Flower the Skunk, March 1963
I have two slides - a bit dark, but not a total loss - featuring two boys enjoying an encounter with Bambi's friend Flower. He's a skunk, but don't let that concern you. Just don't make any sudden moves, OK? I've never seen Flower at the park, in fact I wonder if they even have a costume around for special occasions these days. Anyway, the boys are as pleased as can be to be meeting this new furry friend.
It would be sort of fun if the park had all sorts of obscure (by today's standards) classic characters. Lucifer the cat! Stromboli! Basil of Baker Street! Or how about the early long-billed Donald Duck? The list could go on and on. It'll never happen, but a boy can dream, can't he?
Meanwhile, I'm always happy to see the posters, even with bad color. Especially the 20,000 Leagues example!
17 comments:
Major-
It's been almost a month since we've seen these two lads with their matching sweaters (I'm SO jealous) and their contrasting color shirts. They clash so wonderfully with all the costumed characters - there's no chance of mixing them up.
Thanks, Major.
Oh, like Nanook said, it's the sweater kids again! Have we ever seen photos of Flower in the Park before? I can't remember. If not, then this is a rarity for sure!
Major, I like your idea of having obscure characters roaming around the Park. Make the guests think! Of course, most people today would just google it on their phone: "disney skunk character", or something like that.
I think kids would find long-billed Donald kind of creepy. He did look sort of look wild and out-of-control. I would love to see an early Donald character!
Thanks for the rare photos, Major.
I'm going to title the first pic, "Flower Meets Little Red Riding....Babushka."
JB, yes we saw Flower fairly recently, in this post from....2015. Like I said, fairly recently:
https://gorillasdontblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/flower-at-disneyland-mid-1960s.html
Thanks for the Flower pics, Major. If only they were scratch 'n' sniff!
Mummy is clearly a fashion driven mamma! The boys are ahead of their time with their "mid-drift" cardigans. As a weird kid, I would NEVER let me shirt be beyond the line of my cardy! That shirt must be tucked in! I was much maligned akin to wearing the "ABBA FEVER" shirt...(another story). Flower is delightful...no wonder the kids are squealing...just don't cuddle the ones at home boys! Little red riding hood: is she is costume or just monochromatic? Another "ahead of time" fashion choice. The posters AND the poster frames are amazing. Please: what is the official color of "fence green" found throughout the park? It is not go away green, but a close cousin. The detail on the top of the frame is especially wonderful: that could have been a straight spike: but someone said "no". I enjoy intentional design: nothing should be by accident ever: unless it is a "happy accident" which happens sometimes. These posters are in an especially "good way" so very shiny and "new" looking. I think I remember the Basil of Baker Street character: later to be named "The Great Mouse Detective" (in title) and Professor Ratigan....and also Stromboli was in parades...along with other "exotics" in the character world....I've never seen a Bambi in person: but there was a weird one with two legs...I have seen a Thumper...with Flower out there, maybe it was a Bambi re-release year? I don't think little ones really care too much about these big fluffy "alive" stuffed animals...they just want to cuddle them. I remember playing with the 3 Pigs near Small World...it was photographed: those were the giant head ones: which are the best. Would anyone even know WHO the 3 pigs were today? Unless you are Mickey or a Princess: you might get a "Dionne Warwick"....(a "walk on by")...Thanks Major for the skunks! They are so cute: but not when your doggies and kitties get involved with them....that season approaches....(Tomato juice is ready...)
I certainly recognize this skunk, Bambi was possibly the first film I remember seeing in a theater. Maybe these characters were part of that release.
I fully support the idea of rare characters and will suggest the Aristocats Band to open.
That fence is a very nice green indeed, if pressed, I would call it “Harrod’s Green”.
For some reason this makes me think of the Warner Brothers spoof of Bambi, “Bumbi the Dearest Deer”, part of the Animaniacs show, where the kid sees the movie and spends the rest of day weeping inconsolably, and also the Oscar Wilde quote on Dickens… “it takes a heart of stone not to laugh at the death of Little Nell…”
Sorry, I’m all over the place this AM. Thanks Major!
JG
Love obscure or rare costumed characters at the Disney Parks. Even as an adult I loved seeing characters like Launchpad McQuack or Little John.
Thanks, Major.
TokyoMagic! Ha, ha! I wish the Mickey Mouse pics would be scratch 'n' sniff! Then I'd say, "I smell a dirty rat!"
Nanook, we might see those boys (and their sweaters) one or two more times, it all becomes a jumble in my junk shop brain.
JB, Flower is definitely a rarely-seen character, though I wonder if “Bambi” had been recently re-released in the theaters? I could look it up, but that would require effort. I truly would love to pose with Horace Horsecollar, that would be awesome - I particularly love those early “rubber hose” characters who were phased out as animation became more sophisticated.
TokyoMagic! “Say Grandma! I brought a giant skunk for you! TA HAVE!”. Anyone? Anyone? Thank you for the link, TM!
BU, I guess you would have to hide your feelings of shame around me as my t-shirt hangs below my “overshirt”. But you would manage to stay polite, even though you would be feeling physically ill. I would love to see Flower the Skunk. One time I saw a character that to this day I am still not sure I recognized. It might have been the Wise Little Hen? Whoever she was, it was like sighting Bigfoot. Mike Cozart probably knows the exact shade of green used on the fences, but I call it “Gargantua Green”. After “Gaira”, the green Gargantua from the 1966 movie, you understand. I’ve seen many characters who seem to only appear in parades, though I did see Geppetto recently, which surprised me. Over by Storybook Land - I can’t recall ever seeing him out and about before. Wow, Bambi would be interesting, I can’t imagine a bipedal version of that character. Good question about whether anybody knows the 3 little pigs; as you suggested, maybe it doesn’t even matter. Kids (and adults) just want to cuddle! Also, tomato juice is a lie, it doesn’t work!
JG, I think my first movie theater experience was “The Jungle Book”, and we came in after it had already started. I also remember seeing “The Aristocats”, probably not long afterwards; that has never been one of my favorites, but I guess I have a fondness for it mostly because of nostalgia. “Harrod’s Green”, after King Harrod of course (joking). I never really watched Animaniacs, though I’m told it was a pretty good show. I do like the title “Bumbi the Dearest Dear” though!
K. Martinez, hmmm, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Launchpad McQuack, though I did see Baloo in his “Tailspin” costume. I am generally against scratch ’n’ sniff stuff, having been burned too many times. “What the hell is that smell supposed to be? And why is it gross?”.
Major-
"TA HAVE!”. Anyone? Anyone?"
Well, of course... "Come on! Come on! take a powder, this is MY racket!" That would be Little Red Riding Rabbit (1943), a favorite Merrie Melodies WB cartoon of mine, [in part] thanks to the music used.
In 1929 Warner Bros. purchased M. Whitmark & Sons, Remick Music Corporation and Harms, Inc., they controlled the rights to A LOT of popular music "back in the day", and this title is full of music they owned: Five O'Clock Whistle; They're Either Too Young or Too Old; Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet (with the Blue Ribbons on It).
Obviously [a not-so-hidden] secret to the success of WB's cartoons - incorporating "free" access to 'a whole-lotta' popular music from the 1930's thru 1960's-!
The Walt Disney World parks bring out the less common characters for meet-and-greets at their "After Dark" extra ticket events. I got pictures with Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket at one last month. I don't know if Disneyland does those events too,
Flower is looking a little roughed up there; he reminds me of my cat's much-loved toy Mr. Skinky.
It's always great to see the Sweaterboys, and matching kids in general, but I think I have to award the VFA to Baby Babushka and her bold color choices.
Dean, I'll never 100% get over the fact that I had tp miss a rare photo op with Scrooge McDuck that time I had to leave the WDW Christmas party early because of what turned out to be pneumonia.
Is this 20,000 Leagues poster for the walkthrough exhibit of the movie sets in Tomorrowland?
Nanook: Beyond those purchased libraries, the Termite Terrace gang had access to songs composed for Warner features. In fact, they were tasked with plugging numbers from the Busby Berkeley musicals and other movie songs.
Warner wasn't alone in providing music to its cartoon studio.
On MGM Tom and Jerry soundtracks you'll hear familiar hits like "The Trolly Song" from "Meet Me in St. Louis" and "If I Only Had a Brain" from "Wizard of Oz".
Fleischer / Famous tapped the Paramount library, so Popeye could play "Accentuate the Positive" on a piano and fight with Bluto to "Beyond the Blue Horizon", while Little Audrey could "Swing on a Star".
In early days Disney didn't have access to anybody's music, so scores were public domain tunes and original compositions. Once the studio accumulated a library of hits from its own features, they remained reticent about using them in shorts. There were a few exceptions: a Pluto cartoon has him lip-syncing a crooner version of "You Belong to My Heart" from "Three Caballeros" while Donald Duck similar renders "Wish Upon a Star" after a conk on the head.
Perhaps the most notable exception is "Cock of the Walk", which features a mock Busby Berkeley number set to "The Carioca" from RKO's "Flying Down to Rio". It seems Disney was in the process of switching distributors to RKO, so use of the song may have been a show of friendliness on one side or the other.
I may be wrong, but for all you know I may be right (Billy Joel, maybe)
Nanook, that is definitely one of my favorite Warner Bros. cartoons, though there are SO MANY good ones. I still have my five volumes of the “Golden Collections” of animated WB shorts on DVD, and they are too valuable (to me) to ever get rid of. I’d love to see a list of how many times “The Lady in Red” or “A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich, and You” appear in WB cartoons!
Dean Finder, I know that Disneyland has had special events with rarely-seen characters, but it’s a bummer that you can only see them if you are willing to shell out extra dough.
Melissa, Flower is messy from too much huggin’! Happens to me all the time. I too am fuzzy and stinky. Oh man, Scrooge McDuck would have been a great photo op - I’ve seen pix of him in parades, but never as a character available for pictures. I’m sorry you had pneumonia!
Melissa, yes, that poster was for the walk-thru.
DBenson, I used to like Tom and Jerry cartoons, but haven’t seen many since I was a kid. They were always beautifully made, almost up there with Disney as far as quality - though, I’m sorry folks, Disney cartoons are often not funny. I’d choose WB cartoons any day! You sound like you are a real scholar of old cartoons. I APPROVE!
Major-
"I’d love to see a list of how many times “The Lady in Red” or “A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich, and You” appear in WB cartoons!"
Yep - The Lady In Red was originally published by Remick Music Corporation, and A Cup of Coffee a Sandwich and You was originally published by T. B. Harms, Inc. - and as already mentioned, sold to Warner Bros. in 1929.
@ DBenson-
Thanks for 'filling-in' the other blanks.
Major-
"... though, I’m sorry folks, Disney cartoons are often not funny. I’d choose WB cartoons any day!"
Regrettably, I agree. I don't know how that 'lack of funny' was influenced by Walt's personal sense of humor, which can often best be described as 'unsophisticated', or less-offensively: 'homespun'; but cleverness, deadpan, satire, etc., was mostly lacking at the home of The Mouse.
Where's Baby Waldo?
I found him! He's adorable. Grew up to be quite successful.
I now want a picture with Flower. I can't tell if Flower has a nice, fluffy tail, or if it's all matted down. I hope it's fluffy.
Regarding WB cartoons, whenever I hear someone say the word "makeup," my brain screams, "MAKEUUUPPP!" from A Star is Bored. I guess it's rather scary that I'm hearing voices.
Thanks, Major, for a fun Monday!
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