Alex Theatre – April 26, 2025
I prefer live shows over movies, but made an exception for the premier of the documentary Bob Gurr: Living By Design. What fun it was to get dressed up and attend a red carpet premier as a VIP invited guest! This was my first time to the Alex, but after looking at the calendar I’d guess it won’t be my last. They have an interesting line up of movies with panels, music and dance shows. This one was of course a movie with a panel.
The drive to Glendale was easy on this Saturday evening. I had scoped out parking and chose a city lot nearby because of the aforementioned “dressing up” (I even wore heels). I think it was $2 with my validation. Parking was plentiful in the area with several lots and structures to choose from and some metered street parking. The area was bustling with lots of people having dinner or an evening out.
The Alex is a rather grand old theater, celebrating its 100th year in 2025. Once you pass the ticket booth, you enter a courtyard which was decked out in red carpet for this event with a step and repeat photo opportunity with the man himself – Bob Gurr. My husband was there with his Autopia car, which is how I came to be invited as well. Across from the step and repeat was a cash bar and a very long line of people waiting to have their pictures taken with Bob Gurr. We decided to skip that since we already have pictures with him.
As showtime approached, we made our way inside. There were a few celebrities we recognized, but not exactly A listers. Cory Feldman was there. So, yeah…. We got to our seats with just enough time to silence our phones. Before the film, there were some introductions and Bob Gurr was presented with a certificate by a city councilwoman. They cleared the stage, dimmed the lights and raised the curtain. And then they turned the lights back on so Bob could find his way to his seat. Once he was settled in, the lights went out and the film began.
If you don’t know who Bob Gurr is, you would probably recognize his work. He was responsible for almost all of the early transportation rides at Disneyland including the Main Street vehicles, the Monorail, the People Mover and the Haunted Mansion Doom Buggies. He went on to create other memorable attractions like the gigantic King Kong that attacked the trams at Universal Studios. It was especially fun to hold this premier in Glendale because he’d grown up nearby and recalled playing in the courtyard as a child. The film was a fun little journey through Bob’s long life. There were several clips of Bob as a young child, which is especially impressive considering he’s 93. We learned of Bob’s love of aviation and car design and how all of that came together in his job as an Imagineer. Then there were segments showing what kept him busy once he left Disneyland. It was fun to see him work with younger generations to help hone their design skills.
Once the film ended, Bob went back onstage for a Q and A and answered such poignant questions as “What’s your favorite food at Disneyland?” (He likes to eat at Mimi’s Café across the street – me too, Bob, me too.) If you ever have the opportunity to meet him, be sure you do. He is witty and smart and just a really likable man. And if you get a chance to check out Bob Gurr: Living By Design, give it a try. You might learn a thing or two.