From Hollywood to Disneyland

Robert Neuman is a professor of art history at Florida State University.

“Robert Neuman’s latest book is a masterful deep dive into the hows and whys of Disneyland’s creation. The themed ‘lands’ and rides in the Magic Kingdom owe a huge debt, long overlooked, to Hollywood directors like Frank Capra and John Ford, and to movie moguls like Louis B. Mayer and Darryl Zanuck. Disney’s ‘fabulous playground’ tapped into storylines and cinematic clichés in motion pictures seen by millions of Americans in the pre- and post-war years. Disneyland’s subliminal ties to canonical film genres, combined with the imaginative genius and showmanship of the park’s master builder, are what made it the enchanting experience it was in the beginning, and remains still today.”—Garry Apgar, Trinity College, author of A Mickey Mouse Reader and Mickey Mouse: Emblem of the American Spirit

• Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPrefaceIntroduction1. Main Street, U.S.A.2. Frontierland3. Adventureland4. Tomorrowland5. FantasylandEpilogueChapter NotesBibliographyIndex