Harper Goff

*This is an article on the real-world artist and Disney Imagineer. For his Adventureland counterpart, see Prof. Harper Goff.*

**Harper Goff** born **Ralph Harper Goff** (1911-1993) was an artist, banjo player, actor and Disney imagineer. He largely as a set-designer on the film *Casablanca* and an art designer on both *Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory* and *20,000 Leagues Under the Sea*. Goff was one of the first imagineers who Walt Disney appointed to developing Disneyland's Jungle Cruise, inspired by Disney's *True-Life Adventures* nature films. Goff took considerable influence from the adventure film *The African Queen* and designed much of the original incarnation of the Jungle Cruise.

## Jungle Cruise tributes

Harper has a fictionalized Adventureland counterpart named **Professor Harper Goff**.

### Adventureland Bazaar

The fictionalized Goff was first referenced in Disneyland's *Adventureland Bazaar* with a window which read, "Oriental Tattooing by Prof. Harper Goff" and, "Banjo lessons".

### Adventure Trading Company

Advertisements for banjo lessons from Goff at, "Dock 54" were posted in both *The Bird Call* magazine and The Daily Gnus newspaper for the Adventure Trading Company.

### Jungle Cruise

* In Disneyland's Jungle Cruise, Nigel Greenwater mentions one, "Reverend Goff of the Jungle Mission" returning to Holland. Greenwater states Goff bringing along two chimpanzees and a lion-cub with him.
* In the Amazon River Base of the Magic Kingdom's Jungle Cruise is a crate of, "Goff's brand" crocodile resistant, chest-high, rubber over-pants. It is stated as being based out of the Main Street of Fort Collins, Colorado which references Goff's birth-place and work on Main Street, U.S.A..
* In the queue for Disneyland's Jungle Cruise are blueprints for the Amazon Belle, checked by one, H. Goff in 1932 and Congo Queen checked in 1924.
* Alberta Falls' year of birth and the Jungle Navigation Company's year of founding are both 1911, Harper Goff's real-life year of birth.

### Magic of Disney Animation

On the poster for the Mickey Mouse film *The Jungle Cruise* (a parody of *The African Queen*) in the Magic of Disney Animation, H. Goff is mentioned as a producer.

### Skipper Canteen

In the Skipper Canteen is the office for one, "Skipper Harper", the Jungle Navigation Company's head of cartography. There are also two books by, "Goff" in the Skipper Canteen's library titled  *Banjos and Baboons* and *Tramp steamers in Africa*.

### Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

In *Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar* is a mounted banjo reading, "Banjo lessons contact H. Goff; dock 54". Sam also has letters from one Allston Goff.

### Other connected tributes

#### Adventurers Club

An unseen member of the Adventurers Club is named Allston Goff. Said member has letters within Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.wdwradio.com/2008/09/more-crates-in-the-jungle-cruise/
2. ↑ https://wdwnt.com/2021/07/photos-video-new-jungle-cruise-with-cultural-sensitivity-changes-soft-opens-at-disneyland/
3. ↑ https://www.mousesteps.com/2013/09/27/new-minnie-mouse-meet-greet-at-disney-s-hollywood-studios-exudes-old-world-glamour-detailed-queue-a-delight-for-disney-fans/
4. ↑ https://touringplans.com/blog/s6\_skippercanteen/