Alice “Seas” It All

D23_Featuresdayatsea_feat_01 — Virginia Davis as Alice is flanked by her sea captain friend (actor unknown, left) and Walt Disney on the set of Alice

Walt Disney often said that he would “never lose sight of one thing… that it all started with a Mouse.” But while Disney’s biggest success surely began with Mickey, young Walt and a determined crew of animators were making cutting-edge cartoons several years earlier. March 1, 1924 saw the premiere of Alice’s Day at Sea — the second Alice Comedy, the first Disney film to be produced in California and the first to achieve nationwide distribution.

What were the Alice Comedies? In the late 1910s and early 1920s, it was quite the trend for theatrical short films to combine live action and animation. Series like Max Fleischer’s “Out of the Inkwell” and John R. Bray’s “Colonel Heeza Liar” showed cartoon characters “living” in the real world. An artist’s hand would draw Colonel Heeza; then he’d jump off the page to bicker with his creators. In 1923, Walt Disney decided to reverse the idea: to put a real-life human into a cartoon world. At Disney’s Kansas City Laugh-O-Gram Films, Inc. Studio, a pilot film called Alice’s Wonderland was made. Local child actress Virginia Davis played Alice, who visited the Laugh-O-Gram studio — then dreamed of traveling to “Cartoonland,” where cartoon crowds cheered her and cartoon lions chased her. The effect, involving cutting-edge superimposition, took a sizable crew of animators to get right: At the time, the Disney crew included Kansas City buddies Ub Iwerks, Hugh Harman and Rudy Ising.

Then Walt did something amazing: He produced the next Alice Comedy, Alice’s Day At Sea, single-handedly.

A milkmaid-fish feeds her catfish milk straight from the sea cow's udder --- a rare example of animation by Walt Disney himself. — A milkmaid-fish feeds her catfish milk straight from the sea cow’s udder — a rare example of animation by Walt Disney himself.

A little background: Disney’s Kansas City studio had been plagued by bad luck. A distributor called Pictorial Clubs hired Walt to produce seven Laugh-O-Grams fairy-tale cartoons, but Pictorial declared bankruptcy soon afterward, leaving Disney in the red. Alice’s Wonderland was intended as a showpiece to attract a new distribution deal. After making it, Disney moved to Hollywood, where he felt distribution would be easier to arrange and a studio easier to maintain. Ironically, Walt ended up striking a deal with a New York-based distributor — Margaret J. Winkler — and had to start work without much of a studio at all. Winkler wanted more Alice films fast; Virginia Davis’ family was glad to join Walt in California, but Disney’s artists couldn’t make the move in time to work on the first of the new shorts. Thus Alice’s Day At Sea was drawn and directed by Walt alone… and would reflect his vision precisely.

Alice’s Day At Sea opens with an alarm clock waking Alice’s live-action dog, Peggy, in her doghouse, after which the pooch escorts Alice to the beach in a kid-sized car. There Alice listens to an old captain’s fish stories — illustrated in blackboard-style animation, with a giant squid attacking the man’s boat. Alice wishes she were a sailor, too, and dreams her way to Cartoonland, where we see her ship foundering in a scary cartoon storm. When lightning sends the boat to the bottom, Alice wriggles out through the smokestack to explore the ocean floor. She thrills to a fish jazz band; then visits “King Nep[tune]’s Zoo,” where creatures like a sea lion, catfish and sea cows look just like you would expect in a cartoon.

But the fun is spoiled when a hungry shark arrives. Alice tries to flee in a nearby “sea-going hack” (a car!), but ends up getting gobbled. She slips out from inside the shark after he tries to swallow a swordfish, but more danger approaches: It’s the squid from the old captain’s story! He’s tangling Alice in his coils when Peggy and the captain awaken her, revealing that she’s actually just caught up in a fishnet — so everyone can share a relieved laugh.

The reviewers loved Alice's Day at Sea. Clockwise from top left: Moving Picture World, May 10, 1924; Independent Exhibitor, December 15, 1924; Motion Picture News, April 26, 1924; early ad, ca. March 1924. — The reviewers loved Alice’s Day at Sea. Clockwise from top left: Moving Picture World, May 10, 1924; Independent Exhibitor, December 15, 1924; Motion Picture News, April 26, 1924; early ad, ca. March 1924.

For a film made by one animator, Alice’s Day at Sea brims with detail. The squid’s raw, animal menace is established when we see him eat an ill-fated salmon — though he’s still human enough to use silverware and salt the salmon before eating him! Walt continues a studio tradition by featuring the character of the swordfish, who had earlier appeared in the Laugh-O-Grams Four Musicians of Bremen and Jack the Giant Killer (both 1922). Day at Sea‘s live-action scenes sparkle with invention, too: Peggy’s doghouse is visibly larger inside than outside, with a comfy human-style bed for the hound to snooze on! (We’d be remiss not to mention that outside of the Alice Comedies, Peggy really belonged to Walt’s uncle Robert Disney.)

Distributed by Winkler on a states’-rights basis, Alice’s Day at Sea was a hit and launched an exciting series for Disney. As further Alice Comedies were completed, Walt’s Missouri animators joined him in Hollywood — and the Laugh-O-Grams’ cat cartoon star, later named Julius, joined Alice on-screen for more than 50 funny misadventures. But those stories can wait for another day.

Walt in Wonderland

By Jim Fanning

Fan card designed by Alice in Wonderland color stylist and Disney Legend John Hench.

Overflowing with wit, whimsy and wackiness, Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland always appealed to the wondrous imagination of Walt Disney. Almost from the start of his cartooning career, Walt found the surreal landscape of Carroll’s literary classics to be a rich setting for his animated creations. Before, during and after the production of his 1951 animated feature, full of wild and insanely imaginative dreamings, Walt tumbled again and again into the wondrous world of Alice’s fanciful adventures. As we enjoy Tim Burton’s new, visually innovative version of Alice in Wonderland, let’s follow Walt down the rabbit hole and explore what he called “the most fantastic of all the world’s of fantasy.”

Alice in Cartoonland

The brilliant word play and unique imagery of both Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There fascinated the ever-creative Walt, and he turned to Wonderland for his first Hollywood filmmaking success, the Alice Comedies. These pioneering shorts starred a live little Alice on the loose in an animated fantasy world. In the first short, Alice’s Wonderland (1923), the curious little girl pays a visit to Walt Disney in his cartoon studio and is tickled by the “funnies” that come to life through the magic of animation. Later, Alice dreams herself into Cartoonland where, like Carroll’s Alice, she finds zany adventures among the bizarre animal folk that populate this impossible realm. Walt produced 56 of little Alice’s animated adventures, weaving a quixotic foundation for the fantastical worlds he would explore in his Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony cartoons.

America’s Sweetheart in Wonderland

Walt on the set of One Hour in Wonderland. Kathryn Beamont is on the left in her Alice costume.

Early on, Walt planned to bring a direct adaptation of Carroll’s literary masterpiece to the screen through the magic of Disney animation, and in 1931 he bought the rights to the famous Wonderland illustrations by Sir John Tenniel. A fervent fan of Walt’s animated concoctions and one of Hollywood’s first superstars, Mary Pickford emulated Alice by wishing she could somehow enter Disney’s extravagant cartoon kingdom. Walt was already envisioning an animated feature, and plans formed to star Mary as Alice in a cartooned version of Carroll’s Wonderland; a test was filmed with Mary in full Alice costume. But when Paramount Studios produced an all-star version of Alice in Wonderland in 1933, Walt and Mary abandoned their plans. However, Walt turned to an even brighter star than any of the greats in Paramount’s film (including Cary Grant) — Mickey Mouse — to headline an animated extravaganza inspired by Carroll’s fancies. Thru the Mirror (1936) begins with Mickey slumbering over a copy of Through the Looking Glass and dreaming that he steps into the backward world on the other side of the mirror. A mini marvel of surreal imagery and offbeat antics, Thru the Mirror is one of Mickey’s most celebrated cartoons and solidified Walt’s search for an animated Wonderland.

Thru the Television Screen

Following the enormous success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Disney was determined to realize a full-fledged feature version of Wonderland. Artist David Hall concocted many otherworldly story drawings strongly influenced by Tenniel’s famed illustrations. Ultimately, Walt chose to develop Disney translations of Tenniel’s familiar characterizations. For many years, Walt revisited the conceit of a live-action Alice romp through an animated Wonderland; Ginger Rogers (who recorded a record album version of the story complete with Disney artwork), Margaret O’Brien and Disney’s own sweet starlet Luana Patten were all at one time in the running for the plum part but Walt finally decided on an all-animated cast. To féte the release of his long-awaited wonder film, Walt created his first television production, One Hour in Wonderland, which was telecast on the suitably wondrous date of Christmas Day 1950. In this inspired special, Walt welcomed viewers into the wonderland of his fantasy factory with Kathryn Beaumont, the voice of Alice, dressed in the same costume she wore in the live-action film produced for the animated feature.

When Walt debuted his Disneyland TV show in 1954, the great showman gave Alice in Wonderland pride of place as the second episode on November 3, 1954. Thereafter, he showcased the fantasy several times, including on Christmas Day 1959 when Walt compared the mad, mad movie to a beloved British holiday tradition, “the annual Christmas pantomimes. Young and old alike flock to these traditional entertainments to enjoy the annual retelling of such colorful fantasies as Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and many others. In this same traditional spirit we thought you might like to escape the world of reality to sit briefly at the feet of one of the most famous tellers of nonsense stories. His name was Charles Dodgson and by profession he was a staid teacher of mathematics at Oxford University. But down through the years people the world over have known him as Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland.”

In 1956, Walt’s studio came up with some truly unique Wonderland TV productions — Disney-animated commercials for Jell-O gelatin. Narrated by Sterling Holloway (voice of the film’s Cheshire Cat) and featuring Kathryn Beaumont recreating her vocal role as Alice, these expertly produced commercials even starred two Carroll characters planned for but dropped from the feature — the Mock Turtle and the Gryphon, who showed up with Alice in one of a series of delightfully Disney-animated TV commercials for a gelatin dessert mix in the late 1950s, wherein the Mock Turtle bemoans his inability to take the extras (such as cooking) in school.

The Madcap Music of Wonderland

One of the earliest Disney-produced Alice album features the sing-able songs as conducted and recorded by Disney’s music director, Tutti Camarata. One of the rarest of Disney record albums, this 1957 LP was a highly sought-after collectors’ item.

Veteran Disney composer Oliver Wallace spun a suitably surreal musical score for Alice in Wonderland and his sometimes bizarre, sometimes wistful composition was nominated for an Academy® Award. Boasting more songs than any other Disney animated feature, the wonder-filled musical seemed a natural for an original soundtrack album. But in a curious turn worthy of Alice’s wandering through Tulgey Wood, the earliest Disney-produced Alice album features the sing-able songs as conducted and recorded by Disney’s music director, Tutti Camarata. One of the rarest of Disney record albums, this 1957 LP was a highly sought-after collectors’ item. Another album showcasing the beautiful vocalizations of Mouseketeer Darlene Gillespie was released in 1959, brimming with full versions of songs only briefly heard in the film itself. The wishes of Wonderland fans who longed for an original soundtrack album were finally granted in 1997 when Walt Disney Records released a CD of the restored soundtrack.

Curiouser and Curiouser Comic Books

To deluxe comic books inspired by Alice in Wonderland were published to accompany the original release of Walt’s weird but wonderful film. The first was a fancifully faithful adaptation of the movie featuring a whimsical cover with an oversized Alice (sporting the traditional red-and-white striped stockings not seen on the animated character but famed in the colored Tenniel drawings) leading a parade of daffy Wonderland denizens. The second comic magazine, entitled Unbirthday Party with

The Gryphon (half-eagle, half lion and the emblem of Oxford’s Trinity College; Carroll taught at Oxford ) and the ever-sorrowful Mock Turtle shown above (he has a calf’s head because that was often an ingredient in the Victorian dish of mock turtle soup) make a major appearance in Lewis Carroll’s original book but did not make it into the final film — but they did make it into Disney animation, in a 1957 Disney-produced TV commercial for Jell-O.

Alice in Wonderland, highlighted hilarious new adventures starring Alice and her mad mavens of merriment. In a delightful departure from Disney’s Wonderland reality — such as it is — published in the 1957 Giant comic book Uncle Scrooge Goes to Disneyland, Alice invites Daisy Duck to the Queen of Hearts’ birthday party. In this topsy-turvy tale, “A Day in Wonderland,” drawn by comic book master Paul Murry, Daisy is dismayed to discover that the citizens of Wonderland are forced to bring two presents to the mad monarch. Daisy and Alice cleverly come up with a solution by convincing the Queen to have a “no birthday” party so that she can remain young and (ahem) beautiful forever. Daisy’s peculiar visit to Wonderland is echoed in the recent DVD release Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland, inspired by the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse TV show from Playhouse Disney on Disney Channel. On Daisy’s birthday, Mickey and friends enter a Wonderland unusual even by Wonderland standards, complete with Clarabelle Cow playing an unforgettable Queen of Hearts.

Wonderland at Disneyland

Inspiring Cheshire Cat-sized grins, Wonderland came to Disneyland Park when Walt introduced the silly and surreal Alice in Wonderland attraction on the very important date of June 14, 1958. Accompanying Walt and a bizarrely costumed stand-in for the White Rabbit was Mouseketeer Karen Pendleton costumed as Alice (as she sometimes also was in the Mickey Mouse Club segment “Karen in Cartoonland”). In the 1983 “New Fantasyland” re-imagining, an entire Alice in Wonderland area was created featuring the Mad Tea Party teacups and the Alice in Wonderland attraction itself, which, featuring the original voice of Alice, Kathryn Beaumont, re-opened on April 13, 1984. How appropriate that Wonderland wanderers of every age can still experience Walt’s version of that delightful dreamscape at that wonderland known as Disneyland.

Oscar®-Winning Walt

March 5, 2010March 2, 2018

By Jim Fanning

Who holds the world’s record for winning more Academy Awards® than anyone else? Steven Spielberg? Meryl Streep? Frank Capra? Though those leading Hollywood lights are Oscar® winners all, the record holder is Walt Disney with 32 Academy Awards. Setting high standards for excellence, Walt exemplified the quality the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has sought to honor since that august organization presented its first Awards in 1929. In celebration of this year’s Oscars, presented March 7 on ABC, let’s shine the klieg light on some of Walt Disney’s dazzling Academy Award highlights.

By the time the category of Best Short Subject (cartoon and live-action) was added for the 1931-32 Academy Awards, Walt Disney was the critical and audience pleasing favorite of Hollywood. In fact, the Academy created the category specifically to honor Walt and his achievements in animated artistry. When the Oscars were presented on November 18, 1932, Walt was the recipient of the Best Short Subject: Cartoon award for Flowers and Trees (1932), part of his artistically unprecedented Silly Symphonies series. In addition, Walt was awarded a special Oscar for creating what even the biggest name in Hollywood would admit was filmdom’s brightest star Mickey Mouse. For the glamorous ceremonies on that big night, Walt had produced a special Mouse cartoon, in which Mickey appeared in color for the very first time. Entitled Mickey’s Parade of Nominees, this unique Disney production presented the acting candidates in the fun-filled form of animated caricatures designed by Disney Legend Joe Grant, at the end of which Mickey piped, “I’m sorry. I can’t come any further so I’ll have to ask Mr. Disney to accept my prize for me.” At this point Walt received his honorary Oscar, only the second Special Award given to an individual in the Academy’s five-year history (the first such Special Award was given in 1929 to Walt’s idol, Charlie Chaplin for The Circus, 1928). Mickey was nominated that year too, for Mickey’s Orphans (1932), but would not appear in an Oscar-winning film until Lend a Paw (1941).

To make the whole thing even more of a “Hollywood story” Walt played a significant role in Oscar lore. The word famous golden statuette, revered as the superlative symbol of cinematic excellence, is today well known as the Oscar. Though there is some question about exactly how the Academy Award ended up with that unlikely moniker (the most accepted reason is that Academy librarian Margaret Herrick thought the statuette resembled her Uncle Oscar), there is no doubt who popularized the nickname. At the Academy Awards presentation held on March 16, 1934, Walt accepted the Best Short Subject: Cartoon Academy Award for the wildly popular Three Little Pigs (1933). In his acceptance speech, Walt referred to the award as “the Oscar,” a nickname heretofore regarded as a derogatory term. As famed Hollywood screenwriter and journalist Frances Marion reported, “When Walt referred to the ‘Oscar’ in his speech, that name took on a different meaning, now that we had heard it spoken with sincere appreciation.”

Walt poses with the Oscar for Seal Island (1949), the first of the True-Life Adventures. The nature documentary series won a total of 8 Academy Awards.

It seems only appropriate that Walt’s Silly Symphonies won more Oscars than any other cartoon series until the late 1940s. From 1932 through 1939, the Silly Symphonies won the Oscar every year (including Ferdinand the Bull, 1938, released as a Special but originally planned as a Silly Symphony). Other Disney cartoons also earned Oscar gold including Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953). The night that the stylish animated short — the first ever to be produced in widescreen CinemaScope® — garnered Hollywood’s highest honor, Walt’s Oscar quota soared as he also collected three other Oscars for the True-Life Adventure Bear Country (Two-Reel Live-Action Short Subject), the People and Places short The Alaskan Eskimo (Documentary: Short Subjects) and The Living Desert (Documentary: Features), the latter two awards presented by filmland’s legendary Elizabeth Taylor. Both the True-Life Adventures and the People and Places films racked up Oscars for Disney, demonstrating the great showman’s versatility in filmmaking, vividly visualized by the sight of Walt proudly posing with his armload of Oscars.

The crowning Oscar glory for Walt was undoubtedly Mary Poppins (1964). This critically acclaimed, incredibly popular musical fantasy was honored with an astounding, near-record 13 Academy Award nominations, more than any of Walt’s other films had received. For the first time ever a Walt Disney film was nominated in most of the major categories, including Best Actress (Julie Andrews), Best Screenplay Based on Material From Another Medium (Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi) based on the books by P.L. Travers, Best Color Cinematography (Edward Colman), Best Director (Robert Stevenson) and Best Picture. On Oscar night, April 5, 1965, the film flew off with five gleaming statuettes, again a record for a Disney film. The main competition for Walt’s “fair lady” was the movie version of My Fair Lady (1964), which managed to waltz off with most of the major honors, including Best Director and Best Picture. Since that night, some critics and historians have wondered if the Academy wouldn’t have been wiser to have rewarded Mary Poppins with the awards in the major categories as it was a completely original work for the screen as opposed to My Fair Lady, which despite its excellence, is a film of a fully realized Broadway show.

After the Academy Awards ceremony, Julie Andrews wrote to Walt: “I just wish with all my heart that we had bagged an Oscar for ‘best film’ too! It so deserved it.” “Knowing Hollywood, I never had any hope that the picture would get it,” responded Walt. “As a matter of fact, Disney has never actually been part of Hollywood, you know. I think they refer to us as being in the cornfield in Burbank.”

Julie Andrews (seen here with presenter Sidney Poitier) moments after having received a Best Actress Oscar for her film debut in Walt Disney's Mary Poppins. — Julie Andrews (seen here with presenter Sidney Poitier) moments after having received a Best Actress Oscar for her film debut in Walt Disney’s Mary Poppins.

Surprising as it may seem now, Walt was thought to be going out on an artistic and financial limb casting Julie as the lead in this major production as no other Hollywood producer was interested in this Broadway star as a silver screen viability (Jack Warner famously passed over Andrews in favor of Audrey Hepburn as Eliza in My Fair Lady, the role Julie created on Broadway). In accepting the Oscar for her motion picture debut — an accomplishment achieved by few film performers — Julie made the practically perfect statement, “I know where to start — Mr. Walt Disney gets the biggest thank you.” Also winning that night were those supercalifragilisticexpialidocious songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman who received Oscars for Best Song (“Chim Chim Cher-ee”) and Best Score, receiving the former from Fred Astaire and the latter from Debbie Reynolds.

A few years later, the Sherman Brothers reunited with fellow Oscar honorees director Stevenson and co-writers Walsh and DaGradi for Bedknobs and Broomsticks, a film that had been in development under Walt since before Mary Poppins was produced. Nominated for five Academy Awards, the musical fantasy swept away with the statuette for Best Special Effects, a testament to the Oscar-worthy talent of Walt Disney and his filmmaking magicians.

Today, Walt’s Oscar legacy continues to live on as some of his most well-loved animated characters have appeared at the Academy Award ceremonies as presenters, usually for Best Short Subject, including Snow White (cutely quipping, “I’ve got more than a little experience with short subjects”) in 1993 and Mickey Mouse in 2006. The extraordinary filmmakers behind such contemporary animated classics as Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Up (2009) — the first animated features in Academy Award history to be nominated as Best Picture — carry on the Disney tradition of excellence that made Walt Disney, most deservedly, the most winning Academy Award-winner ever.

King Stefan’s Banquet Hall’s Beef and Barley Soup and Fried Brie Cheese

Fantasyland has always been about living the fantasy of Walt Disney’s animated classics, and Cinderella’s Royal Table offers Walt Disney World guests the unique opportunity to dine like — and with — Cinderella herself in the beloved castle that bears her name. The circular banquet hall is a marvel of medieval splendor, with a high vaulted ceiling, intricately carved columns and ornate stained-glass windows that look out onto Fantasyland.

Although the restaurant has been serving medieval meals since the park’s opening day, October 1, 1971, the Magic Kingdom landmark began life as King Stefan’s Banquet Hall. King Stefan is Princess Aurora’s father. So why the incongruous Disney princess nomenclature? Glad you asked! According to Imagineering folklore, the original Magic Kingdom design team wanted to give their crown jewel eatery a suitably regal name. None of the characters in Cinderella fit the bill — that film’s king is nameless — so Sleeping Beauty’s father was conscripted to lend his name to Cinderella’s banquet hall, an uncharacteristic move for the normally thematically obsessive Imagineers. After confusing guests and Cast Members alike for more than 25 years (“Who’s King Stefan?” “Was he in the movie?”), the popular eatery was renamed, in honor of the castle’s star tenant as part of a 1997 renovation, by a new generation of Imagineers.

As you can imagine, Cinderella’s Royal Table is the place to find Cinderella in the Magic Kingdom. Guests can meet her during breakfast, lunch or dinner as part of Fairytale Dining. The serving staff wears medieval garb, an overall look that has evolved since opening day yet has remained visually consistent with the environment. The menu, too, has changed over the years, with more sophisticated fare gradually replacing the initial offerings. But we are nothing if not nostalgic at Disney twenty-three, and have included recipes for two longtime Stefan favorites, Beef and Barley Soup and Fried Brie Cheese, found safely stowed in the Walt Disney Archives. We miss them, too, and trust us, try them and you’ll see they definitely stand the test of time!

Ingredients

Beef and Barley Soup
4 cups boiling water
coarse salt (to taste)
²⁄₃ cup uncooked pearl barley
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely diced onions
¹⁄₂ cup finely diced carrots
¹⁄₂ cup finely diced celery
2 teaspoons dried shallots
2 cups (about ¹⁄₂ pound) diced, cooked roast beef
8 cups water
5 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled
2 chicken bouillon cubes, crumbled
¹⁄₄ teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
Fried Brie Cheese
3 cups vegetable oil
2 9 ounce (4¹⁄₂-inch) Brie cheese rounds
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¹⁄₄ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg, beaten
³⁄₄ cup dry bread crumbs
¹⁄₂ cup tomato sauce for dipping

Preparation

Beef and Barley Soup
Bring water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the pearl barley; stir, cover, and reduce heat to low and cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until the barley is tender. Drain well in a colander and rinse using cold water. Set aside. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium heat. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and shallots for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add the roast beef, water, crumbled bouillon cubes, salt to taste, pepper, and garlic, and stir to combine. Bring soup to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Continue cooking for 20 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add parsley flakes and the cooked barley and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Makes 8 cups.

Fried Brie Cheese
Preheat the oil to 325 degrees in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Using a sharp knife, cut each cheese round into 8 even-sized wedges. Combine the flour and cayenne pepper in a mixing bowl. Place the beaten egg in another mixing bowl and the bread crumbs in a separate mixing bowl. Dredge the cheese pieces in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Dip the cheese into the egg until evenly coated. Roll the cheese in the bread crumbs, coating evenly. Place pieces of cheese into the preheated oil in batches to avoid overcrowding the saucepan. Cook about 1 minute, or until golden brown. Remove them from the oil and transfer to paper towels to drain. Continue cooking the remainder of the cheese until complete. Heat the tomato sauce in a saucepan over low heat. If needed, season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the cheese immediately with the tomato dipping sauce on the side.

Chef’s Notes
For the soup, you may add more roast beef to the recipe, if you prefer. Ask your deli to make the slices approximately one inch thick to make it easier for you. For the cheese, use your favorite tomato sauce or simply add Italian seasonings to plain sauce for more flavor.

Mickey Mouse Club Circus at Disneyland

November 25, 2009March 27, 2018

Ladies and Gentlemen, and children of all ages… The Mickey Mouse Club Circus, in the world’s largest striped circus tent, debuted at Disneyland on November 24 in 1955 and remained until January 8 of the following year. As if it weren’t enough to see Professor Keller and His Feline Fantastics, Serenado the Wonder Horse playing “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” and Bob-O the Disneyland clown, the Mouseketeers from TV’s Mickey Mouse Club got into the act as well.

The Mickey Mouse Club Circus was a particular highlight of Mouseketeer Bobby Burgess’ Disney days. “The Mickey Mouse Club Circus was in the fall of ’55 with the Ted DeWayne Circus and they melded us into it and called it the Mickey Mouse Club Circus,” Bobby recalls. “It was a red and white huge tent and it was hot and sweaty in there, but we were having a blast. They dressed us as Peter Pan and Tinker Bell and we did the trapeze act. There was a girl in the center who was a pro who would go over and over and over. Tommy and I were the web setters, and two of the girls, one was Sharon and one was Bonnie from the first year. The rest of them were on swinging ladders, and the boys were Peter Pan and the girls were Tinker Bell and then we turned out the lights and we glowed in the dark. We also rode elephants and horses everyday and we were trained by professional circus people. That was really fun!”

From Disneyland News, November 1955: Walt’s latest venture marks his first entry into the circus field, and the show promises to be one of the greatest things he has done. Titled the Mickey Mouse Club Circus, it will present animal acts and aerialists, clowns and elephants and introduce to the public, for the first time in person, the Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeers, including Jimmy Dodd, the Grand Mouseketeer as Ringmaster and Roy Williams, the “Big Mooseketeer,” as the Circus Strong Man.

The Mouse Club Circus will boast a menagerie of more than 80 animals, a talent roster of over 70 performers picked by Walt personally from the best circus talent available in the world.

Some of these star attractions include Professor George Keller’s Feline Fantastics, wild animals act fresh from engagements with Ringling Bros. and the Ted DeWayne troupe of acrobats and gymnasts. DeWayne’s troupe has appeared in 46 states and 32 foreign countries with its sensational trampoline, tumbling and human pyramid gyrations.

Action will get underway Thanksgiving Day with an old time Circus parade up Main Street. The entire Circus cast — animals, acrobat clowns and Mouseketeers will march or be pulled in magnificent, original circus wagons. The parade will be climaxed by the official lighting of Disneyland’s “Old Fashioned Christmas” displays and the entire Main Street will sparkle from the illumination of colored lights on every building and in every shop window.

Immediately following the ceremony the circus will have its premiere showing. Seats for 2500 persons will be available under Disneyland’s “Big Top,” to be located in Holidayland and reached through Fantasyland. General admission prices are 50 cents for both adults and children. Reserved seats will also be available at $1 for children and adults.

The show itself is to be a fast paced presentation that will last about 75 minutes. Twelve major acts headline the bill. Leading off will be Professor George Keller’s amazing Feline Fantastics. Thirteen jungle animals, including lions, pumas, ocelets, leopards and tigers headline Keller’s big cat act. His unique presentation—he works without whip, gun or chair—has sent chills through every audience he has played. After the professor’s act clowns will ease the tension and then Walt’s own Mouseketeers will take over center stage with a breathtaking aerial ballot, specially created for presentation here. Trained ponies, dogs and seals enter next, followed by Kinko the Clown and his miniature auto. Performing Camels and Llamas make up the sixth act. After the animals Ted DeWayne’s Troupe of acrobats and gymnasts will enliven the center ring.

Serenada, the world’s most famous performing horse, an elephant act and more clowns and Mousketeers will set the scene for the final act: the Flying Felicias and their amazing aerial presentation.

Final event on the program is to be the spectacular Grand Finale of the “March of the Toys.” Living Toys, representing the beloved Disney creations of the years, will march machine-like around the hippodrome. Leading the parade will be Mickey Mouse himself with Minnie, Donald Duck, Pluto, and Goofy, and the whole galaxy of great Walt Disney stars. As they march a Christmas tree will grow from the center ring. It will rise to meet a sparkling star, high in the tent. Jingling bells will announce the appearance of Santa Clause who will arrive by sleigh and close the production.

Special effort is being made to make this one of the most visual circuses ever seen. The “Big Top” is being built to order for Disneyland at a cost of more than $30,000, and inside arrangement of the tent will assure a good view of the action from every seat.

The Big Top itself will be a major holiday attraction because of its gay red and white stripes. Measuring some 185 feet by 130 feet, it will be the largest striped Circus tent in the world. Seats will be permanent and sturdily reinforced. Another feature, a heating installation, will make it the world’s only heated circus tent. More than 200,000 people are expected at see the Mickey Mouse Club Circus during its holiday season run at Disneyland. Combined with the Christmas decorations throughout the park, the Magic Kingdom will be a major Southern California visitor attraction.

A Witch’s Brew of a Perfect Movie

By Jim Fanning

Black cats, magic spells, flying broomsticks, and a ghostly army of empty armor . . .

Premiering originally in 1971 and released on September 8, 2009 in a new “Enchanted Musical Edition” on Disney DVD, Bedknobs and Broomsticks stars Disney Legend Angela Lansbury, who casts an irresistible spell as Miss Eglantine Price, a prim British spinster who also happens to be an amateur witch. The elaborate Oscar®-winning movie is set aglow by magical numbers from Walt Disney’s maestros of music Richard and Robert Sherman. Black cats, magic spells, flying broomsticks, and a ghostly army of empty armor make up an enchanting witch’s brew of a movie perfect for a wickedly fun October — or any time of the year. Here’s a bewitching baker’s dozen of spellbinding facts about Disney’s magical musical fantasy.

1. October is a Special Month for Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Not only did Bedknobs and Broomsticks have its world premiere on October 7, 1971, but this mesmerizing movie also had several other milestones happen during the haunting month of Halloween. In October 1969, Angela Lansbury visited the Disney Studios to meet with producer/co-writer Bill Walsh and the Sherman Brothers.

“The atmosphere of warmth and enthusiasm which exists at Disney’s Studio is very real and infectious,”

Angela said in an October 22, 1969 handwritten note to Bill Walsh. “I think the script has so many marvelous facets, character, humor, heart and an opportunity for rare inventiveness in so many areas . . . . And the songs Dick and Bob have written for Eglantine are charming and just what was needed. So, all things being equal, do hope I’m ‘Your Girl’.” Bill announced that Miss Lansbury would indeed be signed for the role of Miss Price on the appropriately witchy date of October 31, 1969.

2. The Name of Naboombu’s Lion King is Leonidas
Long before The Lion King (1994), the mighty animated monarch of the lost isle of Naboombu ruled. Although never mentioned in the film itself, the official moniker of this soccer-loving sovereign is King Leonidas, (from the Greek for “lion-like”), apparently after the king of ancient Sparta. Voice artist veteran Lennie Weinrib performed the vocal role of King Leonidas as a parody of Robert Newton’s piratical role as Long John Silver in Walt Disney’s Treasure Island (1950).

3. Angela Lansbury was a British World War II Evacuee
Like Charlie, Carrie and Paul in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Angela Lansbury left London during World War II to escape the bombings, so the project carried an emotional resonance for her. “The story reminded me of my teens,” Angela recalled. “Like Miss Price, I was in England when World War II broke out. My mother gave me a choice of being evacuated from London to a boarding school in the country or studying acting at home. I chose the latter without hesitation.” However, Angela’s actress-mother soon evacuated Angela and her brothers, twins Edgar and Bruce (Bruce later became a television producer most famous for producing The Wild Wild West), to the United States, where the young actress was cast in Gaslight (1944), and earned her first Best Supporting Actress Academy Award® nomination — all before her 18th birthday.

Like Miss Price, I was in England when World War II broke out . . .

4. The Main Titles were Inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry
Artist David Jonas created the art for the film’s main titles in the style of the famous 11th-century embroidery known as the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman Conquest. Clever touches in the titles abound, such as minstrels representing the Sherman Brothers; a wizard holding a lighted lantern signifying white-bearded director of photography Frank Phillips; and the illustration of Halley’s Comet from the original tapestry standing in for the animated sequence’s soccer ball.

5. Walt Disney Oversaw Development of the Film
Though many fans know Bedknobs and Broomsticks was produced by the same team that created Mary Poppins (1964), few realize the film was developed under the supervision of Walt Disney himself, even though it was released five years after his passing. Walt participated in story meetings and heard and approved the majority of the songs. “One of the songs that Walt liked a lot was ‘Substitutiary Locomotion,'” revealed Robert Sherman. “He loved that song. He said, ‘That’s wonderful but we should do a little of that counter melody.’ We had done a few counterpoints and he loved the idea of that. So we came up with the actual magic words — Treguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis, Dee — and put them with the verses we had already written.”

“One of the songs that Walt liked a lot was ‘Substitutiary Locomotion,'” revealed Robert Sherman

6. Julie Andrews Came Close To Playing Miss Price
Disney’s “practically perfect” star almost returned to the Studio when she was offered the lead role of apprentice witch Miss Price. Though the lady who won an Oscar as Mary Poppins initially turned down the part, she later had second thoughts, according to the Studio’s then-head of publicity Tom Jones. “Maybe I should do that picture,” mused Ms. (now Dame) Andrews. But just at that time, it was announced Angela Lansbury had been signed — and while it’s fun to speculate how Julie would have approached the role, Angela made the perfect Miss Price. Julie of course ultimately returned to Disney in 2001 for The Princess Diaries and its sequel, The Princess Diaries II: Royal Engagement (2004).

7. There are 130 Gags in the Animated Soccer Match
The hilariously hectic animated soccer game was directed by one of Walt’s legendary Nine Old Men, Ward Kimball. Crafted by veteran story artists Ralph Wright and Ted Berman, the Naboombu “football” match of the True Blues and the Dirty Yellows is one of the fastest-paced pieces of Disney animation ever produced and is jam-packed with one gag after another. “We created a 22-minute comedy sequence which cost close to a million dollars and took a year to complete,” noted Ward. Fellow Nine Old Men Milt Kahl, John Lounsbery, and Eric Larson also scored with the manic soccer match. For a special treat, look closely at the first wide shot of the crowd in the stands and see if you can spot the bear wearing a Mickey Mouse T-shirt.

8. The Original Cast Soundtrack Recording Featured Several Songs not Heard in the Original Film
More than one Bedknobs fan was puzzled by the 1971 original cast soundtrack album, for it included several songs not heard in the movie itself. Produced by the film’s arranger/conductor Irwin Kostal, the soundtrack album featured “With a Flair,” “A Step in the Right Direction” and several segments of the “Eglantine” number, including “Don’t Let Me Down” — all songs excised from the film before its release. The inclusion of this deleted musical material was not a mistake; in an April 16, 1971 memo, then-president of Disneyland/Vista Records Jimmy Johnson stated that “A Step in the Right Direction” had been “eliminated from the film, but the melody is used instrumentally…. Nevertheless, we are going to use the lyric version in the soundtrack album.” Released on compact disc for the first time in 2002, the Bedknobs and Broomsticks soundtrack album is now available on iTunes.

9. 23 “Lost” Minutes of Bedknobs and Broomsticks were Restored in 1996 for the 25th Anniversary of the Film
Intrigued by the tantalizing presence of “A Step in the Right Direction” on the soundtrack album, Disney preservationist Scott MacQueen set out to restore the film for its silver anniversary. In a restoration effort rivaling Miss Price’s epic search for the lost spell, the search was on for missing footage cut from the film in 1971 to meet the demands of exhibitors who wanted the movie to run under two hours. Seven months of sifting through film vaults and painstakingly reuniting the missing elements, both dialog scenes and excised songs, resulted in a version of Bedknobs and Broomsticks reflecting the original vision of Bill Walsh, director Robert Stevenson and Walt Disney himself. (Ironically, the only piece of the puzzle that was never found was the “A Step in the Right Direction” number.) The newly restored Special Edition of the film was given a gala re-premiere on September 27, 1996 at the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, attended by, among others, Angela Lansbury, the Sherman Brothers, Ward Kimball and special effects artist Danny Lee. It is this nearly complete “director’s/producer’s cut” Special Edition that is now available on Disney DVD.

10. Both Bedknob and Broomstick are Among the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives
The Walt Disney Archives was founded in 1970, the year in which Bedknobs and Broomsticks was filmed, and chief archivist and founder (and Disney Legend) Dave Smith made sure major and very magical props used in the production were carefully preserved. Consequently, the Disney Archives houses not only the magic bedknob and Miss Price’s broomstick, but also Prof. Browne’s carrying case of amulets and charms, the Isle of Naboombu linen storybook and the Spells of Astoroth manuscript.

“I love surprises,” David said. “That’s why I cannot refuse a Disney picture.”

11. David Tomlinson was not the First Actor Signed to play Professor Emelius Browne
Though Peter Ustinov was offered the role of London illusionist and con man Professor Emelius Browne, the role originally went to Ron Moody. Famed for his Academy Award-nominated role of Fagin in the smash-hit 1969 movie musical Oliver! (1968), Ron dropped out of Bedknobs before filming began. The original Prof. Browne ultimately did get a chance to perform opposite Miss Price as Moody appeared with Angela Lansbury on her TV series Murder She Wrote in 1985. Ron finally made magic for Disney, playing Merlin the wizard — twice — in Unidentified Flying Oddball (1979) and A Kid in King Arthur’s Court (1995). As for Emelius Browne, he was ultimately played by David Tomlinson, a Disney favorite from Mary Poppins and The Love Bug (1969). “I love surprises,” David said. “That’s why I cannot refuse a Disney picture.”

12. Admiral Boom Plays General Teagler
The role of retired General Sir Brian Teagler, commander of Pepperinge Eye’s Home Guard soldiers, was played by Reginald Owen, who had delightfully depicted another English military gentleman, Admiral Boom, in Mary Poppins. In a career spanning decades, British-born Reginald had been under contract to MGM, where he appeared in such major movies as Anna Karenina (1935) and also portrayed Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (1938). He later played Kevin Corcoran’s eccentric but kindly neighbor in two Walt Disney Presents TV productions: “Moochie of the Little League” (1959) and its sequel “Moochie of Pop Warner Football” (1960). Bedknobs and Broomsticks was this veteran character actor’s last film.

Such motion-picture sorcery that won Alan, along with Eustace Lycett and Danny Lee, an Academy Award for Best Special Effects

13. The Entire Film (almost) was Shot at the Disney Studios in Burbank
Aside from some brief coastal scenes of Nazi soldiers — shot on location at a California beach — Bedknobs and Broomsticks was filmed at the Walt Disney Studios. Three blocks of London’s legendary Portobello Road were re-created on Sound Stage 2, the biggest, most expensive set Disney ever built up until that time. The town square of English village Pepperinge Eye — complete with a stone castle — was recreated on the Disney backlot. In truth, only the entrance and battlement of the ninth century fortress were constructed. The rest of the castle, as well as the majority of the picturesque village that surrounded it and the long shots of Miss Price’s lovely but lonely coastal cottage were actually conjured up through the matte paintings of Alan Maley. It was such motion-picture sorcery that won Alan, along with Eustace Lycett and Danny Lee, an Academy Award for Best Special Effects, a richly deserved honor for bringing Miss Price’s witchcraft to dazzling life.

Christmas Morning Gingerbread

Get ready to roll if you choose to create a gingerbread house!

Lady was Jim Dear’s Christmas gift to Darling, and every time we watch Lady and the Tramp, we can’t help but get nostalgic for the holidays. Here is Disneyland Executive Pastry Chef Jean-Marc Viallet’s recipe for baking the perfect gingerbread, and instructions to build a gingerbread house too! This recipe originally appeared in the winter 2009 issue of Disney twenty-three. There’s no reason you can’t pretend it’s Christmas in June, right?

Ingredients

Cookies
3/4 cups butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cups shortening
1 1/2 cups baker’s sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup robust (dark) molasses
2 teaspoons orange zest (chopped fine)
3/4 cups all purpose flour
4 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 large egg whites
7 1/2 cups powdered white sugar

Kitchen Recipe Essentials
1 roll kitchen parchment (at least 10 yards long)
Assorted cookie cutters
Electric mixer
2 each large pastry bags
1 1/4-to-3/8-inch diameter plain round pastry tip
Cardboard sheets
Waxed paper
2 pastry bags

Preparation

Using small knife as aid, pull or cut away dough from around door and between shapes.

The dough can be made 1 day ahead. (Keep refrigerated.) Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar and beat to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add molasses and orange zest and beat on high speed until well blended. Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg into medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients in 4 different steps in equal amounts (to ensure the mix is blended appropriately), beating at low speed until dough forms. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into rectangle. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, at least 6 hours.

Rolling, Cutting, and Baking
Each of the six pieces of dough will be used for one of the large sections of the house (the two side walls, the front and the back walls, and the two roof sections). The scraps will be re-rolled to make the roof tiles, trees, stars, bells and other fun shapes for decorating and snacking.

Make Templates: On one cardboard sheet, draw 14-inch round and cut out, making base for house. On other cardboard sheets, draw and cut out all other design elements (walls, roof, doors and windows). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out 1 dough piece (keep remaining dough refrigerated) between two 15-inch-long sheets of parchment to scant 1/4-inch rectangle, turning over dough and parchment occasionally. If parchment wrinkles, peel off, smooth wrinkle and reposition parchment over dough; continue to roll out dough to required thickness.

Walls: Repeat rolling, cutting, and baking of each remaining 5 large dough pieces, 1 piece at a time, to make second roof section, 2 side walls, front wall, and back wall (cut out openings for windows on side walls and door on front wall but not door on back wall). Gather and refrigerate dough.

Roof: To make roof, place cardboard roof template atop parchment. Using small sharp knife, cut around template through top sheet of parchment. Peel top parchment off dough. Pull away excess dough from around the rectangle. Slide dough rectangle on its bottom parchment onto heavy large baking sheet. Gather dough scraps; wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Bake cut-out pieces until dry looking, firm to touch in center, and just beginning to darken around edges, about 13 minutes. Slide parchment with rectangle onto rack and cool completely. Rinse baking sheet under cold water to cool; wipe dry.

Chef’s Note
Save the scraps for use later, and rinse baking sheet to cool each time.

Door and Other Cutouts
Roll out some of reserved dough between sheets of parchment to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out front door. Using floured cookie cutters, cut out several stars, gingerbread figures, Christmas trees and other creative fun shapes as desired. Using small knife as aid, pull or cut away dough from around door and between shapes. Slide parchment with cookies onto cooled baking sheet. Bake cookies until dry looking and firm to touch, about 9 minutes. Slide parchment with cookies onto rack and cool cookies completely. Remove all baked gingerbread from parchment. (All gingerbread can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

Icing
Please note, you will prepare this recipe twice, once for assembling the gingerbread house, and again for decorating your gingerbread house.

Using electric mixer, beat 4 egg whites in medium bowl until very foamy, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Beat until well blended. Add remaining 7 cups sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating until well blended after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Beat icing at high speed until very thick and stiff, about 5 minutes. (Second batch of icing will be made later.)

Successfully piping thick lines of icing is essential to building a house that will stand throughout the holidays.

Construction
Pipe thick line of icing on bottom edge of 1 side wall. Stand wall on cardboard foundation, icing side down, 1 inch in from and parallel to one long side and 2 inches in from one short side; hold for 5 minutes. Pipe thick line of icing onto front edge of wall. Press back edge of front wall (with door cutout) into icing on front edge of side wall. Hold pieces together for 5 minutes. Pipe thick line of icing on bottom edge and up front edge of second side wall. Press icing on front edge of side wall into the back edge of front wall, positioning wall parallel to first side wall. Hold for 5 minutes. Pipe line of icing up back edge of each side wall. Press edges of back wall (without door) into icing, forming the back of the house. Hold 5 minutes to set. Pipe lines of icing inside house at 4 intersections of walls, along the base and on outside at all vertical joints to reinforce. Pipe a thick line of icing along 1 long edge of front-door cookie. Attach cookie to left side of door opening in front wall, creating an opened front door. Pipe any icing left in pastry bag back into bowl of icing. Cover tightly; store at room temperature to use for decorating later. Let house stand until icing is completely dry and very hard, about 12 hours.

Assembly of Roof
Prepare a second batch of icing. Beat in any remaining icing from the first batch. Spoon 1 cup icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch diameter tip. Outline windows and front door decoratively. Pipe decorations on front and back walls. Spoon icing into a new pastry bag fitted with 1/4- to 3/8-inch diameter plain tip. Pipe thick line of icing down 1 diagonal edge of front wall; continue piping icing along top edge of adjoining side wall and up diagonal edge of back wall. Press 1 roof rectangle into icing, positioning so that top edge aligns with tops of front and back walls and lower edge overhangs side wall by about 1 1/4 inches. Hold in position for 5 minutes to set. Pipe additional lines of icing along roof joints inside house to reinforce. Pipe thick line of icing down second diagonal edge of front wall; continue piping icing along top edge of adjoining side wall and up diagonal edge of back wall. Press second roof rectangle into icing, positioning so that top edge aligns with edge of first roof rectangle and lower edge overhangs side wall by about 1 1/4 inches. Hold in position for 5 minutes to set. Let house stand until icing hardens, at least 3 hours. Cover bowl of icing and let stand at room temperature.

Decorations
Spoon icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch-diameter tip. Pipe 1 or more thick lines of frosting between roof sections at top of house, filling opening completely. For decorating, pipe small rounds of icing then gently press assorted candies throughout the gingerbread piece. Using pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch-diameter tip, pipe small mound of icing onto edge of roof for snow-lined look. Slowly pull bag downward while squeezing out icing so that about 3/4- to 1-inch section of icing hangs freely. Pull bag away, leaving “icicle” hanging. Repeat at 1/4-inch intervals around roof edge. Pipe decorative line of icing along front and back eaves of roof sections. Outline and decorate gingerbread figures, trees, stars, and other cookies. (Icing may be colored, if desired.) Using back of spoon or flexible spatula, spread icing around base of house and on cardboard base, creating “snow-covered” landscape.

Tam O’Shanter Prime Rib

Let’s face it; prime rib is the most luxurious of all comfort foods.

Each bite seems even more delectable than the previous, and the simple act of eating a perfectly prepared rib is one of life’s great pleasures. Here is the receipe for prime rib as prepared at the legendary Tom O’Shanter restaurant… and while we’re certain this timeless recipe will produce the perfect meal during your holiday season, we recommend making some time to stop by the Tam to sample their version. You can even ask for Walt’s table — table 31 — and you can imagine eating this deceptively delicate dish during Walt’s own era. It really does add to the flavor!

Ingredients

Lawry’s Prime Rib
10-12 pounds export rib
1⁄₂ cup rock salt
2 tablespoons table salt¹⁄₂ tablespoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

Preparation

One day in advance, remove the meat from the plastic wrap and pat dry. Evenly spread the rock salt on a sheet tray and place a wire rack over the rock salt. In a small bowl, mix the table salt and seasoned salt together. Place the meat on the wire rack and sprinkle the salt mixture evenly over the entire roast, top, bottom, and all sides. Rub the salt into the meat. Lightly cover the sheet tray with parchment paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 200 degrees, cooking fan on low. Remove the roast from the refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes as the oven heats. Load the roast into the oven and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours. The internal temperature should read 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Turn the oven off, open the door slightly, and allow the roast to rest for at least 45 minutes before carving.

Prep time: 24 hours
Serves: 10-12

Illuminations: Reflections of Earth Celebrates 10 Years of Magic

October 1, 2009January 2, 2018

Several years before the turn of the millennium, long-time Disney entertainment consultant Don Dorsey was brought on to be involved in the development of a new type of fireworks. Disney’s new environmentally friendly “air launch” technology would use compressed air instead of black powder under the shell, and it was Don’s job to help the team understand the creative possibilities. After all, Don had been involved with Disney as early as 1975’s patriotic America on Parade, immediately followed by an update of the illuminating Main Street Electrical Parade.

A few years later, when Don was asked to develop an all-new Epcot show for the millennium using the new technology, Don’s mind skyrocketed with ideas, and he settled on the idea of telling the story of Earth… in just 12 minutes. Illuminations: Reflections of Earth officially premiered on October 1, 1999, and for 10years has been lighting up the faces of audiences from around the world.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary, Don reflected on the creation of the show and shared some secrets behind it.

IN THE BEGINNING…
The wise and powerful-sounding narrator, the first voice you hear in the show, is Jim Cummings, who is also the current voice of a very little brain, Winnie the Pooh, as well Tigger and even the Big Bad Wolf. “I was looking for grandfather, Indian chief, international, your conscience… I was looking for some voice that could embody this idea without being any of them,” Don says. “It just had a marvelous feel to it, exactly what I had hoped for.”

Following the narration, the grandfatherly voice blows out all the torches around the lagoon. That goosebump moment was not originally in the script, but blew into Don’s head during the recording session.

SEEING FIREWORKS
Illuminations: Reflections of Earth premiered the most accurate precision fireworks in Disney history. “They created a little computer chip that carried an electrical charge, and on that computer chip is a little circuit that has a timer,” Don notes. Thanks to that chip and variable air pressure, the timing accuracy and the height accuracy allow creative teams to reach new heights.

Both the air-launch and computer technology are necessary for Reflections of Earth‘s opening effect— when a shooting star darts by and explodes. The secret to that stellar effect is using two firework shells. While the sideways firework goes by, appearing as a shooting star, a blossom firework is launched. With air-launch technology, the firework leaves no trail as it rises to the precise height of the shooting star headed in from outside the berm, blossoming at the exact moment they meet for an electrifying effect.

“It was one of those big finger-crossing moments when we said, ‘All right, this is how we’re going to try to do it.’ And it actually worked,” Don laughs.

IN TUNE
Here’s a secret about the show’s music that Don lets out of the treasure chest for the first time. Originally, Hans Zimmer was going to do the music. The Academy Award®-winning composer provided the score for films such as The Lion King and two of the Pirates of the Caribbean blockbusters.

Due to scheduling conflicts, Hans was unable to work on the show, but suggested Gavin Greenaway. Don, who had never heard of Gavin, still remembers the moment when he received a package in the mail with Gavin’s proposed score. “I’m shaking as I get this thing, thinking, ‘Is this just going to be a horrible moment or is there promise here?’ I put in the CD and started playing the music and I teared up because it was good, it was exactly what we needed.”

The Reflections of Earth music ended up winning an Emmy® award. But wait, Emmy awards are given to music in television, not in laser, light, water, and pyrotechnic theme park spectaculars. ABC liked the music so much they used it for their coverage of the millennium, for which it won the Emmy, and they continue to use it on various occasions to this day.

The finale song, “We Go On,” needed lyrics to accompany Gavin’s music. Don, who had never written lyrics before, took on the task, inspired by an event that took place during the production of Reflections of Earth. One of original producers that he was working closely with was taken off the project and put on another. “I called him from the Dallas airport and we were having this conversation. I said, ‘I know how disappointed you are and I’m extremely disappointed, I’m mad, I’m frustrated… but we go on.’ It wasn’t until I had hung up and had gotten back on the plane that I’m ruminating on this idea of “we go on” and listening to the music and going, ‘Oh, you know what? That is the millennium message! No matter what… we go on.'”

“I’m very pleased that the show has stood the test of time and continues to satisfy viewers,” Don says proudly. “Certainly, in terms of an impact, I’m very, very proud of the impact that we’ve been able to have and the number of people that we’ve reached, and hopefully have been able to give them a connection to their place on the planet.”

LET THERE BE LIGHT
The colorfully lit water fountains in Reflections are an integral part of the program. During the history of the world when vegetation is coming, the fountains turn green and slowly grow. For the campfire sequence, the water becomes a single jet that’s fire orange.

Since the fountains only allow four colors of lights, the colors used inReflections are lavender, mint, pumpkin, and lagoon. “We came down to four colors that would allow us to create the most interesting looks on the fountains that we hadn’t used before. In previous fountain shows we used yellow, green, red and blue. We wanted to do something different so we picked four new colors we could also match with pyro.”

Unique color lighting wasn’t just limited to the fireworks and water. The rooftop searchlights around the lagoon also project the colors so that even the smoke is not typical white, but lit in the same color as the pyro displays.

BEAMING WITH LASERS
There was not a lot of call for lasers in the concept of Reflections of Earth. “There’s no reason to really do it but it’s sort of an expectation that they’re going to be in the show. People talk about it as a laser show.”

When the decision was made to include lasers, it created its own challenges. Like everything else, the lasers couldn’t be the same old lasers. Don said, “If we’re going to have them in the show then we can’t have blue/green. That’s not in our color palette, that’s not appropriate. That’s old school laser.” So for the first time in Epcot history, full color lasers were installed.

WE GO ON
The “We Go On” finale video segment seen on the 360-degree cylindrical globe video screen features people of various ethnic backgrounds coming together. “The whole setup for the show is we’re sitting around the fire telling stories, passing on traditions and that is what we wanted to show in this video,” Don observes. “It’s almost a show within a show, symbolic of all the people at Epcot from all these different countries, gathering around the fireworks to share this moment. I wanted to kind of put that inside the ball.”

Although that short segment runs only about a minute, to ensure authenticity, over a period of two days, about two hundred people came in to audition in their native costumes, and were asked questions about their heritage.

Next, a whole day of filming ensued. The few actors that were selected were actually filmed in front of a real fire bar. Although flickering light might have created the same effect, it was just another detail added to ensure the greatest quality in authenticity.

Because the final video had to fit inside the various shapes of the continents, Don watched through cardboard masks that he placed over the video monitor. “That was probably the most nerve-racking day was making sure that we had on video what would work for the finale.”

SYMBOLIC FINALE
Near the finale of Reflections of Earth, the video globe opens up to reveal a single burning torch as a symbol of achievement, success and pride. That torch, together with the 19 torches now lit around the lagoon, represent one torch for each century of 2,000 years.

Reflections of Earth concludes by physically displaying a “thousand points of light” in fireworks. Don assures that, “A thousand is important so we counted the number of balls in each firework. I also wanted to light up the audience so that you could actually see all the people which is why that’s an all white moment. Now you suddenly become aware, you can see everything, it’s almost like daylight.”

10 YEARS LATER
Ten years after the show has premiered, it continues to ignite excitement and enjoyment at Epcot. “I’m very pleased that the show has stood the test of time and continues to satisfy viewers,” Don says proudly. “Certainly, in terms of an impact, I’m very, very proud of the impact that we’ve been able to have and the number of people that we’ve reached, and hopefully have been able to give them a connection to their place on the planet.”

Summoning Memories of The Haunted Mansion’s Opening Night

Welcome, foolish mortals, to a tale told about The Haunted Mansion.

So many facts behind the Mansion have materialized over the years, so we thought it would be a chilling challenge to find a true story that has been little heard by mortal ears.

Since 1965, the Disney parks have always had an official Ambassador. The first Ambassador, Julie Reihm Casaletto, was personally chosen by Walt Disney to represent Disneyland, the Studio, the Company and Walt himself. Today, with Walt’s passing and with the addition of theme parks around the world, the role of the Disneyland Ambassador has seen some change, but the Ambassadors are still involved in all the major events of the resorts… including The Haunted Mansion‘s press “viewing.” So I wanted to establish contact with Disneyland’s 1969 Ambassador to the World, Shari Bescos Koch, who played Ghost Hostess to the press for the Mansion‘s immortal press event on August 11th, 1969.

What could be a better press opening than to gather the bodies at Club 33 . . .

“I had been in high school watching the Mansion being built,” she recalls. ” It sat there empty. Walt had passed away and the Mansion still sat there so the fact that I got to open it was kind of exciting.” Shari says attendees to the press event were given their information packets which included their “Press Ghost Skeleton Key” to The Haunted Mansion. Shari recalls, “We did a press opening at Club 33 in New Orleans Square and that night we walked at midnight along the river in front of the Mansion and then went in and officially opened it.” What could be a better press opening than to gather the bodies at Club 33, presumably with “spirits” served, and slowly and solemnly escort them down by the river, before permitting them to enter the Mansion . . . at their own risk, of course.

For the first time in 40 years, Shari let the black cat out of the bag as she shared the true story of this midnight spree, and how “pranky spirits” may have played a role. “At midnight we were supposed to be over in front of the Mansion, so we left the club, probably at a quarter of… I was to actually lead them over there and then we did some kind of a “cut the ribbon” and then walk them into the Mansion for the first time. As I was walking out of the club, whoever was the ops guy, told me that a third of the cars didn’t have any sound, and as you know on the Haunted Mansion, that’s where the sound is coming from, is the individual cars.

“So I kind of took them down by the river and we did a leisurely walk along the river, looking at the Mansion from all angles, then I took them past the Mansion and back in front of it, and I stopped a couple of times and talked about it, because I was trying to stall. I would stop and we would talk about the fact about how long it had been there . . .

. . . and that Walt had gathered ghosts from around the world . .

. . . and there were some problems after his passing, and so it’s taken us this much longer to get the number of ghosts we needed to get it open. It was just like talking, and keeping moving, stopping, we’d look at the angle and how it looked in the dark at midnight… a perfect opening.

“Finally, we went in and it happened to be that whatever the problem was, they got it resolved. The team was great. So we were a little after midnight, but that’s because they told me to stall it as long as possible. I don’t know how much you can stall in a slow leisurely walk from New Orleans Square to The Haunted Mansion, but I did my best.”

For more than 45 years, it has always appeared that the long walk had been carefully constructed, but perhaps it had been planned from beyond. Why did those speakers go dead so mysteriously and why did they so eerily resume operation right at the moment that Koch approached with her procession? We don’t mean to frighten you, but perhaps the key to the perfect unveiling of The Haunted Mansion was actually due to help from 999 happy haunts from beyond.