Raymond Kinman
Raymond Kinman Woodcarver
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2024
- Messages
- 21
Does anyone remember the character, “Big Al” from Disney’s Country Bear Jamboree?
Al Bertino was a Disney animator and Imagineer who was the creator of Country Bear Jamboree.
The character “Big Al” was a self-portrait of Al Bertino.
Looks EXACTLY like him too. Amazing…
Al Bertino started with Walt in 1935 and worked on many feature films such as Pinocchio and Fantasia. Besides Country Bear Jamboree, he also helped create a number of attractions at Disneyland, including Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Haunted Mansion, and America Sings.
Side-note factoid: People sometimes ask me what becomes of the original carvings when Disney removes an attraction. Do they return them to the artist who created them?
Nope.
They auction those kinds of things to collectors.
The original mahogany carving which I did for the entrance to Country Bear Playhouse recently sold at auction for a ridiculous sum of money.
Another strange factoid: The CBP was also the most difficult carving I have ever done. Why? Cuz I had to carve it with only one hand. My left hand had been injured (in a chainsaw accident while carving some stuff for Pocahontas) and I had to have some serious repairs done in surgery. I couldn’t use my left hand at the time.
Left hand or not, the job had to get done.
A couple of carver friends stepped in to help with the rough-out, but the bulk of that carving was done with my left arm in a cast.
Honestly speaking: That was 30 years ago. I don’t think I could pull that off today. I was much younger then. I have no earthly idea how I did that.
But that’s a whole different story….
Al Bertino was a Disney animator and Imagineer who was the creator of Country Bear Jamboree.
The character “Big Al” was a self-portrait of Al Bertino.
Looks EXACTLY like him too. Amazing…
Al Bertino started with Walt in 1935 and worked on many feature films such as Pinocchio and Fantasia. Besides Country Bear Jamboree, he also helped create a number of attractions at Disneyland, including Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Haunted Mansion, and America Sings.
Side-note factoid: People sometimes ask me what becomes of the original carvings when Disney removes an attraction. Do they return them to the artist who created them?
Nope.
They auction those kinds of things to collectors.
The original mahogany carving which I did for the entrance to Country Bear Playhouse recently sold at auction for a ridiculous sum of money.
Another strange factoid: The CBP was also the most difficult carving I have ever done. Why? Cuz I had to carve it with only one hand. My left hand had been injured (in a chainsaw accident while carving some stuff for Pocahontas) and I had to have some serious repairs done in surgery. I couldn’t use my left hand at the time.
Left hand or not, the job had to get done.
A couple of carver friends stepped in to help with the rough-out, but the bulk of that carving was done with my left arm in a cast.
Honestly speaking: That was 30 years ago. I don’t think I could pull that off today. I was much younger then. I have no earthly idea how I did that.
But that’s a whole different story….
