The 109th Edition Red Unit used
the “Toyland” theme for its Circus Toyland spec. Bill Pruyn rose to the occasion and assembled
a music score that not only featured selections from Babes in
Toyland but also from several of Victor Herbert’s other operettas. It remains my all-time favorite spec
score. This photo, taken in San Diego in
1979 as the pay-off elephants are going by, gives some idea of Circus
Toyland’s level of production.
(This was back when Irvin Feld had Mattel’s money to work
with.)
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Sunday, December 21, 2014
Babes In Toyland #5
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8 comments:
It has often been assumed by many that the specs in the 1970s were more elaborate than in other years because of the availability of Mattel money. Logic should tell us otherwise. A subsidiary company, which Ringling was, is expected to be a profit center and the squeeze would always be on for Ringling to contribute to the bottom line of Mattel. If anything, there might have been LESS money available during the Mattel ownership. Moreover, the Circus World amusement park, likely a separate corporation but closely identified with the circus given over-lapping senior management, must have been a huge drain on Mattel income throughout much of the 1970s.
Dick Flint
Baltimore
Sorry Dick but wrong on both of
the issues regarding money & of
the "senior management"
Big Bertha never made any money
for Mattel or they wouldn't have
sold it back to the Felds for 10
cents on the dollar
Mattel took the park away from
Irvin's control (a long story)
Ya know that the Oil Crisis in 1974 kinda stimmied the whole business..The animals parks were doing well until gas went up..Great Adventure opened the same year as the Showcase and effects were felt heavy those first couple of years..
Sorry Chic but I disagree!! -- though I'll modify overlapping senior management to mean that Ringling senior mgmt were busily involved. (Call me if you wish!)
Mattel sold Ringling because Mattel had expanded into businesses beyond their core product line and were bleeding money. Desperate to raise cash, the only businesses they could sell were those that had some profitability such as Ringling. Having overpaid, they were willing to sell at a loss just to have the cash.
Dick Flint
Baltimore
Tiki & I are in San Juan on a
holiday vacation Dick but I'll
give you a call when I get home
Not everything is best in print
Happy holidays to all & a very
Merry Christmas
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