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| Opening Day at America Sings, Tomorrowland, June 29, 1974 |
Such an uproar of interest in America Sings when I posted the opening day photo last Friday, that I thought I’d try it again. A different photo this time. Since my fellow fellow Todd was scanning the crowd for Burl Ives, I thought I’d give him more crowd to scan. He should be pretty easy to see! (Or at least it looks like him to me.) I am not aware if Burl Ives was indeed in attendance (of the opening shots that I have here at the Institute, I could not see him for real … and I haven’t pulled the Institute file on America Sings, which I know has all the opening day material, press releases, etc.–sorry, lazy historian today, other historical work keeping me busy), but it stands to reason he may have been. Anyway, just wanted to keep the America Sings love-a-thon going. Glad that Institute readers are as much in love with this fantastic attraction as the Institute fellows. Enjoy!
Is that possibly USC’s band? Flag bearers are in the proper red, white and blue.
Hmmm, Ron Miller did go to USC, as did Dick Nunis and about half of the post-Walt management team. So I think that USC is a pretty good guess! 🙂
Yes that’s Burl in the blue coat applauding right next to the marquee. Disneyland’s internal backstage Television aired a short clip of the opening some years back, showing the ceremony and Mr. Ives short speech.
@Eric Thanks. I thought it was Ives, but even with the photo blown up as high as I could get it, I wasn’t 100% sure. I am guessing that clip is not out in the real world. Too bad.
On the USC band, I will check the other material here at the Institute. But I agree with Todd, probably a really good chance. Somewhere (we are not the most organized Institute!) there is an entire packet from Opening Day, as well as additional press material and photos. As soon as I finish with the current project I am doing, I’ll go searching the hallowed halls of the Institute for all things America Sings. 🙂
It might possibly be the USC band members….but….. the uniforms are 100% from the Long Beach Junior Concert Band – they still wear them. (http://www.lbjcb.org), though the band is a shadow of itself from the late 60’s into the 70’s. Former Disneyland Entertainment Director, Marvin Marker, was the band founder in the 1950’s and director until his death a couple of years ago.
Looking again more closely at the Photo (I was working for the Entertainment Department coordinating “something” that hot day), that looks very much like Marvin next to what appears to Burl Ives.
OK…. even CLOSER examination: next to our supposed Burl Ives is likely Fulton Burley.