Harper Goff (1911-1993) born Ralph Harper Goff was an artist, set-designer, banjo player, actor and early Disney Imagineer who worked as a set designer on Casablanca, an art designer on both Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and an art designer on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Goff designed much of early Disneyland including Main Street, U.S.A., and the Jungle Cruise. Much of Main Street was inspired by Goff's hometown of Fort Collins, Colorado.
Tributes[]
- Adventureland Bazaar: There is a window over the Adventureland Bazaar for "Oriental Tattooing by Prof. Harper Goff" and "Banjo Lessons". This fictionalized Professor Harper Goff character is frequently referenced in Adventureland properties.
- Adventure Trading Company: Advertisements for Professor Goff's banjo lessons appeared in the Daily Gnus newspaper and in the Bird Call magazine.
- Fantasyland: In Prince Eric's village across from Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, there is a cartography building with the proprietor identified as "H. Goff". The weathervane for this building depicts the Giant Squid from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, referencing how that space of Fantasyland used to be used on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage, and how Goff worked on the attraction which said film was based on.
- Haunted Mansion: The Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion paid tribute to Harper Goff in its 2011 update. Mounted on Prudence Pock's crypt are "Spectrecoms" patented by one R.H. Goff.
- Jungle Cruise: There are several tributes to Harper Goff which can be found in the Jungle Cruise. Nigel Greenwater's radio loop at Disneyland's Jungle Cruise used to mention a character called "Reverend Goff". Also in the queue are blueprints for Jungle Cruise boats with the signature of "H. Goff". The queue for the Magic Kingdom's Jungle Cruise has a crate of "Goff's brand" over-pants from Fort Collins, Colorado. Alberta Falls' year of birth and the founding year of the Jungle Navigation Company are 1911, which was also Harper Goff's year of birth.
- The Magic of Disney Animation: The producer "H. Goff" was mentioned on the poster for the Jungle Cruise movie, inspired by the African Queen.
- Skipper Canteen: The office for one "Skipper Harper" appears in the upper levels of the mess-hall, identified as head of cartography for the Jungle Navigation Company. In the library there are the books "Banjos and Baboons" and "Tramp steamers in Africa" by the author "Goff".
- Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar: A banjo with advertisements for Professor Harper Goff's banjo lessons at dock 54 appears in Trader Sam's possession.
Trivia[]
- Goff was influenced by the 1951 film The African Queen in his development of the Jungle Cruise.
- A Casablanca vignette appeared in the Great Movie Ride.