MK Attractions and their "Kevin Bacon" number

[lentesta]

Kevin Bacon is the glue that binds the universe together. Not only is Kevin at least tangentially related to almost every actor in Hollywood, but he's got some tenuous connection to the vast majority of attractions in the Magic Kingdom.

An easy example is the Hall of Presidents, which features Ronald Reagan. Reagan was in "The Young Doctors" with Eddie Albert, who was in "The Big Picture" with KB. (Actually, Calvin Coolidge is the more interesting president with a connection to KB. I think every president since F.D.R. has a Kevin Bacon number of less than 5.)

A slightly more complicated example is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. There are no people in the ride, ruling out any direct relationships. However, one of the background songs in the ride is the theme from the "Apple Dumpling Gang" movie, which featured Tim Conway. Mr. Conway was in "Speed 2: Cruise Control" with Colleen Camp, and Ms. Camp was in "Trapped" with KB.

I've gone through almost all of the attractions in the MK, including the parades and fireworks, and the Speedway and Frontierland Shootin' Arcade are the ones giving me the most trouble. If anyone has any suggestions on those, please let me know.

Many thanks to
The Oracle of Bacon

Sincerely,

Len
(With a Kevin Bacon number of no more than 4)

 

[forgetyourtroubles!]

Maybe the tractor from Footloose was made in the same place as the Speedway cars.

My own personal Kevin Bacon # is 3. I used to work for Hugh O'Brian, who was in a movie with Colleen Camp, who was in a movie w/ Kevin. Practically related, huh?!

My next question: Is this going to be a new section of the UG? Attraction ratings based on each ride's KB connections? I think you've got a best-seller on your hands!!

 

[wannabee princess]

How fun!! I love how there is always something new to discover about Disney! Who would have thought Kevin Bacon would be such an important link to the World?! I think it is cool that you are doing this!

 

[WDSearcher]

Will this work for the Speedway?

An IMAX film was done in 1997 called "Super Speedway", that was a documentary on getting cars ready and tested for Indy.

"Super Speedway" was narrated by Paul Newman.

Paul Newman starred in "The Color of Money" with Tom Cruise (who also did a racing movie called "Days of Thunder," but that was about NASCAR, so it doesn't count).

Tom Cruise starred in "A Few Good Men" with Kevin Bacon.

=================================

The arcade is actually easier.

In 1999, Kevin Bacon performed at Sundance with The Bacon Brothers. The venue was a bar called ... "The Shooting Gallery."

 

[G&J's Mom]

Let me try.

TIMEKEEPER

Robert Dinero was in Awakenings with ROBIN WILLIAMS who was in The World According to Garp with John Lithgow who was in Footloose with who else but KB.

Denise

 

[G&J's Mom]

Just dawned on me that Di Nero was in Sleepers with KB as well. FunnY!

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

Methinks you have a lot of time on your hands.

 

[GoofyDisney]

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kudos to you lentesta!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would carry your book in my backpack right along side my Hidden Mickeys book!!!

 

[crzy4mk]

Ellen DeGeneres (Universe of Energy) used to be "connected" to Anne Heche, who was in "Six Days, Seven Nights" with Harrison Ford, who was in "The Devil's Own" with Brad Pitt, who was in "Sleepers" with Kevin Bacon.

I love the Kevin Bacon game!!!

 

[Cinderella37]

What's my KB number? My parents sat next to him at Flagler's (now Citricos) at the GF about 8 years ago and struck up a little conversation. My dad had no idea who he was until my mom told him after dinner!

 

[MouseClubMom]

Len,

Where is your Disney/Bacon list?? I'd love to see it!!

My boss and I both have a Bacon number of 3. How fun!!

MCMom

 

[BriarRosie]

I was able to use Bruce Jenner and Marlee Matlin for a Bacon Number. Both of them are Bacon (2).

I met Marlee before she was famous, and I stood near Bruce Jenner while waiting to be seated at Boma a few years ago.
LOL!

 

[lentesta]

Here's another interesting one.

Space Mountain: The first official guest on Space Mountain in Walt Disney World was Colonel James Irwin, pilot of Apollo XV's Lunar Module (thanks LaughingPlace.com ).

Colonel Irwin's Mission Commander on Apollo XV was Colonel Dave Scott (Link to NASA's Apollo XV web page). Colonel Scott served as technical consultant on the movie Apollo 13, starring the illustrious Kevin Bacon.

My Kevin Bacon link goes like this: I work for Bob Sehlinger at the Unofficial Guide. Jim Hill (of Jim Hill Media) ) has contributed to the next edition of the Guide. Jim once was a writer on a show of John Candy's, who was in JFK with the indomitable Kevin Bacon.

The Astro Orbiter also seems to be a tricky one. Oddly, the TTA was easy, and involves David Hasselhoff. I hear he's big in Europe.

Len

 

[lentesta]

A few more:

Country Bear Jamboree: Tex Ritter is the voice of Big Al. Mr. Ritter was in Nashville Rebel with Henny Youngman. Mr. Youngman was in Funny with Eli Wallach. Mr. Wallach was in Mystic River with the incandescent Kevin Bacon.

Tom Sawyer Island: The fort on TSI was renamed "Fort Langhorn" after the 1995 movie Tom and Huck. That movie featured Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who was also in Man of the House with Jim Smith. Mr. Smith was in Mystic River with the splendiferous Kevin Bacon.

MouseClubMom, I'll type it up over the next few days. I've even got one for SpectroMagic that doesn't involve characters.

Len

 

[lentesta]

WDWSearcher, that may do if nothing else exists, but I think we should try for something a little more concrete. Is there any ride narration at all on the Speedway? Any music? If nothing else, I'm sure we can link it back through the Imagineers that worked on the attraction.

Also, does anyone know the name of the company that makes the elevators for Astro Orbiter? Is it the Otis Elevator Company?

Thanks,

Len

 

[B'rer Karen]

I know when you're in the queue for the Speedway they have all those different "facts" about races. I think they do a spoof on Al Unser Jr.'s name. Can you connect back through Unser?

 

[lentesta]

If we can get from Al Unser to Mario Andretti, we're set.

From The Oracle of Bacon:

Mario Andretti was in Once Upon a Wheel (1968) with Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas was in Tough Guys (1986) with Eli Wallach
Eli Wallach was in Mystic River (2003) with Kevin Bacon

Len

 

[lentesta]

Thank you, B'rer Karen.

The Tomorrowland Indy Speedway: During the television special for the opening of Walt Disney World, Bobby Unser was on hand to participate in a "race" with Jackie Stewart, Mark Donahue and Buddy Hackett at the Speedway (thanks StartedByAMouse.com).

From the Oracle of Bacon:

Buddy Hackett was in Scrooged (1988) with Bill Murray
Bill Murray was in Wild Things (1998) with Kevin Bacon

 

[hightown]

This is one of the greatest threads ever!

I can't contribute to the WDW attaction theme but did some research and found I have a #4

My first cousin once removed was Production Designer for Star Trek: Next Generation

Ashley Judd was in a number of STNG episodes.

Ashley was in Double Jeopardy (1999) with Spencer Treat Clark

Spencer Treat Clark was in Mystic River (2003) with Kevin Bacon.

Who Hoo!

Keep it coming...

Update: Just thought of a lower number-3 I think.
Same cousin worked on movie Silkwood with Meryl Streep.
Meryl starred with Kevin Bacon in The River Wild (1994)

 

[jahexom]

I have a 2. My friend sat behing Kevin Bacon at Carnegie Hall. I think that counts.

Jen