The Ghostly Work of Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily
Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily are two designers who have worked for many years at Disneyland, first working on the varied shows and parades at the park in the Entertainment Art Department for over a decade, and then moving on to form their own company for which they create all sorts of Disney-related projects, from souvenirs and limited-edition artwork to Disneyana and even parades, such as the Pixar Play Parade at Disney California Adventure and the Soundsational Parade at Disneyland Park.
Many Disney fans know Kevin and Jody because of the limited edition artwork they create for sale at the Disney parks. In 2004, Kevin and Jody were responsible for creating a wildly successful line of Disneyana celoebrating Disneyland's 50th anniversary, which included many Haunted Mansion-related items and was sold exclusively through the Disney Catalog (see photo, above). In 2009, they created the first ever lifesize reproduction of the Haunted Mansion's Hat Box Ghost (pictured below), which was sold at auction at the first D23 Expo for $9,300. Kevin and Jody premiered the life-sized Hat Box Ghost at a special DoomBuggies.com event held at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney the day before the Expo, at which time they said that they even kicked around the idea of placing the prop INTO the Haunted Mansion for a night (for Disneyland's special Haunted Mansion 40th anniversary event), but the timing of the auction just wouldn't allow it.
Something old is ghoul again
In 2011, Kevin and Jody have gone back to the drawing board, to create something special for the Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion's 4oth anniversary event (which is called "Room for 1 More.") The piece, which was offered at auction, is another version of the Mansion's legendary Hat Box Ghost - but this time, the sculpture is designed to look like the famous Collin Campbell illustration of ol' Hattie that was published in the 1969 "Story and Song of the Haunted Mansion" record album that was sold across the country by Disneyland Records.
"We decided on a unique interpretation of the Hatbox Ghost - a one-of-a-kind maquette," said Kevin Kidney. " There was - and still is - something deliciously disturbing and exciting about Collin Campbell's illustrations."
To add an eerie effect, the team placed the 8-and-1/4 inch maquette under rippled, hand-blown glass. "It distorts him slightly as you walk pass. You may notice that his hand may seem sometimes large or the whole figure will seem slightly squished," Jody Daily said.
Pictured below, in a photo exclusive to DoomBuggies.com, is the Collin Campbell-inspired version of the Hat Box Ghost, standing atop Kevin and Jody's antique pump organ. Click the photo for a larger version.
Continue to the next page to see more art and tributes dedicated to the Haunted Mansion!