Two From the 1950s
I love almost any photo of Disneyland from the 1950s - here are two of 'em! First up, here's Gramps sitting in one of the seats (where only the cool kids get to be) on the bow of the Mark Twain - it looks like the steamboat is still at the dock, but not for long! I'm sure many of you remember Gramps from these photos. I wonder what he's holding in his right hand? It appears to be a rolled-up piece of paper. Maybe one of those Pilot's Certificates? Or else it is a whammy stick.
For a year or two, there were some painted plywood "Fun Photo" ops near the Red Wagon Inn. We get a good look at one, with a little girl resembling Stinky Pete from "Toy Story 2". Pluto loves her no matter what she smells like!
7 comments:
Major-
When Gramps is finished circumnavigating the Rivers of America, he should head on over to ride one of those Stage Coaches-!
Those "Fun Photo" ops are such simple 'props' and yet so charming. (I suspect none of those ever turned up at a Disneyana auction...)
Thanks, Major.
Gramps is holding a peashooter in his hand. Note the mischievous look on his face, he's gonna have fun shooting peas at the other guests along the shore as he cruises along the ROA. Similar to Walt flicking chili beans. Oooh, we can see a stagecoach in the background. (As Nanook noted.)
That's a cute idea for a Disney photo op. I like how the hat is three dimensional and looks like the kid is wearing it. I'm not exactly sure what emotion is going through that little girl's head. Is she making a mighty effort to smile? Or is she about to burst into tears? Or maybe she got her head stuck in the hole.
Nice photos from the fifties, Major. Thanks.
I'm not exactly sure what emotion is going through that little girl's head.
JB, I imagine she isn't too happy about those fingers that are growing out of her neck.
Thanks, Major, for the fun 50s photos!
Gramps’ shirt in orange and gray, classic combo in the right proportion. A good look for him.
I do worry that he will slip through the flimsy chain guardrail when the Mark Twain does its JATO launch.
Those photo op cutouts are always fun, and this one is especially good. I love the dog licking her face, looks almost real.
Thanks for the look back, Major.
JG
That fun photo is so darn cute. Hope she lived a good and full life. Thanks, Major.
Nanook, for all we know, Gramps might’ve come to California on a stagecoach!
JB, a peashooter? Come on! Everyone knows a whammy stick is much more effective. One look at somebody holding one, and an opponent will throw in the towel. I know that on occasion Disneyland still has similar (sort of) photo op setups, but they’re never as fun as these old originals - for one thing they lack the strong simple graphics. The new ones are airbrushed and yuck. Who knows what’s going on in that kid’s head? She’s probably thinking about cartoons.
TokyoMagic!, what do you think, is her sister waiting impatiently for her turn? I can’t figure out why those fingers would be there.
JG, I’ll bet Gramps got his shirt from Sears, so you know it’s quality. You make a good point about that chain, nobody thinks about when the Mark Twain has to slam on its brakes. The “real” hat in that fun photo adds a lot of veracity to it, casting a realistic shadow. I’m not aware of any of the others having real props stuck on.
K. Martinez, she could easily still be with us; if she is four years old, and that was 1955, and I’ll bet it is from later, she’d be under 70 years old now.
"Gramps"? That man is probably only 42. People simply looked older back then. Anyway, I like the raw look of 1950's Frontierland in the background. To me it feels much more authentic than when the trees grew to be huge.
I agree that the pic of the girl is really cute. Disney was always at the forefront of technology, being able to insert a living child into a cartoon! :o)
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