Movieland Wax Museum Palace of Living Art Souvenir booklet 1978 Buena Park Calif

Description

Souvenir guidebook from popular 1970s Southern California attraction, Movieland Wax Museum. Great condition; never used and long stored after initial visit in 1978. At this time, Movieland was advertised nationally, and news would occasionally report on a golden-era star (such as Mae West) stopping by to be photographed with a new, wax likeness. No such incidents documented in this book, but a great visual representation of the art involved: the wax figures, elaborate scenes, costumes, and lighting worthy of a Hollywood production. Remarkable how many stars of yesteryear (Chaplin, Fairbanks) were still relevant at this time in history, though the museum also presented "new personalities" such as Marlo Thomas and Nancy Sinatra. Booklet also contains several images from that other attraction, right next door: the Palace of Living Art, where famous paintings and sculptures are brought to vivid life... in wax. As of a few years ago, this whole combined attraction was closed to the public and the many wax effigies had gone... who knows where? But anyone who ever visited, especially a film fan, will remember the thrill of seeing favorite stars face to face; a thing that to this day, rarely happens in nearby Hollywood. Buena Park, California is still a tourist hub, featuring such synthetic attractions as "Medieval Times" jousting tournaments, and "Pirates Dinner Adventure." How they could let "Movieland" go is a question for the ages. But this voluminous souvenir guidebook brings the magic back.