Adrian Paul, an orc from Weta, Stan Lee and Kevin Sorbo were some of the attractions at Salt Lake Comic Con 2013
Disney's Haunted Mansion History at Salt Lake Comic Con 2013
Disney historian Paul F. Anderson from the Disney History Institute presented a slide show about Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion history. The self-proclaimed rogue Disney historian went through some different design options as presented by Ken Anderson and Rolly Crump.
“There were basically three different Haunted Mansions.”
Ken Anderson, no relation to Paul, was a jack of all trades who designed the first incarnations of the Mansion. He wanted to tell a story; he came up with several ideas. Ken and Paul became friends, and Paul says that Ken has been kind of a father figure to him.
One was that Disneyland would fix up the Mansion, but the ghosts would change it back again because they didn’t like it. Another idea was called the Bloodmere Mansion, the home of a sea captain.
Walt did not want a run down, dilapidated facade in Disneyland, and the imagineers had to come up with a way to keep people moving through the Mansion.
“Doing a walk through was difficult. People wanted to linger,” says Paul Anderson. One of the effects was to have people go into to a room that seemed to have no way out. “That just stacks people up.”
Things that have stayed with the Mansion include the weathervane, the bride and the portrait gallery.
The Ectoplasm room didn’t make it into the final version of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. It was to have 485 ghosts, ghostly footprints and even “fanny” prints that would appear and disappear.
One drawing showed a quartet on a balcony over the organist.
“I think this artwork should be seen,” says Anderson.
Bloodmere Mansion was owned either by Captain Bloodmere or Captain Gore. The squid from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in seen in a lot of the drawings as Walt Disney was trying to find something to do with the squid. He originally placed it with other props from the movie in Tomorrowland as a kind of placeholder and exhibit for opening day.
One drawing showed a cart that people would get into to go through the Mansion. A precursor to the Omni-mover, or Doombuggies, the cart would have been led by the ghosts from the short The Lonesome Ghosts. Ichabod and Mr. Toad were other characters that were considered for the Mansion.
Rolly Crump came up with the idea for the Museum of the Weird. The Museum would have shown off all the oddities that Disney’s researchers found in far off lands. Crump was on the 10th anniversary of Disneyland episode of the Wonderful World of Color, where he showed Walt and Julie Reems some of the items from his imagineered Museum.
Crump’s ideas represented a move away from story towards experiences. The imagineers questioned what type of attraction it should be. They also had to decide if the Mansion should be scary or funny.
Crump worked with Yale Gracey on the Museum.They came up with ideas like the Candleman, a ghost fish aquarium and a bone chair. There is a rumor that they actually built the bone chair.
Now there is the Haunted Mansion that we know and love. You get a little bit of the scary and a little bit of the funny. After Yale Gracey’s murder there was no one to speak for the idea of a scary Mansion.
Information that was released about technology for Navy submarines helped in the development of audio-animatronics.
Pepper’s Ghost is an illusion that John Henry Pepper made popular in the mid-1800s though it is believed to have been described in the late 1500s. The effect is used in the ballroom of the Haunted Mansion.
“There were basically three different Haunted Mansions.”
Ken Anderson, no relation to Paul, was a jack of all trades who designed the first incarnations of the Mansion. He wanted to tell a story; he came up with several ideas. Ken and Paul became friends, and Paul says that Ken has been kind of a father figure to him.
One was that Disneyland would fix up the Mansion, but the ghosts would change it back again because they didn’t like it. Another idea was called the Bloodmere Mansion, the home of a sea captain.
Walt did not want a run down, dilapidated facade in Disneyland, and the imagineers had to come up with a way to keep people moving through the Mansion.
“Doing a walk through was difficult. People wanted to linger,” says Paul Anderson. One of the effects was to have people go into to a room that seemed to have no way out. “That just stacks people up.”
Things that have stayed with the Mansion include the weathervane, the bride and the portrait gallery.
The Ectoplasm room didn’t make it into the final version of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. It was to have 485 ghosts, ghostly footprints and even “fanny” prints that would appear and disappear.
One drawing showed a quartet on a balcony over the organist.
“I think this artwork should be seen,” says Anderson.
Bloodmere Mansion was owned either by Captain Bloodmere or Captain Gore. The squid from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in seen in a lot of the drawings as Walt Disney was trying to find something to do with the squid. He originally placed it with other props from the movie in Tomorrowland as a kind of placeholder and exhibit for opening day.
One drawing showed a cart that people would get into to go through the Mansion. A precursor to the Omni-mover, or Doombuggies, the cart would have been led by the ghosts from the short The Lonesome Ghosts. Ichabod and Mr. Toad were other characters that were considered for the Mansion.
Rolly Crump came up with the idea for the Museum of the Weird. The Museum would have shown off all the oddities that Disney’s researchers found in far off lands. Crump was on the 10th anniversary of Disneyland episode of the Wonderful World of Color, where he showed Walt and Julie Reems some of the items from his imagineered Museum.
Crump’s ideas represented a move away from story towards experiences. The imagineers questioned what type of attraction it should be. They also had to decide if the Mansion should be scary or funny.
Crump worked with Yale Gracey on the Museum.They came up with ideas like the Candleman, a ghost fish aquarium and a bone chair. There is a rumor that they actually built the bone chair.
Now there is the Haunted Mansion that we know and love. You get a little bit of the scary and a little bit of the funny. After Yale Gracey’s murder there was no one to speak for the idea of a scary Mansion.
Information that was released about technology for Navy submarines helped in the development of audio-animatronics.
Pepper’s Ghost is an illusion that John Henry Pepper made popular in the mid-1800s though it is believed to have been described in the late 1500s. The effect is used in the ballroom of the Haunted Mansion.
Salt lake Comic Con 2013
These links will take you to www.globeslcc.com
Stories from Shad Engkilterra
SLCC employee and author participates on violence in media panel at Salt Lake Comic Con 2013
‘Hercules’ Kevin Sorbo talks acting at Salt Lake Comic Con 2013
True Believers revel in presence of the master of the Marvel universe
Atreyu becomes a tattoo artist and plays in ‘Sushi Girl’
Anne Serling discusses her father Rod Serling and the ‘Twilight Zone’
Adrian Paul takes the opportunity that life gave him
The original Hulk smashes the crowd at Salt Lake Comic Con
Nicholas Brendon brings the funny and hope to ‘Buffy’ fans
‘Battlestar Galactica’ reunion features Apollo and son
SLCC Alum surprises himself with success of Salt Lake Comic Con
Check out Shad Engkilterra’s YouTube channel for video for more on the convention.
Stories from Stephen Romney
Superheroes and Survival: A Spotlight on Jake Black
Salt Lake Comic Con: Final Thoughts from Day 3
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: Day 2 in a nutshell
From Mortal Kombat to GI Joe: A Comic Con Event Report
Social networking and web comic creators: A Comic Con Panel Report
Romney’s First Impressions of Salt Lake Comic Con
The Hulk Speaks! A Comic Con Event Report
An evening with a Wookie and Sith Lord: A Comic Con Event Report
The Strength of Visual Storytelling: A Comic Con Panel Report
Check out StudioFantasma’s YouTube channel for more from Stephen Romney.
Stories from Aldo Gomez
Aldo’s thoughts on Salt Lake Comic Con
Shatner plays it personal at Salt Lake Comic Con
Women play hard in a man’s industry at SLCom
Smart Bomb brings characters to life.
Superman’s 75-year anniversary proves the ‘Man of Steel’ is here to stay
Ed Fries predicts the future at Salt Lake Comic Con
SLCom 2013 celebrity press conference
In a desert of pop culture conventions, Salt Lake Comic Con is an oasis
Photo Galleries
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: photos from Day 3
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: photos from Day 2
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: photos from Day 1
Cosplay 101: Salt Lake Comic Con attendees dress up for the occasion by photographer James Ngyuen
These links will take you to examiner.com
Stories from Shad Engkilterra
Chewbacca faces knee replacement surgery; Kickstarter campaign helps cover costs
Stories from William Cohen
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: Samuel Stubbs shares his 'Tale'
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: 'From Ripley to Buffy to Katniss'
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: Stan Lee wows his true believers
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: 'Evil Dead: The Musical' gets the blood pumping
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: Dean Cain and 'Lois & Clark'
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: A(n unofficial) look at 'The Hobbit' sequel!
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: Nicholas Brendon tells stories from 'Buffy'
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013 starts off with a bang!
Stories from Shad Engkilterra
SLCC employee and author participates on violence in media panel at Salt Lake Comic Con 2013
‘Hercules’ Kevin Sorbo talks acting at Salt Lake Comic Con 2013
True Believers revel in presence of the master of the Marvel universe
Atreyu becomes a tattoo artist and plays in ‘Sushi Girl’
Anne Serling discusses her father Rod Serling and the ‘Twilight Zone’
Adrian Paul takes the opportunity that life gave him
The original Hulk smashes the crowd at Salt Lake Comic Con
Nicholas Brendon brings the funny and hope to ‘Buffy’ fans
‘Battlestar Galactica’ reunion features Apollo and son
SLCC Alum surprises himself with success of Salt Lake Comic Con
Check out Shad Engkilterra’s YouTube channel for video for more on the convention.
Stories from Stephen Romney
Superheroes and Survival: A Spotlight on Jake Black
Salt Lake Comic Con: Final Thoughts from Day 3
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: Day 2 in a nutshell
From Mortal Kombat to GI Joe: A Comic Con Event Report
Social networking and web comic creators: A Comic Con Panel Report
Romney’s First Impressions of Salt Lake Comic Con
The Hulk Speaks! A Comic Con Event Report
An evening with a Wookie and Sith Lord: A Comic Con Event Report
The Strength of Visual Storytelling: A Comic Con Panel Report
Check out StudioFantasma’s YouTube channel for more from Stephen Romney.
Stories from Aldo Gomez
Aldo’s thoughts on Salt Lake Comic Con
Shatner plays it personal at Salt Lake Comic Con
Women play hard in a man’s industry at SLCom
Smart Bomb brings characters to life.
Superman’s 75-year anniversary proves the ‘Man of Steel’ is here to stay
Ed Fries predicts the future at Salt Lake Comic Con
SLCom 2013 celebrity press conference
In a desert of pop culture conventions, Salt Lake Comic Con is an oasis
Photo Galleries
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: photos from Day 3
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: photos from Day 2
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: photos from Day 1
Cosplay 101: Salt Lake Comic Con attendees dress up for the occasion by photographer James Ngyuen
These links will take you to examiner.com
Stories from Shad Engkilterra
Chewbacca faces knee replacement surgery; Kickstarter campaign helps cover costs
Stories from William Cohen
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: Samuel Stubbs shares his 'Tale'
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: 'From Ripley to Buffy to Katniss'
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: Stan Lee wows his true believers
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: 'Evil Dead: The Musical' gets the blood pumping
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: Dean Cain and 'Lois & Clark'
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: A(n unofficial) look at 'The Hobbit' sequel!
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013: Nicholas Brendon tells stories from 'Buffy'
Salt Lake Comic Con 2013 starts off with a bang!