BACKSTORY FROM COXPILOT: There were lots of different ones through the years, but the one I remember is this one. The first one sold balloons, the next one had the disk on his chest (looks like a CD), the next one had K-7 on the helmet, and the last one had more collar rings on his suit. About the Space Girl: She originally worked at Carnation Ice Cream Parlor on Main St. as a greeter. It was quite imposing to see this 6'2" blond asking people “How many in your party?” Keith Palmer instigated her being hired as the space girl, and I think that was around 1962. Plus, they added high heel boots.
The space people became very popular. I also remember that the Space Man would stand very still inside the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea exhibit, in the shadowed area around where the diving suits were. People would think he was part of the exhibit, until he would jump out. When supervisors found out about it, they put a stop to it. Some parents complained that the children were afraid.
BACKSTORY FROM DAVE MASON OF SATURDAYS TOYS: Ben Harris (who started at Disneyland as a conductor for Retlaw on the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad in 1958) said Spacegirl Shannon Borsz was hired at the same time Spaceman John Glenn was hired… and worked in summers of '62 and '63… though John Glenn left before summer '63 was over and she stayed with his replacement to complete the summer. The following year, Shannon returned for the summmer (1964)… but with someone else in the costume for "Spaceman." John Glenn did not return after summer '63. Ben said that in 1963 / 1964… costumed characters were paid $1.85 to $2.00… except that as a specialty character, John Glenn was paid $2.25 (because of his height, 6' 9"). Shannon Borsz is also pictured in the Fall 1964 issue of DL Backstage with John Mathews (the guy who wore the Mickey Mouse costume in the evenings).
