Show #21 - The Most Amazing Interview with Disney Legend Bob Gurr
Disney Avenue Podcast
Hello my friends and welcome to one of the most exciting shows in the history of the Disney Avenue Podcast. Today’s guest is no stranger to the Disney community and has always been a man on the move. For nearly 40 years, he has helped move countless Disney theme park guests aboard vehicles and ride conveyances of his own design. As he’s often stated, “If it moves on wheels at Disneyland, I probably designed it.” And he certainly has. He has developed more than 100 designs for attractions ranging from Autopia and Matterhorn Bobsleds to the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Monorails. He...
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Show #20 - Interview with Disney Legend Charlie Ridgway
Disney Avenue Podcast
Welcome back to another exciting episode of the Disney Avenue Podcast. On today's show, host Keith Mahne is joined by MiceChat CEO Dusty Sage for an amazing interview with Disney Legend Charlie Ridgway. Before Charlie was hired as a cast member under Walt, he promoted Disneyland as a news reporter. During 1954-55, while the Park was still under construction, he authored some of the very first articles about Disneyland to appear in any of the major metropolitan newspapers. He also covered Disneyland’s grand opening celebration on July 17, 1955. Eight years later, he joined the Park’s...
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Show #19 - Interview with Two WDW Cast Members from the Early Years
Disney Avenue Podcast
Welcome to another exciting episode of the Disney Avenue...
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Show #18 - History of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights with Jim Korkis
Disney Avenue Podcast
It's the most wonderful time of...
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Show #17 - Dave Bossert Interview
Disney Avenue Podcast
The Disney Avenue Podcast returns with another...
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Show #16 - Lee Cockerell Interview
Disney Avenue Podcast
This time around on the...
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Show #15 - Keep Moving Forward Documentary
Disney Avenue Podcast
Welcome friends to another episode of the Disney Avenue...
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Show #14 - Marty Sklar on the Opening of Disneyland
Disney Avenue Podcast
Welcome back friends to another special episode of the...
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Show #13 - Floyd Norman Interview
Disney Avenue Podcast
Welcome to the April 2015 episode of the...
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Show #12 - Interview with Former Imagineer Terri Hardin
Disney Avenue Podcast
Welcome back friends to the March 2015 edition of the...
info_outlineThe Disney Avenue Podcast returns with a fantastic interview with Walt Disney Imagineering's original “designing woman” Alice Davis. Married to Disney Legend Marc Davis, she enjoyed a fashionable Disney career of her own, designing and dressing animated figures for such beloved Disneyland attractions as it’s a small world and Pirates of the Caribbean.
One day, she received a call from her former art instructor and future husband, Marc. He needed a costume designed and created for Helene Stanley to wear for some live-action reference footage being filmed to inspire his animation of the lead character Briar Rose in Sleeping Beauty. That job led Alice to design costumes for Disney’s live-action motion picture Toby Tyler.
In 1963, Walt Disney recruited Alice to contribute her skill to the attraction it’s a small world for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. Collaborating with art designer and Disney Legend Mary Blair, Alice researched, designed, and supervised the creation of more than 150 highly detailed costumes for the Audio-Animatronics children of the world.
During this time, Alice also formulated costuming procedures, set up a manufacturing base, and developed quality control refurbishing techniques, which established the standards for three-dimensional characters in rides and shows created by WDI.
In 1965, she translated the pirates’ attire from Marc’s original drawings of the shiver-me-timbers cast and crew into clothing designs and patterns for all of the costumes featured in Pirates of the Caribbean. Two years later, when the attraction opened at Disneyland, guests were dazzled by the animated figures and their colorful, textured pirate-wear. Later, Alice contributed to General Electric’s Carousel of Progress and the Flight to the Moon attractions.
Married in June 1956, Alice and Marc enjoyed a Disney fairy-tale-romance-come-true for 44 years until Marc’s death in 2000. Alice has continued to consult for the Company, and remains a frequent face at Disneyland events. She was honored with a window on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland—next to her husband’s window—on May 10, 2012.
The Disney Avenue Podcast would like to thank Geren Piltz for his contributions to this show!