Castle of "Damaged"!

Here are two more slides from a series of faded/damaged/cursed slides from 1956! Actually, today's examples cleaned up better than some, and other than a few orange blotches here and there, they look relatively decent.

King Arthur's Carousel is a classic attraction - one that I've never been on! Let's face it, I am WAY too cool to ride a carousel. The public sees me as a loner, a rebel. Still, I harbor a secret love for these beautiful rides. The horsies weren't all white back then; these are the color of chocolate pudding. Contrary to what most people think, Disneyland's galloping horses were not hand carved; they used real miniature horses and had them frozen in carbonite.

I admit that this one has significant areas of restoration, although at some point I just got sick of working on it. But it's OK, because I passed the savings on to YOU. As you can see, Dumbo's face is still kind of blotchy, all he needs is a little ointment and he'll be as good as new. (PS, I love the word "ointment"). You can clearly see the hinged ears in this picture, which makes me feel less self-conscious about my own hinged ears. Point of interest: the tent in the background for Fantasyland's own Art Corner.

Magic Mountain, November 1958

Many people are familiar with "Magic Mountain" (now owned by Six Flags) in Valencia, California. But there used to be another Magic Mountain near Golden, Colorado. It never really took off, but it is a fascinating footnote in theme park history.

Entrepreneur and developer C.V. Wood was instrumental (according to him!) in helping Walt Disney build Disneyland. After the success of that Anaheim park, he decided to capitalize on the phenomenon and build his own theme parks in various places around the country, many of them loosely modeled on the Disneyland concept. Freedomland in New York, and Pleasure Island in Massachusetts are two of his other short-lived attempts!

Here's a great photo from November 1958, showing the entrance to the park, which is open to the public even in its far-from-finished condition. Much like Disneyland, you walked beneath train tracks to enter the park (that's part of the depot in the upper right).

Everybody loves clowns! It's a known fact. The only people who don't are certifiably insane and should be considered to be dangerous. Here's a delightful fellow (cigarette hanging from his painted lips), apparently about to perform a balancing act, or juggling. Or something. Check out that kid to the right with the fedora! I'll call him "Mister Spiffy".

Well, sorry, that's all the color photos I have. But I decided to include a few related items, including this prospectus that would hopefully persuade investors to part with some of their cash in order to finance the construction of Magic Mountain. A lot of it is awfully dry. If some of you are REALLY interested in the investment details, I'll scan those pages too. Plus you can send me five bucks.

Ben F. McCleave (junior) was thoughtful enough to leave one of his business cards tucked inside the prospectus. I like the little map on the back. Just dial DUmont 8-2674!

The prospectus did provide a few tantalizing details of what was in store for visitors of Magic Mountain.

Here's a slightly better look at the map. It kind of reminds me of Herb Ryman's famous rendering of Disneyland. I'd love a big, clear, color rendering of this! But for now this will have to do. Disneyland had a train encircling the park, and so many parks copied that idea afterwards.

It's interesting to see that they did have a plan for the park to operate in the winter. As always I am intrigued by the "Tomorrowland" rip-offs. This artwork bears a strong resemblance to Freedomland's "Satellite City".

Magic Mountain limped along for a few years, many of it's concepts never realized, until it finally closed. The site lay abandoned for years, until it reopened in 1971 as Heritage Square, "...a theme shopping village of artisan shops and attractions". According to Wikipedia, "Over time Heritage Square has grown and changed, and today continues to feature family attractions."

To read more about Magic Mountain/Heritage Square, check out this informative website!

The Castle, 1956

Today's slides aren't the most exciting, and they would have benefited from a sunny day and a blue sky. But they is what they is.

It looks like it's night on the other side of the castle tunnel, with the carrousel lights visible even at this distance. Maybe the castle is a time machine! A portal that takes you five hours into the future. It's so obvious, why didn't I think of it before? In the foreground, gramps is upset because people keep coming up to him and saying "Hey Ike, where's Mamie?".


Well, the illusion is shattered. It's not night on this side of the castle at all. I hope you're happy. Random thought; wouldn't it be cool if they could occasionally have a ghostly figure - of a medieval guard maybe - walking behind the parapets at night? No idea how they would achieve this effect, but I want more "haunted Disneyland". Please have the Walt Disney Company send me one million dollars for this idea. Thank you.

Store Interiors, January 1966

I have a few vintage photos showing the interiors of some Disneyland shops. Rare, but not terribly exciting...! The slides are stamped "January 1966", but judging by the crowds in the first picture, the photos may have been taken just before Christmas. It's like a feeding frenzy, if you accidentally cut your thumb, the other shoppers would smell blood and devour you in seconds. I've seen it happen!

Any guesses as to which store this is? I was originally going to surmise that it was a Main Street shop, but the folk-art details at the end make me think that it might be somewhere in Fantasyland.

Lady, just put down the doll and walk away. Don't buy that big stuffed dog either. Go buy something cool, like a Nautilus toy or a Rocket to the Moon model. Just avoid stuffed animals in general; that's one of my rules. If you're shopping for a girl, get her a Tinker Bell toy, something that really says "Disneyland". Of course cash is always good too.

Rebel Railroad, Pigeon Forge Tennessee - August 1963

Today I have four photos from (as the title says) Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, featuring the Rebel Railroad! Here's some info, courtesy of Wikipedia: "In 1961, shortly after Pigeon Forge officially incorporated, North Carolina brothers Grover and Harry Robbins opened Rebel Railroad in the town's Middle Creek area. The railroad simulated a ride on a Confederate steam train that was under attack by Union soldiers during the Civil War, playing upon the centennial of the war that was sweeping the country at the time." Check out this impressive, eye-catching sign with two vintage locomotives used as a static display. I guess at one time these old trains were not uncommon, and could be had for relatively little money. Hard to believe!

"After the Union assault was beaten back, the railroad came to a stop at a mock-frontier mountain town, complete with blacksmith shop, general store, and saloon. By 1964, the Civil War Centennial was beginning to die down, so the Robbins brothers decided to rename Rebel Railroad Goldrush Junction. The attraction was reworked with a "Wild West" theme replacing the Civil War theme."

That train is a beauty, and happily, you can still ride it today! After the Rebel Railroad's first name change to Goldrush Junction, it was later changed again to Silver Dollar City (a sister park to the one in Branson, Missouri). In 1986, Dolly Parton became part owner, and the park's name was changed once again, to Dollywood!

That little girl is pretty excited, she can't wait to ride! Notice the boy shadowing the oil man (?) ; he probably grew up to be a model train enthusiast. Or a g-man!

I have four more Rebel Railroad photos (from a different lot) to share with you soon. I hope you've enjoyed these!

1956 Fantasyland

How can it be gray and gloomy when you are in a place called "Fantasyland"? And yet, that's the way it is in these 1956 photos. Still, you get a pretty good look at the early "tent, shield and pennant" façade of the Snow White attraction. This was before they warned you that it was scary, notice that it is just called, "Snow White and Her Adventures". There's no line, so we may as well ride it!

Gramps is wondering, "Where the hell is everybody?". It is not quite "Omega Man" empty, but still...

Notice a bit of scaffolding surrounding Cinderella's Castle to the rear of the Pirate Ship. I said notice it!! (Sorry, too much caffeine).

Mine Train, April 1966

Here are four photos from the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland. It's the next best thing to being there!

Check out the Devil's Paint Pots and the geysers; in the distance you can see part of the saguaro forest. Don't go camping in the saguaro forest, unless you like band-aids. If the wind shifts, Old Unfaithful is gonna soak us and my toupee will be ruined.


I'm thinkin' that this picture might have been taken while riding on the back of a mule. Or maybe from the Disneyland RR? You can see the Mine Train track winding through the Painted Desert; in the foreground, antelope stand near a watering hole (just out of the frame). Just visible in the distance are two coyotes...


... and here's a closer look! " In this tableau, the coyotes have crawled to the desert from the sea in order to lay their eggs, as seen in the magnificent 1956 Walt Disney True Life Adventure, "Coyote Eggs".


Watch that wild cat, lady! Ohhhhh... glad he stayed up there. Ha ha, I do love that old narration!

Chrysler Pavilion, New York World's Fair

The Chrysler Pavilion underwent a few cosmetic changes between the 1964 and 1965 seasons. In 1964 the building was mostly white with some tasteful touches of other colors (as you can see in this panorama). By 1965 it was painted an eye-popping combination of pink and orange. Zowie! See the sign for "Bil Baird's Marionettes"?


Here's a rare photo taken during one of Bil (one "L") Baird's puppet shows. This 20-minute exercise in musical whimsey... is continuously performed on a novel revolving stage. Bil Baird marionettes sing, dance and cavort on a giant, revolving stage. Bob Hope starts the show in a short film that will keep you chuckling while you relax in the air-conditioned comfort of the most unusual theater in the world! They had me at "air-conditioned".

These fellows were known as the "Diversified Products Showmen". They are going to flash you! Each of these delightful characters depicts a different story about Chrysler's diversified operations. (Chrysler Corporation does much more than make fine cars!) Very polite, our 10 showmen. As each tells his story about a special facet of Chrysler activities -- Space, Missiles, Defense, Amplex, Airtemp, Parts, Chemical, Marine, Industrial Products and International -- the other 9 remain attentive.

Meanwhile, you can take a look at the very first Chrysler. The original 1924 Chrysler included a carburetor air filter, high compression engine, full pressure lubrication, and an oil filter, and a Slurpee machine, at a time when most autos came without these features.

Japanese Village and Deer Park, October 1969 - Part Dos

Here are some more xlnt photos from Buena Park's Japanese Village! See part one here.

I'm a bit unsure of where this would have been... in the last post we can see what the place looked like from the street, and yet here is another sign in case you suddenly wondered, "Where the hell am I again?". Maybe you can grab a snack from that cart; one of the few memories that I have of this park is of the strange "rice candies" that we tried here. They were double-yucky.


I hope Red isn't contemplating jumping. She probably realizes that it's only a two-foot drop into one-foot deep water, and that she would ruin those pants that she bought at Zody's. Dry-clean only, Red; dry-clean only.


There's nothing like a beautiful koi pond for peaceful contemplation. The fish knew that people=food... those machines dispensed mysterious and magical pellets that were like drugs to koi. It drove them koo-koo bananas! I tried them. They were better than those rice candies. I recall a demonstration that involved a man offering a cigarette to a fish, who appeared to actually smoke it - there were puffs of smoke coming out of it's mouth. I kid you not! Shortly thereafter I took up smoking at the age of 9 in a vain attempt to look as cool as that fish.


Red loves animals, particularly the playful sea lions. Many people think that sea lions are mammals, but they are actually a form of kelp.


Stay tuned for more Japanese Village photos. Sayōnara!

Universal Studios

Happy Fourth o' July!

I don't have anything specially-themed for our nation's independence day, but I do have four fun photos from Universal Studios!

This dapper old gent is thrilled to see an actual chariot used in the famous race from "Ben Hur". This isn't Ben's (Chuck Heston) chariot; instead it was the one driven by his childhood friend (but later his deadly enemy!) Messala (played by Stephen Boyd). Did you know that "Ben Hur" won 11 Academy Awards?


Stunt shows have been a popular attraction at Universal for many years. Ordinarily you'll see photos of cowboys plummeting to their deaths from the top of a building (into a giant mattress!), but our photographer turned and took a picture of the tour guide and the crowd. Once, just once, I want to break a sugar-glass bottle over somebody's head. Or a balsa wood chair.


I've been to Universal many times and seen nary a star, but gramps found one! His name is John Anderson, one of the busiest character actors in Hollywood for many years. He was in oddles of TV shows and movies. Fans of "The Twilight Zone" might recognize him from several episodes (he played "Gabe" - the angel Gabriel - in "A Passage for Trumpet" and an airline pilot in a plane hurled back in time in "The Odyssey of Flight 33"). He was also the used-car salesman in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho". I looked at his imdb profile to see if I could figure out what role he was dressed for here, but there were just too darn many entries!


Just look at that thick, chunky air over Burbank. Yuck! I've read that the air quality in LA has improved since then (for the most part), and I believe it. For a better look at what was down there, take a look at this photo.