Disney's Sam the Eagle & the 1984 Olympics (**** Updated 2024****)

For this Fourth of July, let's go back to the summer of 1984, when the Olympic Games were being held in Los Angeles, California.

Actually, let's first go back four years earlier, to when the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee was deciding which local animation studio would get to design the Olympic mascot. Ultimately, the committee chose Disney. The following article appeared in the Winter '82/'83 issue of Disney News Magazine.

Disney artist, Bob Moore came up with the final design of Sam the Eagle. He had worked on such films as Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi. He also created the Orange Bird mascot for the Florida Citrus Commission in 1971 and co-designed the postage stamp honoring Walt Disney in 1968.

Sam the Eagle made his public debut, the day after the closing ceremonies of the 1980 Olympics.

As the 1984 Olympics got closer, he began appearing on a wide variety of merchandise. Below is just a small sampling of items.

Postcards:

Picture frames:

Figurines:

Ceramic Mugs:

Collector's Plates:

Plush toys:

Magnets:

Note cards:

Stickers:

Key Chains:

Cloisonné Pins:

Sam even appeared on corporate promotional items such as McDonald's, "When The U.S. Wins, You Win" contest.

Sam also starred in his own animated Japanese TV show, "Sam The Olympic Eagle" (The Disney Studios were not involved in the production).

The series ran for one year with a total of 51 episodes being produced (two episodes, per half-hour show). Today, the show is super hard to find, but two of the episodes are available on YouTube. Both of those episodes can be viewed here:





Some people reportedly confused "Sam the Olympic Eagle," with Marc Davis' "Eagle Sam," the audio-animatronic host of Disneyland's "America Sings" attraction. Since both are anthropomorphic versions of bald eagles, who both wear red, white and blue top hats, have the same name and were both designed by the same studio, it's kind of easy to see how that mistake could have been made.

Los Angeles has been chosen to host the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. Unfortunately, Sam cannot be used again as the mascot, since the International Olympic Committee prohibits the use of any Olympic mascot, past the end of the calendar year in which the Olympic games were held. In fact, any promotional materials, costumes, unsold merchandise, etc., bearing the image of an Olympic mascot, are supposed to be destroyed at the end of the calendar year.

Does this mean that the Sam costume below does not still exist? It seems like it should have been placed into a museum somewhere. And that makes me ask the question, of why there isn't an Olympic museum in Los Angeles? After all, Los Angeles was the location of two Summer Olympic Games (1932 and 1984). Squaw Valley (in California) has a museum to commemorate their hosting of the the 1960 Winter Olympics, so why doesn't Los Angeles have something similar?

In anticipation of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Disneyland hosted "Olympic Spirit Weekends." To read more about this event, you can click here for my post from last year: Olympic Spirit Weekends at Disneyland

Happy Fourth of July, everyone!


****Post Update (July 24, 2019)****

Some of the souvenirs for the 1984 Olympics used the "Star In Motion" logo on them, instead of "Sam the Olympic Eagle." And in some cases, both were used (like on the ceramic picture frame shown earlier in this post). The "Star in Motion" logo was created by graphic designer, Robert Miles Runyan.

This particular pinback button, was a very common Olympic souvenir that year. Not only is the "Star In Motion" logo included on it, but it also uses the color scheme used at the various Olympic venues. There were other versions of the button available, with "Welcome" printed in different languages. This one is the Spanish version which reads, "Bienvenidos."

Here is another pinback button. This one shows the Olympic torch (multiplied by three) and the dates of the events.

Each of these large-size postcards uses the image of an "athlete," competing in a different Olympic event.

This first one shows a man throwing a javelin, superimposed over the flags of many nations:

This one shows a man throwing a discus, superimposed over a nighttime view of Downtown Los Angeles:

And this last one shows a runner, superimposed over a view of Downtown Los Angeles at sunset.

I mentioned the color scheme that was used at the various Olympic venues. Deborah Sussman is the artist who came up with the designs and color choices. The photo below, shows the entrance to the Los Angeles Colosseum, which is where the Track and Field events were held (and also the Olympic's opening and closing ceremonies).

This was the entrance to the Archery events, which were held at El Dorado Park in Long Beach.

Archery was the only 1984 Olympic event that I attended. Here is the front and back of my ticket, dated August 11th.

I even saved the parking ticket/receipt.

The 1984 Olympics had many corporate sponsors, with each one getting to claim that their product was the official airlines, car, film, soft drink, etc., of the Olympics. I saved this M&M's wrapper, which included the proclamation that it was the "Official Snack Food of the 1984 Olympic Games."

The candy would have expired in May of 1985....if I hadn't eaten it!

There was an "Official Music of the XXIII Olympiad" record album, which included the traditional "Bugler's Dream" (composed by Leo Arnaud in 1958, and first used for the Olympics in 1964), as well as John Williams' "Olympic Fanfare and Theme," which incorporates "Bugler's Dream into it's opening.

As the sticker on the shrink wrap stated, other songs which were written specifically for the 1984 Olympics, were included on the album. The artists involved were, Giorgio Moroder, Christopher Cross, Loverboy, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Bill Conti, Foreigner, Philip Glass, Toto, and Bob James.

The album also had this nice embossed gold seal affixed to the cover.

The back cover featured a photo of a gymnast on the balance beam.

If you would like to hear the John Williams track, you can listen to it on YouTube, by copying and pasting the link, below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCqUESCoB1w

We will end this update with one more pic of Sam the Olympic Eagle. I really hope that at least one of these "Sam" costumes was saved!

****Post Update (July 24, 2019)****

I recently came across an issue of Los Angeles Magazine, from July of 2014. It was a "special edition," which covered "The '80s - The Decade That Changed L.A." There were a couple articles related to the 1984 Olympics, so I decided to add them to this post.

There are actually two articles here, and they are both continued on the next page. The article with the orange background is an interview with Deborah Sussman. As mentioned earlier in my post, she is the artist who came up with the designs and color choices for the 1984 Olympics.

****Post Update (March 9, 2021)****

I recently acquired a vintage issue of  Vacationland magazine, which had a more in-depth article on Bob Moore (creator of Sam the Olympic Eagle), so I'm adding it to this post!

 

 *****POST UPDATE***** (May 2024)

Here is one more "Sam the Olympic Eagle" item, which I recently came across.  This bag was given to me at the Consumers store, where I bought my very first 35 mm camera, back in 1985.  The Olympics were over by then, but the store was still using these themed merchandise bags, for purchases of Cannon products.  I have previously posted the very first Disneyland photos I ever took with that camera.

Grad Nite '82 at Disneyland

Well, we're approaching the end of the school year and that means Grad Nites have already started. Unfortunately, there are no longer any "private-party" Grad Nites at Disneyland. Instead, the graduates have their Grad Nites at California Adventure. I don't think it would be the same having a Grad Nite over there, but maybe the kids these days, don't mind.

I remember being really excited about my Grad Nite. This poster went up inside the trophy case at my high school, once the Grad Nite tickets went on sale. I asked one of the secretaries in the Administration Office if I could have the poster when they were done with it, so she wrote my name and phone number on the back of it. I had forgotten all about it after graduation, but she ended up calling me in the middle of the summer and told me that if I still wanted it, to come to the school and pick it up!

This was the form for ordering tickets:

The tickets came with this brochure explaining the dress codes for the evening.

They don't even make the kids get dressed up for Grad Nite anymore! Why did we have to do it? And when did they stop requiring that?

It only cost $11.00 for a whole night at Disneyland (until 5:00 a.m.!)

More dress guidelines were listed on the back of the ticket:

The price of the ticket included a deluxe program:

Bertie Higgins was not appearing the night of our Grad Nite, so we didn't get to "...sail away to Key Largo!" Sister Sledge was appearing on the floating River Stage out in front of Tom Sawyer Island. I remember they changed the lyrics in their song, "We Are Family," from "I got all my sisters with me," to "The Class of '82 is free!" The only other performer that we saw that night was Tommy Tutone, whose song, "867-5309/Jenny" had gone to #4 on the Billboard chart the previous month.

They were giving out an Entertainment Flyer at the gate with the same cover as the deluxe program:

The cost of the ticket, also included a Grad Nite photo with a Disney character.

I'm not sure why Donald wasn't wearing a cap and gown, like the other characters were. Maybe it has something to do with him not ever wearing pants?

The souvenir photo came in a cardboard frame/holder:

This was the address label that you had to fill out so they could mail the photo to you.

And here's the envelope that the photo arrived in:

The photo came with a form to order additional copies. (I saved EVERYTHING!)

Other than the entertainment and having our pictures taken, the only other memory I have from that night, is getting VERY tired around 3:00 a.m.! Instead of finding a bench somewhere to rest, we decided to go ride the Disneyland Railroad. Since there isn't a point where they ever force you to disembark (like on other attractions), we just stayed on the train and rode it around the park, over and over again!

I also bought a few souvenirs that night. In addition to the pin-back button that we saw at the beginning of this post....

....I also bought a Grad Nite T-Shirt:

And a Grad Nite pennant:

And a Grad Nite Winnie the Pooh plush:

A plastic "Grad Nite '82" mug was also available, but for some reason, I did not purchase one.

 

 

Back in 2011, I did a vintage trip report about my eighth grade graduation trip to Disneyland. If anyone is interested in reading that post, here is the link: Eighth Grade Disneyland Trip

Congratulations, to all of the graduates out there!


****Post Update (June 15, 2019)****

I just came across some "non-Disney" graduation goodies and decided to add them to this post.

This '82 Avon pomander was just one of the things my mom gave me for graduation. It was made of a hard plastic and came in the shape of the "'82" pictured on the box. The outside of the plastic was covered with a rubbery material, infused with the scent of "Herbal Mist," whatever that is! It had a blue cord and tassel and it hung in my car until it got very faded and sticky! For that reason, I did eventually throw it out, but I have kept the box that it came in, for all these years.

One of the gifts that my aunt and uncle gave me, was this "Class of '82" mug, which was made by PAPÉL. I was actually given a second one of these (with red lettering), by one of my teachers. I had been a "teacher's aide" for her, during the last semester of my senior year.

About halfway through my senior year, Josten's Inc. sent this order form to all seniors. I ordered the graduation announcements, name cards, "thank you" notes and a "senior key."

Here is my "senior key."

I checked online, and Josten's Inc. is still in business today. According to Wikipedia, "Jostens is the primary supplier of Super Bowl rings, and has made 31 champion rings in the Super Bowl's 50-year history, through 2017." They also still make their traditional "Senior Keys." However, now the price for just the key (without an accessory), is $31.00, as opposed to the $6.00 that I paid back in 1982.