Southern California’s Movieland Wax Museum was once the largest wax museum in the United States. It was located in Buena Park, just north of Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park.
The museum was founded in 1962 and featured 300 wax figures of celebrities on 150 different sets. I always thought the craftsmanship of these figures to be quite life-like.
Movieland Wax Museum changed ownership several times and closed in 2005, the building being demolished in 2016.
I visited Movieland a few times over the years as it was a place my Canadian guests like to see (it’s Hollywood-related, after all). I noted the exhibits would often change, so you were never completely sure what “stars” you might see when you went.
These images were taken at the museum in spring of 1983. I expect many of our younger readers won’t recognize most of these scenes from the silver screen and boob tube, so I’m including a brief description of each. Remember with me some of the fun films and TV shows from my youth:
– Robert Redford and Paul Newman, in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.…
– Who can forget Redd Foxx in Sanford and Son….
– I fondly remember the cast of Bonanza, my mom’s favorite TV show.
– Star Trek‘s bridge of USS Enterprise — probably the most recognized spaceship ever….
– Charlie Chaplin’s lovable character, The Little Tramp…
Lovely Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra….
And one of the funniest comedians ever, a personal favorite, W.C. Fields….
