When It Rains, It Pours!

So, here's what I dig about blogging:  

You can write about anything your heart holds dear, no matter how esoteric or nerdy, and somewhere out there you'll connect with some kindred spirits who eagerly join in the nerd-fest right along with you.  Best of all,  those kindred spirits often hold clues to even more nerdy pieces of the puzzle.  You're my Holmes, and I'm your Watson! 

Last week's outpouring of love for rain lamps and Monsanto's Fountain of Fashion at Disneyland inspired a veritable oil spill of responses.  

Designer Mike Cozart salutes the FIBER FOUNTAIN (as it was named in the early designs) with some never-before-seen-by-me artwork on his amazing blog... including this fantastically rare blueprint:

See how the people in the vehicles (to show scale) are having a real hard time keeping their hands to themselves.  The allure of dripping oil was impossible to resist, and the show designers knew this even before the fountain was built!  Most thrilling of all was to learn that to access the fountain's interior display, you had to open a hatch in the ceiling and be lowered in like a jewel thief!  How cool!

Blog-reader Fred commented that I had neglected to mention the "grandaddy of all rain fountains" - that of Southern California's Topanga Plaza in Woodland Hills (1964).   I never saw this awesome fountain in person,  but Major Pepperidge of "Gorillas Don't Blog" shares these photos:  

Holy Hina, Goddess of Rain!   Not since Noah built the ark has there been such a downpour!  Three stories tall?  Maybe four stories!  Aaauugghh! I'm flipping out. 

 

The Major writes: 

 I think these have the Monsanto versions beat (look at the entranced shoppers in the first photo!) as far as size goes, although they lack the cool "tornado" effect. My grandmother used to take us clothes shopping at that mall when I was in high school, so theoretically I would have seen this fountain - but I don't remember it at all.

Fantastic!  If anyone can top this with evidence of  a bigger or equally spectacular rain lamp, we need to hear about it. 

Thanks to everyone wh0 wrote in to share memories and mutual affection for rain lamps, one of "Man's modern miracles" to rephrase the coin.   

Like the magic genie in a bottle, behold the elixir of illuminated ooze.

Monsanto's Fountain of Fashion

The mother of all rain lamps, Monsanto's Fountain of Fashion!

No vision on earth has yet been discovered that can so thoroughly hypnotize a person into an unblinking stupor as the drip-drip-drip of mineral oil cascading down a nylon thread. Sometime back in the 1960s - or maybe earlier - some genius somewhere combined illumination with precipitation and came up with a miracle we now know as the Rain Lamp.

If you've never seen a rain lamp, you're either too young or too tasteful for your own good. When I was ten I wanted a rain lamp for my bedroom with every polyester fiber of my being. The Sir George's Smorgasbord by our house had one suspended from a pole above the desserts and it was all my mom could do to prevent us kids from disrupting the never-ending chains of diamonds with our fingers.

Disneyland, as with everything else, had the biggest and most impressive rain lamp ever conceived by mankind. Stretching from floor to ceiling, Monsanto's Fountain of Fashion was the grand finale of an Adventure Thru Inner Space, and though the precise reason for its existence was lost on most people, the effect was unforgettable. 

Just out of reach...

Restrained by their lap bars - and possibly the admonishment of their moms -  Atommobile passengers had to fight off temptation to reach out and touch the forbidden strands of the Fountain of Fashion. Within a swirling tornado of a million oil droplets, faceless mannequins depicting a woman and a little girl on a swing wore clothing made from "Blue 'C' nylon and polyester yarns." At their feet, a bed of oversized white daisies gave a hint of nature in this unnatural place, while helping to conceal the oil intake reservoir. 

Maintaining the Fountain of Fashion must've been a flippin' nightmare.

I finally obtained a rain lamp of my very own by the time I was in my late twenties.  It had a gold-painted figure of a Grecian woman on a base surrounded by green plastic ferns. One time a fern came in contact with one of the nylon threads and a leaf conducted about 8 ounces of oil out over the edge of the basin, completely ruining the top of a bookcase below.  The greasy mess slightly diminished my enthusiasm for rain lamps, but seeing these photos of the Fountain of Fashion makes me want to give them another chance.

The Adventure Thru Inner Space attraction debuted in Tomorrowland on June 29, 1967.  In his opening day remarks, former Monsanto president Charles A. Thomas said about the ride: 

"At the end of the trip, of course, the visitor is exposed to 'a word from the sponsor.'  I think you'll agree that we have shown considerable restraint in this area..."

So the Fountain of Fashion and the Miracles From Molecules display was Monsanto showing restraint?  Good golly, just imagine what they would've come up with had they let loose!

Storybook Fashions

Tailored and trim as a tulip, in gloves and mad hat...  

like the blossoms at Disneyland's Flower Market, you'll never wilt!

Our pal, Tim Haack recently discovered a treasure trove of twelve original color negatives showcasing females in fabulous clothes against the fairy-tale backdrop of Disneyland. 

Who took these wonderful photos? And who are the three ladies, each one giving her all to look stylish in awkward poses and over-the top outfits?  We wish we knew.   But we do know the photos were taken for the April 9, 1961 issue of Midwest Magazine, a supplemental newspaper insert in the Chicago Sun-Times.  Anyone out there have a copy?

Take time to click on them and enjoy at full size. Each one is pure gold.

Dinner, cinema, dancing - wonder fabric stays wide-awake all evening. 

 Still looks terrific when he says goodnight!

 

Why is a raven like a writing desk?  

Who cares when you look like this! 

 

In your pretty play suit of spring flowers, you're certain to get picked!  

There's just no telling what might happen when you choose high-waisted banana capris and a clown blouse.

Five o'clock, add a turban, meet your date and go!

Big game falls readily to a safari swim suit with matching jacket.

Off the port bow... a cool cotton caftan, side slashed!

Passengers on board Disneyland's new Columbia sailing ship will never get scurvy... especially if handsomely suited in gay tangerine. 

Even the river pirate Mike Fink "hisself" would adore a pair of these shipshape slacks in cream cotton faille.

Greet them like a modern southern belle, whether along the shores of the Mississippi, or outside Disneyland's Oak Tree Tavern.

Get the "movie star" attention you've always dreamed of in a pair of crimson velveteen shorts and stitched-on mouse tail.

(Thanks for sharing your collection with us, Tim!  This stuff is priceless!)

Farmland vs Fantasyland

1955:  Old Anaheim trees on the outskirts of Fantasyland

---------

UPDATE!  Photos taken this week...

  2011:  The huge trees are still alive and well, 56 years later.

These surviving sentinels from Anaheim's rural past currently provide shade for a snack stand near the Fantasyland Theater.

The Architect of Delight

Illustration by Kevin & Jody for Los Angeles Magazine

Rolly Crump is one of our favorite designers in the whole wide world. Whether we're talking about his theme park contributions for Disney, or his satyrical counter-culture posters, Rolly rules.

So, when Los Angeles Magazine asked us to create an illustration to accompany a new interview with the legendary artist for this month's issue, we both shouted yes.

What else can we say here about Rolly, that isn't more eloquently said in the splendid article by Marcel Bonner and Steve Daly?  Probably nothing, so let's treat ourselves, instead, to some visual delights from Rolly's imagination.

In 1962, as the Tiki Room at Disneyland was coming together, Walt asked Rolly to design some pre-show tikis to be placed outside in the landscaping, to "set the mood" for waiting guests. While researching Pacific island culture and mythology, Rolly became enthralled with a little book by Katharine Luomala he discovered in the UCLA library called Voices on the Wind.

Rolly sculpted this small sun god in about 45 minutes. 1962

Luomala's retelling of the ancient Hawaiian legends of Hina, Rongo, and Pele inspired wildly imaginative interpretations in Rolly’s drawings. In island lore the god Maui, who had tethered the sun in the sky, thus regulating time and establishing the seasons, materialized as a water-powered clock, producing a rhythmic tick-tock with a length of bamboo. 

"Natives call me The Mighty One."  

Original sketch by Rolly Crump, 1962.

When WED sculptor Blaine Gibson explained he was too busy with other projects, Rolly sculpted most of the nine tikis himself, something he hadn't tried before!  "In those days, " Rolly explains, "we did whatever it took to do it."  

Rolly's first sculpture, "Maui", before the mold was made. 

The tikis were modeled in plasticene, a soft oil-based clay, over foam armatures, in the parking lot behind WED.  Outdoors in the warm California sunshine, the clay stayed soft and the work went fast.  

 Rolly inspects the newly installed Maui fountain at Disneyland, 

June, 1963.

Rolly's tiki creations are fantastical Disney characters in their own right, each one with a distinctive look and personality.  Today, over 47 years after it debuted, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room is so familiar a concept, that it's difficult to measure the impact this little "musical luau" has really had...on art, technology and on popular culture. Something I am sure of, however, is that there's still nothing quite as much fun as having your imagination carried away by talented make-believers like Rolly Crump.

Rolly today. 

Photo by Gregg Segal for Los Angeles Magazine.

If you live in Southern California, the magazine is a cinch to find at any grocery store.  But if that doesn't work for you, order a copy online here!

Past post about Rolly:  Muse of the Weird and Wonderful

Dapper Recapper

You know how a wool coat smells when it gets wet?  Not great.  So it was especially considerate of last week's storm clouds to part for 24 hours and let the sun shine on Dapper Day at Disneyland. If you couldn't attend last Sunday, rest assured there will be more.

As expected, a fair percentage of participants showed up in vintage Sunday best, and put great effort into staging photographs worthy of Vanity Fair. 

For more pics of dandy peeps, visit the excellent United Style site. 

Dapper Day at Disneyland

The original Disneyland designers frequently populated their renderings with guests dressed for a day of sophisticated entertainment.  No flip-flops or cargo shorts here!  These were men in sharp suits, toddlers working two-pieces, and ladies looking like they just stepped out of Dior's sketchbook - all as if a visit to Disneyland were on par with a night at the opera.  And why shouldn't it be?

To the 9's in Tomorrowland

This Sunday's Dapper Day at Disneyland is the idea of Los Angeles designer (and fellow classic Disneyland fan) Justin Jorgensen.   On the event's Facebook page,  Justin explains that the unofficial day is all about "realizing those designers' dreams that Disneyland be seen as the upscale entertainment experience that it is, filled with guests dressed appropriately for it."

Justin suggests that dressing in a period "Man Men" look is as correct as the latest haute couture.  "Be creative, go Gaga, anything that would make legendary Disney designers Herb Ryman, Mary Blair, John Hench, Dorthea Redmond, Harriet Burns and the rest of the stylish WED lot look proud - or blush!"

Sunday, February 20.  1200 noon to 11:30pm.  

Bring your camera.  Stage an impromptu photoshoot.  See you at the park. 

Werk it.

Bill Justice

The man behind two of my favorite things, the Silly Reindeer and the equally Silly Buffalo, passed away this morning.  Bill Justice was one of my creative idols.   I got to meet him only a handful of times in my career, and once he even telephoned me at work just to compliment me on some drawings I did for his granddaughters.  He will be missed.

And now, let's eat!

Here's the authentic recipe for the Chicken of the Sea Tunaburger precisely as served at the Disneyland Pirate Ship.  And guess what? It's really good. Try it!
This recipe serves 4 hungry theme park guests:

Mix one can of Chicken of the Sea Tuna with 1 tablespoon of chopped onion, a quarter cup of chopped celery, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and two tablespoons of mayonnaise. Slice 4 hamburger buns (the kind with sesame seeds) into 3 horizontal sections. Spread tuna mixture onto the middle bun slice.

Now mix 2 more tablespoons of mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons of catsup (it'll make kind of a 1950s version of pink "thousand island" dressing); spread that onto the bottom bun slice and cover with a layer of sweet pickle slices.  Put all the sections together to make a a "triple decker" sandwich.  

Wrap it up in aluminum foil (Kaiser of course!) and bake in the oven (at 375) for 15 minutes.  Eat it hot!  Yum!

Serving suggestion:  Turn this into a real vintage Disneylander's lunch with Fritos and a Pepsi!

Fish Tale!...Part Three

White or wheat?

Roll up your pant legs and let's wade out into the lagoon for one final visit with our favorite corporate mermaid and the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship, a Disneyland landmark for 27 years.

Side elevation for the ship's attractive figurehead

 The blonde mermaid first began hawking canned albacore in 1952 .  Anyone out there know the name of the artist who created her?  A lot of us around here would love to know that bit of trivia.

In 1960, a fantastic tropical environment was added all around the Disneyland pirate ship, with waterfalls and the stoney face of Skull Rock.  To rededicate the restaurant, Walt Disney posed for publicity with the owners of the Van Camp Sea Food Company, Frank Van Camp Sr. and Jr. ...and the mermaid in person. 

Don't get your flash bulbs wet, Mr. Photographer!

By the 70s, the sponsorship by Chicken of the Sea had been canned, and the distinctive mermaid figurehead removed to places unknown (by me anyway).  Surprisingly, though, the mermaid adorning the stern remained with a few alterations to obliterate her corporate identity. Her familiar hair bun was sawed off and the diamond shapes on her bodice and tail were sanded away. I don't know about you, but the disguise doesn't fool me!

C'mon, let's step downstairs into the hull and see what the interior looked like in the 1970s. Except for the prices on the menu, very little had changed since 1955.

The serving line was still pretty much the way it had always been.  (Are you checking out those cool paper cups, too?)

One noticeable difference , however: the original three-paneled mural with its canned tuna and frozen dinners has given way to a waterless aquarium diorama.  Nicely done, but we all prefer the mural, right?

(Always be wary of anything under new management!)

Outdoors beside the gangplank, we could still encounter the original sign post from 1955, but repainted and naturally aged.  The smaller framed sign that hangs to the left read: "Captain Hook's Galley - A Pirate's Hearty Fare From Mr. Smee's Kitchen...Hot Roast Beef Sandwich, Hot Meatball Sandwich, Tuna Burger, Clam Chowder, Chef's Salad, Tuna Salad, Drinks and Desserts."  

Well, at least the Tuna Burger was still an option!

For our new Fantasyland Pirate Ship replica, we naturally chose to recreate the 1955 versions of the boat and sign, but, as you might imagine, some details, such as the restaurant's original sponsor name, were not permitted. (I know, I know. Not our call.)  Nevertheless, Jody and I did everything else we could to "capture the feel" of the original aesthetic.  We both were fortunate to visit the ship as kids, and hold happy memories of lunches with our families while dreaming of sailing out to sea under those red and white striped sails.

Our replica took six years to make, if you can believe it.  If you've already got one for yourself, I sincerely hope you are loving it as much as we thoroughly loved researching and working on it.

Fish Tales...Part Two

This 1955 ad art just shouts Yay!  It's beautiful, colorful, charming, and kind of gross.  Still if today's Chicken of the Sea executives had any sense at all they'd bring back this mermaid.  The current logo is so utterly blah, I won't even besmirch your eyes with a picture of it. Even Charlie the Tuna has better taste.

Back to Disneyland now, for a couple photos of our favorite galleon.  Both dated June, 1969.

Panorama! The back side of the restaurant, showing the original kitchen door (far left) and the overflow outdoor dining area.   That big back door right in the center was not added to the ship until the 60s.  (If you look at the 1955 image of the "proud painter" in the previous post you can see the difference.)  

And now for another shameful plug:  The Fantasyland Pirate Ship replica is finally available starting today.  Jody and I will be at Disneyland bright and early this morning to launch a thousand ships. 

Okay, there are only 500.