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LOCAL NEWS PASADENA
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Pasadena Media Foundation is dedicated to saving local news. Our publications feature provocative reporting about the Greater Pasadena and Greater Southern California areas.

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Southern California

Before Disneyland, Walt Disney had a friend named Hubert Eaton

By Karine Armen,

12 hours ago
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The Lives and Legacies of Walt Disney and Hubert Eaton, an exhibition exploring, for the first time, the personal and creative relationship between Walt Disney and Hubert Eaton, founder of Forest Lawn Memorial Parks. The exhibition examines the philosophical and artistic parallels that shaped their careers, their enduring legacies, and the iconic Southern California destinations they created.

More than successful businessmen, Disney and Eaton followed remarkably similar paths from Missouri to California, where they established organizations that became deeply woven into American culture. The two men met in the 1930s and developed a lasting friendship and professional relationship, inspiring one another throughout their careers.

Although they worked in different industries, Disney and Eaton shared strikingly similar visions and ambitions. They corresponded from the 1930s through the 1960s, visited one another’s parks, and served together on the board of Saint Joseph’s Hospital. They also collaborated with some of the same artists, including Herbert Ryman, the Imagineer who created the first sketch for Disneyland and the initial concept sketch for Forest Lawn’s monumental painting, The Resurrection.

Both Disney and Eaton drew inspiration from the grandeur of medieval castles and cathedrals, bringing elements of that architectural tradition to Southern California audiences.

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The Crucifixion at Forest Lawn Museum, Glendale. Photo: Styka

In 1966, Disney served as an honorary pallbearer at Eaton’s funeral. Disney died just months later and, like Eaton, is interred at Forest Lawn Glendale. California Visionaries commemorates the 60th anniversary of their deaths.

California Visionaries features newly discovered archival photographs, sculptures, illustrations, animatronic figures, and other historic objects. Highlights include a Dumbo ride vehicle and a Matterhorn bobsled, both previously used at Disneyland. Colorful maps illustrate the parallel development of Forest Lawn and Disneyland and reveal the shared aesthetic sensibilities that shaped both destinations during the mid-20th century.

Visitors can also view sheet music from Walt Disney classics, including It’s a Small World and The Skeleton Dance, as well as the original master score book for Cinderella, featuring handwritten annotations by the film’s creators. These materials are courtesy of the Walt Disney Music Legacy Library.

The exhibition was co-curated by James Fishburne, Ph.D., director of Forest Lawn Museum, and Harrison Foreman, who worked at Walt Disney World for more than 12 years before joining the museum.

“We are very excited for this exhibition. During the research and curatorial phases, we discovered new photos and documents linking Disney and Eaton. The parallels and connections between the two men and the organizations they founded are truly remarkable,” said James Fishburne.

75 Years: Art Finds a Home at Forest Lawn will remain on view through July 18, 2027, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection, which opened in 1951, and Forest Lawn Museum, which opened in 1952.

The museum is on tohttps://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3zOkOo_1EYh2Sks00p of the hill, and the crucifixion painting is on display in the building next door.

Forest Lawn Museum discovered the painting in 1940 and built a huge building to house it. The building’s facade is a replica of a hilltop cathedral in Orvieto, Italy. Polish artist Jan Styka painted the Crucifixion.

This exhibition features newly rediscovered and restored audio from the original program for the Hall of the Crucifixion, never-before-exhibited archival photographs, and ephemera from the Forest Lawn Museum archives. Together, these materials offer a glimpse into the history and evolution of the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection, Forest Lawn Museum, and their predecessors. The exhibition was developed through a collaborative curatorial effort by the Forest Lawn Museum staff.

Forest Lawn Museum offers history, art, relaxation, and a beautiful view. Visitors can enjoy two exhibitions: California Visionaries: The Lives and Legacies of Walt Disney and Hubert Eaton and a large-scale painting of the Crucifixion, with an opening reception on Saturday, September 19, from 5 to 7:30 pm.

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