Knott's Berry Farm's Iconic Bench Sculptures

Were you really even at Knott’s Berry Farm if you didn’t snap a picture with one of the famous resident characters who grace the many benches at Knott’s Berry Farm? Ever wonder what their story was? In researching the colorful history behind these familiar sculptures on the farm, we set out to dress the parts to have a little fun with these photo spots. Read all about their creator, the real people behind some of these iconic statues, and their surprising connection to the Dinosaurs of Cabazon.

The first of many! Best known at Knott's as the sculptor of Handsome Brady and Whiskey Bill, the original cowboy team of Brady and Bill were the first of many sculptures commissioned by Walter Knott and arrived on the porch of the Gold Trails Hotel in 1947, just six years after Ghost Town debuted to the world. Ever since, the characters have sat for millions of portraits with guests from all over the world. Kodak film claimed that in their film processing labs, Handsome Brady and Whiskey Bill's bench was one of the most photographed spots in America.

Ah, the infamous Calico Belles. Following the success of Handsome Brady and Whiskey Bill, sculptor Claude Bell introduced Ghost Town guests to the bench characters of Marilyn and Cecelia in August 1954. Few realize the two Calico Belles are modeled after Calico Saloon entertainers Marilyn Schuler and Cecelia Peterson. Schuler joined the Farm family in February 1953 as a professional nightclub dancer and mother of two. Peterson was a chanteuse from the nightclub circuit and performed the old classics at the Calico Saloon. Schuler left the Farm in 1958 and Peterson retired in 1956, but both left a lasting impression for millions of guests in their bench characters.

Fun fact! When Claude Bell's sculpted ladies were introduced, they were wired for sound and could talk in the same method as Sad Eye Joe… sadly, that interaction only lasted a year. With time, the bench characters were renamed Nell and Belle, later Anita and Patty, but they're now back to Marilyn and Cecelia once again. No matter what you call them, they are the beloved Calico Belles who inspire quite the gamut of poses for park-goers of all ages.

Colorful, poised, and welcoming are these pair of señoritas located within Fiesta Village. There are several other benches scattered around the park, providing not only a place to sit and people watch but, as all the sculptures do, provide some fun spontaneous photo keepsakes.

Last but not least! Claude Bell created these two roaring 20’s beauties before retiring from Knott's Berry Farm in 1986. They can currently be found just outside the Walter Knott Theatre entrance, the perfect resting spot for these dolls after what I’m sure was a swell time at the Blind Tiger located next door. If you know the password, you might just get in (wink wink).

About the Creator Claude Bell

Claude Bell, sculptor and artist at Knott's Berry Farm, 1947–1986. He was born in New Jersey in 1896 and, as a child, was sent to the beach by a doctor at the age of 11 to recuperate from a recent surgery. He passed the time sculpting Teddy Roosevelt teddy bears in the sand to the appreciation of passerby. His talent paid off in tips, and his sand sculptures grew more grand as he took his skills to Atlantic City and then traveled the country with state and county fairs before settling in California. Walter Knott requested a bench statue from Bell, but something more permanent, cement instead of sand. What Walter received in 1947 were the statues of Handsome Brady and Whiskey Bill, who have sat for millions of portraits with guests from around the world.

Bell wasn’t only a sculptor. Bell's portrait studio at Ghost Town operated from 1951 to 1986, where he sketched guests in many mediums. Even Walter and Cordelia Knott were painted by Bell, and their portraits can still be viewed in the lobby of the Chicken Dinner Restaurant. The portrait studio building stands today as the Rock and Geode Shop with an interior fireplace, mantle, and relief of Mark Twain, all sculpted by Bell himself.

So what’s the connection to the dinosaurs of Cabazon, you may ask? Upon his retirement from Knott's in 1986, Bell retreated to a parcel of land in Cabazon, California, where he had begun sculpting a massive Brontosaurus in 1964. His work continued on a matching Tyrannosaurus Rex until his passing in 1988.