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Disneyland, October 1955

Selasa, 21 Oktober 2008 0 komentar


These shots are from October 1955, exactly 53 years ago from now. It was either a crisp Autumn day or our lead gal in the photos liked to dress in layers. Here she is at the front entrance. The huge box of Toilet Paper is a nice "welcome mat" to our journey into the Kingdom, don't you think? Back in the day, the park actually was closed on Mondays. In detail shot #2, you can see 2 of the bored conductors carrying on a conversation. Where is everybody?!?





It’s about 3pm, and only a handful of guests are at the park. The conductors are still chatting it up in this photo:



Our photographer has crossed under the Main Street Train Station and entered Town Square. It appears that there might be more cast members on this day than there are guests.



See more vintage & current entrance photos at my regular website.
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Early Disneyland, Pt. 5

Senin, 20 Oktober 2008 0 komentar


After a little Sleeping Beauty diversion, I am returning to the pre-opening series of photos. To get an idea of what part of the Rivers of America this area is located at, check out the 1955 aerial shot here & closeup:





See more vintage & current Rivers of America photos at my regular website.
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Sleeping Beauty: The Diorama

Minggu, 19 Oktober 2008 0 komentar


The upcoming restoration of the Sleeping Beauty Castle Diorama probably has me more excited than I've been for any new Disneyland attraction in over 10 years. April 29, 1957 marked the unveiling of the original, with Shirley Temple Black serving as the hostess. Both the entrance and exit areas of the Diorama at the back of the Castle had fanciful canopies that matched the Midieval Faire look of the original Fantasyland:



Eyvind Earle, the man responsible for the look of “Sleeping Beauty” also spearheaded the diorama project.



Here you can see the concept art Earle created for one of the scenes, followed by a rare photo of how it panned out in the original Diorama.





This image from the newly released Blu-ray version of “Sleeping Beauty” shows the virtual walk-through tour of the same Diorama scene. This virtual tour was crucial in selling the concept to the top brass for the actual Castle restoration.



Tony Baxter and Chris Merritt are two of the Imagineers who worked on this project and provided much of the blood, sweat, and tears that helped it to see the light of day.



Note the booklet that Baxter is holding; this commemorative souvenir was given to each person who toured through the scenes of the Diorama.



Additional copies were a mere 25¢!



Here in a behind-the-scenes section of the Blu-ray, Chris describes more information about one of the Diorama’s rooms:



Here are a few more scenes that you can view on the DVD and Blu-ray versions of “Sleeping Beauty”...and trust me, these shots do not do it justice. To see it in high-def is breathtaking.









For the handful of you that might be saying, “Big deal...a bunch of scenes from a 50 year old movie.” It may be hard to comprehend, but this Walkthrough paved the way for The Pirates of the Caribbean & Haunted Mansion attractions. Many of the special effects that debuted in the Diorama were later used in the other 2 beloved attractions. So what are you waiting for? Go pick up the newly restored “Sleeping Beauty” on Blu-ray or regular DVD at Amazon.com. See more vintage & current Sleeping Beauty Castle Diorama photos at my regular website.
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Sleeping Beauty: Shirley Temple & Mary Costa

Sabtu, 18 Oktober 2008 0 komentar


Coinciding with the recent restoration and re-release of the animated classic, “Sleeping Beauty,” I thought I’d do a few posts dedicated to it. Shot #1 shows America’s Princess, Shirley Temple, marching up to the Castle at Disneyland on April 19, 1957. Walt is on the left, son Charlie is holding up her cape in back, and as you can see in the detail shot, husband Charles is on the right carrying their daughter Lori. Shirley was onhand to do the unveiling of the Sleeping Beauty Diorama.



The animated feature “Sleeping Beauty” was still over a year away from being released. One of the things that makes the movie work so well was its leading lady, Mary Costa. The clarity and emotion in her voice gave Princess Aurora the perfect mix of innocence and rebellion.



To see Mary Costa today in the featurette section of the DVD is a total treat to watch. She is still lovely and gives heartwarming memories of her work on “Sleeping Beauty.” Born in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1930, Mary’s family relocated to Los Angeles while Mary was a teenager. After High School, she entered the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music to study with the famed maestro, Gaston Usigli. In 1952, Ms. Costa was personally chosen by Walt Disney to be the speaking and singing voice of Princess Aurora in “Sleeping Beauty,” which turned out to be a 7-year production.



In 1958, Mary substituted for Elisabeth Schwarzkopf at a gala Hollywood Bowl concert conducted by Carmen Dragon. Because of her glowing reviews, she was invited to sing the lead in her first fully staged operatic production, “The Bartered Bride.” Following these triumphs, Leonard Bernstein deemed her “perfect” as the leading lady for his “Candide,” which had both a U.S. tour and a London season, receiving great acclaim from critics and public alike. The San Francisco Opera then engaged Ms. Costa for several operas and she immediately became a favorite leading soprano. In 1961, Ms. Costa recorded “La Boheme” for RCA Victor from the stage of the Rome Opera House. This recording was re-mastered and re-released in 1998 and was awarded the RCA Victor Red Seal CD release of the month. The original recording has been used in music schools across the country as an example of a high standard of artistic singing.



Later in 1961, Mary sang her first “Manon” in Cincinnati, followed by an appearance at the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden, where she sang in “La Traviata,” the opera in which she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera on January 6, 1964.



Ms. Costa’s Metropolitan Opera debut received one of the season’s greatest ovations and enthusiastic praise from critics. It is considered one of the most outstanding debuts of an American singer in the history of the company. One of Ms. Costa’s favorite remembrances was being chosen by Igor Stravinsky for the role of Anne Trulove in the San Francisco Opera’s production of the new work, “The Rake’s Progress,” which included an unforgettable three weeks of private vocal coaching in the Stravinsky home. Also considered a special occasion was the invitation to perform in the Western Hemisphere production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”



Among Ms. Costa’s most treasured memories, was receiving a personal request from Jacqueline Kennedy to sing for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Service. The President and Mrs. Kennedy had been following the career of the diva for many years. Mary’s choice to sing at the Bolshoi Opera in 1970, during her first tour of Russia, was “La Traviata.” She made such an impact on the audiences that she was asked to extend her two-week trip to an unprecedented thirteen weeks in order for audiences all over Russia to hear her. In 1972, Ms. Costa returned to film, and flew to Vienna to star in Andrew L. Stone’s feature film, “The Great Waltz,” singing the role of the wife of Waltz King, Johann Strauss, Jr., for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe.



In November of 1993, Mary was chosen as one of the “Women in the Performing Arts,” an award presented to her in Washington, DC at the opening of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. In the latter part of the 1990’s, Mary divided her time between personal appearances for the Disney Corporation, which afforded her the opportunity to raise funds on behalf of various charities. In August 2002, Ms. Costa was recognized, along with a panel of other Disney legends and performers, when the newly-digitized Disney classic, "Sleeping Beauty," opened at Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre. Rhett Wickham, a critic who covered the event, wrote, "[The panel] delivered some very articulate and often moving observations on the film. Chief among these was Mary Costa, whose true grace makes it seem for all the world like she has some angelic key-light that follows her." On February 5, 2003, Ms. Costa was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve on the National Council on the Arts from 2003–2006. In speaking about her responsibilities with the National Council on the Arts, Mary commented, “Throughout the years, I have had many mentors who helped further my career. Without their assistance, I would not have been able to accomplish numerous goals that were important in my life. I now have the opportunity through the National Council to be a mentor to deserving artists who are seeking to achieve their destiny. This is a wonderful chance for me to return to others a portion of that which was so generously given to me.” In my opinion, Mary Costa is a total class act. I hope you’ve all enjoyed this brief bio of a truly talented lady.



You can pick up the newly restored “Sleeping Beauty” on Blu-ray or regular DVD at Amazon.com. See more vintage & current Disneyland photos at my regular website.
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Early Disneyland, Pt. 4

Jumat, 17 Oktober 2008 0 komentar


Still in Frontierland, here are 2 similar pre-opening shots of the original Indian Village location. Within a year from opening, the Indian Village moved and became Magnolia Park, home to the oft-moved bandstand.



For my fellow signage geeks, here is the closeup of the construction requested from yesterday’s post:



And for a then-and-now comparison of yesterday’s post this is about the best I can do for the "now" version (without driving up to Anaheim):



See more vintage & current Frontierland photos at my regular website.
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Early Disneyland, Pt. 3

Kamis, 16 Oktober 2008 0 komentar


Today is another glimpse of Frontierland before it opened. This area probably will look unfamiliar to many as the landscape has changed a great deal in 50 years. The thatched roof belongs to the Aunt Jemima restaurant, which now is the Riverbelle Terrace. The teepees show the original area that the Indian Village occupied before it was moved to the area now known as Critter Country. I have also included a detail shot of the signage, just for all the other signage geeks like me.



See more vintage & current Frontierland photos at my regular website.
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Early Disneyland, Pt. 2

Rabu, 15 Oktober 2008 0 komentar


Billy & Sybil get to join Walt on a ride through Frontierland atop the Pack Mules. Note the stuffed Mickey Mouse doll on the rear mule. He looks much less scary than the Mickey Mouse that was at Disneyland during the first few years! In case you haven’t seen the comments left yesterday (which were very much appreciated!), there is much more background information on Sybil & Billy’s visit at this link. See more vintage & current Frontierland photos at my regular website.
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Early Disneyland, Pt. 1

Selasa, 14 Oktober 2008 0 komentar


You probably don’t know who Billy Krauch and Sybil Stanton are, but back in 1955, they were two of the luckiest kids on earth. Walt Disney gave them a preview of Disneyland before it was open, and this is one of the moments caught on film documenting their visit. Here they are, posing on the C.K. Holliday, engine #1. See more vintage & current Disneyland photos at my regular website.
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Disneyland, February 1971, pt. 3

Senin, 13 Oktober 2008 0 komentar


Last call for February 1971! We finish out the series in Frontierland again. Plenty to see and do here! Let’s begin with a few shots of the Ceremonial Dance Circle of the Indian Village. Note the Keelboat and Canoe in the background of shot #1.



I have a number of shots like this, spanning the decades, and they always make me happy. I think it’s so cool to see little kids enjoying a cultural learning experience...one that doesn’t require a computer, ipod, or TV. Oh yeah, and dig the crazy ponchos!



The sun is setting over at the Indian Village, so we must bid a fond farewell and keep moving with our tour.



Anybody want a used piano? But seriously folks...anyone know about this player piano and whether it’s still around?



Ah, another lost waterfall...Cascade Peak. Can you hear the water rushing?



See more vintage & current Frontierland photos at my regular website.
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Disneyland, February 1971, pt. 2

Minggu, 12 Oktober 2008 0 komentar


Welcome to Frontierland, pardners, circa 1971! Our photographer took his first Frontierland shot at Fowler’s Harbor, with the Columbia resting up in between journeys. Always one for equal time, I wouldn’t want to leave out the Mark Twain:





Over on Tom Sawyer’s Island, let’s take a look at Tom Sawyer’s Shack, shall we?





Rotating around the Island just a bit, we can see the Old Mill from another angle:



See more vintage & current Frontierland photos at my regular website.
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