Pirates of Caribbean Behind the Scenes - Part Two

Here is the part two of the Pirates of Caribbean Behind the Scenes article, and this one is a brand new one. All the pictures include in this article are rare Imagineering pictures which were reproduced in a hard to find Pirates of Caribbean brochure released in the 70's. In this 50 pages collector's, readers can see Marc Davis at work...



Or plenty of Marc Davis artwork like this one...



Also include, pictures of Walt Disney like this one with one of the POTC Audio-Animatronics.



The brochure also include great shots of the original Disneyland attraction and lot of pictures of WDI legendary Imagineers creating the ride.

We will begin by the sculpting of POTC figures, with, on the picture below, WDI sculptor Blaine Gibson with the pirates heads.



Again, Blaine Gibson, sculpting a figure for the POTC model.



Another pictures of a WDI sculptor named Joe Kaba.



On the picture below, Peter Kermode, WDI sculptor who took over after Blaine Gibson left Imagineering.



On the next picture Imagineers Blaine Gibson, George Snowden and Mark Davis with a pirate sculpture.



Then it was time to dressed the different figures. On the first picture below, Alice Davis is taking care of the "red hair".



On this next picture, Bob Sewell and another Imagineer take care of a dog who is part of the show...



While Leota Toombs is finishing the make-up on one of the pirates head...



And Imagineers Dave Schweninger (left), John Franke (center) and Roger Broggie, Jr (right) put in place one of the Audio-Animatronic figure.




Next step, the Animatronic animation. On the picture below, a WDI Imagineer working on a pirate's head.



Below, Imagineer Roger Broggie checking the metal structure of a pirate Audio-animatronics.



As we know, nothing could have been done without the big 1960's computers system, here is WDI Imagineer Legend Wathel Rogers in front of them.



Imagineer Ken O'Brien with a Pirate's animated head.



Meanwhile, X Atencio and George Bruns are finalizing the famous song "A Pirate's life for me"...



...and Imagineer Bill Justice studying prints from a film of an actor performing the auctioneer pirate that will be used for the animation of the Animatronic pirate.



But Pirates of Caribbean it's also fantastic decors. On the next picture, Imagineer Colin Campbell is working on the model of the "Wicked Wench".



Later, other Imagineers will build a real size "Wicked Wench"...



While another one gives the final touch on one of the cannon...



Or another paints on the parking lot the little boat on which drunken pirates will stand in a scene of the attraction.



On this last picture shoot when everything was put in place in the ride building, Disney Legends Claude Coats and Fred Joerger.



Pat Burke recalls a story from Fred Joerger: "I often met Fred at Barone's Pizza after work with another co worker and Fred would tell stories about Walt. He said Walt's death was a "Great" shock back in 1966 as they were trying to get the new Disneyland Pirates of the Carribean attraction done and open. Walt always came around for the final walk abouts for adjustments and changes, but he was not able to do this due to his sickness and death. So Fred said he and Claude Coats, the field Art Directors, would have to go ahead and fill in for Walt and look at the ride as he would have done. As they say the show had to go on. So Pirates became the first show opened after Walt's passing."

We will end with a picture of this double-page from the brochure showing the famous Pirates of Carribean fun map showing the different scenes of the ride.




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All pictures: copyright Disney Enterprises Inc.