These are some of the earliest images ever to be added to the Institute's collection. Back in 1977 (at the tender age of 14) I published a fanzine devoted to the works of Walt Disney (and Carl Barks). I thought it was a big thing, as I had a whopping 20 or so subscribers (Dave Smith being one of them). With this type of circulation as my resume (well, I thought it was important), I had the audacity to write the Disneyland Press Department requesting any photographs and/or press material they might have. Imagine my surprise when a manilla envelope of press releases and photographs arrived. I am sure they didn't realize the can of worms they had opened by sending me the material, as I began requesting material on a regular basis and kept up a semi-regular correspondence bombarding them questions about future projects. It so happens that 1977 was also the year of my first trip to Disneyland (and the Walt Disney Archives), and at Walt's happiest place on earth I was mesmerized by two attractions, Pirates of the Caribbean and America Sings. Immediately upon returning home, I shot off a request to the Disneyland PR people for anything on America Sings. They kindly obliged (they must have known by my teenage vocabulary and grammar that I was not a serious journalist, and yet they continued to supply me with information ... to this day, I wish I knew who they were, as I would love to thank them). These are a few of the photographs they sent me way back when (I added the sepia tone), so 35 years later I have fulfilled my promise to them, to write about America Sings and share the photographs. Enjoy!
And now many of those figures reside at Splash Mtn. Thanks for the memories. It's sad that we lost a CM in America Sings. I recall that day. The news spread throughout the park employees.
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