DISNEYLAND FACT OF THE DAY: The rollicking septet known as the - TopicsExpress

DISNEYLAND FACT OF THE DAY: The rollicking septet known as the Firehouse Five Plus Two was a summertime staple at Disneyland for 15 years. The group traveled all over the park, playing in Town Square, inside the Golden Horseshoe, on the streets of New Orleans Square, and while riding in parades. Their signature look was a firemans outfit--bright red shirt, white suspenders, and an authentic fire helmet--and their signature sound was guest-friendly Dixieland jazz punctuated by bells, whistles, and sirens. They were formed in the late 1940s as a lunchtime, after-work and weekend hobby for a few Disney animators and technicians. For their early performances at parties, they went by the names Huggajeedy Eight and then the San Gabriel Valley Blues Blowers. In 1949 the group developed its good-time firehouse theme, complete with an old fire engine for photos. During the 1950s, it performed live on TV shows, on radio shows, and in nightclubs. The group also got airtime when it was featured in the 1955 Dateline Disneyland TV special, which introduced the nation to the newly-completed park. Additionally, throughout the 1950s and 1960s the group recorded a dozen albums. One of them, 1962s At Disneyland was recorded live at The Golden Horseshoe. They recorded their last album in 1970 and disbanded a year later.