Designer Times by Bob Gurr: Michael Jackson — Disneyland Fan Remembered
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Michael Jackson was such a Disneyland fan that at every chance, he’d take a group of family, friends, and an occasional Jackson fan to Disneyland. He loved the park. His home was filled with Disneyland memorabilia, the envy of any true Disnoid. Obviously, every Jackson visit was a Disneyland operations nightmare. But the eager Cast Members always found a way to fit Michael’s entourage into a Park crowded with thousands of regular guests. It seemed Michael was an incurable Disneyland fan, the same as hundreds of thousands who flocked to Anaheim every year.
So when Michael wanted to know more how the Disney Magic was done, he made arrangements for a tour of Applied Entertainment Systems in Sylmar California in spring,1984. As told in Designer Times No. 44 Michael Jackson - 1984 Victory Tour Animated Lighting EFX, December 10, 2003, Michael came to visit our Animation Factory. We were a company founded by three former WED Enterprises designers: Dave Schweninger, Tom Reidenbach, and myself. What better way to get an up close behind-the-scenes look at animation magic.
Michael was also able to meet two Disney Imagineering Legends, Al Bertino and Marc Davis, who had dropped by to take me to lunch. Thus Michael and his brothers enjoyed an extra surprise... real Imagineering Legends! That chance meeting of Legends, plus the two hour detailed factory tour, excited Michael enough that he asked me if I could design a special lighting device for his upcoming Victory Tour with his brothers. (See the earlier story for details).
This event started what turned out in the next few very fast weeks to be a chance to watch up close how Michael worked, how diligent he was on every creative detail, and how expert he was in leading his crew to achieve stunning originality in his music and in his live presentations. Today is an appropriate day to look back at this gifted individual, and try to understand his grasp of how one goes about achieving the role of King of Pop by his daily actions.
The first Jackson characteristic was utter politeness, no star aloofness, no order giving, just gracious interaction with everyone. Sure, he was shy and timid, but totally in charge of production. Example: during the hectic rehearsal days at the Zoetrope Studios, everyone was expected to be exactly on time when each session started. He ensured this in a simple manner. At the entrance to the studio, starting times were posted to the minute. Listed next to these times was a list of tardy fines: $1 per minute for all crew, $5 per minute for all Jackson family members in the show. Whenever I was there, NOBODY came in late. He even had one of his security guys there to collect the cash!
This impressed me to no end. When you are assigned to a big, fast, expensive gig, money and time will be lost forever unless you demand total compliance. The benefits are that if you have to pay a fine, everyone knows, and you’ll never get caught out again. This was not brutal, just great business sense. Michael would personally sign all checks over $250. He would know what everything cost. His artistic creativity was cleverly balanced with a hard nosed financiers grip. Marvelous!
Another time, as he was trying to refine a few bars of music, one of the electronic piano players did a playful riff during a pause while Michael was deep in thought. He snapped in a very low voice, ”Do that again and you’ll never work in this town again.” Not in anger, just a clear notice. Whoa! Needless to say, those weeks I spent at Zoetrope Studios watching Michael work left me with business observations vivid to this day.
This total business-like attitude permeated the whole crew. We all had a lot of friendly joshing, but when Michael entered the stage, it was all business. Not in the sense of domination, but a camaraderie of super professionalism. All the guys were going out on summer tour with the King of Pop. And they were going to be as good as Michael Jackson. Gifted creativity with business leadership, you bet! And remember, the kid was only 26.
When the whole show moved to Birmingham, Alabama for the first tour “load-in,” Michael continued this leadership. He even found time most days to go out in a business suit by himself to knock on doors, delivering copies of the Jehovah’s Witness Watchtower magazine to unsuspecting locals. But soon the crowds around the Birmingham Civic Center Coliseum trapped him inside for the rest of the rehearsal days.
As to his stage skills, I would many times be within twenty feet of that famous Moon Walk and could never figure it out. I looked intently at him, but just never got it. Apparently, neither did the entire world. Today, Michael has left us. But his creativity will most likely endure forever.
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-- Bob Gurr
Bob Gurr began working with Disney in 1954. He retired in 1981 but occasionally consults for the Company. Since Disney he's worked on the sinking ship at Las Vegas' Treasure Island, Universal Studios' King Kong, Godzilla for the film by the same name and much more. Among his proudest accomplishments he lists "making Walt tickled pink that some of the things he wanted to build actually worked. You could tell how proud he was when he would show off things to his friends and the press. Lincoln and the Monorail were two big ones for him."
The opinions expressed by Bob Gurr, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future of Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted June 26, 2009
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