After-Thanksgiving Tiki Talk

If you're looking for classy, classic and unexpected Christmas gifts, look no farther than the enchanted Tiki art by wondrous Disney artists (and awesome guys) Kevin Kidney and Jody Daly. Their spectacular "Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room" collection of utterly artful and authentic art inspired by the classic Disneyland Park attraction is a treat for the eyes and a treasure for any collector's trove. To see and discover more enchanting artistry, visit Kevin's blog "Where Fantasy and Legend Walk Hand in Hand With Tiki Talk"—a legendary tropical paradise that I'm sure any Tulgey Wood reader visits on a regular basis anyhow! (Kevin reports that my Disneyland Challenge book, which you can read about here, is displayed right next to the wonderful Tiki Room artifacts by Kevin and Jody at the new Disney Gallery at The Bank of Main Street at Disneyland. That's quite an honor for me and my book.)

Bedknobs, Broomsticks And The Borrowers

Tonight, November 29, 2009, the Hallmark Hall of Fame broadcasts its 237th presentation, "A Dog Named Christmas." This venerable television instituation of course has an annual December (or in the case of tonight's installment, late November) presentation to promote its excellent line of Christmas cards (including licensed Disney and Peanuts greetings and other creations), so in the spirit of the Spirit of Christmas Past, let's take a look back at a Yuletide Hall of Fame broadcast from December 14, 1973 (at which point the Hallmark Hall of Fame had already been on TV for 22 years), The Borrowers, featuring a typically stellar and eclectic cast, including Eddie Albert, Tammy Grimes, Beatrice Straight, Barnard Hughes, and Dame Judith Anderson. Nominated for a slew of Emmy Awards, The Borrowers took home the Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming for Art Direction and Set Decoration. The interiors were filmed on location in a one-hundred-year-old Victorian mansion—an elegant setting for the special effects-laden story of the tiny people who "borrow" items from the giant world around them to construct a world of their own underneath the floorboards of an eccentric old woman's house. Interestingly, the program was produced by two of Charles Schulz's Peanuts associates—Walt DeFaria and Warren Lockhart (Warren was president of Charles M. Schulz Creative Development, a role in which we can well imagine he dealt with Hallmark Cards)—but most notably here at Tulgey Wood, The Borrowers was based on the book by British author Mary Norton, who also wrote The Magic Bedknob and Bonfires and Broomsticks, which were combined into Bed-knob and Broomstick, upon which Disney's Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) was based. You can still read my online article about Bedknobs and Broomsticks at the D23 website. Check it out here.

The Parade Passes By, 1965

Thanks to Jack and Jill magazine, here's a glimpse of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1965. Since this issue of the magazine was published for November 1966, we can assume that the photographs are from the previous year's parade. One interesting thing is who's hosting the parade for its colorcast on NBC: Lorne Green (star of the enormously popular in-living-color NBC hit Bonanza) and TV favorite (and recently appointed Disney Legend) Betty White. Also check out the wonderful Donald Duck balloon which had been introduced I believe in 1962. Whether you are about to watch the parade or have already experienced the 2009 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, enjoy these pages out of Thanksgiving parade history. (Click on any of the pages for a larger view.)

Parade Poster 2009

Here's the annual poster for the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and as always it's as spectacular as the parade itself. (Click the poster for a larger view.) You'll notice Mickey Mouse is a prominent part of the poster for the new 60-foot "Sailor Mickey" makes its debut at the parade tomorrow. Before or after the parade, be sure and stop by here at Tulgey Wood tomorrow, November 26, for a Thanksgiving Day treat that I think will enhance your enjoyment of this great American tradition.

Donald Duck: Thanksgiving Bird

Here's another Thanksgiving cover from Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, # 63 (December 1945). Drawn by comics great Walt Kelly this fun art reminds us that good ol' Donald has been as much of the Thanksgiving scene as tom turkey. After all Donald has flown many times in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, starting I believe in 1936 when he was soaring to ever greater heights of popularity. As you enjoy turkey (or tofurkey) on Thursday, remember to give thanks for balloon and comic-book star Donald Duck—and stop by on Thanksgiving Day for another rarely-seen photo of the Donald Macy's balloon from the 1960s.

A Thanksgiving Duck

A turkey gets the best of the Duck on this Thanksgiving-themed cover from the November 1940 issue of Walt Disney's Comics and Stories. This was only the second issue of this long-running title—all the more remarkable given it just published its 700 issue. Word is that the new publisher, Boom! Comics, will start running more comics in the classic tradition of this great comic book that will be celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2010. Reason enough to give thanks.

A Vegan Thanksgiving Treat

Bugs Bunny is bypassing the bird to feast on his favorite vegan Thanksgiving (or anytime) treat in this cover from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies comic book (#122 1955). I love how pushed the art was in this era, giving the characters a look that was both cute and a bit manic—looney, one might say. Enjoy this classic Warner Bros, cover as you plan on what veggies you will serve (or eat) on Thursday.

Mickey Marches (Make That Floats) For Macy's Once More

As we await the annual feast of balloons, floats, bands and stars that is the 2009 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, let's celebrate the return of Mickey Mouse to this great American tradition. Mickey first flew over 34th Street in 1934, when the Mouse became one of the first character balloons just in time to help Macy's have a successful Christmas season in the depths of the Great Depression. (Proof that Mickey went all out for Macy's that year is evidenced by the famed Macy's star on the balloon's chest, visible in some photos.) That early version of Mickey was part of the parade for several years, and a new Mickey balloon was added decades later, in the 1970s (the Donald Duck balloon seen here first flew in the 1960s), while a spectacular, beautifully designed Bandleader Mickey soared over Manhattan as Macy's mascot in 2000. Now 2009 sees Mickey return in a fourth helium-filled incarnation as Sailor Mickey—and once again this merry Mouse serves as Macy's official Holiday Ambassador. Perhaps it's no surprise that Macy's is again turning to Mickey in these troubled times just as the nation's most famous department store did during the Depression. See the all-new Mickey soar once more in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this Thursday on NBC.

Thanksgiving Treats

Thanksgiving Day is less than a week away so it's about time we saw some classic Thanksgiving art here at Tulgey Wood. One more reason to be thankful for comic books: the number of classic funny-book covers that have a Thanksgiving theme, such as this issue of the long-running Walter Lantz monthly anthology title New Funnies (#70, December 1942), here putting Andy Panda as a pilgrim in the center of attention. (By the way, you'll note that one Andy's co-star in the title's trademark left-hand border is Oswald the formerly lucky Rabbit). Between now and next Thursday I will try and post a Thanksgiving treat, so come back and check out the parade of celebrating character right here at Tulgey Wood.

Hokey Smoke!

As has been mentioned on Mark Evanier's blog and elsewhere, today marks the 50th anniversary of the debut of Rocky and His Friends, also known as The Bullwinkle Show. Jay Ward's animated masterpiece emphasized design and sharp, satirical writing (one of the scribes was Allan Burns, who went on to co-create and co-produce The Mary Tyler Moore Show with James L. Brooks), demonstrating that low-budgets and limited animation need not mean low creativity and limited imagination. To celebrate here's a grand Rocky and His Friends comic cover from 1961 (the year The Bullwinkle Show moved to prime time as the "in-living-color" lead-in to Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.