Disneyland Pics, September 1983
It's GDB pal Bu's birthday! And thanks to Sue B. (and her dad, Lou Perry), this has turned into a kind of mega-post. Or maybe a "mini-mega post"!
We'll start with this fun photo from Sue's collection (not a Lou and Sue image), from a vintage birthday party. The birthday boy appears to be named "Larry", and he is very particular about his hair, as Bu was in his Tour Guide days. That Ace comb was worn to a nub by the time he was 20! But it was all worth it. In the middle, a little boy looks displeased. "I wish it was MY birthday!". Sorry kid. Next to him, the little girl can barely see what's going on.
Next, Sue shared three photos from her father's collection, all dating from September, 1983, which is around the time Bu was working at the park. First we have this excellent picture of a trashcan. Oh, and a Horseless Carriage and the Matterhorn too.
Next, the Main Street Cinema, where we can juuust see that Harold Lloyd was among the stars to be seen inside, making this from before it was "all Mickey Mouse, all the time".
Here's a nice view from inside the Frontierland gate, looking out towards the Plaza. The lady in blue appears to be arguing with her friend, who worked as a basketball referee.
And I'm always happy to see the Swiss Family Treehouse. Let's go up to the top level and hopefully we will feel a nice tropical breeze!
And now for something completely different! Sue scanned a 1985 issue of the "Disneyland Line" employee newsletter; as you know (and can see), '85 was the park's 30th year.
As part of the celebration, one of those "great" television specials was fired, including celebrities such as Drew Barrymore and John Forsythe. There is also a mention of the "brand-new shooting arcade", as well as another Gibson Card Corner (Gibson had been a 1955 lessee, but were replaced by Hallmark eventually).
It's fun to see some familiar names, such as Dick Nunis and Ron Dominguez. I'd hoped that Fairuza Balk (from "Return to Oz") was in that upper right photo, but it's just a bunch of meddling kids! And look at that lucky toddler who became Disneyland's 250-millionth guest. He received a lifetime supply of mayonnaise.
I wonder if Bu knew Melissa Tyler, the Disneyland Ambassador for 1985? If he did, I hope she was one of the nice Ambassadors, and not the snooty sort.
Here's a mini-history of Town Square Christmas trees.
"Park News", I always get a kick out of the "Golden Ears", cast members who announced their retirement, sometimes after decades at the park. I hope that Thelma enjoyed traveling with her husband, and Don got his eldest son's house remodeled!
Cast Activities are fun, I don't know if the company still offers things like a basketball league, aerobics classes, or even a computer club (1983 is before many of us had any computer experience).
And finally, the back page classified ads. How about $295 a month to share an apartment? Or a '77 Toyota Celica for $2,995? Give blood too, what do you need 8 pints for anyway?
If you'd like, you can download a PDF of this Disneyland Line issue HERE. Happy Birthday, Bu, and many thanks to Sue B. for providing all of these scans!
15 comments:
Happy Birthday Bu-! Was that pack of Chesterfield's for you, or one of the other celebrants-? (I hope you were wise-enough to 86 the goings-on at the "children's table" and move over to the unoccupied table at the rear of the yard with that magnificent multi-layer chocolate cake). I wonder who that cake was for-?
Thanks, Sue for supplying the cornucopia of images and the Disneyland Line-!
Hey, Kid! That's a great way to get hair all over the cake!
I like the pic of the "backside of a Horseless Carriage." How often do we see a photo of that!
In that Frontierland pic, the husbands or boyfriends of the two women appear to be waiting for them to stop arguing. Or maybe they are waiting for them to tear each other's clothes off and start wrestling around on the ground!
Old issues of the Disneyland Line are always a lot of fun to look at! I remember that Disneyland's 30th anniversary special. The Pointer Sisters performed! They were so excited. And so did Donna Summer! She works hard for the money.
Thank you Lou, Sue, and Major, too....and a very happy birthday to our friend, Bu! (I made a little rhyme!)
Bu, may you have the happiest birthday on Earth! Your photos and comments have become a GDB favorite!
Seems odd that Larry would take time to comb his hair just as his cake was about to be cut. Maybe somebody told him to "look good for the camera"?
I think the displeased boy is getting ready to poke his finger into the cake, "If I can't have a cake, then nobody gets a cake!"
Thanks, Sue, for another amusing birthday photo!
1) The Matterhorn has an especially thick layer of vanilla frosting here. Since Major brought up the trashcan... I think there are four of 'em. (The 4th can is to the left of the driver in the Horseless Carriage... maybe.)
2) Who is this "Steamboat Willie" fellow and why does he get top billing? Surely Harold Lloyd is a bigger star? The shop sign to the right looks like it says "Pobacconist".
3) I think the basketball referee is also a woman?
4) The Swiss Family Tree looks kinda dry and crispy; it needs watering. Almost everybody in this photo is wearing shorts.
The Disneyland Line: I'm glad to see Hans, Otto, and Fritz in a family reunion photo on the slopes of the Matterhorn. Enjoy your lifetime supply of mayo, Brooks Burr. (Who names their kid "Brooks"?)
90¢ off a one-pound box of See's Candy? SIGN ME UP! By 1983 I was already on my second computer.
I used to give blood in my youth. I got a pin for donating 2 gallons (over a period of a decade or so).
Whew! Finally got through this mega-post! Many thanks to Lou and Sue and Bu and Major too.
Happy Birthday Bu! Many Happy Returns of the Day! (If Owl can wish it, so can I). Appreciate your many contributions to GDB.
Sue, thank you for the amazing collection of birthday party photos. Now I need to comb my hair.
No surprise that I like the trash can photo best. That view of the Matterhorn is irresistible.
Major, thanks for the PDF link. I’m finally sitting down to organize all my Disney digital books and scans, I will add this to the collection.
I’ll look in later today on the bigger screen, thanks again everyone.
JG
@ JB-
"I'm glad to see Hans, Otto, and Fritz..." I don't know who 'Fritz' is - maybe Mike does. As far as I know, there were only 'two character names' given to the Matterhorn climbers over the years.
Nanook, my philosophy is, “When in doubt, give cigarettes”. It’s always the perfect gift! The “children’s table”, what a great day it was when I moved up to the grownup table. That was over ten years ago!
TokyoMagic!, yum, hair on a cake. I remember going to a kid’s birthday party, and when he blew out the candles, a lot of spit went all over the cake. His mom couldn’t understand why I wasn’t eating my slice. Yes, I think those guys are waiting (hoping) for a catfight! Whoa, Donna Summer, she was a beauty, cool that you got to see her. The Pointer Sisters, I remember seeing them on The Carol Burnett Show, maybe the first time I’d ever heard of them.
JB, I’m always combing my hair, as people who have met me know. I keep a tin of goose grease in my pocket to keep things neat and tidy, my hair is always shiny and waterproof. Jealous?? Four trashcans is the average, sort of like a mom, dad, and 2.5 kids. “Steamboat Willie” is forgotten now, thanks to his famously ribald Hollywood parties. I have a stack of Disneyland Line magazines that somebody gave to me, and I don’t think I’ve even looked at them. Who has time? Well, OK, I do, but there are cartoons to watch. See’s Candy, I think a one pound box is over $30 now. Yeesh. I thought it was bad when it was $20.
JG, I’m thinking of switching to a wig, so I no longer have to spend hours in front of the mirror. A hard plastic wig is so versatile, and will last a lifetime with proper care! Machine washable. I’m glad you liked the Disneyland Line issue, that’s all thanks to Sue.
Nanook, we’ve definitely seen photos with more than two climbers, so they must have had at least one more name for those occasions. Maybe they sometimes trained a new climber?
Happy Birthday, Bu -- our favorite Disneyland Tour Guide!
Major, I bet Bu knew the DL Ambassador, Melissa Tyler.
And, speaking of Donna Summer, Bu knew Donna Summer. Let's hope he chimes in later with stories.
I'll be back later. I'm heading to the adult table at the birthday party, while there are still seats open and before anyone spits on the cake. BTW, see that chair closest to us, at the adult table? That's probably from the 'S & H Green Stamps' redemption store. I know we had that exact set [with the matching card table; the table and chairs folded-up for handy storage], and I'm pretty sure it came from there (purchased with the stamps you got from the gas stations).
One other thought about that birthday shot...
WHO eats ice cream WITHOUT the cake?? Odd.
Major-
"I keep a tin of goose grease in my pocket to keep things neat and tidy..." There's a thought. However, just last night I was watching Robert Osborne interview Esther Williams (famous swimmer, who became a huge star for MGM), for her swimming prowess and the crazy synchronized swimming routines dreamed up for her. Evidently, the hair and makeup folks at MGM 'slathered her hair with a warm mixture of Vaseline and baby oil' to keep her [rather elaborate] hair in-place in spite of diving and swimming thru the trials of shooting take-after-take. You might consider 'trading-up' to Vaseline and oil, and ditch the goose grease-!
When I saw the vintage photo I actually thought is WAS me....I had a shirt VERY similar to that one...and the hair is pretty spot on...thanks for all the well wishes. I'm not really a birthday guy, but I do appreciate it. Nice to see Disneyland before the "transformation"....I have fond memories of that park. I don't remember that Disneyland Line specifically by the cover, but I do remember the insides of it, with a few familiar names. Yes, I did know Ambassador Melissa and she was super duper uber as sweet as she looks and was a favorite amongst the Cicely's of the world. I was involved in quite a few of those special events, either directly or somewhere on the sidelines. Skyfest we called something else (naughty)....I blew up balloons that day : it was all volunteer. It was a wee stressful as they had quotas for how many balloons needed to be blown up per minute/hour/etc. Watching the release on the ground and basically underneath it: there were giant tubes that were opened in succession...a million balloons looks like a million balloons: it was slightly disturbing as the wall of balloons looked akin to a natural disaster approaching and enveloping you: we did it on Katella. Looking at the press afterwards: from helicopters/etc. it did not look as impressive as being "in it." The balloons for the 30th party were also done very specifically: they were released at the beginning of the party, and those big long strings actually were in arches across Main St. It was dramatic to see them open up: we were involved in some ceremony that I honestly don't remember...The "Spirit of Disneyland" was a way to pull at some heartstrings after a tumultuous 1984: with hostile takeovers, a strike, a new leadership team...et. al. It was a compulsory meeting and was scheduled as part of your work day. The kids of 30 countries was a week long thing: I was with the kids of Australia and Holland: two very different cultures. It was an interesting week which culminated in a photo op at the Castle and a talent show at the Golden Horseshoe. The brand new Shooting Arcade is when they took out the pellet guns for the infrared guns. There were mixed feelings, but overall it made Frontierland less noisy without the ping-ing and air rifles. A tour guides husband from WED designed it, so ancillary we were involved with it: with frequent visits to the "site". Yes: we celebrated both the big and small milestones. Thanks again Major and Team GDB.
Post note: Regarding Donna Summer: I did not see her or any of that filming at the park...perhaps I was too cool for school for those things....I DID meet Donna Summer later in life, when after a very tough day at work she was presented to me . Her lovely compliments completely negated all the "robust feedback" from management I received prior to that...as the official "Queen of Disco" had proclaimed that I was "fabulous". Even though she may have been ill at the time she looked absolutely amazing. Lesson learned: do not take feedback too personally, because there's always someone else that thinks you are fabulous. Thanks Lou and Sue for the lovely B-day tribute and the mega-post!
Milestones. Happy Birthday Bu. Celebrate You. Woo hoo. You’re a senior Junior Gorilla.
I’m especially here for the lack of crowds at a more lush park. When was the last time anyone could see that much ground anywhere there? Those really were the days; I lived nearby and it was so easy and affordable to just pop in, well before Annual passes. I remember watching that balloon extravaganza. I think they outlawed big rubber releases after that because it was so massive. Frontierland fella is heading back to the tobacconist shop now, for a pack of Chesterfields.
Enjoy the day.
MS
As I've detailed at length in the past, the Main Street Cinema was a Big Deal to my preteen self, a budding film buff with few chances to see silents. Recently splurged on a Main Street Cinema Christmas tree ornament for year-round bookcase display. Also a curious Tokyo Disneyland pin, with a sunburst Mickey over the words "Main Street Cinema".
Semi-related: Back in VHS days I fantasized about becoming rich and having a Mickey Mouse Club Treasure Mine facade on a closet full of tapes, with a voice-activated Mousekadial. Somehow this would attract girls to my bachelor pad.
Recall reading some years back how Disneyland management decided the MSC was underperforming and experimented with selling merchandise inside (the WDW location was converted to a flat-out shop many years prior). My thought: Place a major restroom facility behind the theater, which then becomes an enjoyable place to wait for the rest of your party.
Sorry I’ll keep it quick : today’s my last day or jury duty….
Happy Birthday 2024 BU!!!!!!!!
I too had several shirts back then like the green one … that style seems to have been very popular from the 1969-1972 period. One of my school pictures is in one that appears to be a “cantaloupe” color.,
The Frontierland Electronic Shooting Arcade was the first and only Disney park attraction completely designed and fabricated at WED FLORIDA. It was also the very first use of digital laser disc technology in the parks - it was used for the Sfx shootin’ Gallery soundtrack. The second use of the laser disc in the park was the 1983 music New Fantasyland band organ for King Arthur’s Carrousel and Cinderella’s Golden Carousel.
Tokyo Disneyland was the first park to switch to all vintage Disney cartoons … there’s was in 1984 for Donald’s 50th … the 5 of the six screens were Donald Duck early films and 1 was steamboat Willie . Later, that reversed . I think it was between 1985 and 1986 the American parks Main Street Cinemas went to all cartoons. Today Disneyland Anaheim is the only park with a MAIN STREET CINEMA attraction …. Enjoy it while you can has management has been biting at the bit to turn the space over to merchandise .
Happy birthday, Bu.
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