Threw in "Grandpa Bunny" from the Disney Storybookland anthology as well. Disney claims this is based after the short "Funny Little Bunnies," but it has nothing in common with it besides hard-working rabbits. Grandpa Bunny teaches all of the younger rabbits how to make the woods where they live truly gorgeous. The adult rabbits are sad when he passes on, but the children know he's left one last legacy to the world.
Watched The Great Easter Egg Hunt at Tubi while getting ready to head out. Peter adores his new stuffed rabbit Whiskers that he got in his Easter basket. Whiskers easily makes friends with the other toys in Peter's room, but has a harder time with school bullies and real rabbits when a dog runs off with him and he's lost in the woods. Shortly after he's found, Peter becomes very sick. Whiskers and his toy friends head off into the woods to find the Magic Egg and use the wish it grants to make their owner better.
Started out to Collingswood shortly afterwards. It wasn't a bad day, a bit cloudy, but breezy and warm, in the mid-60's. I passed at least three families enjoying egg hunts on their front or back yards while on my walk. Many other folks chatted on porches, went for Easter morning jogs, or walked the dog. The scenery couldn't have been prettier, too. Irises are coming up, and the tulips are in full bloom. The trees glow in myriad shades of lime green, pale pink, magenta, and lavender. Lawns are emerald carpets dotted with bursts of dandelions and buttercups.
Jessa was taking a walk around the block when I finally got to Collingswood's Senior Center. We had our Easter brunch at Paloma Restaurant across the street from Nunzio's. This is the Mexican fusion restaurant that replaced Tortilla Press after they shut down. They're...pretty similar to Tortilla Press with more subdued and elegant decorations. Jessa had huevo ranchoes (which turned out to be nachos with guacamole and sausage). I had churros French toast. On one hand, the French toast was nice and sweet and thick, and there was lots of big blueberries and banana and strawberry slices. The middle was soggy due to them drowning it in syrup, but it otherwise tasted pretty good.
We went for a walk after lunch, but there wasn't much open on a holiday Sunday. We browsed in Clutter, Ocasionette, and Secret Origins Comics, but found nothing of interest. Innergroove Records is usually open on Sunday and on Easter, but for some reason, it wasn't when we were there. Grooveground is in the midst of remodeling. Collingswood Music isn't open on Sundays. Phideilty Records and Time Lapse are closed for Easter week. We admired the cute mini-versions of Collingswood services and businesses built by kids at the local elementary schools in the window of local newspaper the Retrospect. Everything from the PATCO station to Roberts Pool was represented. The WaWa even had a "closed" sign across it.
After Jessa dropped me off at home, I put on It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. The Peanuts prepare for the spring holidays in their own ways. Snoopy buys Woodstock a bird house while Sally looks for new shoes. Peppermint Patty wants to show Marcie how to color eggs, but she keeps doing everything but boiling them. Lucy would rather pester Schroeder for presents and hide and find her own eggs. Don't bother with all the fuss, says Linus. The Easter Beagle does that. Sally's more than a little skeptical after the Great Pumpkin incident at Halloween, but Easter morning brings more than one surprise for the kids!
Switched to Easter Parade while resting. I went further into this classic MGM musical featuring Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, and Ann Miller at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog the day before Easter 2019.
Watched two vintage Walt Disney World Easter parades while eating a big ham dinner from a friend. The big push for 1988 was the Grand Floridian Hotel, which was two months from opening when this debuted. No idea why they did a huge dance number for it, but at least they're right that it was and remains the most elegant (and expensive) resort at Disney World. Joan Lunden and Alan Thicke are the primary hosts here, while Regis Philbin interviews the crowd.
Other than the Grand Floridian, there's more focus on the actual parade here, including Clara Cluck in her hen house and dancing chickens singing "9 to 5." The Easter Bunny and Mrs. Bunny are the "Grand Marshalls," though the parade ends with Mickey and Minnie. We also get a super-cute (maybe slightly too cutesy) music video on Mickey and Minnie's relationship to "Mickey, She's Got a Crush On You" from the Disney album Splashdance.
By the time of the 1996 parade, the Disney Renaissance was in full swing. Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Roger Rabbit, and the original Toy Story all get floats or plugs here. There's a big number based around Mary Poppins, and another around Snow White. This time, the Easter Bunnies begin the parade, while Mickey and Minnie end it.
The biggest plugs go to the then-new water park Blizzard Beach (which is explored by Joey Lawrence) and to the Disney Institute. This was supposed to provide vacationers with various classes and instruction during their trips, but it closed in 2000 after they realized people would rather spend their vacations on rides than in classes. Lunden remains as the female host. Regis joins her this time, while Brianne Leary and JD Roth take his place with the crowds.
Here's both parades, so you can enjoy a bit of vintage Disney magic too!
Watched Peter and the Magic Egg after dinner. I went further into this unique and charming Pennsylvania Dutch set animated fantasy at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog the day before Easter last year.
Moved to "Funny Little Bunnies" next before the Sunday Match Game marathon started. This Silly Symphony is Disney's only Easter short to date. It's just bunnies getting ready for the holidays, but some of the details are adorable. I love how every bunny helps out, from the oldest grandfather who paints zig-zags on eggs to the cross-eyed fellows who have such a great time painting eggs to the little bunny checking out the bubbling chocolate.
Stayed at YouTube to finish the night with Match Game. They only did one flat-out Easter episode. In 1975, Fannie Flagg and Brett Somers sported ugly Easter bonnets early on. The hats eventually migrated to the heads of Tom Bosley and host Gene Rayburn. Match Game '91 did have "Easter __" as an Audience Match question. This was also the episode that introduced Ronn Lucas' rude new punk puppet Chuck Roast.
Other episodes were just filmed close to Easter, like the time Charles took off his suit in 1974 after he was offended by Brett's bad answer to a question. In 1975, Betty White managed to roll up Gene Rayburn's pants again without him knowing. 1979 brought in vintage puppets Kukla and Ollie in one of the cutest weeks of the later CBS run. Their puppeteer Burr Tillstrom was a friend of Gene's. In 1978, we meet Earl, the little guy who works the Super Match board, when he's late opening the answers. There's also Fannie Flagg and her famous fried egg T-shirt, which turned up several times in 1975 and 1976.
Celebrate Easter with a basket full of weirdos in this sweet and very funny marathon!
And here's hoping you also had a great Easter with all the people you love to match with!
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