Mary Blair In Wonderland (Early Alice In Wonderland Artwork)

During one of my trips to Tokyo Disneyland (in 2010), the Disney Gallery was featuring an exhibit titled, "The Colors of Mary Blair."  Among the items being sold in the Gallery was this boxed set of 10 postcards, containing some of Mary Blair's early artwork for Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland.

I've attempted to put the scenes in the order that they appear within the film, with the exception of this first one.

In 2008, a three-dimensional version of Mary Blair's White Rabbit was created, and placed in Disneyland's It's A Small World attraction (along with a slew of other Disney characters).  I wonder why they gave him red eyeballs?  But then, I also wonder why they destroyed the attraction's "rainforest room" for a tacky-looking "Spirit of America" room, when there had never been a need for such a room in the attraction's 40+ year history at Disneyland?  Ah, but I digress!

For Alice in Wonderland's 70th anniversary, a special "plush" set was created, commemorating Mary Blair's versions of Alice and The White Rabbit.  The set sold for $49.99.

 

During that same 2010 Tokyo Disneyland tribute, their Disney Gallery was also selling a set of It's A Small World "mini-plush" figures, based on Mary Blair's original designs for the attraction.  (I included these images of the dolls in my "Mary Blair Dolls & Small World Days at Disneyland" post, back in 2011.)

I bought the entire set, including the cowboy (pictured above, but not below).  The doll on the far left is a copy of the "Mary Blair" doll that is featured in Disneyland's It's A Small World attraction. I'm not sure if the other Disney parks' versions of the ride include the "Mary Blair Doll" or not.

That particular doll has a different tag, with a photo of Walt Disney and Mary Blair posing with her doll.

Here's a photo that I took at Disneyland in 2011, showing Mary Blair's doll inside the attraction. She can be seen standing on the Eiffel Tower and holding a red balloon.

By the way, happy anniversary to Walt Disney's Alice In Wonderland, which was released 75 years ago this year!

Mary Blair Dolls & Small World Days At Disneyland

Here are some items that I picked up during my recent trip to Japan. These Small World dolls were being sold in the Disney Gallery at Tokyo Disneyland.


I bought the entire set, including the cowboy (pictured above, but not below).  The doll on the far left is a copy of the "Mary Blair" doll that is featured in Disneyland's It's A Small World attraction. I'm not sure if the other Disney parks' versions of It's A Small World include the "Mary Blair Doll" or not.


The doll's tag has a photo of Walt Disney and Mary Blair posing with her doll. I believe the person that is cut off on the far left is Marc Davis.

And now, another thirty year old newspaper ad from The Los Angeles Times. Thirty years ago today, Disneyland (which happens to be YOUR land) was celebrating Small World Days. I wonder what the free poster looked like? And look, you didn't have to give up an "E" ticket to ride It's A Small World, it was free that weekend. Free of course, with the price of admission. Without that disclaimer in the ad, I wonder how many people would've shown up at the gate and said "Let me in the park to ride Small World.....you said it's free!"

POST UPDATE - January 31, 2011: Here's a photo that I took just yesterday, showing Mary Blair's doll inside the attraction. She can be seen standing on the Eiffel Tower and holding a red balloon.

E.J. Peaker In Mary Blair-Land

Hey Osmonds, it's E.J. Peaker.....THE MOVIE STAR, and she's ready for The Love Bug Parade on Main Street! She left home right after lunch, but she should've left right after breakfast, because The Love Bug Parade was actually last year.


Did I hear somebody out there ask, "Who's E.J. Peaker?" Well, do you remember seeing "Hello Dolly?" Do you remember Miss Molly's Dress Shop? Remember Minnie Fay, the assistant? Well, that was E.J. Peaker....THE MOVIE STAR! Here we see her standing in front of the large Mary Blair mural, which was in Tomorrowland from 1967 to 1987. This was a publicity shot for "The Wonderful World of Disney" episode entitled, "Disneyland Showtime."

This show originally aired in March of 1970 and would sometimes show up in later years on "Vault Disney" on the Disney Channel. The episode can be watched here on YouTube.

Here's a better shot of the mural....it also shows which part of the mural she's standing in front of in the publicity photo above.

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Here's another shot, taken from the other direction.

There's a kind of walk you walk, when the world's undone you. There's a kind of walk you walk when the neighbors shun you. Just watch the show and you'll understand....she's simply too groovy for words.

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Oh yeah, the episode also shows her singing on The Tomorrowland Stage and The Mark Twain Steamboat. You'll also see the Kids of the Kingdom sing, "This Land Is Your Land" while riding extinct attractions like the Skyway, the Pack Mules, Nature's Wonderland Mine Train, and the Keel Boats. At the end of the show, everyone rides through the newly opened Haunted Mansion, which makes E.J. feel kind of "creepy all over!"