Meet The World

Friday, October 8, 2010

Elvira - In Wax, In The Flesh, and Lookalikes

This post is in honor of Elvira's return to television. Yes, the Mistress of the Dark is back on the boob tube and hosting her all new "Movie Macabre." For the Los Angeles area, her show is on Saturday nights at midnight on KDOC (home of the Mighty Ducks!) For other cities, please check your local television listings.

Elvira first hosted "Movie Macabre" back in 1981 on KHJ-TV in Los Angeles. In 1982, she made television history by being the first person to be taped and broadcast in 3-D. I still have my 3-D glasses from 7-Eleven!

In 1985, Elvira got her very own wax figure at Movieland Wax Museum which was located just up the street from Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. I took this photo in 1991. Unfortunately, Movieland Wax Museum closed it's doors for good in October of 2005.

Here's a publicity photo taken at Movieland with the real Elvira posing alongside her wax likeness. I'm guessing this was taken when her figure was unveiled to the public. Movieland often had the actual celebrities appearing at the dedication of their figures.

Now let's jump over to the Hollywood Wax Museum on Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, California. I took this photo in 1993...the one and only time I was ever in that museum. I know it is still open and operating today, but I wonder how their business is doing now that Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum has opened just down the street?

And since we are in Hollywood, let's venture a few miles southwest and take a look at the annual West Hollywood Halloween Carnival which attracts about a half million people every year on Halloween Night. This is actually the Los Angeles area's second largest event, second only to the Tournament of Roses New Year’s Day Parade. Here's a photo taken in 2001 of "Elvira" and "Evel Kenievel." I thought that this woman really did look like Cassandra Peterson.

These next three photos were taken at the 2002 Carnival event. This Elvira costume actually could have been a mini parade float. The dummy in the background was part of the vignette, along with a table that had a fake guillotine blade hanging overhead that actually swung back and forth (inspired by a scene in the movie, "Elvira's Haunted Hills"). I remember it was so crowded, that I could not get back far enough to get the entire set-up in any of my photos.

The legs were actually fake. "Elvira's" real legs were underneath the table. The whole thing was on wheels and could be moved around when the crowd would allow it. There are some REALLY clever people out there, I tell ya!

Last up is a shot I took of the real Elvira performing at Knott's Berry/Scary Farm in 1988. I posted this photo previously in a "Knott's Halloween Haunt" post from last year. I do wish Elvira still appeared at Knott's for their Halloween Haunt nights. For now, I guess I will just have to be satisfied with seeing her on TV as she hosts her all new "Movie Macabre."

Unpleasant dreams, everyone!!!

***Post Update: To watch a short promo for Elvira's all new "Movie Macabre", click below:

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Happy Birthday to L.A., From Disneyland! - 1980

Here's another item from 30 years ago. It's a ninety-six page special supplement to the Los Angeles Times. Even though Los Angeles celebrated it's 200th birthday in 1981, this insert was included in an August 1980 edition of the newspaper.

So far, the newspaper articles and ads that I have posted have all been from my personal collection that I started as a child. However, this supplement was recently found in a box in my mom's garage, where it has been sitting for the past 30 years....that's why it is a little warped and distorted. If I had a scanner that was big enough, I could have pressed it flat, but since it would not fit on my scanner, I had to use my camera to take pictures of both the cover and this Disneyland advertisement.

There are also some advertisements/birthday greetings from other companies including many that no longer exist today, such as Bullock's, The Broadway, Ohrbach's, May Co., Robinson's (before the "Robinson's-May" merge), Alpha Beta, Barker Bros., American Savings, Crocker Bank and Western Airlines. Oh, and just days after mentioning Pat Boone and Hoffy hot dogs in my last post, look what I happened to find in this insert!

Pat Boone says, "Hooray for Hoffy! Hooray for L.A.!", but there's no mention of Hoffy being the official "meat product" of Knott's Berry Farm. Those commercials have to exist somewhere!

The insert also contains an interesting article (along with artwork) about what L.A. might look like in 100 years. The Los Angeles Central Library building is visible in the lower right corner of the second pic below. The other buildings kind of look like something out of "Logan's Run."

In addition to L.A.'s possible future, there are many photos from L.A.'s past, including pics of the Hollywood Bowl, the Chinese Theater, Angel's Flight, the Music Center, Tail O' The Pup, the Greek Theater, the La Brea Tar Pits, Watts Towers, the Bradbury Building, etc.

If anyone is interested in owning this Los Angeles Times supplement from 1980, here is a link to a site that has a copy of it for sale. I do not know this dealer or anything about their reputability, and I am not endorsing them. I'm just passing along information that I came across while I was doing research on Los Angeles' Bicentennial.

Well, since 2011 is just around the corner....Happy 230th Birthday, Los Angeles!

Friday, October 1, 2010

Happy Birthday, Julie Andrews!

Wishing a very happy birthday today, to Miss Julie Andrews!!!

Friday, September 24, 2010

Knott's - 30 Years Ago and A Goldie's Update

Today, we have another Los Angeles Times newspaper advertisement from thirty years ago. This one is for three different events that were held at Knott's Berry Farm back in 1980.

First we have Jubilation, which was an annual event that focused on contemporary Christian music. Then there was the Knott's Country Music Party. This particular year featured Debby Boone who's humongous hit song, "You Light Up My Life" was the most successful single of the 1970's, reaching number one on the Billboard charts in 1977 and staying there for 10 consecutive weeks! (I'm still looking for those TV commercials which featured her father, Pat Boone promoting Hoffy Hot Dogs as "the official hot dog of Knott's Berry Farm".) And then there's Halloween Haunt, which is still going strong today. Back then, the Haunts were held only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and for only two short weeks. Now, the Haunt nights begin in September (tonight marks the first Haunt of the 2010 season) and are scheduled Wednesdays through Sundays for the entire month of October. Notice the price of the Haunt tickets back in 1980. Haunt tickets for this year are $56.00! To see some photos from a Halloween Haunt in the '80's, including a shot of Elvira performing live on stage, (click here).

Next, we have a Goldie's Place update. My last Goldie's report showed demolition photos and then new construction photos taken one, two and three weeks later. Well, I missed out on getting any photos at the four week mark, but the following photos were taken last weekend, only five weeks after demolition had begun on the original structure.

Is that an original window being used on the ground floor?

The two windows upstairs (on the side of the building) also appear to be older. Would they use the original window frames on the new structure?

Well, this answered my question from my last post....the outhouse is being rebuilt! And it looks like at least one of those wooden panels laying around a couple weeks ago was from the original structure and is being reused as well.

That roof might even be original! Perhaps blogger OutsideTheBerm can tell us for sure.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Cowboy Weekend at Disneyland!

Thirty years ago, Disneyland was hosting "Cowboy Weekend." Yep, the Magic Kingdom was "goin' country" for a weekend that featured "the hottest talent this side of Texas!"

Donna Fargo was the "Happiest Girl In The Whole U.S.A." (that song was a top 10 country hit for her in 1972), Johnny Lee was "Lookin' for Love" in all the wrong places (his song was used in the movie, "Urban Cowboy" and went to the number three spot on the Billboard Country Charts and number five on the Pop Charts) and Johnny Paycheck said, "Take This Job and Shove It" (his song went to number one on the Billboard Country Charts in 1978.)

I did not go to the park for Cowboy Weekend, but I do remember seeing the Bear Country Hoedown many times throughout the early eighties. I believe this show was done as an attempt to try and draw guests back into that corner of the park in the late evenings. I remember guests had to sit on the ground for the show. Square dancers would come out and dance a few numbers and then they would grab guests from the crowd and teach them some of the steps. Then they would do a dance routine using those guests as their partners. I wish I had taken photos of one of the shows! I remember being picked quite a few times because I had been in "Fantasy On Parade" with some of the performers. Check out this post to see a 1981 Disneyland entertainment schedule listing the Bear Country Hoedown.

This ad was from a September 1980 edition of The Los Angeles Times. The park had been celebrating it's 25th birthday that year, with the yearlong "Family Reunion" campaign, but that would be winding down completely by Thanksgiving Weekend.

*****Post Update (April 2024)*****

I just found advertisements from 1981, and 1982, promoting Disneyland's "Country Weekends." Apparently, they decided to change the name of the event, and use the word "Country" instead of "Cowboy." I hope Jerry Reed sang, "When You're Hot, You're Hot"!

This ad is from just 5 months later, so the park's country music event must have been pretty popular. Mel Tillis was already well established in country music, so I'm a little surprised to see that he was playing at Disneyland. Reba McEntire was still an "up and coming" country artist at this point. However, not too long after this, her career began to really take off.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Knott's Berry Farm - The Return of Goldie's and Sad Eye Joe

This is a follow up to my Farewell to Goldie's Place post from three weeks ago. Well, it turns out that Goldie's is being rebuilt, and rather quickly. I went back one week after those demolition pics were taken and found this sign hanging on the construction wall.

Here is a repost of a demolition pic from three weeks ago.

Here's the same view from two weeks ago. The foundation for Goldie's was already in place and there was metal reinforcing laying on the ground waiting for concrete to be poured.

And here's the same view taken just last week. The framing of the building had already begun and the concrete had already been poured on the ground adjacent to it.

Next, is another repost from three weeks ago......

The same view taken two weeks ago......

....and a shot taken just last week.

This next picture shows some wood propped up behind the Ghost Town Jail that looks like it might be from the little outhouse that used to sit next to the jail. You can also see an office chair that looks like it might be the one that the guy providing the voice of Sad Eye Joe sat in. This shot was taken two weeks ago.

Here's a close-up.

This last photo was taken one week ago after the concrete had already been poured. I don't know for sure if those wood panels did come from the outhouse, but that structure is missing. I wonder if it will be rebuilt as well. Unfortunately, I don't have any "before" photos of it.

Stay tuned. I will try to do future updates on the construction as it progresses!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Tokyo DisneySea - 9th Anniversary

Today, Tokyo DisneySea is celebrating it's 9th anniversary. In honor of the anniversary, we will take a brief look at each of the park's lands/ports.

First up is Mediterranean Harbor. These buildings are actually located on a bridge over a waterway that runs around the entire park.

In this next photo, the structure on the far right is the Hotel Mira Costa, which has guest rooms that overlook Mediterranean Harbor. The building with the tower contains a wedding chapel (Chapel Mira Costa) on the second floor, which is accessed through the hotel. On the ground level is a glassware shop (Nicolo's Workshop) and a stationary store (Il Postino Stationary). Both of these shops are located inside the park.

Next, we have the American Waterfront. I have posted pics in the past of the New York section of this area, but these next two pics show the Cape Cod section. And yes, that is a volcano (Mount Prometheus) rising up behind a New England town!

After climbing to the top of these steps, guests can get a view of Tokyo Bay.

This is the Arabian Coast section of the park. These marketplace streets contain shops, restaurants and some games of skill and chance.

The domed structure off in the distance is the top of the two-story Caravan Carousel.

Now we are in Mysterious Island. This close-up shot of Captain Nemo's submarine was taken while sailing by on a Tokyo DisneySea Transit Steamer.

I've mentioned before that Mysterious Island is completely surrounded by rockwork. This is a tunnel that leads from Mysterious Island over to the Port Discovery section of the park.

Here's a shot of the Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull, which is located in the Lost River Delta.

This seaplane can be found parked along the shore. The land behind it remains undeveloped, but I do wonder if this area will be used in the future for park expansion. I happen to like it just the way it is...sort of like the undeveloped back portion of Disneyland's Rivers of America.

Across the river from the Indiana Jones attraction is Miguel's El Dorado Cantina.

Next we have some architecture from Port Discovery, which is sort of the "Tomorrowland" of Tokyo DisneySea. Below, is the Horizon Bay Restaurant.

This tower is located next to the DisneySea Electric Railway station.

Last but not least, we have Mermaid Lagoon.

Most of Mermaid Lagoon is located indoors. This photo was taken while standing just inside the entrance and looking out.

A closer look at those arches reveals that they are covered in tile.

And an even closer look shows that there are characters from the "Little Mermaid" stamped into the tile.

I have mentioned previously that both of the Tokyo Disney parks celebrate their anniversaries every year and that a special logo is designed for each one. Below is the logo that was used last year for DisneySea's 8th anniversary. I have not yet seen the logo that will be used this year for the 9th anniversary.

To view the logos that were designed for Tokyo DisneySea's first seven anniversaries, click here Tokyo DisneySea logos.

Happy Anniversary, Tokyo DisneySea!