A Hallelujah To Hucksterism, Or How "Not Everyone Was Happy At The Happiest Place On Earth"

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With today's sensibilities towards the past and our sentimental yearning for nostalgia, it is hard to imagine that at the dawn of Disneyland anybody could find fault with Walt's dream and summarily tear it down. Many old-time newspaper men, bitter curmudgeons mostly, could always find something to gripe about ... and in the early days, they did so with regularity. And so in support of Todd's most brilliant essay on the "rarest parade of them all" I offer this column by UPI reporter William Ewald, on the ABC-TV Disneyland '59 special. Ewald was a well-known killjoy that routinely panned entertainment offerings. His biggest criticism seems to be the almighty pursuit of the buck, which is humorously ironic, for the very purpose of sensational journalism (and what is more sensationalistic than trashing Walt?) is to sell more papers ... which forthwith paid Ewald's salary. Still, this kind of material is historically important, as it does provide a bit more of a balanced view of the early days of Disneyland; and the fact that not everyone was happy with the "Happiest Place on Earth." Enjoy!

THANKS: I would like to offer my sincerest thanks to my very good friend Ed Ovalle of the Walt Disney Archives who helped me chase this down. His knowledge of the Archives' collection is extraordinary, and I am repeatedly amazed at when I ask him some weird, off-the-wall historical question--usually starting with "Have you seen ..."--he, after a few seconds of thoughtful silence, proclaims "You know I have!" More often than not within ten minutes he has found the very thing I am looking for. A hardy Disney History Institute Thanks to Ed!!

To See or Return to the Original Essay:  Disneyland '59: The Rarest Parade of Them All!