DISNEYLAND GOLDEN HORSESHOE REVUE
(July 17, 1955–Present) BACKSTORY: A special performance for Walt’s 30th Anniversary occurred July 13th. Saloon interior designed by Harper Goff (already working on designing Main Street when asked to work on GH). The first show was Slue Foot Sue’s Golden Horseshoe Revue, a 45 min. show which ran 50,000+ times and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-running musical of all time. In the early 1950’s, while appearing in revues in Australia, Wally Boag met tenor Donald Novis, who got Walt Disney to audition Wally for the Golden Horseshoe Revue, written by its first pianist Charles LaVere and lyricist Tom Adair. Novis was the show's first tenor (later replaced by Fulton Burley when he retired in 1962). Boag’s Pecos Bill/Traveling Salesman character specialized in slapstick humor, squirt guns, an endless supply of broken teeth (which he’d spit out), and his signature balloon animals (Boagaloons). One of the features of the show was to have children in the audience sing & dance on stage; “Davy Crockett” was a favorite. The Revue closed in 1986 and was replaced by the Golden Horseshoe Variety Show, a similar production that closed in 1994. Outside on the front balcony, there is a periodic, comedic wild west shoot-em' up show. In 1963, Julie Andrews performed with Boag on the Golden Horseshoe stage along with the Dapper Dans, at a special media event promoting “Mary Poppins.” Andrews and Boag sang "By the Light of the Silvery Moon." Boag also voiced José for the Enchanted Tiki Room and wrote much of the script for the attraction as well as participating in the development of “The Haunted Mansion.” In 1974, after a hiatus at Disneyworld, Boag returned to Disneyland and finished his career, retiring in 1982. The Golden Horseshoe Revue closed in 1986. In 1995, Wally was inducted into the ranks of the Disney Legends and has his own window on Main Street above the Carnation Company. The inscription reads “Golden Vaudeville Routines - Wally Boag - Prop.”
For photos from March 29, 2008’s Golden Horseshoe Event, click here.
Special thanks to Gene Sands for his assistance in verifying information for this page.
Most photos available for purchase as enlargements; email your request. To view photos, allow popups in your web browser & click thumbnails below. |

Golden Horseshoe Set Design for the 10,000th Show (1961) which aired Sept. 23, 1962 |

June 1963 |

The Golden Horseshoe Saloon 1963 |

Charlie Barnet, Cavalcade of Bands, June 1, 1963 |

Date Night with the Elliot Brothers |

Interior Shot |

Interior Shot |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

Live Onstage |

Live Onstage |

The Cast |

Interior |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

The Golden Horseshoe |

June 1960 |

July 1961 |

Wally Boag, Oct. 1962 |

Wally Boag and Betty Taylor, Oct. 1962 |

Wally Boag, September 1963 |

September 1963 |

Exterior, September 1963 |

November 1964 |

Live show, date unknown |

Live show, date unknown |

1960’s |

From a Disneyland Panavue Slide |

March 1976 |

March 1976 |

March 1976 |

March 1976 |

March 1976 |

Betty Taylor publicity shot |

Betty Taylor publicity shot |
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Lannie Remembers the Golden Horseshoe: Some of my favorite Disneyland Golden Horseshoe memories are from when I was about 6 or 7 years old. My Dad worked for Pepsi-Cola from the 1950’s to
the 1970’s. Every time we went to Disneyland (which was always once a year), my Dad made
reservations for the Golden Horseshoe Revue at his Pepsi office, then we
would check in at the GHR podium once we got to the
park. The table would be on the left hand stage balcony and there would be a sign there that read “Reserved for Pepsi.” I remember the big Pepsi name on the curtains and I really
thought my Dad was the most important man there. Being that we were on the stage we received a lot of eye-contact from Fulton and Betty and Wally. Of course, then I KNEW my Dad was the most important man there! Anyway, I'll never forget Wally coming on
stage. He was magic for me. I couldn't believe how many teeth he had to spit out of his mouth! My parents laughed out loud and Dad told me “Yes, of course those
are his real teeth!” I also thought Wally was pretty
slick with those squirt guns. Times like those were
especially wonderful; our whole family being together,
laughing and enjoying a bag of Fritos and an ice cold Pepsi! Of course my sister later marries a guy who works at Coke! |
2000+
for March 29, 2008 Golden Horseshoe Reunion Photos, click here. |

Stage Door Cafe, Dec. 2006 |

Interior, Dec. 2006 |

Stage, Dec. 2006 |

Footlights, Dec. 2006 |

Interior, Dec. 2006 |

Balcony Box Seat, Dec. 2006 |

Interior, Dec. 2006 |

Billy Hill & The Hillbillies, Dec. 2006 |

Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, Dec. 2006 |

Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, Dec. 2006 |

Billy Hill & The Hillbillies, Fall 2005 |

Pecos Bill Frosted Glass at Exit Area, Dec. 2006 |

Slue Foot Sue Window, Feb. 2007 |

Pecos Bill Window, Feb. 2007 |

Feb. 2007 |

Feb. 2007 |

Painting above Saloon area, Dec. 2006 |

Painting above the Saloon, Feb. 2007 |
 Interior, March 2007 |
 March 2008 |
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