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A couple of years ago, some of us had a thread going where we pondered what had happened to Melvin the Moose. Back in the 80's, they had a breakfast show at Pioneer Hall called Chip & Dale's Country Morning Jamboree. It featured Melvin the Moose, a somewhat creepy mounted moose head borrowed from the Country Bear Jamboree.

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The show also starred Chip & Dale, as well as two stupid talented human sidekicks, Alabam and Cindy Lou.

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The show debuted in 1986 and was originally sponsored by Fleetwood. Guests were greeted at their tables by a basket of chocolate chip muffins, and were then served a full hot breakfast while watching the show. They were also visited at their tables by Chip & Dale, and apparently also by Pluto and Donald according to the videos below. The show ended with a raucous finale where every audience member was given a special kazoo to make horrible noise beautiful music.

kazoo.jpg

We know for a fact that there are Fiends among us who are in possession of these kazoos. They had better keep a close eye on their attics and storage closets, is all I can say. :parrot:

In any case, the real reason I am posting this is that I have become increasingly concerned over the years about the whereabouts of Melvin. The show ended in 1991 and quickly faded from most folks' memories. And now, 20 years later, it is simply a bizarre footnote in the Fort's history. But when the final curtain fell in 1991, when the last chocolate chip muffin was eaten and when Alabam's dumb overalls were packed away for the last time...what happened to Melvin??

I have always assumed that Melvin was left backstage at Pioneer Hall for some time, until he got in the way during HDDR performances, and that he was eventually placed into a corner or leaned against a wall somewhere in the far recesses of the building. I have a hard time believing he was ever repurposed, or that he was actually discarded. We've seen the pictures of River Country that Yuri took a couple years ago, where the employee of the month plaques were just laying around in an abandoned building. Disney has a track record of just leaving things to sit at the Fort when they are done with them. So, my hypothesis is that poor Melvin is sitting somewhere backstage at Pioneer Hall, neglected and dusty. But he is not forgotten.

I am planning an excursion during Thanksgiving week, to attempt to free Melvin. He doesn't deserve the fate that history has dealt him. He frightened entertained dozens thousands of kids in his 5 year run at Pioneer Hall. Does he deserve to just sit and rot? I say no!

So, who's with me? It's time we Free Melvin! :banana:

And just in case you aren't sold yet on the importance of this cause, I've included links below to video of the Chip & Dale Breakfast Jamboree...featuring Melving the Moose!! Melvin first appears around the 2:55 mark of video 2 of 4. Watching him in his prime evokes memories of Elvis, Sammy Davis Jr, or Cupcake Larry. He was truly THE entertainer of his generation.

Breakfast Jamboree Part 1 of 4

Breakfast Jamboree Part 2 of 4

Breakfast Jamboree Part 3 of 4

Breakfast Jamboree Part 4 of 4

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I won't be there for Thanksgiving or I would help you Dave! I'm 4'10", I go virtually unnoticed in a crowd :ph34r:

Steph, I "respectfully" disagree. With this crew (fiends) there ain't NO way it or anyone involved would go "virtually unnoticed". Except in their own blessed mind. :parrot: Now a group of Fiends would sound like a stomping moose, so like a moose call. :rolleyes:

But if I was there November, I sure would try! Flask and all. :popcorn:

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Steph, I "respectfully" disagree. With this crew (fiends) there ain't NO way it or anyone involved would go "virtually unnoticed". Except in their own blessed mind. :parrot: Now a group of Fiends would sound like a stomping moose, so like a moose call. :rolleyes:

But if I was there November, I sure would try! Flask and all. :popcorn:

Uhhhh....Ok thpompette.gif

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This sounds right up my alley. Having met Melvin in person in 1988, I know just what to look for. With Stef and Rita I'm sure we can ateast get some of the ground work done. We may have to have a few volunteers to follows

and sweep up the glitter trail though :rofl2:

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This sounds right up my alley. Having met Melvin in person in 1998, I know just what to look for. With Stef and Rita I'm sure we can ateast get some of the ground work done. We may have to have a few volunteers to follows

and sweep up the glitter trail though :rofl2:

You can distract them with glitter, and I'll run between their legs! :))

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We went to the Melvin the Moose Breakfast in October 1987. That was the one and only time we went because the opportunity never presented itself again. We enjoyed how cute the show was.

In December of 1987 we sold our TT & were RV-less until 1996. The only reason we got an RV in '96 was because we went walking through the Fort one day and saw someone coming in with a "happy to be camping" dog hanging out the driver's window. We didn't know pets were allowed - so I went to the front desk and asked. Yep!! They had 5 loops just for pets!! :jumpforjoy In January 1997 we and our kitties occupied one of those pet sites in our used and remodeled by us '78 Southwind. It was wonderful to re-kindle our love of camping and acclimate our kitties to motor home life.

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This might not help me go unnoticed, but I would love it if Jen could make me a "Free Melvin!" tshirt with Melvin's picture on it, and FortFiends.net underneath or on the back. :dance:

Of course, if Melvin went missing I suppose the shirt would make me a prime suspect. :rofl2:

Hey Dave how's about signs on long poles and we could picket out front while they're tryin to git in line for the review, chantin FREE

MELVIN. Yer durn tootin.....we could get the crowd on our side and there'd be no stoppin us then. :banana: Leastways that's how I reckon it'd go. Why shoot....we could even take us a couple o' rangers as hestages then they'd sho nuff hafta let him go.

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This might not help me go unnoticed, but I would love it if Jen could make me a "Free Melvin!" tshirt with Melvin's picture on it, and FortFiends.net underneath or on the back. :dance:

Of course, if Melvin went missing I suppose the shirt would make me a prime suspect. :rofl2:

Ya Think? :rofl2:

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Of course, if Melvin went missing I suppose the shirt would make me a prime suspect.

Ya Think?

And if there just happens to be any CMs reading this thread, they would have to warn Disney because they know who butters their bread. Unless other arrangements could be made to offset the loss that is.

I'm listening.

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So once Melvin is found and freed, what are we going to replace him with? :rolleyes:

When they broke out from Alcatraz, they used paper mache heads to distract the guards. So either Whip goes to work on a duct tape moose head or we leave a purple fiendmingo? :blink:

Or a cupcake to throw them off? :rofl2:

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Count me in Dave. As a matter of fact I'll be working on getting some info from cast members I know at Trails End. What will we do with him if we get him? Maybe a late night horse trail ride mounted to the front of my cart? Maybe Yuri can kayak him over to Discovery Island. He deserves better than sitting on an old shelf.

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And if there just happens to be any CMs reading this thread, they would have to warn Disney because they know who butters their bread. Unless other arrangements could be made to offset the loss that is.

I'm listening.

Jungle Jim is ready and reporting for duty Dave!

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No wonder Disney wanted "Seal Team Six" as their own. They were preparing for raids like this......... :rofl2:

And to think they want to make a Magic Kingdom movie, and miss the grand adventure at the Fort? :suspense:

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Count me in Dave. As a matter of fact I'll be working on getting some info from cast members I know at Trails End. What will we do with him if we get him? Maybe a late night horse trail ride mounted to the front of my cart? Maybe Yuri can kayak him over to Discovery Island. He deserves better than sitting on an old shelf.

Put him on the wall at the Meadow's

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