfield sign (with Screechy) so that the egg lit up at night. That would be totally boss! Alice is always nibbling on things, just to see if they make her grow or shrink. It’s annoying, to be honest. As for natural products - give me polyester any time!
Melissa, I’m wondering if the woman with the babushka is wearing a jacket that doesn’t belong to her? Seems a little bit oversized. Who knows. “Mrs. Mylar” sounds like a Roald Dahl character. The poofy skirt on that little girl seems a bit old-fashioned by 1959, but some moms love to have living dolls to dress up. Life on marzipan is… sticky.
Stu29573, most kids I know would be happy to find themselves without parental supervision! That’s when they could really run wild, paint their faces with mud and berry juice, and worship the head of a pig. You know, typical kid stuff.
JG, yeah, the gas pump in the queue is odd, presumably just a bit of “in your face” advertising. Maybe people could pump a complimentary glug of ethyl into their pockets (or mouths?). Yum! You noticed the red-haired lady too, she looks very chic, no old fashioned skirts for her. I do believe that the State flags were placed in order of their addition to the Union.
Nanook, I wish I was a member of the DuPont family, instead of a member of the Flurm family. And now we are determining dates via Monorail? What do we call that?
Seriously, Major? A research project? On my lunch hour?
"Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future"
Love the Richfield Eagle.
Great Autopia pic. Thanks, Major.
Major-
'And now we are determining dates via Monorail? What do we call that?"
Many scientists might call the process of determining an age on a specified chronology in archaeology and geology 'chronometric'; so, how's about monometric-??
How about "monochronometric?" It would be the same, but in black and white...
@ Stu29573-
But the Monorails are in color...
Chuck, I only require three pages, single-spaced, with references.
K. Martinez, hey, it’s true! How do I keep from slippin’?
Nanook, “monometric” sounds like it might already be a thing. Determining a date via mononucleosis?
Stu29573, I have to admit that “monochronometric” has a nice ring to it.
Nanook, if I close my eyes, do the monorails have color? If a monorail crashes in an empty forest, does it make a sound? Sorry to blow your mind on a Friday.
Hey everyone, our friend Andrew has a new post on his Bayern Kurve blog!
Also have you seen that YouTube video of Travolta singing “Greased Lightning” without the music? It’s hilarious.
Major, I had not seen that, but I did a search for it on YouTube. Pretty funny! For me, John Travolta is sort of like the "male" Lucille Ball for me. I absolutely love L.B. in I.L.L., but most projects of hers that came after that....well, the phrase cringe-worthy comes to mind. I absolutely love John Travolta in Grease, but he can be a little difficult to take in other things. Although, I did like Pulp Fiction, and maybe Face Off. But just try and have him introduce Idina Menzel at the Academy Awards, and forget it!
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