Scenes From America

Here are three random scans of random places (or things) around the country. 

First up is this scan from a black and white negative, showing a place called the Pioneer Motel, which is attached to "Pioneer Fine Food" (breakfast, lunch, dinner - EAT). I thought that finding the location of this place would be pretty easy, but I had no luck. How about YOU? There are a LOT of Pioneer Motels.

Next is this photo from June, 1967. I had no clue as to where this is, but luckily that sign behind the VW Beetle is legible - it's the Twin Light Motor Inn, in Gloucester, Massachusetts. One postcard states that this is "part of the former Campbell Soup estate. Which explains the omnipresent vegetable soup aroma.

I guess this place is fairly well-known to travelers in that area. Nobody told ME about it! Here's another postcard:

And the back:

And here's one other postcard.

Changing gears a bit, here's a photo of a vintage (1950s I believe) billboard, with a sobering (see what I did there?) message about alcoholism, along with encouragement for "Total Abstinence". Good luck on that one. 

Two From August, 1977

I have two nice scans for you, both from the summer of 1977. This first one is kind of a miracle, a pretty decent night shot looking down upon the Mad Tea Party attraction! I'm wondering where our photographer could have been - I'd say the Pirate Ship, but it feels too close. Maybe they had a zoom lens? I can't imagine the teacups were whirling, or else they'd be blurs. I like the cooler colors in the entry to the Fantasyland Theater.

The multicolored Skyway gondolas are what makes this next photo extra-nice. The Autopia sign has always struck me as echoing the kind of thing you might have seen at a World's Fair in the 1930's, but that is a compliment and not a criticism. A single Peoplemover train sneaks in for a guest appearance.

A Tiki and a Totem, October 1968

I'm so glad that we still have the Enchanted Tiki Room in Disneyland - a classic attraction if ever there was one. I didn't visit it during my last visit, but I forget why. I think it was down for maintenance. Next time for sure! The outdoor courtyard has a fun pre-show, in which guests meet some of the more prominent tiki gods. Maui, Koro, Rongo, Tangaroa, and more. Vintage photos of these deities are not common, but it seems as if Pele, "goddess of fire and volcanoes", show up more than most. She has a certain je nais se quois!

I'm sure you remember these ladies, we've seen them aboard a Matterhorn bobsled, and they also visited Knott's Berry Farm on the same day! Here they are in the Indian Village, next to a nice totem pole, and not far from the old Spirit House.

 

A Pair From the 50s

Here are two random 1950s photos for ya (I saved .02 seconds typing "ya" instead of "you"). 

Somebody stuck some Skyway gondolas up above the Pirate Ship, but you know what? It works. If we all had Skyway gondolas, there would be no war. Think about it. This was from a very faded slide, and I meant to capture a "before" image so that you could see what a genius I am, but then I forgot. Some genius! 

Next is a photo of the old Frontier Trading post, with a bit of the corral for miniature horses to the left. I'm unclear as to when the corral was removed - did the Shooting Gallery eventually go in that same spot?

Looking in the window for any fun tidbits, I can see at least one feathered headdress, what might be a buckskin dress (?), a little tepee, a photo of a cowboy at the top (is it William S. Hart?), and, strangely, a pair of Buddy Lee dolls. Buddy Lee was the mascot of the H.D. Lee Company starting in the 1920s, so I can only assume that you could buy Lee dungarees and overalls, and maybe even a denim tuxedo, inside the Trading Post.

Old Buddy Lee dolls are now popular (and expensive) collectibles, I can see why, they are pretty appealing.

Frontierland, April 1963

Sometimes you'll take a photo of your kid, and it will turn out to be a treasure to be shared among all of your friends and relatives. And other times it'll turn out like this. It's not her fault, she was caught off-guard, squinting into the sun, pigtails so tight that she can't think straight. The bangs mean mom cuts her hair. She's somewhere in Frontierland, back when they had room for things like random patches of grass. It looks like a dirt path was added, probably where people were cutting through anyway... maybe it would eventually be paved.

This looks like an off-the-cuff shot taken as the Mark Twain was about to get underway. With the flags and the crowds, it's like a scene from a movie. 

Two From August 1962

Here's a fun pair from the summer of '62! Starting with this view of a family enjoying lunch in Frontierland. I'm not really sure which restaurant they visited, but one of YOU will know. Some of the guests have a tired, "over it" look, but I suppose they've just been caught off guard. The boy is going to enjoy his gourmet hamburger - extra-dry, just the way he likes it.

For a complete change, how about a house... OF THE FUTURE?!? Once you stepped inside, gravity vanished and guests floated through the rooms. It's true! I did my own research. Once a year they filled the house with water and koi, just because they could. The all-plastic house was just fine afterwards.

 

Snoozles™

Snoozle numero uno is a wonky photo of the Submarine Lagoon, from December, 1964. If it wasn't for those glowing red lights, I might have assumed that the Submarine ride was down for maintenance. This isn't the worst photo, but it ain't great either. 

Next, from "sometime in the 60s" is this bright, sunny photo of Main Street Station, with the Ernest S. Marsh coming in for a landing. "But Major, this picture is pretty OK, why is it a Snoozle?". BECAUSE I SAID SO!

Universal Studios, May 1979

I have a lot of fondness for the old Universal Studios tour, having first experienced it in the early 70s when Alfred Hitchcock did the TV commercials. I can still hear his distinctive voice saying "Universal Studios too-wa"! 

Today's trio of photos are from May, 1979, and features the Universal Studios Screen Test Airport (at least that's how it's listed on two websites, though it is awkward if you ask me). It was specifically a version of the Screen Test Theatre that used the theme and sets from the 1977 movie Airport '77. Guests could participate as "guest stars" by being filmed in scenes that were edited together with footage from the actual film, making them the stars of their own mini-movie. Here are volunteers, ready to be STARS! An MC is interviewing a kid with a Disneyland beanie.

This particular Screen Test was created as a tie-in to "Airport '77", which was an American air disaster film, the third installment of the Airport film series. The film stars an ensemble cast of veteran actors including Jack Lemmon, James Stewart, Joseph Cotten, Olivia de Havilland, and Brenda Vaccaro as well as the return of George Kennedy from the two previous Airport films. The plot concerns a private Boeing 747 packed with VIPs and priceless art that is hijacked before crashing into the ocean in the Bermuda Triangle, forcing the survivors into a desperate struggle for survival.

Despite mixed critical reviews, Airport '77 was a box-office hit, grossing $91.1 million worldwide. It was nominated for two Academy Awards. (This silly movie was nominated for TWO Oscars??).

This photo is hilarious, clearly all of the passengers were instructed to assume the attitudes of people who'd experienced a disastrous crash (in the movie, the plane lands on the ocean, and then sinks to the sea floor in the BERMUDA TRIANGLE! The most terrifying triangle on urf!!). 

Thanks to movie magic, a flight aboard a 747 could be entirely simulated on a soundstage. The attraction was located in a theater that was once known as Stage 70 and later renamed the Screen Test Theatre. Other "Screen Tests" used the themes of the TV show "Emergency!", and "Star Trek". You can watch quite a few Airport '77 Screen Tests on YouTube, they are just the right combination of cheesy and charming.

Fabulous Randos

I just scanned two dozen slides, and there were some really nice randos mixed in. Here are two for your Friday.

Let's begin with this beautiful October 1972 shot looking toward the entrance to Tomorrowland as seen from the middle of the Plaza (aka the "Hub"). The cerulean blue sky really compliments the whites and yellows (and even the reds!). This is truly a "postcard-worthy" view, it's got the rockets up in the air, several colorful Peoplemover trains, Rolly Crump's flowers (not purple and yellow, but orange and yellow!), the GE logo from the Carousel of Progress, and lots of groovy guests.  

See? POSTCARD WORTHY!

This next photo is dated "May 1980", and is a nice look at the Disneyland RR's #3 locomotive, the Fred Gurley. This appears to be a backstage photo, and I have no idea who or how somebody was able to take the image. Maybe the park was offering one of those special tours of the Roundhouse, and the Gurley was steaming up before it rolled into the park? Whatever the case, I appreciate the novelty of the picture.

A Pair From December 1962

I think it's safe to classify both of today's photos as "standard Disneyland views". Nice enough, sure, but you probably won't call Aunt Marge to tell her all about them. (Call her anyway, she's lonely).

Yep, it's no surprise that it's a photo of the Mark Twain. It looks pretty against that deep-blue sky. Daredevil ducks wait until the last possible second to scoot out of its way (while other less-brave ducks stayed safely out of harm's way). I'd say that this behavior does not set a good example for ducklings. You can tell that there is a slight chill in the air based on the long sleeves and sweaters.

I think I read that the Pirate Ship was almost sponsored by Mongo's Liverwurst, but negotiations fell through when they insisted on pumping the aroma of liverwurst through the cannon's bores. But it's fun to imagine "what might have been"!