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Pt. 8: Bubbles’ Friends, Costumed Characters, and Kiva
On the eighth episode of “LA’s Own Marineland,” covering the years 1981 to 1986, the park finds success by leaning into its strengths as a place where people can get close to marine life in ways they never could before. We also look at Bubbles the pilot whale’s relationships with his dolphin tankmates, and Corky has her longest surviving calf.
By the end of 1981, things were looking up at Marineland. Its new owner, Far East Hotels, out of Hong Kong, had a laissez-faire attitude that gave more power to park management over how the park was presented to the public. The new push would put the park’s amazing animals up front, not cartoon characters or movie properties.
“We created the park to be all about the animals. This wasn’t about Hanna-Barbera characters. It was a focus, a very laser-like focus on these wonderful creatures that we had to share with visitors that came to the park,” Linda Malek, Marineland’s Marketing Director from 1979 to 1987, told the podcast.
Who were the costumed characters at Marineland?
Hanna-Barbera may have left Marineland, but the park continued to embrace costumed characters. Marineland replaced the cartoon stars with a new, original crew featuring Waddles the Penguin, Shivers the Polar Bear, Kilroy the Killer Whale, Professor Pelican—who would later become Captain Pelican—Admiral Tusk the Walrus, Stinky the Skunk, Sheldon the Shark, Sammy the Sea Lion, and Fubar the Bear.
On June 18, 1982, Corky had her third and longest-surviving calf, a female named Kiva. Unfortunately, Kiva failed to nurse properly, and Corky began to be rough with the calf, pinning her to the bottom of the tank. For the calf’s safety, Marineland moved her to a holding pool with a dolphin. Kiva showed signs of stress after being moved and the next day developed respiratory problems and died. She lived only 46 days.
In 1985, there was a major disturbance in the Killer Whale Coliseum. Corky broke an observation window that sent a third of the tank’s 640,000 gallons of water rushing down the zigzag walkway.
On December 26, 1986, Marineland’s owners, Far East Hotel and Entertainment Ltd. a division of Warwick International, called together Marineland’s top brass and told them the park was being sold to Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich SeaWorld’s parent company. We’ll soon discover that Harcourt Brace Jovanovich’s promise that it would keep the park open wasn’t to be trusted.
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By Tod PerryOn the eighth episode of “LA’s Own Marineland,” covering the years 1981 to 1986, the park finds success by leaning into its strengths as a place where people can get close to marine life in ways they never could before. We also look at Bubbles the pilot whale’s relationships with his dolphin tankmates, and Corky has her longest surviving calf.
By the end of 1981, things were looking up at Marineland. Its new owner, Far East Hotels, out of Hong Kong, had a laissez-faire attitude that gave more power to park management over how the park was presented to the public. The new push would put the park’s amazing animals up front, not cartoon characters or movie properties.
“We created the park to be all about the animals. This wasn’t about Hanna-Barbera characters. It was a focus, a very laser-like focus on these wonderful creatures that we had to share with visitors that came to the park,” Linda Malek, Marineland’s Marketing Director from 1979 to 1987, told the podcast.
Who were the costumed characters at Marineland?
Hanna-Barbera may have left Marineland, but the park continued to embrace costumed characters. Marineland replaced the cartoon stars with a new, original crew featuring Waddles the Penguin, Shivers the Polar Bear, Kilroy the Killer Whale, Professor Pelican—who would later become Captain Pelican—Admiral Tusk the Walrus, Stinky the Skunk, Sheldon the Shark, Sammy the Sea Lion, and Fubar the Bear.
On June 18, 1982, Corky had her third and longest-surviving calf, a female named Kiva. Unfortunately, Kiva failed to nurse properly, and Corky began to be rough with the calf, pinning her to the bottom of the tank. For the calf’s safety, Marineland moved her to a holding pool with a dolphin. Kiva showed signs of stress after being moved and the next day developed respiratory problems and died. She lived only 46 days.
In 1985, there was a major disturbance in the Killer Whale Coliseum. Corky broke an observation window that sent a third of the tank’s 640,000 gallons of water rushing down the zigzag walkway.
On December 26, 1986, Marineland’s owners, Far East Hotel and Entertainment Ltd. a division of Warwick International, called together Marineland’s top brass and told them the park was being sold to Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich SeaWorld’s parent company. We’ll soon discover that Harcourt Brace Jovanovich’s promise that it would keep the park open wasn’t to be trusted.