Guy Williams Zorro TV costumes from the 1950's on display...

Disney's D23 Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center on August 19, 2011, had this wonderful selection of original costumes from the 1950's Disney Zorro TV series worn by Guy Williams, as the titular masked hero and his alter-ego 'Don Diego de la Vega'.

Guy Williams Zorro TV costume

on display at Disney's D23 Expo

Set during the Spanish Colonial era of California, the masked vigilante dressed in black and favoured the rapier and bullwhip as his weapons of choice.

The cunning Zorro, which is Spanish for 'fox', sported a flowing cape, cowled mask and flat-brimmed gaucho or Cordobes hat.

The Sign of Zorro movie poster

In the TV series which ran from 1957 to 1959, Chuck Keehne was Costume Designer. Eight episodes of the Disney show were also edited together to make 1958's 'The Sign of Zorro' movie.

Costumes worn by Guy Williams as Don Diego de la Vega

The Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibit also showcased these colourful outfits worn by Guy Williams as the foppish nobleman Don Diego de la Vega, who pretends to be the most inept swordsman in California to hide his secret identity.

Sergeant Garcia's trousers with the distinctive mark of Zorro

Also on display were the trousers worn by Henry Calvin as 'Sergeant Demetrio Lopez Garcia' with Zorro's infamous calling card sliced into them

Outfits worn by George J. Lewis and Gene Sheldon in Zorro

Finally, also a part of the television exhibit was the costume worn by George J. Lewis as 'Don Alejandro de la Vega', Zorro's father, and the outfit that transformed Gene Sheldon into 'Bernado', Zorro's mute servant.

The Sign of Zorro movie poster

Delightful, De-wallpapered and Decorated

I mentioned a couple of weeks back that I would be lending a hand to my friend Scoobie to remove wallpaper from her livingroom and diningroom. Regular readers may remember that Scoobie's the one who is writing a Western and loves the look of the Arts and Crafts period mixed with Western kistch.

Well, the wallpaper she had (and still has in the diningroom) was a bit twee for her tastes-- ovals of peach flowers with aqua stems. All very late 80s, early 90s...
You can see in this rather blurry (sorry!) photo what the room looked like before we started work on removing the paper...
And here, the wallpaper is going buh-bye...It didn't just peel off, but with a little soapy water, it was a lot easier to scrape away.
She and I spent two days of a weekend working on it, and then Scoobie finished it up herself in evenings during the week. Then it got painted a soft, robin's egg blue, which really makes her brown accessories pop!

The color was actually chosen to match the sky in the painting she already had over the mantle. She's already settled a lot of her thrifted and antique malled goodies into place there...

An arts and crafts cabinet helps hold other beloved treasures, while her resident cowboy and horse (courtesy of TJ Maxx) wait for their next round-up.

The arts and crafts lamps look just right against the inviting blue walls...
And she's found a place for some of those kitschy Western themed bourbon bottles she's found at flea markets and thrift stores over the years...
Thanks to Scoobie for letting me share photos of her home with you today! I guess her dining room will be the next decorative undertaking-- helping to liberate it from a garden of different large peach flowers, and peach draperies.

Take care, folks. Until next post!

Delightful, De-wallpapered and Decorated

I mentioned a couple of weeks back that I would be lending a hand to my friend Scoobie to remove wallpaper from her livingroom and diningroom. Regular readers may remember that Scoobie's the one who is writing a Western and loves the look of the Arts and Crafts period mixed with Western kistch.

Well, the wallpaper she had (and still has in the diningroom) was a bit twee for her tastes-- ovals of peach flowers with aqua stems. All very late 80s, early 90s...
You can see in this rather blurry (sorry!) photo what the room looked like before we started work on removing the paper...
And here, the wallpaper is going buh-bye...It didn't just peel off, but with a little soapy water, it was a lot easier to scrape away.
She and I spent two days of a weekend working on it, and then Scoobie finished it up herself in evenings during the week. Then it got painted a soft, robin's egg blue, which really makes her brown accessories pop!

The color was actually chosen to match the sky in the painting she already had over the mantle. She's already settled a lot of her thrifted and antique malled goodies into place there...

An arts and crafts cabinet helps hold other beloved treasures, while her resident cowboy and horse (courtesy of TJ Maxx) wait for their next round-up.

The arts and crafts lamps look just right against the inviting blue walls...
And she's found a place for some of those kitschy Western themed bourbon bottles she's found at flea markets and thrift stores over the years...
Thanks to Scoobie for letting me share photos of her home with you today! I guess her dining room will be the next decorative undertaking-- helping to liberate it from a garden of different large peach flowers, and peach draperies.

Take care, folks. Until next post!

Action, romance and period movie props from Planet Hollywood Las Vegas...

From sci-fi, fantasy and horror to the movie props of action, espionage, westerns, musicals, comedy and romance. Today's installment features an eclectic mix of original props, models and memorabilia photographed on display at Planet Hollywood Cafe in Las Vegas on April 7, 2011.

Air traffic control tower model from Die Hard 2

First up is a cool scale model of the air traffic control tower that features heavily in Bruce Willis's 1990 sequel to Die Hard, Die Hard 2: Die Harder. Once again it's Christmas Eve and this time terrorists have taken over the air traffic control system whilst John McClane's wife awaits to land at Washington Dulles International Airport with her plane running out of fuel.

Die Hard 2: Die Harder movie poster

Next up is an original Egyptian sphinx set prop from 1963's Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor as the titular ruler of Egypt, alongside her future husband Richard Burton and Rex Harrison.

Egyptian sphinx movie prop from Cleopatra

Cleopatra movie poster

Also on display was this period dinner service used to help recreate the experience of traveling on a luxury cruise liner like the S.S. Titanic in 1912, used in James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster movie.

Dinner service movie props from Titanic

Titanic movie poster

From one romance movie to another, but this one a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, The King and I.

Yul Brynner's staff prop from The King and I

This staff belong to 'King Mongkut of Siam', played by Yul Brynner in the 1956 movie.

The King and I movie poster

Next are two firearm props from famous Clint Eastwood Westerns.

Clint Eastwood's Springfield rifle prop

from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

First up is the Springfield rifle prop used by his character 'Blondie' in 1966's The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly movie poster

Next is the Colt pistol he uses in A Fistful of Dollars as wandering gunslinger 'Joe'.

Colt pistol used by Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars

A Fistful of Dollars movie poster

From Westerns to comedies, and this specially printed prop money from the fictitious African country of Zamunda was used by Eddie Murphy in 1988's Coming to America.

Coming to America prop money

Coming to America movie poster

Police badges used by Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless in TV's popular Cagney & Lacey cop show, which ran for seven seasons from 1982 to 1988.

Cagney & Lacey TV show police badge props

The infamous New York female police detectives were based out of a fictional version of Manhattan's 14th Precinct.

TV cops Cagney & Lacey

From police badges to handcuffs and this set of handcuffs were used by Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke in the erotic drama from 1986, 9½ Weeks.

Handcuff prop from 9½ Weeks

9½ Weeks movie poster

From bedroom activities to more sporting interests and this baseball glove was used by Ray Liotta as baseball player, 'Shoeless Joe Jackson', in 1989's Field of Dreams.

Baseball mitt from Field of Dreams

Field of Dreams movie poster

More musical memorabilia and this time a car side-lamp from 1968's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the movie about a magical car.

Car side-lamp from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang movie poster

Next up are two very different props from 1990 movie, Ghost. First is the Walther PPK .380 automatic pistol that killed Patrick Swayze's character 'Sam Wheat', making him a ghost.

Pistol prop used in Ghost

Clay pot props from Ghost

Secondly, also on display were some of the clay pots from the infamous love scene with Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze, the Righteous Brothers 'Unchained Melody' and a potter's wheel.

Ghost movie poster

Another piece of cinematic history was on show at Planet Hollywood Cafe, this time a wheel from a racing chariot used in 1959's historical epic, Ben-Hur, starring Charlton Heston in the titular role.

Chariot wheel from Ben-Hur

Ben-Hur movie poster

Gold bar props from Goldfinger

Finally for all you James Bond enthusiasts here are two great 007 movie props. First are some gold bars used in 1964's Goldfinger, which starred Sean Connery as the British secret agent.

Goldfinger movie poster

Next is a prop from the Roger Moore 007 era, and a rocket gun featured in The Spy Who Loved Me from 1977.

Rocket gun prop from The Spy Who Loved Me

If you're a James Bond fan, be sure to also check out the Little Nellie autogyro featured inYou Only live Twice on display at the London Film Museum.

The Spy Who Loved Me movie poster

If you loved this assortment of original movie props be sure to check out the sci-fi and fantasy film props on display, plus if you're a horror fan these props from from classic and cult favourite scary movies.

Come back soon for even more authentic props and costumes on display at Planet Hollywood Cafe in Las Vegas.