Back in mid 1964, Walt brought Imagineer/ animator Marc Davis to work on the Haunted Mansion project, and to come up with multiple ideas. That summer, Marc created ideas, as well as wrote an entire story outline for a walk-through version of this attraction. It’s interesting to see how even early on, so many of Marc’s initial ideas wound up in the ride: an invisible ghost host, the stretching room, a gallery of morphing portraits, the seance circle with a disembodied medium, a raven, and even alluding to a story that would be later used as inspiration for Phantom Manor. Here is Marc’s original storyline:
“The Stretching Room
The audience moves into the elongating room. The Ghost Host introduces himself as their invisible guide. He also introduces the attendant who is dressed as a butler who will also accompany the group on their dangerous adventure in the Haunted Mansion. The Ghost Host recommends that they stay close to the sound of his voice because there are many unpredictable things that may happen and they will be much safer if they stay near him.
He says, “The dead spirits have some resentment for those who wish to stay alive!” But he adds, “They are a gregarious group and they are always in search of new company. They are always pleased to meet a new ghost. Don’t let it be you!” He warns them to watch out for clutching hands without bodies, cold drafts of air, and etc.
The Ghost Host points out the salient points of the elongating room. As the room elongates his voice may stay high in the room and gradually feed through an echo chamber. He calls attention to the fact that there are no visible exits to the room. He says there is a way out and with a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder, we see a figure hanging and swaying from the ceiling. The Ghost Host doesn’t recommend this coward’s way out. His voice drops with a dull plop to the floor. The voice is back to normal, the walls open and he leads the group with the aid of the butler, who beckons, into the next scene.
The Portrait Hallway
This room is filled with oversized furnishings, paintings, and sculptures. The Ghost Host tells the story of first one and then another of the people portrayed in the paintings and sculptures. As he does, some visual effect takes place. They talk or change in a magic ghostlike manner.
The final picture is perhaps behind black drapes which raise as the Ghost Host calls our attention to it. As the drapes part we see a painting that has everything in it except a figure. There is perhaps a vague image where the figure should be.
The Ghost Host reacts in a frightened manner. He explains that this is terrible because this is the most dangerous ghost in the Mansion. When he climbs out of his picture, he mingles with the guests until he has turned one of them into a ghost. He describes the ghost’s appearance and its omnipotent powers. He suggests again that everyone should stay in a tight group; this evil ghost loves to pick off stragglers. He suggests that the group be wary of sliding panels, guests of cold air, and etc. We move into the next scene through the fireplace.
The Séance Circle
The Ghost Host leads the audience into an overburdened Victorian room. This room is hung with heavy draperies in deep reds. There is a table in the center of the room. Several chairs are near the table. The Ghost Host explains that in former times this room was used by the famous medium, Madame Z. And if this audience is a receptive one, they may see a very unusual séance. A spirit medium producing other spirits.
The Ghost Host’s voice moves to the center of the room. He talks as he invisibly moves the chairs around the table. He rearranges objects that are sitting on the table. The Ghost Host calls for Madame Z to enter, but she is reluctant because of the ghost (she refers to him by name) who is on the prowl from the portrait gallery. The Ghost Host, however convinces her that she should not let her audience down (the show must go on).
The medium enters the room. She pulls a chair out from the table and we see the chair seat sink down with her weight. She pulls the chair in and the long table cover reacts to her knees. She readjusts the objects on the table as she asks the audience to join hands. She warns if they feel a very cold hand it might be the villain ghost. Please be careful! She asks them to join her in her incantation to call the good spirits from the other world.
She brings back a series of spirits. We would use all of the clichés commonly used by a medium. Bells ring, a tambourine jiggles, a chief appears, a trumpet plays, and other standard characters appear. Audience participation is suggested.
Soon, however, things begin to get out of hand. The medium becomes very upset. The good spirits are being intimidated by an evil presence. The Ghost Host suggests that this is a dangerous situation and we had best leave the séance room.
The Ghost Club Room
This is a large comfortable room with many little alcoves. The Ghost Host explains that it is possible that if we are in the proper frame of mind, we may actually be able to see a few real live ghosts.
The ghosts in this room are much like old actors in the motion picture relief home. They are constantly boring each other with stories of their great successes. Each has a trick that he did to scare the life out of people when was an active haunting ghost. Each in turn does his trick, each topping the other. These can be surprise gags such as a head flying off a figure or funny business gags.
But as in the previous act something begins to go wrong. The presence of the villain ghost makes itself felt and these older retired ghosts are frightened. Whatever we have used to indicate the nearness of the villain ghost would be repeated here. With frightened yells and screams the retired ghosts disappear and the Ghost Host, who now gives a slightly evil laugh, suggests we too, should disappear. We leave and go to the next scene.
A Room That Has a Garden View
The Ghost Host leads the audience to this room, which has open floor to ceiling windows. There are candles on the mantel. One is lit. A raven is perched on a bookcase. Outside it is moonlight.
The Ghost Host explains that while it may not look it, this is a room where great evil has taken place. (He may tell of the bride and her fiancé who were killed by a rejected suitor. The bride and her fiancé might appear in an embrace.) In any case, the Ghost Host now says he feels that he should reveal himself to the audience. He has grown quite attached to them. He starts a wild mocking laugh. It clouds up outside. The curtains blow inward. It starts to rain along with thunder and lightning. Outside we see a figure that takes form and it moves into the room. The rain comes into the room with the figure and a pool of water forms around its feet. This is our Ghost Host, but it also follows the description of the villain ghost that escaped from the painting earlier. The Ghost Host is now all villain. He murdered the young couple.
The raven on the mantel says the audience can’t get out soon enough. “Go through the bookshelf. Go through the bookshelf.” Bookshelf opens and we exit through churchyard.
One of my favorite hidden details about the Country Bear Jamboree, is that all of the bears actually have official backstories given by the Imagineers. Most likely written by show writers Al Bertino and Marc Davis, these mini bios were published around the time of the opening of the attraction at Walt Disney World.
The Tightrope Girl- Inspired by the infamous concept and painting by artist Marc Davis , this haunting “stretching portrait” depicts the classic carnival lore of the tightrope walker, unaware of her doom below. Fully photographic image, modeled by Dita Von Teese.
Some of you may also know this painting from the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland.
Photos of Milt Kahl with dialogue balloons added by studio associates as gags for one of Kahl’s birthdays, poking fun at his temperamental, opinionated personality and colorful language
“Throughout the years, a steady stream of people came to Kahl’s door for help with their drawings; some were top animators, many were assistant animators or layout artists sent by a director. At the studio, a mystique grew around Kahl: ‘If you want your scene to look good,’ said John Lounsbery, ‘go get one drawing from Milt.’ ‘He could do one drawing for a scene and it would set you up for days to come,’ says assistant animator Dale Oliver…
“Everyone was in awe of what Milt did; seeking his guidance became a ritual, like entering the cave of the oracle. He even had his own guards: first, a corridor secretary passed you on to one of his assistants, who always knocked timidly on his closed door…
“‘Yah, c’min!’ Kahl would holler impatiently from his desk…
“‘Whatizit?!’ he’d demand.
“‘Milt was always out of patience,’ says (Don) Bluth. ‘‘Just go draw the damn thing!’ [he’d say.] As if everybody could do it…’
“‘Milt was very, very tough to talk with,’ says Dale Oliver. ‘He was a moody gentleman. Sometimes you’d walk in and he’d be just marvelous, helpful. Other times you’d be met with expletives and four-letter words. You knew you better get out…’
“John Ewing experienced the two sides of Kahl. On The Sword in the Stone, Ewing did ‘minimal touch-ups’ in a scene that… contained one of Kahl’s characters, so director Reitherman suggested Ewing pass the drawings by the master. When he did, a ‘mini-tornado’ took place in Kahl’s room. ‘It is best to say he was disappointed in what I had done,’ says Ewing. When he tried again, the scene passed muster, ‘due entirely to the things Milt pointed out to me.’ Later, he and Kahl rode the same elevator to lunch. ‘Listen, John,’ said Kahl, ‘I really got a lift out of how you fixed up that scene. And I’m sorry if I seemed a bit rough.’ Ewing, an ex-Navy man, laughed and said he’d had stripes torn off during admiral’s inspections. Kahl smiled and ‘for me, on that occasion,’ says Ewing, ‘there was never a more beautiful smile.’“
excerpt and photos from Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men & The Art of Animation by John Canemaker
