Thursday, December 17, 2009

The triumphant return of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln

Taking a little break from Christmas, let’s celebrate the triumphant return of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln to the Opera House at Disneyland. According to a few sources, Mr. Lincoln should be re-opening today. Several other sources also say “no way, you won’t see him until next year”. Some sources as late as this Monday said the stage was still empty still and wires were everywhere, makes you wonder how Disney produced this video and released it Tuesday.

I’m just nutty enough to be at the park bright and early today hoping to see some Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. I know it’s a long shot, but I’ll either get to be one of the first to see a great show or I’ll have some of Laura’s Magical Pancakes at The River Belle, either way I’m lucky to be there!

Let’s take a look behind the scenes of the original Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.






One of the main reasons I feel compelled to see the re-opening of Mr. Lincoln is because he’s my first (1968) memory of Disneyland, in fact, he’s one of my first memories of anything. He must have driven my interest and passion in history and all things Disneyland. I’ve gotten over the fact he scared the living @#$% out of me the first time I saw him.








I wonder if the Lincoln Historical Center is still in the Lincoln Savings building in Sherman Oaks.






The Lincoln Savings building in Sherman Oaks is definitely still there, I see it from the Ventura Freeway all the time, yesterday in fact. It hasn’t change much at all, just the sign.






Here’s the Official Souvenir Record from the 1964 New York Worlds Fair. Special “Stereo” version.






According to a few sources the original Royal Dano voice of Mr. Lincoln sound track will be re-mastered for the return of Mr. Lincoln. How cool is that?






Let’s take a listen shall we? Side one has some amazing vintage Paul Frees narration, WOW - I feel like I just rode Adventure Thru Inner Space!


Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln Side I – 5mb







Side two is powerful and moving, I hope they use this "word for word" in the new show. And the end has a rousing rendition of Battle Hymn of the Republic . Double -WOW!


Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln Side II – 5mb






Wish me some "magic"...

7 comments:

Daveland said...

Great teaser post; I sure hope Abe is there today...wish I could be there.

TokyoMagic! said...

Oooh, I kind of got chills watching the footage on the OC Register page and hearing Royal Dano's voice again!

I'm confused....is it tomorrow (Friday) that you are going, or was it today (Thursday) that you went? Hope you get/got to see him. Lincoln is also a part of my earliest memory of Disneyland.

Vaughn said...

I love the non-sequitor placing of the oscilloscope on the bench with the monitors in the third photo. Nothing they are doing requires one, but nothing says "modern electronics" like an oscilloscope!

Anonymous said...

I recall going to the Lincoln Savings exhibit as a summer camp kid in what must have been the late 60s/early 70s. I am pretty sure the Lincoln Savings exhibit is long gone. I tried to go there in the late 70s/early 1980s and was told it was a casualty of the bank merger craze that has not let up to this day (Lincoln > Equitable > Great Western > Washington Mutual > Chase, etc.). The museum was a promotion related to the Lincoln brand. Sorry. It was a real treat. -- Joe in L.A.

outsidetheberm said...

Let us know what you find, Tim. Maybe an update Friday night?

Major Pepperidge said...

The animatronic isn't working yet, they just hired an actor and glued on a phony beard!

Corinne stdennis said...

Have a brochure for Walt Disney a look behind scenes Great moment's with Mr Lincoln great shape who can I contact??