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Interesting

Golden Horseshoe

Facts

1955 - Present

The following stories appear below,

click on the links to go there quickly.

The Painting Behind the Bar
The Firehouse Five Plus 2
The Dapper Dans at the Horseshoe
Charles Lavere, Golden Horseshoe's Music
Golden Horseshoe Player Piano
Buddy, Can You Spare A Seat?
The One and Only Wally Boag
The Sherman Brother's Grand Piano
Golden Horseshoe Revue's TV Show
The Mickey Mouse Club at the Horseshoe
Wally Boag and Julie Andrews
Zorro In Frontierland
The Osmond Brothers at the Horseshoe
Jazz at the Horseshoe
Riders in the Sky
Disneyland's Grad Nite
Irish Tenor, Don Novis
The Golden Horseshoe's Hidden Mickey

Come share your memories of the Golden Horseshoe

and it's shows, entertainers and castmembers at

Memories of the Golden Horseshoe Message Board

Is the Golden Horseshoe Revue available on video or DVD?

Because I get asked this question all the time, I have provided the following information for visitors to this site. The actual entire Golden Horseshoe Revue has never been released on video to date by the Disney Company. The following options are available though.

The Golden Horseshoe Revue was featured for its 10,000th show in an episode of "The Wonderful World of Disney" on September 23, 1962. It was directed by Ron Miller. To my knowledge, Disney has not released this on video yet. There is a DVD available of this Golden Horseshoe Show that aired on September 23, 1962 at a website called "Extinct Attractions Club". I highly recommend it. It can be reached at this link...... www.extinct-attractions-club.com

There is a soundtrack album released in 1959 that gives you a complete musical representation of the entire show. It is called The Golden Horseshoe Revue and is still sometimes available on www.ebay.com. It tends to be rather pricey though. Usually between $75. and $125.
A few years ago, Disney released a CD version of this original album that could be purchased at the park. I don't know if it is still sold at Disneyland, but it can be purchased at www.laughingplacestore.com. It runs about $25.00.

Wally Boag can be seen on the Walt Disney Treasury DVD entitled "The Mickey Mouse Club". These DVD's feature the first week of shows from October 3, 1955 through October 7, 1955. Wally is seen on this DVD with his "Boag-aloons" balloon creations and also, playing the bagpipes.

Wally Boag is featured on the VHS released episodes from a few years ago on Mickey Mouse Club Vol. #6 making balloon animals for Annette Funicello. Later, in the episode he and Annette dance together. This can usually be found on www.ebay.com or at sometimes at www.amazon.com.
Wally Boag, along with co-stars, Donald Novis and Judy Marsh were taped for an episode of the original Mickey Mouse Club back in the mid 50's. It opens with Don and Judy singing a couple of numbers and features Wally dancing in a nightclub setting. This episode can be found on Mickey Mouse Club Vol. #7 of the re-released Mickey Mouse Club VHS tapes and can usually be found on www.ebay.com or at sometimes at www.amazon.com.

Wally was also featured on an episode of The Muppet Show that originally showed on May 9, 1981. He recreated a few of his famous Golden Horseshoe routines on this show as well. Wally is featured on Tape number 4 and sometimes you can find this on www.ebay.com as well.

*Note: Wally was also featured on an episode of the Mickey Mouse Club doing his Pecos Bill with Darlene Gillespie and on another episode Wally is featured descending in a hot air balloon. Neither of these episodes has been released on DVD to date.

The Firehouse Five Plus 2

In 1949, the “FIREHOUSE FIVE” was formed by a group of writers, animators, producers and directors at the Walt Disney Studios. They first performed under the names "Hugageedy 8" and "San Gabriel Valley Blue Blowers". As a spare-time hobby they played Dixieland jazz.

The group was originally made up of Ward Kimball on trombone, Clarke Mallory on clarinet, Frank Thomas on piano, Ed Penner on Bass sax, Jim McDonald on drums, Johnny Lucas on trumpet and Harper Goff on banjo.

In the old fashioned “Opera House” at Disneyland, later known as the Golden Horseshoe Saloon, they performed their spirited jazz numbers in their red shirts, firemen’s suspenders, and fire hats.

Lucas and McDonald were later replaced by Danny Alguire on cornet and Monte Mountjoy on drums. Other musicians, who played later or acted as substitutes were Don Kinch [helicon], George Bruns [trombone], K. O. Ecklund [piano], Billy Newman [banjo], George Probert [saxophone], Dick Roberts [banjo], and John Smith [saxophone].

The group was first featured on the live opening day broadcast of Disneyland on July 17, 1955, as it opened the Mark Twain Riverboat.

On November 12, 1962, they performed and recorded an album on the stage of the Golden Horseshoe Saloon.

In 1965, the Firehouse Five Plus Two was again featured on the 10^th Anniversary broadcast of “The Wonderful World of Disney”, where they were again shown playing from the dock of the Mark Twain Riverboat.

They played their last concert together at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon in 1969.

Below is a partial list of the artists and performers

who played with the Firehouse Five Plus 2:

Billy Newman	1966 – 1969	Replaced Dick Roberts on banjo.
Clarke Mallory	1949 – 1953	Original member of Firehouse 5 plus 2, played clarinet, who never played at Disneyland.
Danny Alguire	1955 – 1969	Replaced Johnny Lucas, and played cornet.
Dick Roberts	1955 – 1966	Replaced Harper Goff and played banjo, stop playing following a stroke.
Don Kinch	1958 – 1969	Played on Opening Day on 2nd cornet. Sometimes subbed for Danny Alguire and played helicon.
Ed Penner	1949 – 1956	Original member of Firehouse 5 plus 2, played bass sax until 1950, but stayed with the band until his death in November, 1956
Eddie Forrest	1956 – 1969	Replaced Mountjoy and played drums and salad spoons.
Frank Thomas	1955 – 1966	Member of Firehouse 5 plus 2, played piano. His participation began to taper off in 1962. Died on September 9, 2004 at age 92.
George Bruns	1956 – 1969	Subbed for Ward Kimball on trombone and tuba..
George Probert	1954 – 1969	Replaced Clarke Mallory, played saxophone.
Harper Goff	1955 – 1955	Member of Firehouse 5 plus 2, played banjo. Only played on Opening Day and was replaced by Dick Roberts.
Jim McDonald	1949 – 1955	Original member of Firehouse 5 plus 2, played drums and was replaced by Eddie Forrest.
John Smith	19?? – 19??	Subbed off and on for for George Probert on saxophone and still plays with Probert.
Johnny Lucas	1949 – 1949	Original member of Firehouse 5 plus 2, played trumpet who left in 1949.
K.O. Ecklund	19?? – 1966	Subbed for Frank Thomas on piano until Frank Tomas left the band in 1966. He later took over the piano for Frank Thomas.
Monte Mountjoy	1949 - 1955	Replaced Jim McDonald on drums, but never played at Disneyland. He left after Jim Mc Donald returned in 1955
Ward Kimball	1949 – 1969	Original member of Firehouse 5 plus 2, played trombone.

Some of the above Information provided by Paul Hagglund.

The Painting Behind the

Golden Horseshoe Bar

For lack of a better name, we will entitle this painting "Tom Hamilton's Dear Departed ex-Mother".

In the above scene from the movie, Burl Ives is posing with the "Tom's ex-Mother" painting.

Burl Ives' wife, Mrs. Popham glares at "Tom's ex-Mother" in this scene

Sitting behind the bar at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon is a painting of a lovely, slightly clad, reclining lady. Who is this lady and where did she come from you ask?

This painting was used in the Walt Disney Productions 1963 film "Summer Magic" starring Hayley Mills, Dorothy McGuire and Burl Ives. This movie was famous for bringing us the Sherman Brother's song, "Ugly Bug Ball".

This painting pictured to the left appears 2/3 of the way through the movie when Burl Ives is trying to come up with a painting of the landlord's dear old mother to give to the lovely old home's renters [Dorothy McGuire's character and her 3 children]. The Golden Horseshoe's painting is one of the pictures rejected as the Tom Hamilton's dear departed mother.

It is not clear if this painting was in the Golden Horseshoe and was borrowed for the movie as a prop or if the painting was painted for the movie, and later placed into the Golden Horseshoe for decoration, but it has been there for as long as any of today's castmembers can remember. We do not know who painted this picture, but it was one of about 6 used in the film.

The movie was produced by Walt Disney's son-in-law, Ron Miller. The music was written by Richard and Robert Sherman and the photographic effects were by famed Disney artist, Peter Ellenshaw.

The painting as she hangs in the Golden Horseshoe today. [2003]

The Dapper Dans at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon

Here is a picture of the group backstage with stage manager, Ralph Adams in August, 1961. The group included Roger Axworthy, T.J. Marker, John Borneman, and Fred Frank.

Off and on throughout the years, Disneyland’s own premiere barbershop quartet, the Dapper Dans have appeared on the stage of the Golden Horseshoe.

In November 2, 1962, The Dapper Dans [Gene Morford, Jim Schamp, Ron Browne, and Perry Carter ] along with Golden Horseshoe Star, Wally Boag appeared at a special press only event on the stage of the Golden Horseshoe Saloon with actress, Julie Andrews to promote the release of the upcoming Disney movie, “Mary Poppins.” They joined her in singing “By the Light of the Silvery Moon.”

The Golden Horseshoe appearances were very successful for the Dapper Dans. They would come in from the back, do a song or two and an audience sing-a-long and then return in the finale. It was here they worked with the famed recording artist and Irish tenor, Donald Novis. In the 1970s, Dapper Dan, Fred Frank would replace Fulton Burley (“Can’t You Hear Me Calling Caroline”) in the Golden Horseshoe Revue.

The Man Who Wrote the Golden Horseshoe Revue Music

Charles LaVere Johnson could do it all. He played piano, saxophone, trombone, cornet, and accordion. He could also sing, and write music. Walt Disney know talent when he saw it and picked the talented veteran performer to help co-write a vaudeville type show for his new theme park.

Charles was born in Salina, Kansas on July 18, 1910. He studied piano from the age of seven, and began a professional career with his cousin, Stan Weis, as ‘Dan and Stan’. His first published first composition was “Please Don’t Go Away” in 1928 at the age of 18.

In 1928, he played alto sax [with Charlie Teagarden on trumpet] in Herb Cook’s Oklahoma Joy Boys and finally, he left Oklahoma University for a Summer tour with Frank Williams and his Oklahomans, but was later stranded in New York City.

He played with Etzi Covato in Pittsburgh in 1929 and played gigs around Oklahoma City with own bands and those of Clarence Tackett, Johnny Dorchester (playing trombone), Rabie Cummins, Boyd Schreffler, Goof Moyer and Tracy-Brown from 1930 to 1932.

He toured twice with Marshall Van Pool (replacing Stanley Wrightsman), went to Bermuda with Sam Robbins in 1931 [playing trombone before the Prince of Wales] and later toured with Roy Ingraham, and Freddie Bergin (replacing Bob Zurke).

He went to Chicago in late 1932, and led own bands. Others musicians he has worked with included Wingy Manone, Jack Teagarden [on first records in1933], Joe Marsala (1934), Eddie Neibauer and Dell Coon.

His first recorded composition was “The Blues Have Got Me” in 1935 with the Harlem Hot Shots (Wingy Manone).

He led own all-star recording group in Chicago in 1935, including Preston Jackson, Joe Marsala, Boyce Brown, Jess Stacy, Zutty Singleton, and Jabbo Smith, with whom he wrote and recorded the first inter-racial blues vocal recording in the history of jazz.

Charles did radio work from 1935 to 1937 with Rico Marcelli, played trumpet with Joe Sanders (1935), then piano with Henry Busse. In 1937, he returned to New York, accompanied by Bert Froman and joined Paul Whiteman as a featured performer.

He performed with Jack & Charlie Teagarden in “Teagarden, LaVere & Teagarden, the Swing Wing Trio” in early 1938. In Los Angeles joined Frank Trumbauer (1938), then began extensive work in radio and recording studios in Hollywood first with Skinnay Ennis, Victor Young, John Scott Trotter and Gordon Jenkins, regularly accompanying Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dick Haymes and a host of other stars (1939-50). He also worked with Johnny Cascales [aka Johnny Richards] in 1939 and John Riley Scott in 1940.

He had a million-seller record in 1948, as vocalist on “Maybe You’ll Be There” (Gordon Jenkins’ first hit) and led his own LaVere’s Chicago Loopers on records from 1944 to 1950. He worked with the 1949 Dixieland Jubilee and from 1950 to 1954, worked regularly with Country Washburne on radio, and performed and recorded with the Sextet from Hunger.

In 1954, he was approached by Walt Disney to write music for his soon to be opened theme park’s western saloon show. Getting together with Tom Adair, he co-wrote songs for and performed in the Golden Horseshoe Revue at Disneyland from 1955 to 1960.

Songs he wrote for the Golden Horseshoe Revue included “Riverboat Blues” [recorded by Betty Taylor and Judy Marsh], “What Have We Here” [recorded by Wally Boag], “Hello Everybody” [recorded by Betty Taylor and Donald Novis], and “A Lady Has to Mind Her P’s and Q’s” [recorded by Betty Taylor. During that time, he also recorded on “The Letter” with Judy Garland in 1958. Charles LeVere died in Ramona, California, on April 28, 1983.

Information courtesy of http:www.deltahaze.com/30/vt.html

The Golden Horseshoe Player Piano

The C-2 Coinola

Hiding upstairs at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon is an unknown treasure. It is a beautiful Coinola C2 player piano. It was built between 1910 and 1927 by the Operators Piano Company of Chicago, Illinois. The Coinola was once part of a pre-show and played free for about 15 minutes before each show time.

Originally belonging to the collection of Paul R. Eakins of Missouri, it was purchased in 1977 [along with several other pianos and mechanical instruments] by the Walt Disney Company.

It was originally brought to Disneyland to go in the office of the Vice President of Entertainment. Later it was moved to the Golden Horseshoe Saloon, where it now serves as a long forgotten, beautiful decoration.

Close up of the

stained glass work

The left back stairs

leading to the piano

Hey, Buddy, can you spare a seat?
The Golden Horseshoe Saloon has a total of 309 seats. There are 20 tables of 4 upstairs [80], 3 tiers of 14 [42] chairs behind the sound booth, the sound mans seat [1], 5 downstairs tables of 6 [30] and one table of four [4] to the right side, 2 booths of 4 on each side of the stage [8], and 36 tables of 4 each [144] on the main floor. There are 64 tables.			The booth on the left is always respectfully referred to as "Walt's Booth". The booth on the left side - or as Billy fans call it, "The John Wilkes Booth".
A view of empty tables from the balcony.		A view of the bar and my favorite castmembers, David and Callie.
	The view upstairs looking toward the sound booth.		The upstairs window where food use to be served. It is now used for storage.

The One and Only "Original" Pecos Bill, Wally Boag
	Wallace Vincent Boag was born on September 13, 1920 in Portland, Oregon to Wallace B. and Emlyn G. Boag. He began a career in show business and toured the world working in England, Europe, and the United States with people like Julie Andrews and Don Novis. [who he worked with in Australia]. Also, earlier in his career, Don worked on an ABC radio show called "Your Happy Holiday" and on KCOP in Los Angeles on "The Rose Marie Show." In 1955, Wally was asked by friend, Donald Novis to audition for the Golden Horseshoe Revue. He did his nightclub routine with Walt alone on an empty sound stage. When he finished, Walt said, “Well, we’re building this park down at Anaheim and I’m gonna produce this show in Frontierland, but, it’ll be a family show.” Wally informed him that his act could be cleaned up and he was hired immediately. Together with singer Donald Novis, he co-wrote the script. With Charles Levere and Tom Adair writing the music, they created the Golden Horseshoe Revue. One of Wally’s most famous quotes from the show is “When they operated on Father, they opened Mother’s Male." Wally has famous for his many sight gags including his prat falls, spit takes and his balloon animals called "Boagaloons". Wally Boag also toured with Disney Characters for the debuts of several movies. These include the promotional tours of "Jungle Book", "Bedknobs & Broomsticks", "The Aristocats", and "Robin Hood". These tours, which involved the use of the Disney Corporate Jet, were sponsored by Buena Vista Distributing and generally had a schedule of about 35 U.S. cities in as many days. Wally’s television and movie filmography include his role as a Canadian flier in “Thrill of a Romance” in 1945, “The Borden Show” in 1947 as an Emcee, The Disneyland ’59 TV Show in 1959 as himself {also known as Kodak Presents Disneyland ’59], a TV Newsman in the 1961 movie “The Absent-Minded Professor”, Disney’s Wonderful World of Color TV Show’s “The Golden Horseshoe Revue” in 1962, the father in the commercial in “Son of Flubber” in 1963, “The Love Bug” in 1968, “The Muppet Show” in 1980 playing himself and Pecos Bill, and “Kraft Salutes Disneyland’s 25^th Anniversary” in 1980. Wally also provided the voice of Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room’s bird host, Jose. Wally retired from the Golden Horseshoe Revue in January of 1982. Wally and his lovely wife, Ellen reside in Santa Monica, California. In September of 2005, Wally Boag introduced fellow past castmember, Steve Martin to the crowd at Disneyland when Steve was presented with a Disney Legends Award.

Don Novis, The Golden Horseshoe's Irish Tenor

Donald G. Novis was born on March 3, 1906 in East Sussex, England, but soon found himself in the United States. Although a singer, he was able to wangle a role in the 1929 silent film Bulldog Drummond.
In the 1930's, he sang with many of the big bands, and made regular appearances on radio and occasional appearances in movies, often as a singer. He starred on Broadway in Arthur Hammerstein's musical "Luana" starting on September 30, 1930.
He did a version of Hoagy Carmichael's, "Stardust" in 1932 with Jimmie Grer and his Orchestra.

The poem "Trees" --"I think that I shall never see...", was written by American poet Sergeant Joyce Kilmer. A song based on the poem, with Kilmer's words and music by Oscar Rasbach, was published in 1922 and it was sung by Donald Novis in the film THE BIG BROADCAST, in 1932. It was the first song to sell 10,000 copies.

He sang with orchestra leader, Hal Kemp in 1933. In 1935, he did the Broadway stage version of Billy Rose's Jumbo starring: Jimmy Durante, Gloria Grafton, and Paul Whiteman. He was famous for singing, "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World".

On April 18, 1939, he appeared on The Fibber McGee and Molly Show singing "You're the Only One For Me". He appeared on his last show on November 7, 1939.
He starred in Hopalong Cassidy TV episode DOUBLE TROUBLE on January 8, 1954, as Monte Kane along with William Boyd, Edgar Buchanan and Gabby Hayes.

Don started working at Disneyland prior to it's opening in 1955. Was hired by Walt Disney to write a new show for his Golden Horseshoe Saloon. He immediately thought of his old friend, Wally Boag to help write and star in the show.

His other credits include the lyrics to "Peace on Earth" from the Disney classic, "The Lady and the Tramp" and he performed "Love Is A Song" in the Disney Classic, "Bambi".

Don Novis passed away in July 23, 1966 in Norwalk, California.

His filmography includes:
"Bulldog Drummond" (1929) Silent version starring Ronald Coleman and Joan Bennett.
"Monte Carlo" (1930) Directed by Ernest Lubitsch.
"Her Majesty, Love" (1931) Starred with Marilyn Miller and W.C. Fields.
The Pajama Party (1931) starring Thelma Todd and Zazy Pitts.
"One Hour with You" (1932) Directed by Ernest Lubitsch and starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette McDonald.
The Big Broadcast (1932) starring with the Cab Calloway Orchestra, Big Crosby, Kate Smith and the Mills Brothers.
"New Deal Rhythm" (1934)
"The Magic of Magnolias" (1942) with Cyd Charisse and the Ted Fio Orchestra.
"Slightly Terrific" (1944)
"Sweethearts of the USA" (1944)
"Down Memory Lane" (1949) with Bing Crosby, W.C. Fields, Steve Allen, Gloria Swanson and Mack Sennett.
"Mr. Universe" (1951) with Vince Edwards and Janis Page.

His Victor 78 recordings include:
BY THE FIRESIDE on 05/11/32
GOODNIGHT MY LOVE on 05/11/32
DEEP IN YOUR EYES on 05/11/32

Don Novis' recorded songs include:
Stardust, Spirate Pur, Spirate , Ave Maria (Schubert) , When Day Is Done , The Old Refrain, When Twilight Comes, Daughter Of Peggy O'Neil, Lady Of The Evening, Little Town In The Old County Down, Who Is Sylvia?
Roses Of Picardy, Can't You Hear Me Callin' Caroline?, Baby Face, and At Your Command

The Sherman Brother's Grand Piano

Sometime in 1998, to celebrate the release of their book, Walt's Time: From Before to Beyond, Richard and Robert Sherman dedicated a white Yamaha Grand Piano at a private party in the Golden Horseshoe Saloon.

Dubbed the "Sherman Brothers Piano", it was played in the central hub of Disneyland on December 5, 2001 to commemorate what would have been Walt Disney's 100th Birthday.

The Sherman Brothers are famous for writing so many of the Disneyland attraction songs including "It's A Small World", "The Tiki Room", and "There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow", as well as many Disney movies.

The piano now sits at Carnation Plaza and is used in musical venues there, such as the Big Band Saturday nights at Carnation Plaza.

Richard and Robert Sherman

An autographed copy of the Sherman Brothers book given to Jan's World web-mistress, Jan.

Richard Sherman plays the Sherman Brothers Piano and tells stories about Walt Disney on his 100th birthday at Disneyland.

Attention Former Golden Horseshoe Cast Members and Performers!

If you were a former Golden Horseshoe Saloon performer or technician between the years 1955 to the present, and would like to be included in this [still incomplete] list of

Golden Horseshoe Cast Members,

OR, if you have additional information or corrections to make to this history,

I would love to hear from you.

Please contact Jan Vincent @ janvincent_1313@yahoo.com

Come share your memories of the Golden Horseshoe

and it's shows, entertainers and castmembers at

Memories of the Golden Horseshoe Message Board

Thanks go to Gene Sands, DCA castmember, Jason; Ben Sherman,

and Gary Cherno for information used on this page.

Happy guests have visited this web page!

The History of Disneyland's

Golden Horseshoe Saloon

{the icon links below will take you to each of these pages}

Information from Early 1954 to July 17, 1955

Performed from July 16,1955 to October 12, 1986

Released at Disneyland in 1957

Performed during the Mid-1980's

Performed from November 1, 1986 - December 18, 1994

Performed from December 22, 1994 - Present

Performed from June 13, 1995 - October 8, 2003

Performed on October 8, 2003

Performed from November 21, 1999 to July 17, 2000

Performed from occasionally from 2001 - 2003

The One and Only Wally Boag
Wally Boag and Julie Andrews
The Dapper Dans at the Horseshoe
The Firehouse Five Plus 2
Charles Lavere, Golden Horseshoe's Music
The Sherman Brother's Grand Piano
Golden Horseshoe Player Piano
The Mickey Mouse Club at the Horseshoe
Golden Horseshoe Revue's TV Show
Irish Tenor, Don Novis
Jazz at the Horseshoe
The Osmond Brothers at the Horseshoe
Riders in the Sky
Disneyland's Grad Nite
Zorro In Frontierland
The Golden Horseshoe's Hidden Mickey
Buddy, Can You Spare A Seat?