An interesting story about this painting. Of course it's considered a priceless treasure of Disney art and an integral piece of Disneyland history, but it was almost lost forever. Around 1983 or ’84, a couple of art directors I used to work with at Disneyland were setting up some kind of special event at the Disney Studio up in Burbank. While on lunch, they went off to explore the old backlot area which, at the time, still had all the familiar film and television set facades used for many decades. The old adobe-style structures for the “Zorro” TV series were still standing, and the guys went poking around inside one of them.
There, leaning against a wall, on the dirt floor with a packing blanket half draped over it, was the Ellenshaw painting. Presumably because of its large size, it had been tucked back there with other clutter to get it of the way, and had been forgotten about for quite a long time.After telling some folks back at Disneyland about it, it was rescued and brought indoors. There was light water damage to a portion of the painted surface, which was later touched up for public display in the new Disney Gallery in the late 1980s.
Thankfully it survived and today everyone recognizes it as the irreplaceable gem that it is. When I see pictures of the painting, I can't help but think of this story.
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Shooting a commercial on Main Street, May 2007 |
Shooting a commercial on Main Street, May 2007 |
Shooting a commercial on Main Street, May 2007 |
Model of Disneyland, July 17, 1955 |
Omnibus parked for the evening, May 2007 |
Toy Story Mania, Aug. 2007 |
August 2007 |
August 2007 |
August 2007 |
Toy Story Mania, Aug. 2007 |
Disney Gallery, Aug. 2007 |
Disney Gallery, Aug. 2007 |
Riverbelle Terrace, Sept. 2007 |
Riverbelle Terrace, Sept. 2007 |
Riverbelle Terrace, Nov. 2007 |
Riverbelle Terrace, Dec. 2007 |
Riverbelle Terrace, Dec. 2007 |
Riverbelle Terrace, Dec. 2007 |
DCA construction, June 2009 |
DCA construction, June 2009 |
DCA construction, June 2009 |
 CoxPilot & The Employee Cafeteria: I can’t believe there was really a picture of that little crammed room (part of the back of the Red Wagon Inn). I think that might be Vesey Walker in the back; I remember him and the cigars. Later, they rebuilt the cafateria into a very large, more modern place, when they re-did the RWI into the Plaza Inn. A lot of college studying went on at that corner table.
The date of the photo is July 1961. Space suit has multiple rings around the neck, and the space man is guy I knew. Also, I remember Snow White from that era. Indian is in a photo of yours dated Feb 1960 (but has winter costume). He is also in photo of June 1960 (almost same costume). The “thing” on the back of the wall is the feathers worn on the back of his costume, and would have to be removed to sit. I also remember the lady sitting with the cowboy, and I think she worked at Pendleton in Frontierland.
Just outside the cafeteria (door was just under that fan) was a covered patio with red wood benches and an old coke machine. It was the manual kind with small glass bottles (6 oz). It was not used much, so the cokes were frozen, like coke-cicles. Heaven on a hot day, and only a dime. The bottles were replaced back into a metal rack on the side. |
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