The Clown Prince of Disneyland: Wally Boag

This episode of "Unsung Legends of Comedy" celebrates the life and work of vaudevillian and Disney Legend Wally Boag, who performed daily at the Golden Horseshoe Revue for nearly 30 years.
For every episode of "Unsung Legends of Comedy: " • Unsung Legends of Comedy
For inquiries:
AnthonyScib.com
Videos Used:
• Golden Horseshoe Revue...
• Mickey Mouse Club S3 -...
• The Muppet Show. Wally...
• Steve Martin Used To W...
• Steve Martin, Stand Up...
• Wally Boag Dancing
• Video
Research:
d23.com/walt-d...
en.wikipedia.o...
www.laughingpl...
www.contactmus...
d23.com/disney...
www.waltdisney...
www.nytimes.co...
www.toughpigs....
www.imdb.com/n...
d23.com/this-d...
en.wikipedia.o...
• The Golden Horseshoe R...
• Meet a 'Golden Horsesh...
www.imdb.com/t...
disney.fandom....
www.guinnesswo...
disneyparks.di...
www.imaginerdin...
www.waltdisney...
• Video

[@CusterFlux]

Thanks for doing this video Anthony, I couldn't find out much about Wally, but Steve spoke so highly of him in his book, and he was clearly a big influence … that watching this was a bit like finding a hidden window on show business

[@laurenceboag2325]

Nicely done. BTW it was FIVE shows a day five days a week. Thanks for keeping pop in people's memory.

[@AnthonyScibelliUnsungLegends]

Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. It was really my pleasure to highlight Wally's great work as an entertainer (and I'm so sorry I got the number of shows wrong! One of my sources must have listed 3 a day)

[@glennbishopbishthemagish]

Steve Martin was working at the Disney Magic shop and would go down to the Theater and watch Wally work. The show was padded with extra stars for the TV performance that were not in the show. When Wally retired Bev Bergron who was Rebo the Magic Clown from the Magical Land of Alakazam TV show, That featured Mark Willson, Bev replaced Wally when Wally retired in the Diamond Horseshoe Review. My mom and dad (Billy Bishop an' Ann, were close friends with Wally), and at Wally's parents House, he had a dancing studio set up so he could teach dance classes. My Mom took dancing lessons from him, when Wally was in High School (my mom was in the 8th grade at the time). My Dad who was a Vaudeville and Night club magician and went on to perform in the best night clubs and theaters of his time, said that Wally Boag was the first performer used the art of making balloon animals on the stage as part of a stage show. My Mom and dad also had their wedding reception at Wally Boags parents house, just before they hit the road to perform in New York, and hit the big time.

[@kellycoleman715]

Wally was amazing and very memorable. A unique character and talent.

[@amcaesar]

Wally Boag is still referred to fondly by Disney expert Jim Hill, who speaks of the unusual phenomenon of the company paying for entertainment on a scale which they would never engage in thereafter.

[@rickjenkins7893]

Any idea where his book (with Steve Martin's intro) might be available...reasonably? Amazon has it for $175 (but the shipping is free)

[@AnthonyScibelliUnsungLegends]

I didn't have any luck either, although I'm also really curious to read it. I did find a blog that reprinted Steve's foreword (with his permission): disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/06/remembering-wally-boag-at-the-disneyland-resort-and-a-tribute-from-steve-martin/?fbclid=IwAR1PaDYsJZms0Cv7NYu7rxitFJwjkkbMDYVa0ESGAuzwCO27irTYlB7XiKI

[@laurenceboag2325]

You can get Pop's book for $35 from the Walt Disney Family Museum either there or on-line.

[@makeadifference4all]

I came here after hearing Steve Martin talk about his teenage love of Wally Boag's Disneyland act (th-cam.com/video/xpFWwn-fJZc/w-d-xo.html).