While I couldn’t name all of Disney’s Nine Old Men, the men who were recognized for their contribution to Walt Disney’s animated films, I believe I would recognize most if not all of their names. I definitely know the name Marc Davis. (Something about the name may be helping me remember him?) So, it isn’t a surprise that he has a window on Main Street or that he was included in the Windows of Main Street pin series.
If you aren’t familiar with Marc, he started at the Disney studio in 1935 and is best known for his work on Cruella de Vil, Tinker Bell, and Maleficent. He also worked on Disneyland, including such iconic attractions as The Enchanted Tiki Room, it’s a small world, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Jungle Cruise, and The Haunted Mansion. It’s no wonder that he was named a Disney legend and got his own window.
In Disneyland, his window is located near the Cinema. Just like his window, this pin is longer and thinner than some of the others I’ve reviewed so far. Across the window, it says “Far East Imports – Exotic Art – Marc Davis – Proprietor.”
Unfortunately, once again, the front of this window is a little hard to read since it is mostly clear glass. This is especially true of the “Far East Imports” portion since it blends into the color used for the background scene. Still, you can read most of it, so it isn’t as bad as some of the windows in the series.
This window has a hinge, and when you open it, you’ll find Maleficent waiting for you back there. I’d argue that this is the character he is best known for, so it makes sense.
Marc’s wife Alice was also a major contributor to Disney over the years, and she has her own window in the parks next to his. I wish they had included her window in the series, if not as a set with his, then within a month or two of his pin’s release. A missed opportunity for sure.
But that doesn’t take away from how much I enjoy this pin. It’s nice to see an iconic animator and character showing up here.
This pin will appeal to a broader range of Disney fans because more people will have heard of Marc Davis and so many people love Maleficent. If you fall into either camp, you’ll be happy you have it.
He created some of my favorite characters and attractions. What a job that must have been to work for Disney back then.
ReplyDeleteHere's my silly little Disney pin story. I have a few Disney pins that I just like. I don't collect them and didn't realize for a long time that there's a whole thing around collecting and trading them. I have a Belle pin that my sister bought me years ago. It lives on the collar of one of my vests. My husband and I visited California Adventure and I just happened to wear that vest. A Disney photographer was taking our picture and he would NOT STOP talking about my pin. It got annoying. We finally got away from him. It was so odd that I mentioned it to a couple of friends who are Disney fanatics. They explained to me that the photographer was trying to hint that I should trade with him and that Disney cast members aren't supposed to approach you about trading? Or maybe it was that I wasn't wearing it on a trading lanyard? Whatever the reason, they were annoyed for me because the guy was breaking some sort of unwritten code! :-)
ReplyDeleteThis pin is beautiful, even if I don't know enough about Disney history as a casual fan to fully appreciate the story behind it. It does seem like a missed opportunity not to include a woman from those years in the pin set, but at least she got her own window.