Frontierland
The BENEFACTOR OF MYSTERY! He has, like, more scans for us, ya know? All of today's relate to the Golden Horseshoe. Did you know that it was originally called "The Golden Horseshoe of Death"? Seems crazy, but it is true.
This first one is a pretty and very blue photo of the wide path between the Rivers of America and the GH building, which is all lit up like some proto-Las Vegas attraction. Dean Martin's grandfather probably performed there. The decision to use a star filter is really something. To the right, a popcorn wagon looks like a sunset in a box (admit it, that would be handy).
Back in the days when buildings in the Old West were made of splintered, weathered wood, stuck together with manure and despair, a place like the Golden Horseshoe must have looked like heaven on Earth. Pay no attention to the sign in the lower left that says "THE ASS".
Many of the photos in the later folders (the MB sent around 1,000 photos in 10 folders) are from the 1980s and possibly even the 1990s (not sure), this particular photo appears to be from the 1960s. It's surprising what a difference it makes to have those people in their period clothing, because otherwise it looks relatively unchanged in the rest of the photos.
The next three are grainy images of the façade, perhaps the photographer was tasked with documenting the way everything looked in case the building was blown up by aliens (see: "Independence Day").
Here's the left half (with a special guest appearance by the Pendleton store)...
And here's the right half, with special guest appearance by Charo. I WISH!
Thank you, Mysterious Benefactor!
15 comments:
Major-
The Golden Horseshoe building is such a gem. Harper Goff designed a 'working set' "for the ages".
Thanks to the M B and The Major.
I’m not sure what you were taking on the day you wrote today’s commentary, Major, but whatever it was—keep taking it. Truly inspired. (Thank you for the laughs.)
And thank you, MB, for more great pictures.
The BOF of Mystery did us all proud this night. I always preferred Coke, but a nice cold Pepsi from the fountain with the proper ice and I wouldn't complain. Thank ye Major!
P.S. The Pendleton store is just around the corner...we all can sense it lol :D
Ha! I wonder how long it'll take before "The Golden Horseshoe of Death" factoid starts showing up in Disney fan sites.
1) Beautiful photo! The star filter is interesting but I would've liked the picture more without it. Are you sure that's a popcorn wagon? Looks more like a plasma wagon, harnessing the violently awesome energy of the Sun.
2) I'm thinking the Golden Horseshoe used one of the Pack Mules in "The Ass" comedy sketch.
3) Another beautiful picture, with the late afternoon sunlight. Also a nice view of that hoist that we've seen several times on the GH roof.
4-6) The graininess in these photos is actually caused by a hoard of locusts, blown in by the Santa Ana winds.
Thanks to the MB and to the M. (I didn't copy Nanook at all. My 'thank you' is completely different!) :-D
For the record : imagineer Sam McKim designed the exterior of the Golden Horseshoe Revue building as we know it. But Harper Goff designed the interior …… SORT OF . Goff designed the saloon interior for the Doris Day musical CALAMITY JANE ….. Goff pulled out the film blueprints and handed them to the Frontierland designers to be used in creating the stage and parts of the interior of the new Disneyland saloon. Disney’s competitor studio was non the wiser. When you watch CALAMITY JANE any Disneyland ( or Walt Disney World or Tokyo Disneyland fan) will quickly recognize the replicated interior !
The Doris Day film CALAMITY JANE ( 1953) was filmed by Warner Brothers. I wonder if Walt was aware the “Horshoe” interior was being copied from a studio down the street …. And just within a couple years of Calamity Jane being in the theaters ….??
That "plasma box" was repurposed from the General Electric Nuclear Fusion Demonstration, staged every six minutes inside Progressland at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. "Don't worry, this demonstration is completely safe."
Ah, the Golden Horseshoe Saloon. The finest watering hole in Frontierland, where you can get a Pepsi in a dirty glass. Just kidding, it only comes in paper cups with the wax you can scrape off with your finger nail. I’ll bet that A55 show played to a packed house, best views from the rear seats.
“Sunset in a Box” sounds more useful than “Lightning in a Bottle”, a byproduct of the Manhattan Project. The Star filter makes this photo look like I just woke up from a hard nap.
You notice how everyone wears “period” clothing, but never “comma” or “semicolon” or any other punctuation marks. I’m holding out for “Em-dash” t—shirts.
I think Charo did a show here once, wearing Pendleton clothes.
Great stuff, Major! I spit my tea at “manure and despair”, sounds like my old home town.
JG
Yes, whenever I watched "Calamity Jane" I'd think of the Golden Horseshoe. Several buildings, attractions and settings at Disneyland are inspired by non-Disney films, including "The Haunting" and "The African Queen". I miss the days when this building had great revues. Thanks, Major.
Nanook, the Golden Horseshoe really is the “star” of Frontierland!
Lou and Sue, you know how much I love drugs. ALL drugs.
Anonymous, I’m like you, I generally prefer Coke, but I’ll take any ice-cold soda. Crushed ice, such a luxury! I’ve wanted to buy a Pendleton shirt with a Disneyland tag on eBay, but they are always “small”.
JB, I hope that all of my non-facts become a part of the discussion! It would make me so happy. I forgot that Disneyland sold bags of plasma back in the 70s, but it wasn’t as popular as it needed to be. I guess I would have been intrigued by “The Ass” sign! Some of those pictures of the Golden Horseshoe facade are kind of dull, but hey, they are “content”.
Mike Cozart, I think we can give Harper Goff credit for designing the interior of the GH if his design for “Calamity Jane” was used/adapted for Disneyland. I’ve seen stills from that movie, I can’t really tell if the saloon in the film was significantly larger or if it just looks that way.
Mike Cozart, even if Warner Bros. knew about the use of the “Calamity Jane” design, I wonder if they would have cared back in 1955? Of course these days it would be a big “no-no”.
Chuck, the Nuclear Fusion demonstration might have been completely safe, but the fact that they had hotdogs cooking on the reactor did not inspire confidence.
JG, I suppose that the GH show was pretty racy, certainly for Disneyland, and maybe for the country in general in 1955. I can’t approve of such naughtiness! I can’t decide what is more tacky, that star filter, or a star wipe in an old video. I appreciate your punctuation humor! Ah, Charo, you were adorable and could play a guitar like nobody’s business. And she could guest-star in “The Love Boat” and “Fantasy Island” every year!
K. Martinez, I've seen "The African Queen" many times, but have never seen "Calamity Jane". I'm assuming its a fun, glossy Hollywood musical of the best sort.
JG, "best views from the rear seats". Good one. A real groaner.
In early concepts you can see two riverboats shown in Disneyland’s River’s of America. In the set of drawings for the 1955 MARK TWAIN RIVERBOAT is several drawings from Universal - MGM of the COTTON BLOSSOM from the 1951 version of SHOWBOAT. These are marked as “riverboat two” but marked “hold”. There were also discussions of a replica of Robert Fullton’s CLERMONT …. The first ever steamboat …. But the plans WDI have are for the later “fancier version” which looks very nice. We all know the story of how Walt and the Frontierland supervisor watched all the river activity and the supervisor sarcastically commented “ all we need now is another BIG BOAT!!” ….. and this ignited Walt into developing the Sailing Ship Columbia that opened in 1958. The story is probably concocted “after the fact” because between THE COTTON BLOSSOM … THE CLERMONT and other vessels like “Old Ironsides” Walt and his imagineers were planning a second “BIG BOAT” before Disneyland even opened …
In early concepts you can see two riverboats shown in Disneyland’s River’s of America. In the set of drawings for the 1955 MARK TWAIN RIVERBOAT is several drawings from Universal - MGM of the COTTON BLOSSOM from the 1951 version of SHOWBOAT. These are marked as “riverboat two” but marked “hold”. There were also discussions of a replica of Robert Fullton’s CLERMONT …. The first ever steamboat …. But the plans WDI have are for the later “fancier version” which looks very nice. We all know the story of how Walt and the Frontierland supervisor watched all the river activity and the supervisor sarcastically commented “ all we need now is another BIG BOAT!!” ….. and this ignited Walt into developing the Sailing Ship Columbia that opened in 1958. The story is probably concocted “after the fact” because between THE COTTON BLOSSOM … THE CLERMONT and other vessels like “Old Ironsides” Walt and his imagineers were planning a second “BIG BOAT” before Disneyland even opened …
JB…
I endeavor to give satisfaction… “ doffs hat, sweeping bow with flourish…”
JG
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