Colorful Characters

In the first I Was A Teen-age Cast Member, I mentioned that by working at a Disney Store in the Los Angeles area, there was the possibility that you might find yourself helping someone famous or who might be considered well known. But I'm sure that every cast member throughout the chain has encountered guests that were a little more "unique." This column will briefly touch upon some of the more colorful personalities I met through the years.

Howard
Probably the most memorable of all the special, returning guests was a guy named Howard. He could be a bit scary to both guests and cast. The worst I had to worry about was avoiding his spitting as he spoke with excitement but some of the female cast members had to endure worse.

Howard's big thing was Peter Pan stories. And not just any Peter Pan stories, but specifically Peter Pan vs. Hitler. He had a real thing for World War II and had written some sort of continuing story about Peter going up against the leader of the Nazi party, which he'd carry around with him. As part of this story, he became fixated with Wendy. As "research" for his story, he would often invite the female cast members to go with him to Victoria's Secret and try on nighties to model for him. Ultimately, he was harmless but we'd have to ask him to leave when he started in with the girls.

I remember one day, we had gotten in a new book called The Disney That Never Was by Charles Solomon. In it were concepts that had come and gone, ideas that never made it off the page, in preparing Disney animated films. I was working at the cash wrap, ringing up a guest, when Howard came running up to me with the book in hand. There was a picture of Hitler in a Disney book. Howard was in all his glory.

©Disney
The image of Hitler that had Howard so excited.
From The Disney That Never Was

The Wig Guy
In my years, we had lots of guests who dressed in non-traditional fashions, including a man in a tasteful dress and pumps. But the one who stands out in my mind was the Wig Guy. He would wear long-haired, women's wigs everytime he came in the store. And they were always different from one he wore another time. If Howard was in his glory with the Disney book featuring Hitler, imagine Wig Guy's joy when we began carrying princess wigs as costume accessories. Now he could look like Ariel or Jasmine or Cinderella.

But the best part about our special guests may have been when they sometimes came in the store at the same time. Wig Guy and another guy named Chris became friends one day. It was quite interesting to watch Chris adopt the wig lifestyle in trying on - and liking - the Cinderella locks. Strangely, it suited him well.

The Touchy Twins
Perhaps the least "Disney" of our guests were two boys in their late teens/early 20s who would come in and hang around for awhile watching the big screen and the clips from Disney movies that played from the promotional laser disc. These identical twins were a little creepy looking anyway but what made them memorable was that they would like to touch each other in inappropriate ways. Sometimes it was just hand holding but often it would escalate to worse.

I'm not sure what was so attractive to them about coming and "performing" at the Disney Store but I heard we weren't their only venue. Fellow cast members and other guests reported that they had seen them elsewhere ... at the airport, at the grocery store, etc. I guess we received the PG version of what they'd do elsewhere from what I heard.

The Toothless Guy
My favorite of the group who would frequent the Disney Store was an older gentleman who would come visit on Sundays. If I ever got his name, I'm sorry to say that I've forgotten it, but he was distinguishable by the lack of teeth he had. He was a big guy, probably about 6' 2" or 6' 3", but he was one of the most gentle souls I've ever encountered.

Towards the end of my Disney Store career, I mainly worked at the front of the store as a greeter. The toothless guy would come in and want to talk for quite a while. But he was considerate of other guests if they needed my help. He would often say that he didn't want to get me in trouble by talking to me but would go on for another 15 minutes to a half an hour. I was able to do my job of tidying up, folding shirts and greeting still, so I assured him it wasn't a problem.

He had a Mickey Mouse pocket watch that he was proud of. He would always ask if he'd shown it to me as he pulled it out and opened it up. It was a really nice watch, which I told him everytime, hopefully with the same enthusiasm as I showed the first time I saw it.

I think he was the one "regular" to the store that I miss after I quit. I hope that he found someone else to talk to after I was gone. Being there for him as he looked around -- he never bought much -- was what I felt Disney Store cast members were all about. Not so much for the sale but to be able to talk Disney with another enthusiast and to help make someone's day by being there for someone who apparently was lonely.

There were other colorful characters that I remember -- Maria, the lady that liked to touch male cast members' rear ends (mine included); the handicapped man that would call everyone "my pal," had the strongest grip of anyone I've ever met and would collect whatever paper giveaways we had in the newstand; and the post-holiday guests that would actually get into fist fights over 50-percent off merchandise -- but the ones above are those that stand out in my mind so many years after encountering them inside the friendly confines of the Disney Store.

- Story by Matthew Walker
Matt started working at the Disney Store as an 18-year-old in 1991. "I Was A Teen-Age Cast Member" is a look at the magical Disney memories of a former cast member as remembered years later.
Posted

E-mail Matt at matt@startedbyamouse.com, discuss this article in the StartedByAMouse.com Disney Discussion Forums or use the Talkback feature below.

We Were Started By A Mouse Too!  •  When In Cyberspace ... Disney Link Directory  •  

  •  Purchase Walt Disney World Tickets here - DISNEY TICKETS via DWTickets.com  •  

  •  Receive discounts on ORLANDO VACATION HOMES near Disney World from OrlandoVacation.com  •