Happy Birthday, Annette!

Good golly, I almost forgot to wish Annette Funicello a happy birthday this week. Yesterday was the day, October 22, and I hope it was a special one for her.

Do I love Annette? Oh you bet! And what's not to admire about this living treasure of pop-Americana, who is also one of the most lovely and sincerely nice people you'd ever have the privilege to meet? Absolutely nothing, that's what, so today let's enjoy some fun images in honor of Annette.

From a 1958 article in "Walt Disney's Magazine":

 "Annette listens to records in the living room with her brothers, Mike, 6, and Joey, 12. Her record collection includes Elvis, Ricky Nelson, Little Richard, and her own recordings such as the 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' story-teller album seen here. Her littlest brother, Mike, likes show business, and would like to follow in Annette's footsteps. However, brother Joey pretends to be unimpressed by his popular sister. He snorts, "You should see her when she gets up in the morning!" "

(Do I even need to point out that sofa? I mean, look at that SOFA!!)

By the time she had reached her mid teens, Annette was a total phenomenon.  In 1958 the Disney Studios held a contest in which ten lucky kids received a personal phone call from the 15 year old brunette, with publicity designed to whip young fans into a frenzy: 

"If Annette were to call you on the telephone, what would you say?  Would you ask her about Hollywood or about herself?  Would you talk about hobbies, movies, TV or the Mouseketeers?
This is your chance. Be the first in your town to talk personally with Annette.  Act now!"

Annette's talent first became apparent at Carpenter Grade School in the San Fernando Valley, where the principal suggested she take up drums. From drumming she went to dancing. Walt Disney first saw Annette in a special performance of Swan Lake in Burbank's Starlight Bowl.



Her millions of fans seemed to want to know everything about her, and the Disney studio was happy to oblige.

On October 22, 1992, Annette's 50th birthday coincided with her being named a Disney Legend by the Walt Disney Company. At the ceremony, Annette and other honorees pressed their handprints into cement and received a special Disney Legend award. I was the art department coordinator for the event that year and got to wish her a happy birthday in person. It's a great memory for me!

So, Annette, if you're reading this, love and cheers to you this week!

Paper Parade

I've been relentlessly busy the past month with a mix of projects, but here's a peep at one currently in the works.  The happy elephant is a detail cropped from a bigger piece I'm doing for an approaching-way-too-fast gallery show.  The full image to be revealed when I decide to quit fussing with it...

Ghosts in my Neighborhood

There are ghosts in my neighborhood. They’re invisible, but they’re everywhere, all around. Everyday I walk right through bunches of them – I even drive my car through them. And, as I live in an old house, I know that their ghost furniture fills my rooms... their vaporous ghost clothing hangs in the closet with my shirts and jeans.

My favorite thing about living in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Los Angeles is that the past lies beneath a wax paper-thin overlay of the present. I wonder especially about those long-gone citizens who once occupied our space. They were certainly different – if you doubt it, look at what they were wearing on a summer day in 1909! – but these strange people breathed the same air we’re breathing now.

I enjoy looking for any connection between our time and theirs. My friends wearily endure conversations with me hung on hypothetical musings, such as: “If an Angelino of 1929 were to suddenly quantum leap into 2009, don’t you think it’s neat that he or she would still be able to give you directions from South Pasadena to the Hollywood Bowl?”

This photo from 1909 depicts the then-brand-new electric incline railway that once lifted residents and visitors to the summit of Mount Washington in Los Angeles. The hillside streets were too steep for most automobiles of the period to climb without overheating, so a cablecar system run by a 40-horse power induction motor (built by Westinghouse) was installed.

That's all gone now.

My current home is near the top of Mt Washington, and several times a week I jog down this same street to catch the Metro Rail at the bottom of the hill. As I hike back up, panting, I sometimes imagine I'm being passed by one of the iron cars of the Los Angeles and Mount Washington Railway. Inside, the passengers in their colorless hats and collars sit on wooden benches gazing out at the passing front yards. And as they go by, I realize not one of them can see me.

Country Bear Jamboree...90¢

Tucked just around the bend at the entrance to Disneyland's Bear Country was the Ticket and Information Booth. The friendly person sweltering inside would be happy to provide you with a ticket to see the Country Bears for 90¢. Or, for 75¢, you can paddle a Davy Crockett Explorer Canoe and do some sweltering yourself. This image is from the late 1970s.Disneyland's version of the Pacific Northwest -Bear Country - opened in 1972 - and it's star attraction was the Country Bear Jamboree, an Audio-Animatronic stage musical originally planned for Walt Disney's Sky Crown Resort in California's Mineral King Valley.

Just as the other "Lands" at Disneyland had special marquees, Bear Country was to have had an iconic statue and dedication plaque at its entrance.  Imagineer Marc Davis painted these watercolor concepts in 1971, but the statues were never built.  

Swiss Family Treehouse...25¢

The ticket and information kiosks that had dispensed pastel attraction tickets to Disneyland visitors for nearly 30 years,  permanently shuttered their little windows in 1982.  Though a few of the original ticket booths still exist in the park (Alice in Wonderland's giant mushroom, for instance) others, like this beautiful little thatched hut, have disappeared forever. 

I really like these compact microcosms of themed architecture.  Did you notice the Tiki Room drum attached to the pole in the photos above? Branching out from the drum are two gas torches to spread a flickering glow over the area after sundown.

Ten attractions for $3.75!

I'd like to buy $10 worth of Swiss Family Treehouse, please.

Disneyland by Starlite

Further evidence that fifty years ago grown-ups were more grown-up than they are today.

Newspaper clipping from 1957.

See my post today at Dinosaurs and Robots.

Disneyland Steam Trains Illustration 1955


Part of an original pencil layout created in 1955 for a full-color newspaper section presenting some of the " many delights and wonders that are yours to enjoy at Disneyland."

The text for this page:

ALL ABOARD…AT DISNEYLAND

These are little trains by comparison with Santa Fe’s present day streamliners and powerful freight diesels, but in their day they did an important job of moving passengers and freight.

Built to accurate scale, you’ll find an inspection and ride on these trains one of the thrilling adventures awaiting you at Disneyland.

The “E. P. Ripley,” Replica of one of Santa Fe’s early trains, pulls into the Santa Fe Station at the entrance to Disneyland. The 5/8 scale version of the original train will carry visitors on a complete circuit of the 60-acre Disneyland park. Weighing 15 tons, the old-fashioned steam locomotive will pull six coaches accommodating 300 passengers.

The “C. K. Holiday” is the newest old freight train in America. Its run of 1-1/8 miles is made at 20 miles per hour pulling 3 cattle cars, 2 gondola cars and a little red caboose.

And for an adventure of travel on your next trip East, ride one of the modern streamliners in Santa Fe’s famous fleet of Chiefs –The Chief, El Capitan, or the world-famous Super Chief.

May we present...

         It's our new company business card!

Add This To My Profile

A special announcement to loyal friends and followers of this blog...I have recently been invited to "guest blog" at one of my favorite websites in the whole world, "Dinosaurs and Robots" ... a site that you will note has forever been present in my sidebar of favorites.  If you're smart, you will have found it by now, too, and already know the love I feel.  "D & R"  is hosted by the inventive Mr. Jalopy and Mark Frauenfelder, whom you might run into later this week in Chicago at the American Maker event.  I wish I could be there!  Mr. Jalopy was a featured guest on "Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?" last week and does incredible magic reworking worn out old things into useful and inspired NEW things. Go check out "Dinosaurs and Robots" -- I guarantee you'll discover some inspiration there.

A Gay Whirl at Disneyland!

"Dedicated to the Happiness of your Family"

How wonderful is that?

An original newspaper clipping from the 1950s.

Pure Delight!

Nothing says "FUN" so exuberantly as this publicity art from 1957. We found this newspaper ad several years ago and have used elements of it on several of our Disneyland collectibles. Sensational stuff!

DOWN BY THE STATION...

Part of an original pencil layout created in 1955 for a full-color newspaper section presenting some of the " many delights and wonders that are yours to enjoy at Disneyland."

The text for this page:
"At Disneyland this summer (1955), you'll see and ride replicas of the Santa Fe trains that, back in 1869, began pushing their way West --opening a vast frontier to settlement and commerce."

Wonkywagen

Last week I posted three paintings I made for the 30th anniversary of "The Love Bug." This week I'm going to drive the extra mile by featuring a hardlines item I did for the same “retro Herbie” assortment. 

This is a VW-shaped “trinket box” for holding all your... you know... trinkets.

  

Honestly it’s not even large enough to contain a spark plug, but as with most “collectibles” useful function isn't really the point.

The exciting challenge was translating the wonky graphic style of the flat artwork into a similarly wonky 3-D sculpture. To help make sure the shapes would be appealing, I made a preliminary Herbie out of Sculpey and cast up a couple of them in resin. 

(Can you tell he has a subliminal happy face?

Awww...)

I painted one of the resin casts and worked out the racing stripes and 53s on pieces of paper over the contours. 

This prototype was just three inches long – but it was a handy reference when sculpting the final version.

Polka Party Nite!

Now THIS is my idea of fun! (You think I'm kidding?)

1957

The Love Bug! 

For my amazing nephew Jeremy who is celebrating his birthday today, here are three Herbie paintings that I did for the 30th Anniversary of "The Love Bug" about nine years ago.  (Jeremy is a serious Herbie fan -since about the age of four - and he can tell the difference between a good Herbie movie and a bad Herbie movie. He's seen 'em all.)

Though not intended to be final art, these "exploratory" Photoshop images nevertheless ended up on an assortment of merchandise from travel mugs to mousepads for the Walt Disney Gallery stores. I confess I borrowed heavily from "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom" and the commercial animation of Halas and Batchelor for the look of these.

In 2005, I was surprised to see elements from all three images show up in the product development style guide for "Herbie, Fully Loaded".

A tip of the sunroof and a "beep beep" on the horn to Jeremy today! Hope he's having a great one!

The Classiest Place on Earth

Dixieland music aboard the Mark Twain...The Elliott Brothers at Plaza Gardens...The Tahitian Terrace Fire Dancers...I'm there.

1959 newspaper clipping...

1963 Newspaper Ad...

GOUACHE ALMIGHTY

Today let's revel in some original illustrations created in the late 1950s by a handful of artists for Walt Disney Magazine.  Inspired by the immense popularity of the Mickey Mouse Club television program, this high-quality periodical for kids featured stories about young studio stars, as well as articles touching on science, music and the interesting world around us.

Best of all is the sophisticated art direction lavished upon each issue by staff artist Paul Hartley. An accomplished illustrator himself, Hartley is revered today for having designed the look of Walt Disney's Cold War-era classic, Our Friend the Atom, as well as several of the original silk-screened attraction posters for Disneyland.

Here's a comical painting by Hartley for a story called The Pink Hat published in the August 1957 issue.   (Click small images to view at larger sizes on Flickr.)




Legendary Disneyland designer Herb Ryman created this modern airport scene for a "Spin and Marty" adventure in 1959. 

Al Dempster, a golden boy of Little Golden Books, painted this fantastic depiction of Johnny Appleseed for the series "Heroes of American Folklore" in 1957.



The uncredited title illustration for "Yellowstone: Land of Burning Mountains" published in June 1957, may have been the work of writer Milt Banta, who was also an artist. Banta died at a very young age, at 36, in late 1959.

Can't get enough of this good stuff?

There are EVEN MORE IMAGES RIGHT HERE!

A hug around the neck to Miss Stacia Martin- an illustrious illustrator herself- for identifying the titles and artists of these images.  Thanks a million, Stacia! 

Skin Deep

The Restoration of Mr. Bali Hai



No bones about it, today's post is precisely seven years late.

Way back in August 2001 (mere weeks before "9/11" meant anything to us other than the eleventh of September) Jody and I volunteered to rescue an old, rotting lump of wood that had been sitting outdoors in the sun, rain, and salty sea breezes for half a century. Even worse, the lump had been touched, leaned upon, and sometimes even sat upon by hundreds of thousands of people.



Mr. Bali Hai is the world famous Sort-Of-Tiki that has stared down each and every visitor to the Bali Hai Restaurant on Shelter Island in San Diego, California since 1953. And, in our highly-respected opinion this deadpan deity is a bona fide star in the American Pop firmament.  The Buster Keaton of Tikis!

Hewn from one massive solid chunk of native Californian Julian Pine by an undocumented carver, Mr. BH is widely recognized thanks to a souvenir ceramic mug in his likeness, carried off to all corners of the world by the bazillions of folks who ordered the "Mr. Bali Hai" cocktail with dinner.



For years Jody and I griped about the color scheme and sorry state of Mr. BH every time we ate at the Bali Hai,  and finally we decided to see if we could do something about it. We took some unpaid vacation from work, bought several gallons of latex paint and, with the blessings of the restaurant's owner and the preservationist organization Historic San Diego, we set to work.

It didn't take long to discover that a fresh coat of paint was not going to cut it, as Mr. Bali Hai's troubles turned out to be more than skin deep. Decades of moisture had seeped into his back and a fungus had rotted away some of his insides.



About five pounds of moist, punky wood (think potting soil) had to be removed and the caverns scrubbed with a wire brush to get all contaminated wood out of there. The remaining fibers were flooded with termite pesticide and wood preservative. The "caves" were then coated in sealant, filled in with rock-hard wood putty, fortified with a layer of concrete, primered, painted and sealed again with three coats of marine polyurethane.



Referring to several vintage photographs of Mr.BH, we were able to recreate something close to his original appearance. It was thrilling to hold a 50-year-old photo up to his head and see all the same woodgrain traveling through his face. Somewhere back (we guess in the 1970s) he had been frosted like a cake with about a 1/4 inch of spackle.



We counted six layers of different colors that he has been over the years. You might recall him being Martian green, but did you know that over the years he has been THREE different shades of green? And for awhile his pupils had been bright orange!



Today only one detail is still lacking:  the bone through his nose. We had gotten approval to recreate the bone - which we did- out of newly acquired pieces of Julian pine. However a few factors need to be worked out before the bone can be restored....and more on that later....

Not long ago I came across the photos we had taken to document the process. With many of our friends recently in San Diego for Comic-Con, we've been reflecting quite a bit on the stalwart Mr. Hai.

If you'd like to relive the whole gruesome drama, step-by-step, visit 

"Mr. Bali Hai's  Restoration" Photo Album. 



And of course, next time you're in San Diego, please stop in and say Hai.