Trent at the Haunted Mansion

Monolithic Studio's head, Reuben Lilienthal, was close friends with Walt Disney. Both of them enjoyed the publicity machine and making the most of it. When Walt and his team began the design of his Haunted Mansion at Disneyland in 1961, he contacted Reuben about the possibility of reuniting Trent, Madra, and Gene for this attraction in some capacity. Reuben was more than pleased at the idea of getting his three favorite stars of yesteryear together again.

Flash forward to 1966; the construction of the exterior had been finished for 3 years, but the attraction itself was still in a state of turmoil. A sign outside of the Mansion gave a tantalizing glimpse of what was to come, but guests had to patiently wait to get inside for another few years. To keep the momentum going, Walt decided to stage some publicity shots to continue to whet the appetites of the curious public. By this time, Reuben had already passed away, but Trent, Madra, and Gene were still excited about the possibility of working with Walt.

Here are a few of the rare shots from that day. Trent played host:



Madra was filmed and used as the projection head for Madame Leota:



And Gene dressed up as the ghastly bride in the attic who was jilted by her fiance at the altar:



Sadly, it wasn’t long after these photos were shot that Walt passed away. It would be another 3 years before the Mansion would open, and the Disney Imagineers felt that the Monolithic Trio were no longer relevant to the current generation. So...these photos have sat in the dusty files of the archives until they were recently discovered. Hope you enjoy!

MANY thanks to Alana Bennett for doing an incredible job of recreating the Disneyland Haunted Mansion cast member outfit for Trent to model!

See more Gene Marshall and Friends photos at my regular website.

Franklin Mint Vinyl: Scarlett & Christmas with Ashley

Just in time for Christmas, Scarlett arrived yesterday. And although her new price tag was mighty steep (thankfully I was able to get a discount!), she really does look fantastic...even better than the publicity shot on the Franklin Mint’s website. For her first shot, I pulled out the black coat that she wore to the depot to greet Ashley (expertly tailored by Alana Bennett!) and added the Paris Hat that Rhett bought for her.

And for the rest of the shots, it’s just plain ol’ Scarlett. The detail is amazing; beautiful fabric (albeit a little sticky), the tiny buttons down the front of the top, the lace collar and cameo, and the hairdo...wow. As if she just stepped out of the movie. I have retouched her glowing green eyes in some of the photos. Yikes!







Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season, whatever you may celebrate!

To see more Scarlett O'Hara doll photos, visit my regular website.

Doll Fashions By Alana: Scarlett’s Paisley Robe

Although a great majority of Scarlett O’Hara’s “Gone With The Wind” wardrobe has been produced by The Franklin Mint, Robert Tonner, and even Mattel, there are still quite a few of her costumes that have not been replicated for the 16" fashion doll market. This sumptuous paisley robe is one of them. The Franklin Mint created a version of it to fit their 24" porcelain Scarlett, but so far a smaller-scaled outfit has not been released. What does a picky collector do when they want to be able to have Scarlett wear ALL her costumes? Contact Alana! She has expertly replicated almost every costume that Vivien Leigh wore in the 1939 classic, and done them to a “T.” Need the New Orleans Honeymoon dress? Contact Alana! Wishing you could have the blue velvet robe & gown Scarlett wears on her Atlanta terrace while discussing her marriage to Rhett? Contact Alana! The Paisley Robe pictured here was crafted by Alana.

To see more “Gone with the Wind” doll photos, visit my regular website.