I walked into the Disneyland "Casting Office" on a sunny March afternoon in 1976. Clutched in my sweaty hand was a portfolio of various works I had done. I could not remember ever being this nervous. I kept thinking I have to get this job. I rationalized that they owed me this. I had been coming there since I was 4 years old. I my interview seemed to be going well. The woman conducting it seemed very impressed with my artwork. She then informed me that there were no current openings in the "Paint Department", and even if there were, it was a union shop. I must be at least a journeyman. I was crestfallen. She then informed me there was however another opening and might I be interested in doing silhouettes? I replied, "Boy would I!.... what are they and how do I do them?". Click here to learn more about silhouette portraiture
I was taken to see Charles "Chuck" Boyer. He was, and remains the official Disneyland artist. In the years that followed I have collected several of his signed lithographs depicting various subjects pertaining to Disneyland. He was sufficiently impressed with my portfolio to send me to see Harry Brice. Harry was the head silhouette artist at Disneyland. (Including myself their were four others. Susan, Laurie, Bonnie and myself). Of the five of us only Bonnie remains. Say hi to her on Main Street for me ok?
Harry was impressed as well and that next week I started my training. I was tutored in the Old European tradition of apprenticeship. I was literally at his knee, gleening all the secrets of this amazing form of art.
After 8 weeks and literally thousands of training exercises and practice cuts, I was allowed to work a private party. I was painfully slow. At that time it took an average of three minutes per portrait. But after a few months I started to achieve a higher level of proficientcy. My personal record was 213 individual portraits in 7 1/2 hours. During the winter months I worked on Main Street, but in the summers I worked the silhouette cart in New Orleans Square.
My two years there as an artist were some of the happiest of my working career. I was a pleasure to don my costume and entertain and amaze anyone who took the time to look. My favorite part was interacting with people from all over the world. My goal was to be that one magic person, the one you never forget long after that day is past. Today, even 25 years later and seven hundred miles away in Idaho, I still encounter people who say, "I remember you, You did my portrait at Disneyland".

By 1986, I was going through a divorce and after 8 years of fighting Los Angeles traffic, I was ready for a change in my life. I resigned as my position at a copier service and sales company. I needed some joy back in my life. I went back to the place I was happiest, Disneyland.
Unfortunately, there were no positions open in the Silhouette Shop on Main Street and the cart in New Orleans Square had been converted to a candy cart years before. I took a position as a submarine skipper in "The Adventure Through Liquid Space".
At age 30, I was the "old man" on the crew. I also trained on "the People Mover", "Magic Journeys" and "Space Mountain". As I was in a less isolated and elite division, I was able to observe the changes that had manifested over the 8 years I had been gone...
My first clue was during my induction into the pre training seminars at "Disneyland University". My first time there in 1976, it was all about bringing the guests the ultimate "Disney experience". This time it was essentially a seminar on law suit prevention.
Once trained and "on stage" I saw that there was political structure no more mature than a high school hazing. Promotion was based on favoritism rather than knowledge or experience. The favored employees were promoted at a phenominal rate... New hire to shift lead in 6 months in one example. I had not aspired to this position as I wished to deal with the guests. However, it still galled me.
I heeded the company policy of saftey and law suit protection, but I adhered to my personal conviction to try and be the one person that stood out in the guests' memory long after the day had passed.
On the subs, besides piloting the craft we were required to do line control in the cue and parade control. These were the times I had direct contact with the guests. Those were the good times. Piloting the sub was a bit more tedious. I controlled the throttle, recorded narration and the interior lights. I stood on a pedistal and looked out the windows in the sail, no one ever saw more than my pants and shoes on board. My three required lines were:

1) Please move to the furthest seat forward.

2) Remain seated

And upon our return:

3) Remain seated until the hatches are opened and exit via the spiral staircase to your right.

This wasn't enough for me. The wait times during launch and return to the dock were often as much as 5 minutes. It seems like forever when no one is speaking... So I created a "Jungle Cruisian" speech to pass the time:

Upon the hatches being sealed and waiting to pull out:

Ahoy crew, welcome aboard the "Enchanted Sushi Cruise", I shall be your skipper, Captain Lars. Before we get under way there are a few points I must cover.

First of all, please remain seated at all times during our adventure. Please note your seats are spring loaded and will NOT be there when you go to sit back down.

As with all Disneyland attractions, there is no eating, drinking or smoking allowed on board. I know for you adults that leaves only one other fun thing to do... But please, don't do that here either!

It is very important you keep you hands and arms inside the the submarine at all times... Our sharks are on a controlled diet. They are fed at the close of our business day with the leftovers from the Lost Childrens Department.

For those of you concerned about the sub filling up with water... Don't worry. Although the sub does have a substancial leak. We will run out of air long before that happens.

Okay. The harbormaster cleared us for departure. Everyone take a deep breath and hang on... we are going down.

Upon the return to the dock:

Poke yourselves with a fork if you are not sure.... but I think we are done.

I want to thank you all. You have been a wonderful crew. Take this opportunity to gather your bags and purses, cameras and small children. Upon the hatches being opened please exit the spiral staircase to your right.

Please watch your step and watch your heads. If you fail to do either... Please watch you language... Have a wonderful stay in the magic kingdom.

I enjoyed my second tour of duty for the most part. I had many friends and a few enemies. One of the latter caused my dismissal. A fellow skipper I had had words with over dumping a firecraker into my barbeque at a Tomorrowland beach party while making my son and I dinner. The next shift we worked together he was openly hostile. I had just returned from a break and had mooring duty at the dock. He signaled me through the sub's window to rope and hold the sub.... even though he was pulling out. Roping an outbound sub causes it to stop suddenly and violently rock from side to side. It is also grounds for dismissal. He would not admit he was the cause of the incident. I found out years later that he was fired as well, after pulling this ploy on two other employees. I left the park in May of 1988.

I feel it nessesary to add this to the page. Only the more senior of my visitors will ever understand the loss I feel whenever I visit the park. The Disneyland I refer to so lovingly in the above paragraphs, is not the same place Walt created in 1955.

I think this open letter I wrote to www.savedisney.com says it all.

Walt was childhood hero of mine. I grew up in Pomona and Disneyland was an integral part of my youth. I dreamed of becoming an animator. As such I made art a career goal from the age of 5. Took art lessons for the majority of my youth, and became a noted muralist before I was out of high school. After graduation and 2 years of college I applied at the casting office as a backdrop painter. Union constraints (I was not a journeyman in the painter's local) prevented me from hiring in that department. I was cast as an artist never the less.

I did 2 tours of duty over a period of 14 years. I hired in the first time at age 20 in 1976 as a silhouette artist on Main Street and NO2. My experience then was far different then my second hire in 10 years later in Tomorrowland attractions.

In 1976 the park was still adhering to "Keeping the Magic alive". From my first day at Disneyland University, I was taught the guest experience was tantamount. It was our job to make the guests' experience the first priority. As such, I made it my goal to be that one person remembered long after the day had faded into memory. I felt it was a privilege and honor to be part of the cast. I felt appreciated by management and was told as much by them. It was the finest place I ever worked for. I left reluctantly, two years later at the urging of my first wife who insisted, "Disneyland is no place for a married man to work"... However, she was wrong about many things.

After 8 years, as a copier technician, fighting L.A. traffic 5 or more hours a day and a messy divorce, I returned to the Magic Kingdom to recapture the joy. However, things were quite different... My first clue.... orientation. The induction program had changed. It was now little more than a seminar on law suit prevention. Upon working in the park many of "seasoned" cast members seemed lethargic and burned out. It irked me that they could no longer see what a privilege it was to be a part of the dream. I soon found out however, The dream had been compromised in the pursuit of the almighty dollar. The park had become a pressure cooker meant solely to process guests and separate them from their money. Granted the pressure came from high up in the corporation, but it's effects permeated the entire hierarchy from park manager on down.

I learned the secret to success, (Walt knew it all along)... nurturing and playing to the inner child. This ideal has been used by successful entrepreneurs since the beginning of time. Whether it be a movie, attraction, fairy tale or even a Steven King novel, the secret is to stimulate the "inner child"... to create an environment where our imaginations are set free to ponder the improbable and even the impossible. My finest art work reflects this ideal.

To affect people deeply the "child within" is the entity that must be stimulated. We are all the sum of our childhood experiences. This what creates our anticipation and ultimate joy of a Christmas morning, seeing a wondrous movie or visiting the Magic Kingdom.

The first step in this challenge is to remove an individual from their everyday world. Walt was gifted in this respect. Was he a genius? That is debatable. However he had an enthusiasm that affected and channeled the genius in those he surrounded himself with. The berm (earth wall) around the park is a physical manifestation of this principle. It's original purpose was to shut out the real world and create an environment of the artist's choosing.

In my opinion, the berm has been breached by sort sighted profiteers picking the bones of it's creator. The magic has bled out through the rift. Leaving it stolid and bereft of the ideals that were it's foundation.

Executive management needs to recapture their inner child. If they fail in this respect then they should be replaced with those who can remember what made them happy, excited, exhilarated and free to any and all possibilities.

When the inner child is pleased the adult is simply along for the ride. This particular ride is one attraction that has been in rehab for far too long.

Just click on Tinkerbell to go back

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