If you are reading this, then you are lucky. This is put in as a placeholder, and will shortly be removed to put in the real Birthday post. However, since you are reading this, it means I am late getting back to my computer. J.B. Kaufman and I are out this evening to do talk about Walt Disney and some book signings. We are supposed to be back in time, but in case we are not, I am posting this. Sort of a montage of photos from my Disney Historical Tour of the Hyperion Studio (no longer there, so I need lots of photos when I take people). Enjoy.
Paul,
I visited the physical site in 2008 and I wished that I could have had this post with me. The aerial shot with the labels is fantastic.
So, what is this Disney Historical Tour of the Hyperion Studio really exists and where do I sign up?
The image of the group in the room with the piano was one of two music rooms at Hyperion – they were located in the center rotunda of the so-called “L” shaped animator’s building that was constructed in the spring of 1931.
Music Room #1 was located on the second floor and was occupied by Burt Gillett, while Music Room #2 was located on the main floor and was the domain of Wilfred Jackson.
Jackson was the artist who came up with the idea of using a metronome as a means of synchronizing sound to action in Steamboat Willie.
To David, thank you for the information. Most appreciated. I had intended to write a bit more, rather than just post photos. But I put it in because J.B. and I were out doing some presentations for Walt’s birthday. I got such a good response from just the photos, rather than take it down, I just left it. Also, for those that don’t know (can’t imagine there are any readers at the Institute that don’t), David maintains two absolutely awesome historical blogs on Disney (one on Vintage Disney and the other on Disney and WWII). You can see the Vintage Disney Blog at: http://vintagedisneymemorabilia.blogspot.com/
the other at:
http://toonsatwar.blogspot.com/
Thanks again David.
To George: Thank you for your comments and your excellent blog(s) (2719 and Imaginerding). There are still some of those original buildings standing. The house to the south of the Hyperion Studio, is a Flower Shop and still standing (and the lady who ran the shop during the 1930s was still there as of the mid-1990s…had a chance to interview her). Also the building to the south and east (big white building) is now a Trader Joe’s (great peanut butter pretzels). On the Disney Historical Tour of Los Angeles, this is a customized tour I used to do back in the 1990s (before I got quite sick and disappeared for too many years). I have taken Bus Tours out for the Disneyana Convention, as well as personalized tours for a car load of people. The Disney Family has gone, Disney Executives, Documentary Film Makers, and many more. It is basically an 8 to 10 hour tour (wish I could say “Three Hour Tour”) of all the Disney Historical spots in Los Angeles (Homes, Studios, Favorite Restaurants, etc.), with lots of memorabilia. As soon as I get back on my feet a bit more, I do plan on doing them again, and will definitely list it on the Institute Site when I am back up and running on them (still get a lot of requests). Thanks again for your support. Paul