Disney history in California. The Real Carthay Circle area today. Recreated in Florida but here's the real spot. A lone statue of a gold miner still stands guard where "Show White and the Seven Dwarfs" premiered. Dan the Miner statue is a mystery to many. Why is he all alone in the Carthay Village area of Los Angeles? Why was he kidnapped? Turns out this is a remnant of the sight of the famous Carthay Circle Theatre where Walt Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" premiered. Dan has a proud history and was once the focal point of a beautiful fountain and water display near the famous theater that rivaled Grauman's Chinese for Hollywood's biggest premieres. Officially known as "The Pioneer" by sculptor Henry Lion this is a tribute by ruthless Los Angeles real estate mogul J.Harvey McCarthy to his gold mining 49er father Daniel O. McCarthy. That's why he is known as "Dan the Miner" now. McCarthy developed the 136 acres he owned along Wilshire and Fairfax all the way out to Beverly Hills. In 1924 J. Harvey dedicated "The Pioneer" statue and water flowed from his pan to the artificial lagoon. Now all offices and some high rises there are a few remnants visible of this historic period.
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Here's a great LA mystery for you. Who in the heck is Dan the Miner?
Why has he been standing on the corner of San Vicente and McCarthy Vista perpetually
panning for gold for almost a hundred years? Who was his crooked benefactor? What's his tie-in
to the premieres of Gone with the Wind and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs? He's even been
kidnapped. I'm Pat Patterson with the Best of Los Angeles Award. Let's go uncover the mystery.
So according to favorite California historian Hadley Mears, Dan the Miner is simply a loving
tribute of a son to his dad. The son, J. Harvey McCarthy, developed 136 acres from Fairfax
Boulevard all the way up to Beverly. McCarthy commissioned the landscape firm of Cook and Hall
to create this lagoon and the seven-foot statue by Henry Lyon of the Pioneer. This became the
centerpiece for the development across the street. Fox built the Carthay Circle Theater
which became hugely important for premieres. Every bit as important as Grauman's Chinese Theater.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered here. West Coast premiere Gone with the Wind. It was
a hub of activity and Dan the Miner got to watch it all from his perch here at the lagoon.
Now the Carthay Circle Theater was demolished unfortunately in 1969 but Dan the Miner still
remains. No lagoon anymore but he's in a little pocket park here on San Vicente Boulevard. So
when you're walking by here and you see a gold miner and wonder what the heck why is he there?
It's because of the McCarthy's and Carthay Circle. I'm Pat Patterson with the Best of Los Angeles
Award. Talk to you soon. Postcript to the Dan the Miner story is simply that he got kidnapped back
in 2008. Sawed off at the knees, hauled away by some crooks, sold for scrap for $900. Police
art squad found him, brought him back. Councilman Jack Weiss, some community involvement fundraising.
He was reinstalled here and unfailed for a second time back in January of 2009 and now there's this
beautiful little pocket park there on San Vicente and you can go visit Dan the Miner.
Pat Patterson with the Best of Los Angeles Award. Talk to you soon.
