Movieland Wax Museum- The Absent Minded Professor's New Home

Back in January I shared some photos from Houses of Wax Reader Bill, who bought a couple of items from the Movieland Wax Museum auction in 2006. His display of the old Marx Brothers Animal Crackers set was really incredible, but he also bought the Absent Minded Professor flying car and Fred MacMurray figure. Here we see the car hanging from the ceiling, waiting for its new home. Bill told me that they hope to assemble it in their living room and also have it hanging from the ceiling with all the lights and sounds of the Flubbermobile.

Another photo shows that the Model T appears to be attached to some kind of track. I wonder if it used to fly around the tree. When I visited the museum, it was hanging still beside the tree.

It was quite an endeavor to get this thing down.

But it was done, and the car will move to its new home soon. The car's motor alone weighed almost 1000 lbs!

Outside the museum, the car is loaded on the trailer and tied down.

Oh wait, we need the Fred MacMurray figure, uh torso I mean. He is wearing an antique raccoon jacket.

The lucky new owners pose with the absent minded professor himself.

After years and years of driving, Fred gets to relax in the back seat for the ride home.

Thanks again to Bill for these incredible pictures.

Tags: Movieland Wax Museum Wax Figure Wax Absent Minded Professor

Disneyland- Star Tours Lobby

One thing I love about Disneyland is the animatronics. They take the concept of static figures and bring life to them. One such case is the 1987 attraction Star Tours. Here in the lobby (or pre show area) we see R2-D2 and C-3PO. I guess somehow they landed jobs working for the Star Tours organization. R2 is the navigator of this Starspeeder 3000, and C-3PO is just kind of standing around. I guess he's union.

A close up of C-3PO. He looks just like he does in the movies. And he moves!

Tags: Disneyland Tomorrowland Star Tours R2-D2 C-3PO

National Presidential Wax Museum- Adams and Jefferson

This image from the National Presidential Wax Museum in Keystone South Dakota is similar to the the picture I posted on the 4th of July. This time we actually have the Committee of Five. Although all five of the men are present, the museum highlights the fact that there are two future Presidents in it. Adams and Jefferson both helped draft the declaration, and each were later elected President.

I had a hard time identifying the figures last time due to their lack of similarity to the actual persons, but I expect to do better this time. This is supposed to be John Adams.

Here is Thomas Jefferson, writing the document.

Benjamin Franklin is always the easiest to identify.

Robert R. Livingston I presume.

And that leaves Roger Sherman.

Visit the National Presidential Wax Museum website here.

Tags: National Presidential Wax Museum John Adams Thomas Jefferson

News- Jonas Brothers Burnin' Up Madame Tussaud's

Madame Tussaud's DC unveiled their newest works of art to the world today as the Jonas Brothers were enshrined at their museum. The pop trio are seen here playing their instruments and/or standing at the microphone. The group is very popular among the Teeny Bopper set, and the reception that the figures received are proof of that.

This is Joe Jonas standing at the mic.

Kevin Jonas stands with his Gibson Guitar Strap. Is that an ascot, or a turtle neck? Maybe it's a scarf.

Nick Jonas really looks like he's about to rock. I know that's a bow tie.

Visit the Madame Tussaud's website here.

Tags: Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum Wax Figure Wax Jonas Brothers

Royal London Wax Museum- Exterior

Today I thought I'd feature an image from a wax museum outside the United States. The only wax museum not from America that I've featured before is Madame Tussaud's, but there are many such museums all over the world, and the Royal London Wax Museum is one of the most exciting. This shot shows the museum as a very popular destination, of course. The wax museum opened in 1961, and has been entertaining visitors ever since. It features mostly historical scenes, but has also had religious and fantasy tableaux as well. They had a grand re-opening in this building in 1971.

The sign describes the museum as a Josephine Tussaud wax museum, and claims to be the first Josephine Tussaud wax museum in North America. I always considered Movieland Wax Museum to have had the grandest building of all the wax museums, but the neoclassical architecture of this structure causes me to rethink that idea a bit.

The museum is located at 470 Belleville Street - Victoria, BC V8V 1W9 Canada.

Visit their website here.

Tags: Royal London Wax Museum Victoria British Columbia Canada

Hollywood Wax Museum- Master and Commander

This wax figure of Russell Crowe from the motion picture Master and Commander shared the same ship as the Pirates of the Caribbean guys, but was delegated to the rear of the boat, and did not have the same spotlight that they did. He is at the helm, and I suppose that's where he needs to be. There's another figure of Crowe is in the museum. It's from his successful film, Gladiator. However, Johnny Depp has another figure as well.

Visit the Hollywood Wax Museum's website here.

Tags: Hollywood Wax Museum Wax Figure Wax Russell Crowe

Stars Hall of Fame- Exterior at Night

In the 1970's, the amusement park company Six Flags bought the Movieland Wax Museum, and used that intellectual property to build another museum just like Movieland across the country in Orlando Florida. The Stars Hall of Fame Wax Museum opened in 1975 and used the same wax figure molds as Movieland. The scenes looked so similar to Movieland's that the museum could be considered almost an exact clone (as far as the tableaux were concerned). The Stars Hall of Fame did have more interactive elements than movieland, and was popular for a few years, but that popularity didn't last as Orlando began to offer more and more entertainment options. The museum closed in 1984. I don't know what ever happened to the figures.

The building was not as extravagant as Movieland's, but as you can see, it had its charm. The museum was located just off I-4, and only a couple blocks from Sea World. As far as I can tell, the building still stands, but is being used for office space.

Stay tuned for more pictures from this forgotten museum.

Stars Hall of Fame Orlando Wax Museum Florida

Movieland Wax Museum- Reading Rainbow

Today we have a small scene from the Movieland Wax Museum featuring Levar Burton from the PBS television program Reading Rainbow. What is unique about this tableau is that its formation and creation was documented on the show it represented. Mr Burton came to the wax museum, posed for his statue, and showcased it on his show. He showed his audience the labor intensive process of creating a wax figure and the display was unveiled by the end.

A larger view of the set reveals how much books are the focus of the tableau.

Mr. Burton under the sign.

The clapboard sign and wax fact. Levar Burton donated the jacket that the figure is wearing. (Also, they misspelled is name on the wax fact)

Some posters encouraging children to read. They can probably still be seen in libraries across the country.

Shockingly, the figure and set both sold at the movieland auction for a mere $150 each.

You can visit the Reading Rainbow website here. (But you don't have to take my word for it)

Tags: Movieland Wax Museum Wax Figure Wax Reading Rainbow Levar Burton