The Country Bear Jamboree
When Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, it featured a great audio-animatronic show called The Country Bear Jamboree. As the name suggests, the show featured bears playing country music. The show was such a hit that capacity was expanded, Disneyland got its own Jamboree, and an additional theatre was built to satisfy the demand.
Originally, The Country Bear Jamboree was not created for Disney’s theme park. In the 1960s, the company had been planning to open a Mineral King Ski Resort and the musical attraction was being considered to entertain guests there. The ski resort never came into being, but the bears so captivated Walt Disney’s fancy before his death that they were added to the parks.
The show starred roughly twenty characters, almost all bears. Some rose from the floor, others descended from the ceiling, others were revealed by the opening of a curtain when their moment to perform arrived. The master of ceremonies was named Henry. Joining him were Liver Lips McGrowl, Terrence, Teddi Barra, Trixie, the Sun Bonnet Trio, The Five Bear Rugs, and others. The show amused visitors to the parks for over two decades.
In 2002, Disney produced a movie loosely based on the Country Bear Jamboree. Set in a world where humans and talking bears lived alongside one another, the story stars Haley Joel Osment as “Beary,” a young bear raised by humans. The story centers on his meeting a has-been country band of bears reminiscent of The Eagles. Because of Beary’s interest, the band members decide to reunite. He inspires them to perform one last concert to save their old theatre, Country Bear Hall, from destruction be Thimble, played by eternal “villain” Christopher Walken. The movie also features Queen Latifah, Brian Setzer, and a cameo by Elton John
While only loosely based on the much loved Disney attraction, The Country Bears will bring back happy memories for anyone who ever saw the original. With good country music and likeable characters, the movie is a nice chance to spend a night on the couch with your kids.
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