Tongue in Cheek... and Say, "Aaaah"

On the back side of the Keystone Clothiers building, facing Echo Lake at Disney's Hollywood Studios, is this little alcove and door. For the casual passerby, it may look like little more than a period graphic for a fictional business. Look more closely, though, and you'll discover this building purports to host more than just the Glamour Salon.

The directory implies that several dentists have their practice on the second floor:

C. Howie Pullum, DDS

Ruth Canal, DDS

Les Payne, DDS

I think I would prefer to visit Dr. Payne in Suite 210.

Those Imagineering writers sure do have fun playing with words!

Citizens of Hollywood

Just off the beaten path at Disney's Hollywood Studios, tucked between the 50s Prime Time Cafe and Hollywood & Vine Cafeteria of the Stars, are the Echo Lake Apartments. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, the Echo Lake area was the swanky neighborhood home to many early stars of the silver screen.

The gate leading up to the apartments is locked - sorry, residents only. Step a little closer, though, and you might be able to get an idea of who lives here. Just take a look at the names on the mailboxes. They're actually the names of several of the Imagineers who worked on Disney-MGM Studios back in the 80s.

Notable is the name on the top right box: T. Kirk.

Tim Kirk started with Walt Disney Imagineering in 1980 and worked on projects ranging from Kitchen Kabaret at Epcot to the new Fantasyland at Disneyland. For Disney-MGM Studios, he was a production set designer and art director for the Great Movie Ride and contributed to Muppet*Vision 3-D and the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Tim and his brother Steve now run their own firm, Kirk Design, but before leaving Walt Disney Imagineering they were the senior designer and senior creative VP for Tokyo DisneySea in Japan.

California Crazy

California Crazy is a style of architecture popular in the Los Angeles area during the early to mid part of the 20th century. Some of the best examples, such as the Darkroom duplicated on Hollywood Boulevard at Disney's Hollywood Studios (above), were outrageous physical representations of what was offered inside. The Darkroom is a photo supply shop (the Hollywood original is now a restaurant). Tail o' the Pup, shaped like a giant hot dog, sold... you guessed it... hot dogs!

There's another great example of California Crazy at Hollywood Studios, on the far edge of Echo Lake. And the fun of it extends to other details beyond just the architecture. Approaching from the area of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, you might first notice these enormous footprints pounded into the pavement:

A little further, and you'll discover the culprit: a giant, concrete dinosaur which has apparently stepped over the fence, down the grass, and into the lake:

It's Dinosaur Gertie, home for Dinosaur Gertie's Ice Cream of Extinction. Steam flows from Gertie's nostrils, and a coating of snow lies across her back. The connection to ice cream is somewhat tenuous (at one time, the theory was that dinosaurs were driven to extinction by the last Ice Age). The connection to Hollywood and animation history, however, is much cooler.

"Gertie the Dinosaur" was the first character animated with true personality. The creation of animator Winsor McCay, Gertie made her debut before vaudeville audiences in 1914. McCay himself would appear on stage and "summon" Gertie to step forward. As the animated film of Gertie played behind him, McCay timed his movement to appear as if he were interacting with the dinosaur in real time.

As for the ice cream. Today, Studios Guests can find a selection of soft serve flavors here. Back in 1989, though, the offering truly was ice cream "of extinction." For a short time after opening, the location specialized in the sort of ice cream treats once popular in America, but hard to find in modern times. Sadly, those treats became more and more difficult to keep in stock, so the original concept itself became extinct.

Raiders of the Last Set

On the edge of Echo Lake Park at Disney's Hollywood Studios is a small, tent-like structure known as the Dip Site. For Studios Guests, it's a great place to grab some popcorn, a soft pretzel, or a cold drink. For the story of the Studios, though, it plays another role.

A movie is shooting in the area... the latest installment in the adventures of Indiana Jones. This structure was built as one of the production's first sets, a work tent at an archaeological dig. Once filming moved over to the stunt stage nearby, this set was taken over by Craft Services as a place to prep food to satisfy a hungry cast and crew. They've just modified the sign with a little graffiti humor.

Film buffs will notice something else about that sign. It identifies Dig Site #1138. The "1138" is a reference to Indiana Jones Producer George Lucas's first feature film, THX-1138. The number 1138 makes cameo appearances in many of George Lucas's movies. The "THX" has even been reused. Today, THX is the name of the high-fidelity sound reproduction standard established by Lucasfilm, Ltd.

Importers/Exporters of the Stars

The tramp steamer permanently moored in Echo Lake at Disney's Hollywood Studios is known as Min & Bill's Dockside Diner. On the surface, it's a convenient place to grab a bite from their galley of good eats, but it's also much more.

For one, the location is a tribute to a classic MGM film from 1930, Min & Bill, starring Wallace Beery and Marie Dressler. Dressler won an Oscar for her portrayal of Min Divot, a waterfront innkeeper who takes an abandoned little girl into her care. Beery earned his Oscar the following year for his work in The Champ. The image on the marquee above the entrance is a caricature of the actors.

Aside from the movie tribute in the title, Dockside Diner is also a great example of California Crazy architecture. Themed buildings like these became popular in the 1930s. The wacky designs served to capture the attention of consumers and sometimes provided a visual clue of what product or service was offered inside. Other examples of California Crazy at Disney's Hollywood Studios include The Darkroom photography shop on Hollywood Boulevard and Dinosaur Gertie's Ice Cream of Extinction on the opposite shore of Echo Lake.

Enhancing the dockside theme of the restaurant are these crates stacked nearby. Look closely, and you'll notice even more fun details. Each crate is a reference to a classic movie from the American Film Institute's Top 100 list.

First up is #1 on the list, Citizen Kane (1941):

Here's AFI's #2, Casablanca (1942):

Gone with the Wind (1939) appears at #4 on the list:

While It's a Wonderful Life (1946) resides in spot #11:

Finally, a nod to a film which was not included in the original Top 100, but can be found at #11 on AFI's list of the Top 100 comedies in American cinema... The Producers (1968):

I should mention that these are the crates as they appeared in April 2009, when the above photos were taken. Over the years, the crates by the Dockside Diner have been at various times either blank or labeled somewhat differently (previously references have included The Wizard of Oz and Lawrence of Arabia). Being natural wood exposed to the Florida elements, the crates occasionally weather and need to be replaced, giving the writers at Walt Disney Imagineering another opportunity to work their clever brand of magic.