Jim Hill Disrupts Sam McKim Memorial

First published July 26, 2004

By C. W. Oberleitner

Between events during last week's National Fantasy Fan Club (NFFC) convention in Garden Grove, California, Chuck Oberleitner was lucky enough to have lunch with some very well-known Disney artists including Matt McKim, one of the late Sam McKim's two sons, who shared a rather interesting tale with Chuck.

While he doesn't like me talking about this, our boss here at JHM.com, Jim Hill, is a remarkable man. Jim's articles and stories are so widely read by fans of virtually every form of pop culture that he's quite capable of influencing events thousands of miles from his home in New Hampshire, at the edge of the woods. Jim, believes, and I agree with him, that we're here to report the news not make it. Sometimes, however, you just can't help being caught up in the story. Such was the case with the recent memorial services for Disney Legend, artist extraordinaire, Sam McKim.

Last week while I was down in Garden Grove, California covering the National Fantasy Fan Club's (NFFC) 20^th Anniversary of National Convention, I was fortunate enough to join many of the panelists from that morning's "Artists Panel" for lunch. Among those at the table were panel moderator Terri Hardin, Philo Barnhart, and Matt McKim, just to name a few. Matt McKim is one of the late Sam McKim's two sons and like his father, he's an accomplished artist.

The word "fascinating" does not begin to cover what it was like being able to listen to this distinguished and animated group recount their many and varied experiences during the days they worked for the Mouse. That's right; they're all former Disney artists. Several of them, like Terri Hardin, have been hired and fired multiple times, even though each has made significant contributions to Disney lore.

At one point during a slight lull in the conversation, I turned to Matt McKim and asked if he had been in contact with his mother and brother, Brian, since the preceding Sunday, where Brian McKim and his mother, Dorothy, had been honored guests at the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society's (CPHS) celebration commemorating the fifth anniversary of the dedication of Walt Disney's backyard railroad barn in Los Angeles' Griffith Park. Matt McKim had been unable to attend.

Near the end of the event, CPHS Chairman Michael Broggie reminded the assembled group that Sam McKim, despite his remarkable contributions to Disneyland's enduring success, had never been honored with a window, bearing his name, on Disneyland's Main Street. He then called upon his audience to join him in writing to Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) and Disneyland asking them to correct this situation.

Because I intended to write about this, I asked Matt if he'd heard about Michael Broggie's call to get Disney to honor his dad with a window on Main Street. Much to my surprise Matt, whose frame and stature are much like his father's and whose features capture much of his mother's beauty and grace, just broke out laughing.

"It goes back further than that," he said between hearty chuckles. "Jim Hill started it with the story he ran following Dad's death.

"You have to understand one thing first," he said, his tone becoming a bit more somber. "For years while my Dad was alive, this (a window on Disneyland's Main Street) was something my brother and I wanted very badly for our Dad. I thought it would be so great for him to be able to walk his grandchildren down the street in the park and point up to a window and say, 'Who's that? Whose name is that on the window?'

"It never happened. And, I have to be honest, for quite a while there I was quite upset with Disney for not doing this. Then as time went on, well, I just got used to it and really didn't think about it much any more."

His mood lightened and he again began laughing again as he continued his story. Matt and his family we're preparing for the funeral. The minister who was to preside over the services contacted Matt and asked for some biographical material that would help him chronicle Sam's distinguished career and numerous achievements.

Matt told me that a bio of his father was not something he kept laying around the house. "So, I went to the Internet and found a few good stories of Dad's life and his work, printed them out, and handed them to the pastor."

One of those stories was the one Jim had published earlier that week. It concluded with a call to honor Sam McKim with a window on Disneyland's Main Street."

Remembering Sam McKim: 1924 - 2004

There are those within the Walt Disney Company who will say that it was Sam's self-effacing ways that often prevented McKim from getting all the recognition that he deserved. I mean, for years now, it has puzzled Sam's fans as to why one of the very first artists to work on Disneyland has yet to receive his very own "Window on Main Street."

Of course, if Sam had made a fuss, had pointed out that many of the people that he worked with on the Anaheim theme park had been recognized years ago while McKim remained windowless… Sam probably would have received that honor long ago.

But Sam McKim wasn't one to make a fuss. Having spent so much of his childhood in the spotlight (Did you know that Sam was a child star? That he appeared in motion pictures with such luminaries as John Wayne, Gene Autry and Rita Hayworth?), I think that - as an adult - McKim preferred standing on the sidelines. Letting his work speak for him.

Well - me personally - I think that it's time that we spoke up for Sam. Let the Walt Disney Company know about how we feel about McKim's contributions to the "Happiest Place on Earth." Make the Mouse understand that it's high time that Sam got his own "Window on Main Street." So that Dorothy can see how much her husband was valued, so that Brian & Matt can see how much their Dad will really be missed.

Does that sound like a cause that you folks could get behind? If so, let me know, okay?

Still laughing, Matt continued by saying that much to his and his family's dismay, they arrived at the cemetery for the graveside service only to hear the minister conclude his remarks by reading the conclusion of Jim's article, word for word.

"I look at Brian," Matt said, "he looks at me, and we both look at Mom who is just rolling her eyes and bowing her head. We are all thinking the same thing: Oh my god, I hope Marty's (Martin Sklar head of WDI) not here. What will he think we're trying to do?"

Marty Sklar was scheduled to deliver another eulogy at the memorial service that was to take place later that evening. The service ended and Matt looked around for Marty Sklar, and then ran into Marty as he was leaving. Apparently, Marty had arrived late and missed the minister's remarks. Matt, feeling relieved, smiled and reached out to shake hands with Marty.

"Marty shook my hand and offered me his condolences. Ah, I thought to myself, we're in the clear. He hadn't heard the minister read Jim's article."

Later that evening, according to Matt, the same minister got up at the memorial service to once again lead everyone in prayer and remembrance of Sam McKim's life. And, once again, he concluded his remarks by reading word for word the closing section of Jim's article.

"Mom, Brian, and I all ducked our heads," Matt said. "Oh no, not again. This can't be happening. Now there's no escaping it." Marty Sklar was to be the next speaker.

When the service was over, Matt went over to Marty to apologize and try to explain to him that the family was not trying to start a campaign to get Sam a window on Disneyland's Main Street. He wanted Marty to understand that their pastor, like so many of Sam's fans, simply shared the sentiment expressed in Jim Hill's column.

"Marty just laughed and shook my hand," Matt said. "He said it was long overdue and something they (WDI) should have done a long time ago. He said he would get right on it first thing Monday morning when he got into the office."

Still chuckling from his family's near total embarrassment during his father's final services, Matt looked at me and said, "So the next time you talk to Jim Hill, you tell him about all the trouble he made at my Dad's memorial."

Consider him told, Matt.

C'ya real soon!