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Realityland's David Koenig

Club 55: The Final 15

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I just learned that longtime Disneyland Operations and Merchandise manager Jack Taylor passed away in April at the age of 87.

A native of Carl Junction, Mo., Jack started on Opening Day on the pre-Storybook canal boats. He was promoted to foreman of the Jungle Cruise in 1956, moved to Holidayland two years later, and would eventually work most every area of the park.

Jack’s favorite memory was of rigging a Jungle boat with fluorescent lights and taking Walt out on a night-time test run. I like it!” Walt enthused. “Let’s go with it on all the boats!”

My favorite story, as told by Jack: “One summer on the Submarine attraction, there was a sudden summer storm, with thunder, lightining and rain. Then came a big loud thunderclap, and a little kid looked up at his mother and quivered. ‘Mommy, how did THEY DO THAT?’”

Club 55—Disneyland cast members who worked for Disneyland for at least its first 10 years—now number no more than 15, ranging from 71-year-old Tom Nabbe to 92-year-old George Short.

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