The Dark Side of Kennywood, Page 5

Rick Davis

Laughing Sal came to Kennywood in 1941 to work at the Laff in the Dark while the ride received a new art deco façade in the forties as well.

The distortion mirrors originally made for the Laughing Gallery, which had been in storage since the thirties, were re-silvered and installed in Daffy Klub sometime between 1948 and 1951 along with a few new stunts. Also around that time, the Old Mill received new scenes and a mechanical Monkey Band was installed over the loading platform. (The Monkey Band would be removed in 1974.)

The "Modern" Era Begins

In 1954, the Modern Arts Studios of Chicago re-themed the park’s former ballroom as the Enchanted Forest. Toy soldiers adorned the flat, painted fantasy castle façade which marked the entrance to a children’s walkthrough attraction that featured scenes from favorite children’s stories. A state of the art addition in 1957 brought a closed circuit TV camera to the Forest. The camera was mounted in a corner of the tilted room while the monitor was atop the cashier’s booth so everyone could get a glimpse of the fun happening inside. The idea of becoming a “TV star” for a moment increased interest in the Enchanted Forest for several seasons.

The 1954 season also saw the introduction of the Mystery Ride. With a new building front designed by John C. Ray of California, the former Snapper (or Cuddle Up) ride location was converted to a darkride featuring the brand new Pretzel spinning darkride cars. What was the mystery? Why the name of course! It was part of a public relations campaign sponsored by the WDTV television show Happy’s Party to name the ride. When the contest was over, the Mystery Ride became the Zoomerang- an African themed ride with elephants, lions, and apes as well as cannibal figures supplied by the Animated Display Company of Minneapolis.

While Zoomerang was “in”, Daffy Klub was “out” in 1955 as funhouses were falling out of favor at the park. Replacing the long standing attraction was the new Pastime game building.

The Old Mill, which had been re-themed several times in the previous years, received yet another make over in 1957. This version had a “trip around the world” theme with nine new scenes depicting a bull fight in Spain, a Hawaiian Hula dancer, a tiger from India, a Chinese dragon, an Aborigine and kangaroo for Australia, and an Arabian Harem to name a few. New scenes including a “relaxing nature scene with a waterfall and exotic plants” were added in 1960. The McKeesport Lumber Company created new boats in 1961 and a Santa’s workshop scene was installed in 1963. Outdoor scenes added in the 60’s included Tarzan swinging on a cable giving his famous yell, an African bull elephant, and a giant skull waterfall.

Photo - ACE archive

John C. Ray returned to give Kennywood a face-lift in 1960 by redesigning the lagoon bridge and the Racer and the Laff in the Dark facades. At the same time, the Enchanted Forest received a new look as well with a new medieval castle style front and a new name - the Enchanted Castle. A new dungeon style interior would replace the former children’s walkthrough scenery.

Modern Arts Studios returned to the park in 1961 to remake Zoomerang. The new Safari façade now featured a 16 foot tall Zulu warrior. After entering through the jaws of a huge ape, we would find a jungle full of gorillas, odd birds, cannibals, pygmies, witch doctors, and serpents. At the time KDKA¬TV, had a show named Safari that aired every Saturday morning. That show sponsored a special “Safari day” at the park where children belonging to the “Safari Club” could receive a free ride in the darkride.

When the short lived Freedomland Park in New York City closed, Kennywood purchased its Tornado darkride to replace the Enchanted Forest. Jack Ray was commissioned in 1963 to design the Pennsylvania Hey Ride’s turn of the century style ride front as well as some of the interior. This Arrow Development ride had Model T style vehicles to take riders on a journey through a Midwest town and into the path of a twister. Before the Pennsylvania Hey Ride left the drawing board, it again became the Tornado. Many of the stunts in the ride were supplied by Funni-Frite of Lancaster, Ohio. The Tornado was also short lived at Kennywood and was sold to Great Escape Park after the 1966 season.

A little known fact about Kennywood’s Tornado is that its ride vehicles were the wrong cars! Cedar Point had purchased Freedomland’s Earthquake darkride at the same time. Somewhere in transit the cars ended up at the wrong parks leaving Kennywood’s Tornado with the Earthquake cars and Cedar Point’s Earthquake having the Tornado cars. Since differences were cosmetic, the parks decided not to trade them. Another bit of trivia is that the cars shared the same rear axle as Arrow’s turnpike cars!

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This article ©2004 Rick Davis
All uncredited photos - Kennywood archive.
Research - Rick Davis and Sarah Windisch
Sources - Kennywood Archive, Carl O. Hughes, Harry Henninger, Kennywood... Roller Coaster Capital of the World and More Kennywood Memories by Charles Jaques, History of Kennywood Park by Marie McSwigan
Special thanks to Marie Riles and Mary Lou Rosemeyer of Kennywood Park, Dave Hahner, Jim Futrell, and Joel Styler.