BuPix!

It's time for another installment of Bupix! Fun photos from GDB pal Bu's life as a Cast Member in the 1980s - not only do we get glimpses into the secret and glamorous backstage areas, but Bu has provided us with great commentary for context. Plus he has made my work easy. LET'S GO!

There is Janet and Kara: both former dancers in Entertainment and Disneyland Ambassador runner-ups. You’ve seen Kara before in a few photos. Janet married a guy from WED: I think at this time it was officially WDI: and left for France for EDL.  That bulletin board had the schedule and whatnots…memos…back in the day of interoffice memos…and those multi tier organizational things were for future VIP tours, where the mail room guy dropped off the mail…and any outgoing mail you had: again: back in the day, when memo’s were sent in those envelopes with spaces for dozens of names.  At one point I had a few of those envelopes with “important” Disney names on them: as these were used in the entire organization and WDW.  o, you would see execs names from WED…the Studio…etc. Some of these envelopes had been around for decades: due to sitting in someone’ office, and then being picked up again. I kind of miss those times before our “DO THIS INSTANTLY” electronic culture.

Next is Lead Linda: RIP Linda.   Linda was old school from Cicely’s day…she stayed with the park for quite a long time after this photo was taken.  She is in an often publicly publicized photo with Ringo Starr.   She had told me that she saw the Beatles perform at the Hollywood Bowl and chased Ringo across a lawn with a large group of screaming girls….being lucky enough to keep a piece of grass that he had stepped on…and she kept it forever!   To meet the person who touched the grass years later was a dream come true for her.  All the “back side of binders” there: that was how Disneyland was run prior to computers: such a different time: with tabs for month to months….daily schedules all documented.   We often had to go back to them if there were “instances” where we needed to know who was in what location on what day at what time.  All breaks and lunches were also documented and saved in perpetuity.  You can see through the office door there to the supervisors office which is now the right side of City Hall if you are looking at it: and now all public facing.   If that door to the office was closed, it was usually kind of a big deal. Either someone was getting discipline, it was a guest complaint, or the King of Siam was in there. This is also where official Disneyland Guest Book signings and photos were taken.   The Guest Book was hand tooled leather like the “Snow White” book…so very large and full of amazing signatures: like JFK, Kings and Queens, and Dolly Parton, etc. etc.   I wonder where they keep that Guest Book now: it was from Walt’s day, so if it was sold/lost/stolen/etc.  that would truly be a historic tragedy.

You’ve seen Kellie before: I’m remembering that she didn't like this particular photo…so no one tell her please.   She was tall, pretty and statuesque, and still is.

There is me in the phone room: now remember: this is backstage and it is perfectly acceptable to have an unbuttoned vest.  Although when I first saw this photo: I was shocked myself.  To give some context to location:  the wall on the left with the greaseboard on it is the “back side of City Hall”….where the City Hall desk is.  If you go out that door and to the left is City Hall, and across are the Ops Exec offices. To the right: leads to outside steps leading to the Main St. Offices, the horsecar cars, the Jungle Cruise Boats, and Walt’s apt would be to your right.  Also: the tunnel to get outside the berm and over to the DEC, or Pit (employee cafeteria underneath Pirates).   The greaseboards: updated daily and throughout the day would have things like parade times, special events, news in the moment, etc.   I am handing the other TG a bottle of rubbing alcohol which we used to clean the phones. We had such a bad problem with disease transmission: we were way ahead of the Covid thing back then: slathering our work stations and sterilizing them with alcohol.   Since we worked in close quarters if one person got sick: it tended to go around quickly: and the last thing you wanted to do was get stuck with the 10 AND the 2 tour because of a “sick out” on the team.  I think I’ve talked about these horrible orange chairs before: they were so broken before I got them all changed out for super expensive ergonomic ones.  You are welcome everyone!   It’s kind of fun to see the disparity between on-stage areas and backstage: just beyond these walls are victorian masterworks: we got the broken chairs and the dirty drapes: and dont you DARE open those drapes…EVER!  That was a real thing BTW.

I hope you have enjoyed today's photos and memories. THANK YOU so much to Bu for sharing!