Disneyland Facts & History > Fantasyland (15) > "it's a small world" - Mary Blair Doll
"it's a small world" - Mary Blair Doll
Disney Legend, Mary Blair, was an artist renown for her stylized illustrations, use of color, watercolors and graphic design. Blair's work can be found in advertising, children's books, art galleries and animated features.
Mary joined the Walt Disney Studios in 1940, joining her husband Lee Everett Blair, who had worked for the studios since 1938. She worked on and off for the Disney Company for most of her career. As an art supervisor, she created concept art for Saludos Amigos (1942) and The Three Caballeros (1945). Her sense of color and style influenced the Disney features Song of the South (1946), Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951) and Peter Pan (1953).
In 1963, Walt Disney asked Mary Blair to design the It's a Small World attraction for the New York World's Fair (1964-65). The attraction was a success, thanks to the combination of Blair's styling, Rolly Crump's design and the Sherman Brother's hypnotic song, It's A Small World (After All). In 1966, the beloved attraction debuted at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
Inside the "it's a small world" attraction, there is a little blonde doll standing on the Eiffel Tower. That doll is dedicated to artist who inspired the attraction's overall look. Gazing at her red balloon, the Mary Blair doll has short cropped hair, blue eyes and is dressed in a yellow poncho and boots, as Blair was known for her quirky personal fashions.