Comments on Orange County Memories: Movieland Wax Museum Closing Down

Five years too late, I just discovered that Moviel...

2010-12-22T13:11:21.877-08:00

Five years too late, I just discovered that Movieland Wax Museum closed. My family used to go to Disneyland quite frequently when I was a child, and we always visited Movieland Wax Museum when we were in the area. I loved it and have such fond memories of the times I spent there. I loved the attention to detail and being a big movie buff (even as a child), it was so fun to see favorite scenes from television and movies recreated in wax.

I specifically remember being very "wowed" by the "Star Trek" set. I also remember the Chamber of Horrors and was always delighted to see Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates standing behind the shower curtain as it whipped open. I remember The Poseidon Adventure set (one of my favorite movies at the time and even now).

I remember Mae West, The Wizard of Oz, Singing in the Rain (with real water showering down), and Christopher Reeve as Superman.

The last time I went to the museum was in 1997 or 1998. A friend of mine (who had never been there) and I went, and I was excited to see this wonderful place from my childhood. We had a great time, although I did notice that the figures and upkeep had deteriorated somewhat since I was a child, and I admit it did seem a bit cheesier than it was when I was a kid. It wasn't very well-attended, either (which I selfishly liked because I felt like we had free reign of the place). Still, it was a lot of fun, and I still enjoyed looking at the figures and sets. Mostly, it was just a wonderful nostalgic reminder of a magical time in my youth.

I wasn't necessarily surprised when I heard of its closing, but I did feel sad. It felt like a part of my childhood was gone, never to be replaced.

Thanks, Movieland Wax Museum, for the wonderful memories!

My mom worked at MWM in some time in the 70's?...

2010-11-08T04:11:13.222-08:00

My mom worked at MWM in some time in the 70's? My Aunt worked there late 70s-early 80s. I remember being so upset a when my aunt told me it was closing. Then a few months ago, planning a trip MWM was listed as an attraction, got so excited, thought they didn't close or stay closed only to be disappointed again.

The Black Box was fucking awesome! I wish there wa...

2010-09-02T01:01:22.538-07:00

The Black Box was fucking awesome! I wish there was more nostalgic info available. Haven't been able to find much on the net.

I was one of the people that helped put the Black ...

2010-08-30T22:38:59.171-07:00

I was one of the people that helped put the Black Box production together - in particular the soundtrack for all the rooms. Was 21 or so at the time. The audio was designed to come from different parts of the room, so we had to mix the final audio in the rooms themselves - Vincent Price's study (Price was your host throughout the Black Box), the set of Halloween, Altered States, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Alien (with the long hallway).

The problem we ran into was that we were using cassette tapes for the audio (early 80's, prior to CD's and digital) - plus the cue tones that told the sound to move from speaker to speaker, from room to room, were also on the tape. Anyone familiar with cassette tape knows that, when played over and over, they had a tendency to stretch, bend, and wear out quickly. And if the cassette tape didn't play just one tone audibly enough for the computer to hear it, the whole thing got off track - doors wouldn't open, sound would be coming from the wrong location, etc. No problem in today's digital world - much different though in the very early 80's.

And had a chance or two to spend time with the gentleman who made many of the wax figures. A specialized talent to say the least.

Movieland Wax....as it looks today. http://marcywr...

2010-08-03T08:05:42.234-07:00

Movieland Wax....as it looks today.
http://marcywrites.com/2010/08/once-upon-an-oc-movieland-wax-museum-1962-2005/

Movieland Wax Museum was great. There was a stange...

2010-04-23T16:42:02.157-07:00

Movieland Wax Museum was great. There was a stange byt exciting feeling walking the pathway among the realistic figures. Although some were a little disapoiting (Planet of The Apes, Mrs Doubtfire) most of them were remarkable. I wish the corporation that owns Madame Tusangs (sorry about the spelling) would consider re-opening a wax museum at the location. Buena Park needs to look at building their tourist area along Beach Blvd instead of throwing in more sleazy motels and strip malls.

Hi Les and others, I read your notes and enjoyed t...

2010-01-21T21:53:35.066-08:00

Hi Les and others, I read your notes and enjoyed them. I remember meeting you Les when I was the resident oil painting artist that painted originals in the Palace of Living Arts. I was there for 10 years and was a good friend of Mr Perez and Mr Hannerman. I also remember the party when you dressed up like Robert Redford. That was a great party and you really made a great Sundance Kid. I also was friend with the Keystone Cops Frank Will and Ed. What a bunch of great people there at Movieland. It too was a highlight in my life,a time that I will never forget. In the week that Elvis died, I and Fred Anderson of channel 7 T.V. filmed a painting demo for Channel 7 news from MVM. On the night of the showing on TV they had the breaking news about Elvis and the MVM show was cut short. That year the Movieland attendance broke a record by having one million visitors which all should take pride.
That was the highest ever reached. Too bad about the closing, it is a great loss. I am still an artist after all these years and still painting and selling.
You may remember the large snow scene oil painting titled "The Wheel of Life" that I painted and it hung on display in the Palace of Living Arts for 10 years.Again thanks for sharing your memories about MVM.

Best Regards,D.Chas.

I've said it before and I'll say it again:...

2009-12-12T20:30:25.407-08:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again: It was a travesty that Buena Park didn't find a way to save the historic MWM. They thought they were going to rake in the tax money from the Best Buy complex, but thankfully that fell through. No value of history anymore - guess what we really need is another strip mall...

I first went to Movieland Wax Museum in 1986 with ...

2009-12-02T18:42:37.236-08:00

I first went to Movieland Wax Museum in 1986 with my brother. And I have vistied many times with the last being May 2005.
Movieland will be missed.

joey murga i remember a long time ago . i will mis...

2009-11-10T15:33:20.845-08:00

joey murga i remember a long time ago . i will miss it wanted my little girl to see it

Starbucks and wax figures just seemed to go togeth...

2009-11-03T08:25:01.763-08:00

Starbucks and wax figures just seemed to go together. Gotta have a lot of caffeine in you to stand up 24 hrs. a day.

Les Young

I guess poeple like Starbucks coffe more sinse the...

2009-10-30T10:03:23.980-07:00

I guess poeple like Starbucks coffe more sinse they are still open right in front.

I was standing in front of the closed museum on we...

2009-10-30T10:01:24.461-07:00

I was standing in front of the closed museum on wednesday with my kids, I was in shock to see closed, wanted my kids to enjoy the wax figures. very sad, will miss

Opps...I meant Marilyn Westlake. Les Young

2009-10-09T08:28:00.461-07:00

Opps...I meant Marilyn Westlake.

Les Young

Just to add-on to my previous post... I also work...

2009-09-14T14:17:58.282-07:00

Just to add-on to my previous post...

I also worked a little in the Starlight gift shop. And I would love to hear from someone that worked there around the same time. The Keystone Cops (security) were nice guys. I remember one named "Ed" that was the best of the bunch. For a time there was a plain clothes security guy from India. His name was "Singh" and he wore a turban.
One of my supervisors name was Lori. And I believe I remember Marilyn Westbrook named above.
When I worked in the Wolfman and Frankenstein photo booth I had to listen to Shirley Temple's "On the Good Ship Lollipop" for 8hrs. Through the trellace fence I could see those working in the carnival.
We had an employee Halloween party where we all dressed as someone in the museum. That's where I got the idea to dress like Redford as Sundance. This was a great job and I'm sad it's closed.

Les Young

I worked at Movieland Wax Museum around 1977-78. ...

2009-09-14T13:59:50.148-07:00

I worked at Movieland Wax Museum around 1977-78. I once rode in the Gold Rolls Royce at a parade dressed as Robert Redford from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I also worked in the photo booth with Spock, then Wolfman and Frankenstein. Anyone else work there at that time?

Les Young

I grew up in Buena Park (across the street from Kn...

2009-08-17T03:42:16.436-07:00

I grew up in Buena Park (across the street from Knotts Berry Farm). I am a classic movie buff and worked at Movieland Wax Museum and Palace of Living Art in 1978-79. Some interesting tidbits I learned from one of the Keystone Kops who was an old timer at the museum:

The figure of Lucille Ball (it was located across from the "Sunset Boulevard" set) was depicted as Lucy from “The Lucy Show”. However, the original intention was to have an “I Love Lucy” set. Unfortunately, the figure of Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) did not turn out very well. Ricky ended up being an “extra” in “Ben Hur” set; an onlooker of Chuck Heston’s chariot race.

Desi wasn’t the only figure to be recast elsewhere. I want to say that Oona Merkel ended up being the “patient” on the operating table in the “Ben Casey” set and James Dean became a masked bandit laying in wait for Chuck Connors as “The Rifleman”. My absolute favorite was Al Jolson’s recasting. There was a wonderful crucifixion scene in the Palace of Living Art. After the Keystone Kop told me that Al Jolson was there as one of the soldiers dividing up Jesus’ clothes, I had to see for myself. I walked around to the back of the set to get a peek of Jolson from the front (his back was to the patrons). Sure enough, there he was on one knee with a big old “Mammy” smiling face and the robe draped over his open jazz arms. “Gali-lee, how I love ya, how I love ya; my dear old Galilee…”

I miss Movieland. It was ALWAYS my favorite attraction in Southern California. I love wax museums, and have been to several others, but NONE ever compare to Movieland. It was the BEST.

Karen

My parents took me on a trip to California back in...

2009-08-10T04:59:07.413-07:00

My parents took me on a trip to California back in 1968, and MWM was one of my favorite places that we visited. Very saddened to hear that it is gone now. If I remember correctly, we stayed at a TraveLodge directly across the street, which had two life-sized horses made of fiberglass outside. I used to sit on one of the horses and watch people come and go from MWM, and wished I could see it again.

Movieland Wax Museum was my very first job as a te...

2009-07-01T21:21:36.714-07:00

Movieland Wax Museum was my very first job as a teen in the late 80s. So much fun. They would move us around from ticket booth, greeter and photographer (get your picture with a look a like), and photo lab. Every once in a while you would get a rock star, prince from another land, or a real star come visit. Corey Feldman came in once while I was greeter. He did a little Michael Jackson dance outside the doors after his visit. I LOVED the people I worked with. We had so much fun, time went by so fast. The only position I absolutely hated was getting stuck next to the star trek set getting the theme song repeated all.... day.... long. I did so many greetings in my years there I would wake up in the middle of the night doing my welcome speach. Ugh. miss you co workers!! Debbie

I went in the early 80's. I wandered away from the...

2009-05-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

I went in the early 80's. I wandered away from the family and found the Keystone Cop. His eyes looked so real, I had to get right up next to him for a closer look. He said "May I help you?" and I nearly crapped my pants. I still remember trying to convince my parents that one of the wax statues was alive. "Yeah, sure it is."

I know this place closed a fe years ago, but I mis...

2009-04-27T19:48:00.000-07:00

I know this place closed a fe years ago, but I miss it so much. My grandma took me when I was 9 years old and we had our picture taken outside with George Burns, i think my mom still has it. And now that my grandma has passed I find myself revisiting places we used to go, and I wish it was still open to go. I remeber they had a place inside where you could get your pic taken and they would put in another picture and you could have it put on a shirt, poster ect... I miss it very much and I think I will take a drive over there, I live 20 min away in Los Alamitos, and walk around outside......

I grew up near the Movieland Wax Museum and it sti...

2009-04-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

I grew up near the Movieland Wax Museum and it still ranks as the best wax museum I've ever seen. I used to know someone who worked there in the early 70's and she told me that most of the best figures were created by one artist who was one of the pioneers of taking precise measurements of the actors to reproduce amazing likenesses. I think what struck me the most as a child were the amazing sets the figures were placed in. In many cases actual props from the film were used to create a feeling of actually standing in a 3D still photograph from the film. They made me want to actually SEE the movie.
For a number of years they had a second museum next door dedicated to famous works of art (mostly paintings) turned into 3D figures with a complete set constructed around them. It reminded me of the "Pagent of the Masters".
What a terrific way to bring to life art and movies to children. I can say that a big part of my aprreciation for movies and art started by visiting this wonderful museum. Its a shame that there seems to be no place for something like this in todays society.

i worked at Movieland Wax Museum from 89 to 92 alo...

2009-03-01T21:53:00.000-08:00

i worked at Movieland Wax Museum from 89 to 92 alot of great memories and sad to here it no longer there!Bobbie

i worked at Movieland Wax Museum from 89 to 92 alo...

2009-03-01T21:52:00.000-08:00

i worked at Movieland Wax Museum from 89 to 92 alot of great memories and sad to here it no longer there!

in 1976 my family and I went to the movieland wax ...

2009-02-26T11:47:00.000-08:00

in 1976 my family and I went to the movieland wax museum. there was a "bobby"(english policeman} at the entrance. my grandmother was closley examing him noting how realistic the wax figures looked, suddenly he cleared his throat and scared the bejesus out her ( he was an actor dressed up ). that and how realistic the wax imges did look is a memmory I will have forever