Disneyland Ephemera
You know me, I love Disneyland ephemera. The stuff that most people threw away after their trip! But a few people held on to every scrap for decades.
This first item is a nice, relatively large flyer from the 1965 edition of "Dixieland at Disneyland", a musical extravaganza of jazz and Dixieland music, performed at venues around the park. I love the very 60s graphics on this cover, along with the alternating stripes of red and orange. The horse has flipped his straw hat!
Yes, yes, I know the interior is discolored - I actually have a second example of this flyer that is in great shape, but I couldn't find it when I was ready to scan. Oh well. Looking at the listing of acts, it's clear that Louis Armstrong, playing at the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea stage, was the star attraction. I guess I'd expect him to be on the Mark Twain, but only a small crowd would be able to get close enough to enjoy it. The Southern California Hot Jazz Ensemble sounds fun, and I'd definitely want to see the Firehouse Five Plus Two over at the Oaks Tavern. The Young Men From New Orleans were on the Mark Twain, I'm not sure if they played while the steamboat remained moored at the dock, or if they played while chugging along the river.
Next is this paper bag from the Art Corner. I always mean to upgrade, but this one is OK, so incentive is low. The Art Corner was in Tomorrowland from 1955 through around September of 1966, and it was most famous for bins full of animation cells, priced at a buck or two. If you were a big spender, you could buy a cell with its matching background painting, but that could run you $25 - about $230 in today's dollars. Of course we now know that this was a bargain, but I'm sure most folks were aghast.
14 comments:
Major-
All that great jazz music, and I was foolish-enough to be running around the Park enjoying attractions and adventures instead. The ignorance of youth-!
"... but I'm sure most folks were aghast". I'm feeling a bit 'aghast' right now-!
Thanks, Major.
In addition to flipping his hat, the horse also speaks! The red and orange stripes, along with the jazzy cartoon characters, give this an "Aristocats" vibe.
On the inside, the Firehouse Five Plus Two, is the only band whose names I'm familiar with... well most of them anyway. Plus Louis Armstrong of course. I remember seeing him perform on numerous TV variety shows back in the '60s and '70s. Never saw him in person though.
Hmmm, I wonder what Mickey is painting on that easel? Maybe the Matterhorn track layout? It really is crazy to think that you could buy actual Disney animation cels so cheaply back then; even adjusted in today's dollars. We're still waiting patiently for you to get your time machine working, Major.
Nanook, I often get aghast. Especially after eating a big helping of wieners and sauerkraut.
And zxcvzxcvzxcv right back atcha, Major. Thanks for the paper stuff.
I seem to remember previously seeing a similar Dixieland At Disneyland line-up where Louis Armstrong topped the bill and Kid Ory – the man who gave Armstrong his start four decades before – was at the bottom! In 1965 there was a lot of great live jazz I would much rather have seen, but to be able to see some of these legends still going at Disneyland would have been a real treat. Apparently Turk Murphy was friends with Ward Kimball – The Firehouse Five Plus Two had a fair amound of cred in Dixieland revival circles. Thanks, Major.
This reminds me of Disneyland's Jazz Festivals that ran Memorial Day weekend back in the late 70's/early 80's. I'd visit Disneyland every Memorial Day weekend and love visiting and listening to the various styles of live jazz in the park. It was everywhere. It was the beginning of the summer season and Disneyland was alive and at its best. I miss those days.
Thanks, Major.
I like “Aristocats” type art too. I might be one of the few that loves that movie…especially the scene with the “rave” or was it a “happening?” Either way: who doesn’t like a kitty cat movie. I am reading Marty Sklars book and he references one of these Dixieland at Disneyland nights: where a select group kept the party going until the sun came up the next day: with a lot of booze and heads turned the other way…sailing around on the Mark Twain: it’s a nice memory book he wrote: which might not make sense to mortals…but if you can follow all the names he writes about, it’s a interesting read from clearly someone who was THERE at a magical point in time…the stories may be a bit all over: but SO ARE MINE :). There was Jazz night during my time: I don’t remember a lick of anything though…was kind of a “pre-Fantasmic” kind of thing on the river: using TSI rafts and such…and separate from the “Summer Concerts” they used to do. We would get people calling asking “who’s playing tonight” ? It was a weird question in off season…especially during things like Festival Japan and whatnot…names of
People I couldn’t even pronounce…much less than the average Bear would know. Those who knew: knew already. Other events like Festival Mexico were HUGE…with people like Celia Cruz et al. “Festival Bu” was a 12k day with no one in the park, a 4 hour tour with lunch at the Club and the Candy Palace making nuttles (or English toffee)that day. Not a care in the world…that I remember : but I’m sure there was a care or two: generally hair and costume. Thanks Major!
Nanook, admit it, you were watching The New Establishment!
JB, I forget that on your planet, horses typically do not speak. The Firehouse Five Plus Two seems to have been surprisingly respected in the music world, they weren’t just a funny novelty band. And Louis Armstrong, a true legend. I have a cousin who bought an Alice cel (Alice herself, wide eyed and pretty) for 50 cents (she claims). I’ve tried to convince her that she should give it to me, but so far, no luck. Oops, I edited out the mystery text at the end of the post before I read your comment, now you look crazy!
Pegleg Pete, I’ve posted at least two other Dixieland at Disneyland flyers, and I am pretty sure that Kid Ory is at the bottom of one of them. Or maybe both of them? I used to know an older couple, they both knew all of the best jazz musicians and would go all over L.A. to see them back in the 1960’s and 70s. It was fun to hear them talk about the scene! As an aside, Robert Crumb came over to their house to buy a few of the man’s rare 78s that he’d bought in Texas during WWII.
K. Martinez, I have some “Big Band Festival” gate handouts, it always looks like a fun event. Though I would have been too dumb to appreciate it back then. I want to go on rides! Sounds like you were smarter than me!
Bu, well, the “Aristocats”, hmmm… never my favorite. It’s OK! I was a snob, even at a young age, and wanted everything to look like “Pinocchio”. I have Marty’s book, but still haven’t read it. I was so shocked to meet an Imagineer who had some surprising criticism of Mr. Sklar, but I suppose his public face and his “real” face could obviously be very different. One of my good friends is still a jazz and big band fanatic, and he worked at the park back around 1970, so he saw all of the greats - he even befriended a few musicians. I think the average person of a certain age probably knows the biggest, most popular bands, but there were probably plenty of good ones that would have gotten blank stares. You’d think they could still do a Festival Mexico today, and that it would be popular, but maybe they don’t need even bigger crowds.
“the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea stage” was news to me. Easy to imagine it was where the Tomorrowland Stage / Space Stage - flying saucers - Space Mountain / Magic Eye Theater is now, but I’ve never heard that name.
MS
MS, that 20K stage has come up before, but it would be easy to miss - here's a link to an old blog post with Woody Herman playing on that stage (sorry about the clumsy link): https://gorillasdontblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/stereo-images-in-2d.html
These are fun things, Major, thank you.
I seem to remember you posted a similar item with similar bands posted. I’m sure there were some big names playing when I was a kid, but I never stopped to listen. Thanks for the link to the 20K stage, I envisioned them playing under the entry arcade.
I read an article about the hat-flipping cartoon trope, not sure where or when, or even why anyone would write it, but it’s a pretty universal cartoon surprise indicator, like stars or little birds circling your head after getting coshed. I wish I could remember more about it, probably been tapped on the head too many times.
Mickey is sketching out a mouse-drawn carriage, I’m betting.
Our daughter bought an Alice cel, the White Rabbit in his Royal herald costume. I thought it was a very sensible choice for a souvenir, more so than a bubble machine.
Thank you.
JG
Satchmo appeared with Kid Ory in "Disneyland After Dark" (1962), performing on board the Mark Twain to a well-dressed adult audience. They did a little patter about playing together in "The Hot Five". Read that it had to be staged after hours.
The "Young Men From New Orleans" was a combo of jazz pioneers, and I think they're on a parade float in the "Disneyland '59" special. Poking around the net it appears that Kid Ory was sometimes but not always featured, so I'm wondering if it was a Disneyland house band with a changing lineup.
These are awesome! I've always said that restrictions breed creativity, and I think that's certainly the case here with the limited color palette and line art.
I never got to see Louis Armstrong live, but Mom used to do a pretty mean imitation of him when she would sing us to sleep with "Hello, Dolly!" in between choruses of "Pore Jud is Daid" from Oklahoma! The biggest name in jazz I ever got to see was Harry Connick, Jr. back when he was touring with his big band in the 80s.
Something about those guys in the art looks like the guy who gets punched in the old Hawaiian Punch ads
Presenting Bob and the Boxbodies!
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