Seating more than 3,000 spectators, this magnificent outdoor arena is the scene of trained porpoise and sea lion games and acts during Marineland's "Sea Circus." Part of the huge Oceanarium appears at top, center.
Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts
Spectators crowd the Whale Pool Stadium several times daily to watch trained whales and porpoises perform in the world's largest Oceanarium. Here the mighty whale Bimbo is shown jumping at his trainer's command.
In 1963, the same year the famous TV show started, in Panama City Beach, Florida, the Churchwell family, whom were friends of the actor William Edgar Buchanan II ( Uncle Joe Carson in the TV series), got the OK from Paul William Henning (deeply involved in Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres) to open Petticoat Junction Amusement Park.
Above and below: Number 7, "Lois", a Mogul type locomotive (2-6-0) was built by H. K. Porter Co. in 1914 for the Argent Lumber Co. in Hardeeville, South Carolina.
The park had a couple of narrow gauge trains, restaurants, a gift shop, a Chevron gas station, the famous water tower and the Shady Rest Hotel. In 1984, 14 years after the show ended, the park closed, but, fortunately all the trains were saved and are kept at 9485 US-31 in Kimberly, Alabama.
Number 5, built by H. K. Porter Co. in 1912, used by the Armour Phosphate Co. at Columbia, Tennessee.
Number 9, built by H. K. Porter Co. in 1949 for the Carbon Limestone Co. in Hillsville, Pennsylvania.
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The ghost town featured attractions like the Silver Spike Saloon (complete with chorus girls), Calamity Jane’s Corral, classic old west gun fights and a small roller coaster.
It soon expanded with a merry-go-round a Tornado ride and a Magic Carpet restaurant.
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And a Sawmill Log Ride.
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It may be more than the kids can bear. It has an Adventureland from Tahiti, a Frontierland entered through the log gates of an old fort complete with a Davy Crockett museum, a Fantasyland full of Snow White, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty and all their associates, and a Tomorrowland with a Space Port. Walt Disney arranged it all, of course, and then named it Disneyland. Sprawled over 160 acres at Anaheim, Calif., 23 miles southeast of Los Angeles, it is easily the most lavish amusement park on earth.
The principal problem seemed to be getting through the place. On opening day three weeks ago a mob of small and large fry started lining up at 2 a.m., eight hours before the turnstiles began clicking. By midafternoon there were 20.000 paying customers milling about the "lands" and queued up to travel over or around them in such vehicular wonders as whirling teacups and Mr. Toad's motorcar. Disney had expected that $2 would see a child through enough of his $17 million wonderland, but mothers said twice that was needed to keep any enterprising small boy pacified. They added, as they emerged spent and spinning, that it was probably well worth it.
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images by Loomis Dean and Allan Grant and info provided by the LIFE Magazine / LIFE Magazine International / LIFE Magazine Atlantic ARCHIVE from the Zetu Harrys Collection
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To rule in style, ice show queens must be fleet a-skate and briefly robed. But for a few moments each night Barbara Ann Scott, the reigning queen of Hollywood Ice Revue, appears so laden with costumes that she can barely make her way across the rink. In the show's M'lle Modiste number she is arrayed in an evening wrap made of 546 white fox tails, 85 dyed gray and 375 blue. The 104-pound beauty bears this warming, 34-pound burden across about 20 yards of ice, or just long enough to take a bow. Then, exhausted and nearly immobilized, she is relieved of her long furry wrap by two strong and courteous young men and nimbly gets on with her skating.
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Editor note: we ENDORSE the use of natural furs and leather!
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images and info provided by the LIFE Magazine / LIFE Magazine International / LIFE Magazine Atlantic ARCHIVE from the Zetu Harrys Collection
In 1954 was the opening of the country biggest, brassiest new nightclub - an indoor amphitheater in Hollywood which keeps 1,000 seats at its tables and 38 pairs of fancy female legs to kick or wave at the people in the seats. The palce is called The Moulin Rouge and has its high walls plastered with panoramas of Paris. Since its opening it has swarmed with tired touristis, festive local folk and high school promenaders who are offered a minimum package deal: dinner (with chopped steak, chicken or fish), a liqueur (creme de menthe, triple sec or brandy), and a show (90 minutes long) - all for $6.18.
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images and info provided by the LIFE Magazine / LIFE Magazine International / LIFE Magazine Atlantic ARCHIVE from the Zetu Harrys Collection
Amid screams of delight and roaring of wheels, customers at Rierview Park in Chicago have been taking frightened pleasure out of a ride called "Flying Cars". Riders are strapped tightly into little cars attached to flangers on the drum. As the drum starts turning they roll back and forth. When the drum has picked up speed, an operator shouts, "Put on your brakes!" and the cars, now fixed to the surface of the drum, whirl around and around for two minutes at a top speed of 30 mph. Then the brakes are released, the drum slows to a stop, the riders totter off and five mroe happy customers approach. Imported from Europe, the contraption has attracted more than 1,000 custoemrs a night, many of them content just to watch. No one ahs been hurt, but the operators make a small extra profit from change which falls out of the customers' pockets in mid-air.
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images and info provided by the LIFE Magazine / LIFE Magazine International / LIFE Magazine Atlantic ARCHIVE from the Zetu Harrys Collection
September 1950 - Oakland's "Children's Fairyland" was opened to public. This was one of the earliest "themed" amusement parks in the United States. In this playground are settings from 18 familiar nursery rhymes and stories, populated with in-the-flesh characters like The Three Little Pigs, Peter Rabbit's family and Mary's Lamb. In the year and a half since it opened, the project, which was financed by a $65.000 public subscription and si run by the park department, has attracted half a million visitors.
Willie the blue whale is the children's favorite animal. They enter his wide mouth, walk down his tongue past his pink tonsils to see the goldfish that ae swimming in his stomach.
Goosey Gander's Castle is reached by Dana across drawbridge while David climbs stairs to turret from window of which princess looks out. Children toss pennies into moat around Goosey's home.
Sugar-plum tree dangles lollipops jut out of Dana's reach. Lollipops are hung on tree for birthday parties which the park sets up at a charge of $7.50 for 12 children and serves under sugar-plum tree.
Giant toadstools tower above David and Dana, who race around them. Nearby are big stone footprints of Joe Bean, the giant, which children followed at a more respectful and shuddery pace.
Water wheel left of miller's house attracted Jeanette and David, who investigate its workings.
Children enter the park through a 4-foot-high door in the Old Woman's Shoe after paying 9c. Grownups pay more - 14c - must stoop to get in and may not enter at all unless escorted by a person under 12. On the magic inner side of the shoe there is a long winding brook to follow and the grounds bloom with bright flowers and a candy tree that dangles lollipops. One day photographer Wayne Miller followed his three children, Jeanette, 6, David, 4, Dana, 3, on their first visit to Fairyland and recorded their hectic tour for LIFE.
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photos and documentation: LIFE Magazine (US) | Zetu Harrys collection.
During july 1950, in Florida, ex-marine Halley Hamlin tested the "Egg" a personal mini submarine that he built in his garage in Cortland, New York.
Made of boiler palte, this submarine was 13 feet long, 6 feet high and had a capacity of two men. It had battery-driven propellors for swimming and caterpilar tracks for crawling on the ocean's bottom or the shore.
The inventor claimed that it ould cruise 20 miles udner water and carry enough oxygen for 64 hours.
During the 50s on a dry lake bed near Palm Springs, CA a new sport arised - sand sailing. Those light crafts were made from metal alloy and wood with fabric sails and weight only 125 pounds. The sail had a surface of 100 square foot. The man who built them was Ray Miller, a former Hollywood resident and boat enthusiast. He called his invention - "road runner". With a good wind those crafts reached 50 mph.
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