43.75 - A Chat with Jim Sarno

43.75 - A Chat with Jim Sarno

Author: Lake Buena Vista Historical Society October 30, 2018 Duration: 1:08:35

We are still plugging along in the Episode 43 series, this time with 43.75. The crew welcomes Jim Sarno, an artist who has been all over the entertainment industry. Jim spent some time with The Muppets, Hannah-Barbera and beyond. He moved into the Disney realm, getting his first gig with MAPO, making body parts out of fiberglass.  As you listen to this episode, you will hear Jim drop so many names of his former friends & colleagues, which is super interesting. Jim was moved away from MAPO and joined 'The Model Shop', which he discusses working on the early EPCOT Center models at the time. The conversation also leads to some insight into Teddy Ruxpin. We get into the main things Jim did, which were SMRT-1 and the sculpture/fountain in The Land. Jim has some first hand knowledge on how he made SMRT-1 and also what parts went into making him.  We discuss the secret signature within the fountain and also some other place Jim worked, including Disneyland. He designed the landing platform for Tinkerbell! This is a great episode, with lots of neat facts and stories we never would have heard without Jim joining us. Huge thanks goes out to him for taking the time to sit down and chat with us. Thank you for listening, be sure to check out our latest venture, The Lake Buena Vista Historical Society. You won't want to miss what we have coming soon! We also have our next event coming soon, The Lake & Lagoon Tour: Discovery Edition. Hopefully you can join us for this new adventure at The Vacation Kingdom!


The Retro Disney World Podcast from the Lake Buena Vista Historical Society is a deep, conversational dive into the layers of history embedded in the Vacation Kingdom. Each monthly episode gathers four hosts with a shared passion for peeling back the contemporary veneer to examine what came before. Their discussions are less about listing facts and more about reconstructing the experience of a place in time, focusing on the architectural choices, attraction designs, and overall atmosphere that defined eras from the ambitious pre-opening plans up through the resort's evolution roughly twenty-five years ago. This isn't just a nostalgia trip; it's a thoughtful look at how the park's physical and imaginative landscapes were built, changed, and live on in collective memory. You'll hear detailed recollections and analysis of spaces that are now closed but whose influence persists, understanding why certain elements resonate so powerfully. The podcast operates at the intersection of cultural study, travel memory, and societal observation, making it a unique resource for anyone who believes the story of a place is found in its details, transitions, and vanished corners. Tune in for a consistently engaging and richly specific exploration of Walt Disney World's past, thoughtfully preserved in audio form.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 138

Retro Disney World Podcast
Podcast Episodes
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