Two From July 1963
July, 1963. America was abuzz because of the introduction of ZIP codes! Folks threw parties, dressed as Mr. Zip, who briefly became as popular as Spuds MacKenzie did years later. What a time.
Take a look at this first picture, presumably snapped by a guest walking from the tram drop-off zone toward the ticket booths. It's too bad there aren't beds full of beautiful roses anymore. The curve of the Monorail track reminds me a bit of the columns in St. Peter's Square in Rome. Probably designed by the same person.
Looking at the attraction posters, I noticed one just beyond those Servicemen - a yellow poster featuring the Mickey Mouse Club logo - certainly tied to the Mickey Mouse Club Headquarters, which was in the Opera House in 1963; the show had gone into syndication in the Fall of 1962.
This is the only halfway decent photo I have of the entrance to the MMC Headquarters, notice the poster to the left. It's a bit different from the one on the Monorail pylon, but close enough. Presumably it was a silkscreened piece, what a find one of those would be! Too bad there's no mention of Disneyland on the poster.
Daveland has a much better look at one of the posters outside the Opera House (image used with permission).
Next is this wonderful look from the Skyway into the classic Fantasyland, with long lines for the Peter Pan attraction even back then. The Carrousel is drawing them in as well. In the distance, you can see the side of the Opera House, with two large "barn doors".
4 comments:
Major-
Poor Mickey - sandwiched between vertical stripes and the dreaded blue and red arrow points.
It should be noted that Spuds MacKenzie's nickname was actually Mr. Zip-! (The more you know...)
Thanks, Major.
Wow, the composition is great in the first pic! The swooping Monorail beamway on the right (such perspective!), the colorful roses on the left with that light tower acting as an eye stopper. The tower isn't exciting to look at but it serves its purpose.
Some of those Servicemen are carrying travel bags. Maybe they're going to change into their civvies once inside. (Don't they get in at a reduced price if they're wearing their uniforms?) I wonder if that's a Tour Guide to the left of the Servicemen? She's wearing a red and white outfit.
The Mickey Mouse Club poster looks very pleasing in its uncluttered simplicity.
The picture taken from the Skyway looks great! Often times, the camera is tilted a bit or there is some motion blur, but not here! Everything is crisp and clear. (A cracker AND a furniture polish!)
Nice photos, Major. Thanks.
That first syndicated MMC is the one I'm old enough to remember.
It still had the dedicated days of the week, proclaimed by Mickey and followed by a themed production number (Fun With Music, Guest Star, Anything Can Happen, Circus, and Talent Roundup). It was a diversified mix of segments from the original show, plus new stuff to freshen it up: Acts filmed at Disneyland, science demonstrations by Professor Wonderful (fairly blatant knockoff of Mr. Wizard), and I think they had less dated "newsreel" segments hosted by new Mouseketeer Reporters. I recall there was fresh club merchandise on store shelves, and you could still find 50s goodies at Salvation Army and Goodwill.
I kinda got the Mouseketeer stuff wasn't recent. Annette was older than me on MMC, but still a kid I might sit next to in the cafeteria. At the same time, she was all grown up in movies and on the "World of Color", probably dating guys with driver's licenses and even their own cars.
At some point they redubbed all Mickey's openings to be generic -- that is, viable for any day of the week with no mention of day-specific features (these were dubbed by Walt himself, who'd stopped doing the voice back in the 40s). By the time they got to Disney Channel it seemed like every episode followed Mickey with the same exact "We're the Mouseketeers" dance number. It felt like the original "Bugs Bunny Show" after they stripped out the bits that linked vintage cartoons into a single plot line.
Remember catching a few episodes of the 1980s leisure-suited revival (they even drew Mickey in a jumpsuit or something); managed to miss the teen idol version completely.
Okay (sigh) boomer.
That red white and blue "color blocked" shirt on the girl in the third image, reminds me of NBC's logo in the 1970s.
Personally, I think bringing back the MMC Headquarters in the Opera House would have been a larger attendance draw, than a robotic Walt.....especially if they had also brought back the "Babes in Toyland" sets. That film is the most beloved film by Disney fans, even more so than "The Happiest Millionaire" and "The Black Hole." ;-)
Next week marks the 70th anniversary of the original Mickey Mouse Club's debut. I have a blog post commemorating the anniversary, which will be published next month. Included in that post, will be some original MMC items that my grandmother purchased for me. And just as DBenson pointed out, they were found in a thrift store about 17 years after the show went off the air!
Thanks, Major!
Post a Comment