Australian Cinema Glass Slide

Today we take a look at something that I didn't think I'd ever see, let alone see again!  This is a glass slide used in movie theaters (or cinemas as our friends down under would say) to advertise upcoming films.  The fact that this has survived almost 70 years in this pristine condition, and loose no less (no holder or cardboard sleeve) is amazing.  I much prefer this one to the one made for the American release.

Exciting News Post #2 - Book Photography!

Well, I guess I'd better get to writing...

Disneyland Alice Attraction Color Photograph July 1968

A very nice snapshot of the Alice exterior with very cool leaves and the dearly-departed vine.

Looks a little overcast on this day, but the colors on the leaves are great!  Well, they are now, I did have to restore this a little.  I think you'll agree it looks better now ;-)

Actor / Character Comparison Still - Alice and Kathryn Beaumont - Riding the Bird in the Caucus Race

The last of the comparison photos, this time Alice again!  Poor Kathy was so tormented by the animators during the live action reference filming.

Where was OSHA back then?

Actor / Character Comparison Still - The Mad Hatter and Ed Wynn

Never has Disney cast a better voice.  Ed Wynn's lispy Hatter is just fantastic.  And his improv skills proved better than the writers as his live action reference footage from the Mad Tea Party was so good, they used it as the vocal track rather than the studio recorded version.

While he later went on to portray Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins, he will always be the Mad Hatter to me.

Actor / Character Comparison Still - The March Hare and Jerry Colonna

The March Hare is the epitome of Jerry Colonna's crazy personality - or is it the other way 'round?

Regardless, they couldn't have made a better casting choice for this character.  "Just half a cup if you don't mind."

Actor / Character Comparison Still - Alice and Kathryn Beaumont - Sliding Down the Table Leg

This particular image was very popular during the months preceding the release of Alice in 1951, it was featured in several magazine articles promoting Disney's latest all-cartoon film!

I must say I do love images of the various tortures they put Kathy through during her live-action reference.

Actor / Character Comparison Still - The Cheshire Cat and Sterling Holloway

Sterling Holloway's toothy grin perfectly suits this comparison still with the Cheshire Cat.  I must say I think his performance is pretty damn special. I know he was the voice for many characters over the years, but to me (not surprisingly) this is his best.

Pooh fans, don't hate me :-)

Actor / Character Comparison Still - The Caterpillar and Richard Haydn

Since the Caterpillar is my favorite character, I was very excited to find this still of Richard Haydn as the Caterpillar.

I just love that they dressed him up in turban and such, but I don't know what the writing on the 'hookah' means, do you?

Actor / Character Comparison Still - Alice and Kathryn Beaumont

A long time ago I found a still that had lots of little tiny images of the various actors with their animated counterparts.  Recently I came across the full size still for several of those images, so let's have a series!

First up is, of course, Alice!

This still was used a lot back in the day, and the image of Kathy was practically ubiquitous.  But nonetheless, a cool still.  The animated Alice appears to be from the Caterpillar sequence based on the leaves in the background.  Haven't had a chance to find the exact image in the film, perhaps later in my voluminous spare time.

Ed Wynn's 128th Birthday - Live Action Reference Photo A-SPEC-160C

Today is Ed Wynn's 128th birthday, born Nov 9, 1886.  He passed away only 6 months before Walt on Jun 16, 1966 at 80.

This live action reference photo is classic Ed Wynn and Mad Hatter.  I can just hear that thilly lithspy voice, can't you?

That Was a Much Longer Break Than I Had Intended

Wow.  Sorry about the 2-month break there folks, real life just has this annoying habit of getting in the way.  But with the holiday season rampaging towards us, I will try to have the odd post here and there, but probably won't be back into the full swing of things until the New Year.  Until then, here is a cool photo of NPH and his family for Halloween.

Promotional Photo of Kathy Holding Kitten A-SPEC-132 - with LOTS of Mary Blair Art

Today the family and I are at the Walt Disney Family Museum visiting the Mary Blair exhibit.  Seems a perfect time for this post.

What a great photo.  Kathy at her cutest holding a little kitten.  And just look at that art!

It is a Mary Blair extravaganza behind her.  Oh to have even one of those.  Many of them I've seen cross the auction block in the past few years, how many can you recognize?

Walt Disney and Family at the Alice in Wonderland World Premiere

In celebration of the 63rd anniversary of Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland, we have here a press photo of Walt and his family at the World Premiere in London.

The snipe reads as follows

I recognize Walt, Lily, Sharon and Diane, and perhaps Roy, but I don't know who that little girl is in the foreground.

Live Action Reference Photo A-SPEC-85 - The Queen of Hearts (and the King)

The last of the reference photos from the Key Book set is this of the King and Queen of Hearts (hooray!).

Again, I don't think I've seen a reference photo for these two characters before.  I can't really tell where this is from, but the Queen certainly is pissed off.  But then again, when is she not?

Live Action Reference Photo A-SPEC-30 - The Walrus

I can't recall seeing a reference photo for the Walrus before!  How cool is this?

And check out what they used as Baby Oysters - bars of soap!  Would've been funnier if they had used empty oyster tins.

Live Action Reference Photo A-SPEC-10 - Alice Jumping

Next from the Key Book set is the photo of Kathy jumping.  My assumption is that this is from the sequence when Alice is entering the Queen's grounds for the first time through the maze, and hears the Card Painters and jumps up and down to see over the hedge.

I cannot match this to a specific frame of film (mostly because that whole sequence is dominated by the hedge) but as this is a SPEC still it may have been a press still image taken from a different angle, or it could be from another scene entirely.  I do know that this image is also very popular with Disney, both at the time of release and even to this day.

Live Action Reference Photo - Alice with the Card Guards

This next photo from the Key Book is a new one on me, a photo from a deleted sequence apparently. There is no scene in the final film where Alice is being marched away by two Card Guards.

The trial is Sequence 11.0 according to the animators draft, and Scene 1 is the cards flying through the air at the end of the Croquet scene.  The next 10 scenes were cut, and it is likely that this is from one of those scenes.

Live Action Reference Photo A-SPEC-? - Alice at the Bottom of the Rabbit Hole

Next up from the Key Book photos is this very fun image of Kathy hanging upside down as she reaches the end of her journey down the rabbit hole.

She must be wearing an early form of Gravity Mary Jane.  Notice the pair of hands holding the wall behind her, I'm guessing it was less than stable.

This particular image is frequently used by Disney even today.  My particular copy's negative number is very difficult to read, and is missing the numeric component due to the way the negative was centered when printed.

Live Action Reference Photo 1049-9 - The Mad Tea Party

This is a bit of a repost, but since I acquired this new copy of the photo from the Key Book with a different reference number and snipe intact I thought I'd share it again.

This is one of the earliest photos of Kathy as Alice.  According to the snipe this is a rehearsal for the Mad Tea Party sequence.  The reference number indicates that this is from October of 1949, nearly two full years prior to release.

And I must say that Kathy does indeed look very young :-)