I posted more of my interview with Marc Davis at http://mouseclubhouse.com/marc-davis-disneyland-and-walt-d…/ – In this interview Marc talks about Walt Disney, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and more. I took this photo of Marc back in 1989! He was a great artist and friend.
I just recently found these two newspaper articles from the Los Angeles Times which appeared in 1994 and 1995. One announces my photography book “Where in Disneyland Park?” and one is about my museum exhibit at the Anaheim Museum which was based on my book. Fun memories.
Here’s my obligatory Star Wars photo for May the 4th. I took this photo of Star Tours in 1992 for a project I was working on for Disney. This is the original Disneyland version of Star Tours with Captain Rex, rather than how it is today with C3PO at the helm.
I left my heart in Marceline, Missouri! This is the Main Street of Walt Disney’s boyhood home. The inspiration for his Disneyland Main Street is evident all over the beautiful city! Thanks to Kaye and the Walt Disney Hometown Museum for the VIP treatment during our unforgettable visit!
What a thrill it was to see the Uptown Theatre in Walt Disney’s boyhood home of Marceline, Missouri. This is the theatre where Walt held the midwest premiere of the Great Locomotive Chase as a gift to the citizens, and told the children, “You children are lucky to live here. My best memories are the years I spent here.” Walt Disney Hometown Museum
People often use the term “Disney Magic,” and when I saw this egg in my lunch at Tokyo Disneyland, I knew the only way to get a Mickey Mouse-shaped egg yolk was with Disney Magic! Either that or that chicken is just watching way too many Mickey Mouse cartoons!
This restaurant, Plazma Ray’s Diner in Tomorrowland, has the storyline of being a successful restaurant with chains not just on Earth, but all over the universe!
Big thanks to the Disneyland Golden Ears group for having me back to do another presentation in one of my favorite places in the world, the Golden Horseshoe in Disneyland!
In this talk I was able to share stories that have been personally told to me by people who were greatly involved in the creation of Disneyland, and who worked closely with Walt Disney.
It gives me great pleasure to be able to share these stories that I’ve had the honor of recording over the years, and I’m very grateful to the warm reception I received from the Golden Ears!
Star Wars Days at LEGOLAND California (June 3 & June 4, 2017) includes new Star Wars LEGO displays, activities such as the LEGO Star Wars™ Family Build Challenge, LEGO Star Wars™ Miniland Scavenger Hunt, Jedi™ Trivia, costume contests more.
Special thanks to LEGOLAND California for inviting me to your annual Star Wars Days!
I’m so sad to report that Larry Billman has passed away. Larry was not only a very important of Disney live entertainment history, but a HUGE supporter of my Mouse Clubhouse. He was responsible for my interviews with people such as Chuck Corson (early Disneyland/Disney World director of entertainment), Miriam Nelson (Disneyland’s opening day choreographer) and Alyja Kalinich (Disney costume designer extraordinaire). As a historian of American Dance on Film, Larry was more than once there for me when I felt that my Mouse Clubhouse work was too overwhelming with little gratification, and he inspired me to keep going.
After I posted an interview with a friend of Larry’s who passed away, Larry wrote me the following, “…I am gratified that you have captured some of his memories for eternity. In my life now I find that most of my energies are spent writing about the dancers and choreographers of the Hollywood musicals. I write for a newsletter which is distributed by the Professional Dancers Society in California. I am currently writing 12 obituaries for the next issue – including Marc Breaux. As painful as it can be when I am writing about people I know well, I am happy that their accomplishments are being documented. After my theme park career ended, I became a “Dance Archivist” with books and articles about them and that may be my finest hour. My mission is that they (and the art they created) are remembered.”
Inspired by Larry’s own words, I invite you to listen to the voice and stories of this wonderful and truly talented individual who I will truly miss. http://mouseclubhouse.com/interview-larry-billman/
It’s been nearly 30 years since I had the honor of being the assistant producer on a bunch of TaleSpin episodes! Thanks to those of you who write me about your memories of the show! It means a lot! Hope you enjoy the artwork below!!
Here’s some pages from the TaleSpin comic books, given to me by my friend and neighbor, the late Joe Messerli, who inked the art! What a coincidence that the man who lived just two doors down from me for my childhood ended up working on the comic books for the TV series I worked on!
I just discovered this photo of my father from 1950. Take a look at what he’s reading! Guess it’s in my blood.
