Is this Walt Disney and his wife standing next to a Studebaker convertible?

[Lebowski]

This was posted in a Hemmings newsletter and there was a lot of debate both ways as to whether it's Mr. and Mrs. Disney.

 

Q #1 - Walt and wife?

 

Q #2 - Windows up with the top down - cool or uncool?

 

 

Edited October 26, 2019 by Lebowski (see edit history)

[Dosmo]

That's not Disney.  This is Disney and wife in 1946.  

[auburnseeker]

I see alot of similarities.  Couple height,  the woman looks very similar. The man is in 2 totally different poses which can change facial features quite a bit.  I wouldn't say one way or another.   People can also change quite a bit even in a few  years. 

[1937hd45]

Must be a West Coast construction site, never seen angled fire stops before. Bob 

[60FlatTop]

A little insight on the Disney cars.

https://ohmy.disney.com/insider/2012/07/10/the-wonderful-world-of-walt-walt-at-the-wheel/

[Gunsmoke]

My vote, same couple. BTW, the angled wood pieces in the house framing are not intended as "firestopping" but are mid-height bracing intended to stop studs from twisting/buckling etc, there by avoiding later problems with drywall or plaster work . "Firestopping" usually occurs at floor levels. Bracing like this is also used between floor joists (often called blocking) and serves the same purpose,, i.e. to keep joists straight and tie them together making for a stronger floor.  

[auburnseeker]

Windows up ,  top down.  Take it or leave it.  A good way to enjoy a cool evening drive.  All the chrome frames look neat up as well.  I'll take it either way.  It's not a permanent thing. 

[1937hd45]

31 minutes ago, Gunsmoke said:

My vote, same couple. BTW, the angled wood pieces in the house framing are not intended as "firestopping" but are mid-height bracing intended to stop studs from twisting/buckling etc, there by avoiding later problems with drywall or plaster work . "Firestopping" usually occurs at floor levels. Bracing like this is also used between floor joists (often called blocking) and serves the same purpose,, i.e. to keep joists straight and tie them together making for a stronger floor.  

Lot nicer using a chop saw today, along with a framing gun. Bob 

[barnett468]

1. Both people look nearly identical in every single way.

 

2. The fact that the photo was in a magazine or something similar suggests the people are famous.

 

3. If the car in the photo belongs to the people in the photo, it suggests they are fairly wealthy.

 

4. This adds up to it being more likely that it is them than not.

 

Lillian Disney. Compare the eyes and the cheeks.

 

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Edited October 26, 2019 by barnett468 (see edit history)

[JamesR]

 My first impression was that's not Walt, but comparing it to other internet photos I'm thinking my first impression maybe was wrong. Walt had a slightly longer face, IMO, but it looks like him in many other respects. Hard to tell. One other thing that suggests it may not be Walt is that the person's hairline on the right side of his face (his right, of course) comes to sort of a peak that I can't in any other old photos from that era, but that could be a haircut thing. From the other picture someone posted it looks like his wife, so that makes it even more difficult. If I had to gamble, I'd say it probably was him in the photo, but in large part because the woman looks similar to his wife, Lillian.

 

 

 

 

Goofy Motor Mania - YouTube

 

Edited October 26, 2019 by JamesR (see edit history)

[Guest]

2 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Lot nicer using a chop saw today, along with a framing gun.

Just a question.  I could understand a chop saw and a framing gun being faster but do not understand how it could be "nicer".

 

I remember watching a crew in 1976 framing a medium size church.  Two old carpenters were cutting the diagonal sub-flooring with hand saws.  They managed to keep two runners and four nailers busy.  Every diagonal piece met exactly on the middle of a joist.  I thought that was neat but when they did the roof framing it was a marvel to see.  Once again the two old carpenters cut all the hip, valley, and jack rafters on the ground, they were passed up and they all fit.  Beautiful work and employment for many people.  Aah the good old days, I don't wish to go back there.

[bryankazmer]

for question 2 - NO NO NO NO!

[Bloo]

4 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Must be a West Coast construction site, never seen angled fire stops before. Bob 

 

Neither have I, and I am the son of a west coast carpenter....

 

 

[keiser31]

5 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Must be a West Coast construction site, never seen angled fire stops before. Bob 

As a draftsman for over 45 years, I can only guess that those studs are about 12" on center and so the only way to nail those blocks in was at an angle. I have never seen that style of blocking, either.

Edited October 26, 2019 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[zepher]

Hard to tell one way or the other about it being Walt Disney or not but as for the convertible question - I have very often had the top down and the windows up.

Good when the air is getting a little cooler and especially good when on the freeway.

Also, when parking with the top down I almost always roll up the windows.

It's just enough of a deterrent to keep people from reaching into the car.

I've also parked with the windows up and put the top up but not latched just to keep keep out of the car.

[Guest]

The pose in front of the new home under construction clearly suggests pride of ownership. The neighborhood, while nice, is quite middle class. From 1932-1950 Walt and his family lived in this home:

 

From 1950 til his death, they lived in this home:

 

Logic would suggest the picture is not of Walt and his wife.

Edited October 26, 2019 by GregLaR (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

To me, the man does not look like Walt Disney.

There is some semblance, but not much.

 

Greg's observations about the houses are very good

and provide more evidence against its being Mr. Disney.

[WQ59B]

Hairlines at the side of the head are quite different, and Walt's ears are larger & sit lower on his face.

[auburnseeker]

Was the guy in the pictures stopping by to visit with someone?  If it was Walt,  someone Might have wanted to get a shot of him.  Also seems strange that house is being built yet the others look to have been there for a while.  Maybe it burnt and this is a replacement. so a friend told him to stop by and check the progress.  Maybe he even helped the guy rebuild it financially.  One will probably never know. 

[Guest]

I believe the Studebaker pictured is a 1950. Here is a pic of Walt in front of his earlier house with his brand new '48 Olds convertible. It defies logic that he would have two such similar cars in such a short period of time wouldn't you think?

 

 

[auburnseeker]

There is nothing that says that the Stude is their car either.  Their's could be parked on the street.  Could have even been the wife's car.  A single photo can answer as many questions as it can create. 

[Guest]

Very true.

[STEVE POLLARD]

Could it be one of his brother's ?   Just a thought....

 

 

[Guest]

 

Without his Bertillon measurements, I guess we'll never know.

😉

Edited October 27, 2019 by GregLaR (see edit history)

[Ed Luddy]

If I had Walt's money I'd have at least 50 cars, not just a Studebaker convertible and an Oldsmobile convertible. Probably a small house and very,very large garage!

[Lebowski]

19 minutes ago, STEVE POLLARD said:

Could it be one of his brother's ?   Just a thought....

 

 

 

He only had 3 brothers. I just read his bio on Wikipedia. He was nominated for an Academy Award 59 times and won 22 times. That has to be some kind of a record....

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney

 

 

[WQ59B]

^ There were 4 brothers; Walt, Raymond, Roy & Herbert.
I don't know if this is one of the brothers, but there's more resemblance to this guy than Walt :

[Frank DuVal]

2 hours ago, GregLaR said:

It defies logic that he would have two such similar cars in such a short period of time wouldn't you think?

 

Not in 1950. By then the post war demand for cars was lessening some, and buying a new car every year was a status symbol for some. Even into the early 60s trading every two years was common. Not for my dad!😉

[Fleek]

Walt  had a very square chin in all the pictures of him that I have seen. The person in the photo seems to have a rounded chin.

[marcapra]

That man doesn't look anything like Walt.  He parts his hair in the middle, Walt parts his hair on the left like most of us.  It's not just a haircut thing.  The other man's teeth and smile look nothing like Walt.  I saw Walt Disney standing at the entrance when my parents took us as little kids, age 6, to Disneyland in 1956.  

[nick8086]

Walt Disney - used the kaiser darrin..

 

Dexter Francis, author of Building Disney’s Dream: Arrow Development – The Little Company that Could, has pointed out that the Arrowflite cars that were used for the Midget Autopia had a distinctive profile based on the Kaiser Darrin, an American sports car built by Kaiser Motors in 1954.