Lost Manuscripts

I interviewed Burny Mattinson a few weeks ago and he mentioned the following:

1. Before he passed away, Eric Larson was writting a book about his career at Disney called "40 Years at the Mouse House". The book was never completed but Eric took extensive notes for it.

2. Wilfred Jackson seems to have written a diary during many, many years.

Wilfred was extremely detailed in his correspondance and in his work so I suscpect that those diaries would be a true treasure trove if found (and if they exist).

Through other sources, we also know that Jack Speirs was working on an autobiography before he passed away.

I have contacted Eric Larson's nephew who confirmed that Eric's notes were not found by the family after he passed away and Dave Smith tells me that they are not at the Disney Archives.

We are trting to locate Wilfred Jackson's daughters but this is proving to be a very elusive task.

Finally I have tried locating Jack Speirs widow, Hazel, but I have a feeling that she might have passed away.

Once again we are faced with lost documents and manuscripts. This being said, the first step to finding lost documents is to know that they probably exist, hence this post.

If anyone has any idea of how to locate any of them or know of other rumored documents related to Disney History that have disappeared, please do email me.

This just in from Amid Amidi:

[Today on Cartoon Brew TV we're presenting a lost piece of Disney-related history: the Van Beuren short "Dinner Time" (1928).

Why is it lost Disney history?

This is the film that inspired Walt to pursue making "Steamboat Willie". It was a sound film that Walt saw in New York in 1928 and which made him realize that he could do a better job of combining sound and animation.

"Dinner Time" is specifically mentioned in a letter from Walt Disney to his brother Roy and collaborator Ub Iwerks. Excerpts from the letter are reprinted in the Disney bios by Neal Gabler, Bob Thomas and Michael Barrier, but the actual film hasn't been seen in 80 years.

We're presenting the short exclusively on Cartoon Brew TV. You can see the original short as well as hear a newly recorded audio commentary by animation historians Jerry Beck and Mark Kausler. It's free to watch, and feel free to embed the video directly if you're so inspired!]

Check out this page to see the short.

Do not miss today:

- Melody Board 1 - pt.1 by Michael Sporn
- Ariel’s Song: loving memories of a Mermaid’s lyricist, Howard Ashman

I will be in Paris this weekend and on Monday. The blog will be updated again on Tuesday.

This just in from Ted Thomas:

[We've received the screening schedule from Festival do Rio:

Walt Disney & El Grupo

29/9/2008 - Est Barra Point 1 - 16:00
29/9/2008 - Est Barra Point 1 - 22:00
2/10/2008 - Espaço de Cinema 1 - 19:15
3/10/2008 - Cine Glória - 16:30
4/10/2008 - Est Vivo Gávea 4 - 18:00
5/10/2008 - Cine Glória - 14:30

Kuniko and I will be in Rio September 30 - October 08. The international premiere of the film!]

The above drawing was created in 1942 by the artist Divito for the Golden book of the Argentine magazine Patoruzú in 1942.

Do not miss today:

- Which reminds me... by Michael Barrier (September 24, 2008)
- Ariel’s Song: Glenn Slater, a sparkling lyricist for The Little Mermaid on Broadway! by Jeremie Noyer

I will be away tomorrow. The blog will be updated again on Friday.

This just in from Gunnar Andreassen:

[For sale on Ebay just now, see enclosure.

Description:

This is an original issue of "INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER, MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND CRAFTS", the December, 1933, Volume 5., Number 11. edition of the Magazine, published in Hollywood, California. "This magazine represents the entire personnel of photographers now engaged in professional production of motion pictures in the United States and Canada.", according to the copyright page, with credit also given to Local 659, I. A. T. S. E., and M. P. M. O. of the USA and Canada.

This rare issue featured a nice range of articles by various experts in the field, including an interesting piece on "THE STORY OF SLIDES AND TITLES", by Earl Theisen, "MOTION PICTURE IN INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING", BY WILLIAM A. REID, "MOTION PICTURE SOUND RECORDING", by Charles Feldstead, and pieces on Cameramen, The Camera in the Everglades, Lab Men, The Newsreel World, Cinematographer's Note Book, Television Sets Football Record, and Classifieds, etc., plus great period advertisements throughout for technical products and services, much in the Art Deco style of the period, and of course the very nice cover illustration concocted by Walt Disney himself "in the spirit of Christmas...to get the Three Little Pigs and The Big Bad Wolf together...", drawn especially by Disney for the Magazine.

On page two of the magazine is written:

"OUR COVER FOR DECEMBER

The International Photographer is proud of the front cover for December.The subject is popular and timely and the art department of this journal enthusiastically hails the co-operation and good will of Mr. Walt Disney and his amazing assortment of livestock mad famous by the genius of himself and his extraordinary organization.In considering the aforesaid genius of Mr. Disney the reader will certainly call to mind, also, the large part taken in the production of the "Three Little Pigs" cartoon by Technicolor, whose new three color system has added so much to the attractiveness of this delightful novelty."]

Do not miss today:

- Sully Sullivan Speaks by Wade Sampson
- Walt Disney - 1933 part 2 by Mark Sonntag

This just in from C. McNair Wilson through Jim Korkis:

[Briefly, I came into possession of two guitars that once belonged to Jimmie Dodd (host of the original Mickey Mouse Club in the 1950's. ) I have had them for several years (late 1980's.) It is now time to allow another Disney collector to love them as I have. (I'm just a guy who helped design theme parks: while at Imagineering 1982-91)

They were donated by Jimmie Dodd's widow to World Opportunities, a relief organization headquartered in Hollywood, CA. My mother and fathered worked at "World Op" in the late 80’s and early 90’s. My mother was in charge of all incoming donated items and food—mostly from big corporations. She called me immediately (when I was still at Disney Imagineering.) I made a large donation to the organization in exchange for these guitars which they had planned to put in there thrift shop. They are both in excellent condition.

• Martin 18-T (Tenor guitar), 1958, four string. (Martin serial number, 160750) At 35" in length, it is bit smaller than a full size 6-string guitar. It is excellent condition, especially given that it is FIFTY years old. It has new strings, can be tuned and sounds "Terrific!" and "Amazing" according to guitar-player friends who have played it.

* I also own a 78-rpm record (photo attached) showing Jimmie Dodd playing a Martin Tenor guitar. I have no way of knowing if this is the guitar I own but it is just a great resource that I would include with the sale of the set.

• National Tri-cone Resonator (1928) The model I have is the rare "pear-shaped tri-cone." Mostly the National Guitar Co. made resonator is traditional guitar shapes. These "pear-shaped" models were introduced to attract banjo players as they were more compact but with the same "big" acoustic sound.

The tri-cone has three "speaker-like" round resonators inside, behind the strings that amplify the sound. When you first strum it, it's quite amazing, even startling.

I also have the original case (case is not in great condition, but latches work and it protects the instrument.)

The case contains:

- writing tablet with the lyrics to an song Jimmie Dodd was apparently working on about Florida

- letter address to (postmarked October 1936):

The Eyeopeners
c/o a Radio sta. WKRC, Alamo Hotel
Cincinnati, O
The letter begins: "Dear Jimmie and Happy..."

- Sheet music

- old guitar strings in paper packets

- copy of Christian Science Sentinel, Feb. 10, 1934

All-in-all a most curious collection of items—rare and valuable. I hope to find a new home with a Disneyanna collector for the pair and their accessories.

I showed them (in person) to a couple guitar buyers here in the San Francisco Bay area to get an estimate of value for insurance purposes. (This was in 2005.)

Their estimates were (and I told them, at the time I was not ready to sell them):

- 1958 Martin 18-T $800-1,400

- National Pear-Shape Tri-cone Resonator $1400-2,200

Both experts said they could not place a value other than for the guitar models, age, and condition. They both felt their value would only increase if sold to a collector.

I was able (in 2005) to find a couple National Guitar Pear-shaped Tri-cones on line for sale at $1850 and $2,600.

Again, I’d like to sell them as a set as their primary value is their association to Disney, Jimmie Dodd, and the Mickey Mouse Club—though both guitars are in excellent condition for playing.

I will supply the buyer with a hard copy letter, over my signature, to verify that they had indeed belonged to Jimmie Dod an that my family obtained them directly from his widow in the late 1980's.

I am sending this letter to anyone who inquires about these guitars and National Fantasy Fan Club, and a few other collector/dealers I am aware of through my 18 year work as a Disney Imagineer and then consultant to the Disney Company and Studios.

(Photos below) More pictures available upon request.

Onward & upward,

McNair C. McNair Wilson
Professional Third Grader
2601-C Blanding Ave./No.144
Alameda CA 94501
studio & home (510) 533-IDEA (4332)

78-rpm record showing Jimmie Dodd playing a MArtin 18-T tenor guitar. (Included with purchase of guitars)

1928 National Guitar Co. pear-shaped Tri-cone resonator, previously owned by Jimmie Dodd

Do not miss today:

- Biography of the Disney Family in Canada by Elias Disney (thanks to Michael Barrier)
- Carl Barks Donald Duck dailies by Joakim Gunnarsson

This just in from Edward Summer, Keith Pundt, and the Buffalo International Film Festival:

[I thought you would like to see the two attached images.

In case you don't recognize it, the 1600 Broadway address mentioned for Power's place of business was the same building in which Max and Dave Fleischer had offices (along with many other filmmakers of the late teens and early 20's. I believe (though I'm no expert) that the Fleischers remained there until they moved to Florida. I visited that building many, many times until they finally tore it down a few years ago to build an M&Ms showroom.]

I have just updated the Disney Books Network and while doing this stumbled on the upcoming book Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney. I don't usually list business books, but this one could be fun considering who Lee Cockerell is.

Do not miss today:

- Air Base Detachment, Gray Field - insignia by David Lesjak
- Goderich and Man by Michael Barrier (September 22, 2008)

Walt's People - Volume 7

Just a quick update to let you know that I have approved the galleys of Walt's People - Volume 7, which means that the book should be released within less than 4 weeks from today.

I have just received my copy of Disney's Lost Chords 2 this morning. Can you believe that this book is even better than Volume 1? The amount of never-seen-before artwok is staggering and the songs are nothing short of fascinating.

From my point of view this is not only a "must-have" but also one of the very best books of 2008.

Do not miss today:

- Hans Bacher's new blog
- Linda Woolverton and Belle by Wade Sampson

Pat Powers

I was contacted recently by a reader of the blog who would like to find some information about Pat Powers. I realized, after having checked a few sources that we do not know much about him and thought this was a very good questions for the blog.

Would anyone of you be able to conduct some research about him?

Do not miss today:

- Windows to the Past: Have a Brighter Day! by Jeff Pepper
- Coast Guard Infantry Drill booklet by David Lesjak
- Home Front Scrap Drive - part 2 by David Lesjak
- News-Week image of Walt Disney by David Lesjak
- SS Vaubin, or perhaps it was the SS Vauban? by David Lesjak

This wonderful document just in from Gunnar Andreassen:

[A little about the man behind the drawing: Eugene Zimmerman or Zim as he was known professionally. Zim was a famous political caricaturist of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. He was probably the “Gary Trudeau” of his time. Zim was born in Basle Switzerland in 1862 and sailed to the United States by himself in steerage when he was seven. He lived with his father in New Jersey, apprenticing in the bakery until a sign painter noticed his decorated cakes and offered him an apprenticeship in sign painting. When he was sixteen he moved to Elmira, New York with the sign painter, Empire Sign Co. and made nine dollars a week. During this time he filled a sketchbook with a variety of drawings which were brought to the attention of Joseph Keppler, the famous cartoonist and publisher of Puck magazine. In 1883 Zim was hired for Puck. In 1885 he moved to the Judge magazine where he stayed for many years, through the early 1900’s. Zim passed away in 1935 at his home on Pine Street. ]