I have recently come across these fascinating pictures – the first two are aerial views of the large outside studio tank actually in use for Walt Disney’s ‘Treasure Island’ – so these would be taken in the hot summer of 1949

Difficult to gauge which part of the story would be done here – I suspect it would be the last few minutes of the film where Long John Silver – Robert Newton – escapes from capture in that small boat.

Jim Hawkins is with him and at the tiller and steers the boat into the sandy bank much to the annoyance of Long John who eventually manages to push it out into the water and then to the open sea.

ABOVE – I can’t think that the studio tank would be used that much on this film. The River Colne had been dammed in the grounds of the Studios for a while in order to film the pirate landing on the island – which was done in brilliant fashion.

When I read that the pictures ABOVE were taken during the making of that film, I just wonder. It is in the extensive grounds of the Studios though

ABOVE – In the grounds of Denham on the River Colne in the grounds of Denham Film Studios – but NO, we are landing on Treasure Island. This is a thrilling sequence with unmatched Technicolor photography – I just love it as it evokes such lovely memories from when I first saw it at the Cinema

BELOW – That same scene being set up

ABOVE – Here we are arriving at Treasure Island – the palm tress were added to the summer foliage and it really looks effective and good.

I just love these shots both above and below

Jim has escaped from the small boat and ran inland – the ABOVE shot is definitely in the grounds of Denham Film Studios.

As the grounds covered 193 acres there was ample room to cope with ‘Treasure Island’ and the very next film from Walt Disney ‘The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men’ both made at Denham – so after this those Denham exteriors were turned into Sherwood Forest

Farewell, Long John and Good Luck