The Wonderful World of Disney Comes to TCM

[Ubiquitous]

Posted by Kimberly Lindbergs

As a kid growing up in 1970s my Sunday nights revolved around The
Wonderful World of Disney. It was my cherished respite before the much
dreaded school week began and I savored every last minute spent in front
of the family television set. At the time, residents in the San
Francisco Bay Area where I was born and mostly raised, only had access
to 10 or 12 available channels to choose from and many of those were
locally run and operated. There were no video stores renting movies in
those days and the idea of streaming films directly into your own home
was merely a faraway fantasy. In these limited environs, The Wonderful
World of Disney offered kids and adults of all ages a surprisingly
diverse and family friendly smorgasbord of programming that included
animated and live action films, nature documentaries, educational shorts
and special broadcasts made especially for television. Much to my
delight, Turner Classic Movies has recently teamed-up with The Walt
Disney Studios for a new on-going program called Treasures from the
Disney Vault hosted by Ben Mankiewicz and film critic Leonard Maltin
that’s making its debut this coming Sunday night on December 21st. TCM’s
impressive 8-hour block of television is a throwback to The Wonderful
World of Disney of my childhood and I hope it will introduce a new
generation to the wonderful treasures hidden deep within the vaults of
the Disney Studios.

The first film to kick off TCM’s Treasures from the Disney Vault is the
animated holiday short SANTA’S WORKSHOP (1932) followed by the classic
ON ICE (1935) featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse along with Pluto, Goofy
and Donald Duck. Donald Duck later makes an appearance in CHIP AN’ DALE
(1947), where he wrestles with the two chipmunks after mistaking their
home for firewood. These winter-themed animated shorts are followed by
the pilot episode of the original Disney television series, which first
began airing on ABC in 1954 titled WALT DISNEY’S WONDERFUL WORLD OF
COLOR: THE DISNEYLAND STORY. The hour-long program introduces viewers to
the upcoming series as well as the Disneyland theme park that was still
in the planning and building stages. Classic film fans should be on the
lookout for appearances by Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre and James Mason who
were busy making 20 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (1954) for Disney at the time.
Afterward you can look forward to four feature-length films beginning
with THE RELUCTANT DRAGON (1941) that provides a tour of the Disney
Studios and includes various animated shorts. This is followed by the
hugely successful DAVY CROCKETT, KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER (1955), which
starred Fess Parker and combined episodes of the popular television
series into one 90 minute movie. Next up is the Oscar-winning nature
documentary, THE VANISHING PRAIRIE (1954) and last but not least, if you
stay up late enough you can catch THIRD MAN ON THE MOUNTAIN aka BANNER
IN THE SKY (1959). This mountain climbing adventure was shot in
Switzerland and stars a young James MacArthur who is probably best known
to audiences as “Danno” from the original HAWAII FIVE-O (1968-1979).
THIRD MAN ON THE MOUNTAIN was only a minor success but it inspired the
popular Matterhorn ‘Mountain’ Bobsleds ride at Disneyland that has
become one of the theme park’s most recognizable and beloved
attractions.

This exciting Sunday line-up is just a small taste of the Disney
classics you can expect to see on TCM in 2015. There have been no firm
dates set for the next installment of Treasures from the Disney Vault
but upcoming screenings reportedly include the popular live-action
Disney films TREASURE ISLAND (1950), DARBY O’GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE
(1959) and POLLYANNA (1960). You can also look forward to a number of
animated films and shorts including a couple of my personal favorites,
THE THREE CABALLEROS (1944) and THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD
(1949). In addition they will screen many animated shorts such as the
Oscar-winning FLOWER AND THE TREES (1932) and acclaimed nature
documentaries THE LIVING DESERT (1953) and THE AFRICAN LION (1953). A
recent news release explained that the TCM and Disney team-up is part of
a joint effort by both company brands to broaden their reach in family
entertainment and includes a TCM-style makeover of the Disney World
Resort’s Great Movie Ride Attraction, which is styled after the historic
Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The makeover will incorporate a new
introduction message from TCM host Robert Osborne who will provide
insights into the movies spotlighted during the ride. According to TCM
general manager Jennifer Doran, “At TCM it’s our mission to share and
celebrate the greatest films of all time. Disney provides the perfect
relationship through which we can share the magic of the movies with
every generation, not only through an amazing new showcase on TCM, but
also through newly refreshed components of The Great Movie Ride
Attraction.”

For further information about TCM’s team-up with Walt Disney Studios
please visit the link below and remember to tune in this coming Sunday
to see the first installment of Treasures from the Disney Vault!



--
So to recap:
Iraq is imploding
Ebola is spreading
Russia is expanding
The US is being invaded
Vets are dying
IRS is lying
And Obama is giving seminars on perpetuating the Fergusen myth.

[Michael Black]

On Sun, 21 Dec 2014, Ubiquitous wrote:


> This exciting Sunday line-up is just a small taste of the Disney
> classics you can expect to see on TCM in 2015. There have been no firm
> dates set for the next installment of Treasures from the Disney Vault
> but upcoming screenings reportedly include the popular live-action

> Disney films TREASURE ISLAND (1950), DARBY O?GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE

> (1959) and POLLYANNA (1960). You can also look forward to a number of
> animated films and shorts including a couple of my personal favorites,
> THE THREE CABALLEROS (1944) and THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD
> (1949). In addition they will screen many animated shorts such as the

In some ways, this is disappointing, though I realize this is just the
start. Yes, at the time, it was a chance to see Disney films. A lot of
them I saw on the show rather than in theatres.

But a lot of them are available (or have been available). I hav a bunch
of the Disney live action films, precisely because I saw them on the
Disney show decades ago and bought them when I saw them.

But the show is more than that. It's all the nature shows, "Charlie the
Lonesome Cougar" and pseudo-documentaries like the one about the kid
trying to get into the US from Mexico with his dog. And the cartoons
which may or may not have been done for the show, who can forget Professor
Von Drake talking about traffic and "the boxcar effect".

Some of what was has disappeared. I gather you can see the bit about the
Pirates of the Caribean if you buy one of those films on DVD, but that
episode also featured Tomorrowland, and that's gone. I remember
"Hurricane Hanna" with fondness, but it took a long time for me to figure
out the title. I don't remember "Secret of Boyne Castle" but the
description sounds so Disney live action, something I'd like to see even
today.

And of course, there were the Christmas specials. "From all of Us to all
of You". Put on before Christmas, it had things like that Chip and Dale
cartoon and snippets from upcoming animated movies (or rereleases). I
gather it changed incrementally (something I didn't notice at the time)
the form kept the same but different movies featured to match what was
about to be released. SOme of that appears on video, but not intact from
back then.

So if I was programming, I'd go for shows that haven't been recycled so
much. I haven't seen "The Fighting Prince of Donegal" in a long time,
when I remember it being used in the ads once upon a time. Or "The
Scarecrow of Romney Marsh" with Patrick McGoohan back in the days when he
was a good guy and in Disney films. (I remember in the seventies when he
was suddenly playing bad guys, like on "SIlver Streak" and the warden in
"Escape from ALcatraz" and even back in a Disney film in the eighties
"Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend".

Imdb has an entry for the Disney show (treating it as one show despite the
title changes over time), but I cant' remember what I found it under. It
seems to be a relatively good list, an entry for each week whether it was
a movie or a short or whatever. Even looking at the titles is often good
enough to bring back memories.

Michael

[anim8rFSK]

In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1...@darkstar.example.org>,

Michael Black <et...@ncf.ca> wrote:

> On Sun, 21 Dec 2014, Ubiquitous wrote:
>
>
> > This exciting Sunday line-up is just a small taste of the Disney
> > classics you can expect to see on TCM in 2015. There have been no firm
> > dates set for the next installment of Treasures from the Disney Vault
> > but upcoming screenings reportedly include the popular live-action
> > Disney films TREASURE ISLAND (1950), DARBY O?GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE
> > (1959) and POLLYANNA (1960). You can also look forward to a number of
> > animated films and shorts including a couple of my personal favorites,
> > THE THREE CABALLEROS (1944) and THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD
> > (1949). In addition they will screen many animated shorts such as the
>
> In some ways, this is disappointing, though I realize this is just the
> start. Yes, at the time, it was a chance to see Disney films. A lot of
> them I saw on the show rather than in theatres.
>
> But a lot of them are available (or have been available). I hav a bunch
> of the Disney live action films, precisely because I saw them on the
> Disney show decades ago and bought them when I saw them.
>
> But the show is more than that. It's all the nature shows, "Charlie the
> Lonesome Cougar" and pseudo-documentaries like the one about the kid
> trying to get into the US from Mexico with his dog. And the cartoons
> which may or may not have been done for the show, who can forget Professor
> Von Drake talking about traffic and "the boxcar effect".

:)

>
> Some of what was has disappeared. I gather you can see the bit about the
> Pirates of the Caribean if you buy one of those films on DVD, but that
> episode also featured Tomorrowland, and that's gone. I remember
> "Hurricane Hanna" with fondness, but it took a long time for me to figure
> out the title. I don't remember "Secret of Boyne Castle" but the
> description sounds so Disney live action, something I'd like to see even
> today.

I've got that. Tracked it down a month or so ago for a friend who likes
Hardy Boys style mysteries. Never watched it myself.

>
> And of course, there were the Christmas specials. "From all of Us to all
> of You". Put on before Christmas, it had things like that Chip and Dale
> cartoon and snippets from upcoming animated movies (or rereleases). I
> gather it changed incrementally (something I didn't notice at the time)
> the form kept the same but different movies featured to match what was
> about to be released. SOme of that appears on video, but not intact from
> back then.
>
> So if I was programming, I'd go for shows that haven't been recycled so
> much. I haven't seen "The Fighting Prince of Donegal" in a long time,
> when I remember it being used in the ads once upon a time. Or "The
> Scarecrow of Romney Marsh" with Patrick McGoohan back in the days when he
> was a good guy and in Disney films. (I remember in the seventies when he
> was suddenly playing bad guys, like on "SIlver Streak" and the warden in
> "Escape from ALcatraz" and even back in a Disney film in the eighties
> "Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend".

What VAULT DISNEY used to do before the idiot manager decided (and
announced) that her new shows were more Disney than shows Walt actually
did.

>
> Imdb has an entry for the Disney show (treating it as one show despite the
> title changes over time), but I cant' remember what I found it under. It

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046593/episodes?season=1

> seems to be a relatively good list, an entry for each week whether it was
> a movie or a short or whatever. Even looking at the titles is often good
> enough to bring back memories.
>
> Michael

--
Wait - are you saying that ClodReamer was wrong, or lying?

[Michael Black]

On Mon, 22 Dec 2014, anim8rFSK wrote:


>> Some of what was has disappeared. I gather you can see the bit about the
>> Pirates of the Caribean if you buy one of those films on DVD, but that
>> episode also featured Tomorrowland, and that's gone. I remember
>> "Hurricane Hanna" with fondness, but it took a long time for me to figure
>> out the title. I don't remember "Secret of Boyne Castle" but the
>> description sounds so Disney live action, something I'd like to see even
>> today.
>
> I've got that. Tracked it down a month or so ago for a friend who likes
> Hardy Boys style mysteries. Never watched it myself.

They had all these adventures, older kids getting into mysteries and such,
yet decades later, they all look so young. Even Hayley Mills in "The Moon
SPinners".

But another interesting thing was Disney reused his actors. Unlike Kurt
Russell, a lot of them never did much after Disney, yet as Disney actors
they were quite memorable.

I've seen Roger Mobley in Dragnet and maybe some other MeTV shows, but his
best work was with Disney, including that Boyne Castle movie. That's
actually fitting, since he was also Gallagher (a sleuthing newspaper
reporter).

Michael

[Invid Fan]

In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1...@darkstar.example.org>,
Michael Black <et...@ncf.ca> wrote:

> In some ways, this is disappointing, though I realize this is just the
> start. Yes, at the time, it was a chance to see Disney films. A lot of
> them I saw on the show rather than in theatres.
>
> But a lot of them are available (or have been available). I hav a bunch
> of the Disney live action films, precisely because I saw them on the
> Disney show decades ago and bought them when I saw them.
>

Some of them are hard to get, though, or expensive. I'd love for them
to air the made for TV movies I grew up on in the 70's. The Child of
Glass, Mystery in Dracula's Castle, etc.

--
Chris Mack "If we show any weakness, the monsters will get cocky!"
'Invid Fan' - 'Yokai Monsters Along With Ghosts'

[anim8rFSK]

In article <221220141419165606%in...@loclanet.com>,

Invid Fan <in...@loclanet.com> wrote:

> In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1...@darkstar.example.org>,
> Michael Black <et...@ncf.ca> wrote:
>
> > In some ways, this is disappointing, though I realize this is just the
> > start. Yes, at the time, it was a chance to see Disney films. A lot of
> > them I saw on the show rather than in theatres.
> >
> > But a lot of them are available (or have been available). I hav a bunch
> > of the Disney live action films, precisely because I saw them on the
> > Disney show decades ago and bought them when I saw them.
> >
> Some of them are hard to get, though, or expensive. I'd love for them
> to air the made for TV movies I grew up on in the 70's. The Child of
> Glass, Mystery in Dracula's Castle, etc.

http://youtu.be/zDfC_LklFss

[anim8rFSK]

In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1...@darkstar.example.org>,
Michael Black <et...@ncf.ca> wrote:

Oh, yeah, that's why my friend was looking for Boyne Castle. He and his
wife had just enjoyed Gallagher and were looking for more of the same.

[Ubiquitous]

anim...@cox.net wrote:
> Michael Black <et...@ncf.ca> wrote:
>> On Mon, 22 Dec 2014, anim8rFSK wrote:

>> >> Some of what was has disappeared. I gather you can see the bit about the
>> >> Pirates of the Caribean if you buy one of those films on DVD, but that
>> >> episode also featured Tomorrowland, and that's gone. I remember
>> >> "Hurricane Hanna" with fondness, but it took a long time for me to figure
>> >> out the title. I don't remember "Secret of Boyne Castle" but the
>> >> description sounds so Disney live action, something I'd like to see even
>> >> today.
>> >
>> > I've got that. Tracked it down a month or so ago for a friend who likes
>> > Hardy Boys style mysteries. Never watched it myself.
>>
>> They had all these adventures, older kids getting into mysteries and such,
>> yet decades later, they all look so young. Even Hayley Mills in "The Moon
>> SPinners".
>>
>> But another interesting thing was Disney reused his actors. Unlike Kurt
>> Russell, a lot of them never did much after Disney, yet as Disney actors
>> they were quite memorable.
>>
>> I've seen Roger Mobley in Dragnet and maybe some other MeTV shows, but his
>> best work was with Disney, including that Boyne Castle movie. That's
>> actually fitting, since he was also Gallagher (a sleuthing newspaper
>> reporter).
>

>Oh, yeah, that's why my friend was looking for Boyne Castle. He and his
>wife had just enjoyed Gallagher and were looking for more of the same.

I remember watching that show but have no recollection of what I saw.

[Invid Fan]

In article <anim8rfsk-E01A9...@news.easynews.com>,

That's only part two, which does no one much good :)

[anim8rFSK]

In article <231220141903246527%in...@loclanet.com>,

Invid Fan <in...@loclanet.com> wrote:

> In article <anim8rfsk-E01A9...@news.easynews.com>,
> anim8rFSK <anim...@cox.net> wrote:
>
> > In article <221220141419165606%in...@loclanet.com>,
> > Invid Fan <in...@loclanet.com> wrote:
> >
> > > In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1...@darkstar.example.org>,
> > > Michael Black <et...@ncf.ca> wrote:
> > >
> > > > In some ways, this is disappointing, though I realize this is just the
> > > > start. Yes, at the time, it was a chance to see Disney films. A lot
> > > > of
> > > > them I saw on the show rather than in theatres.
> > > >
> > > > But a lot of them are available (or have been available). I hav a
> > > > bunch
> > > > of the Disney live action films, precisely because I saw them on the
> > > > Disney show decades ago and bought them when I saw them.
> > > >
> > > Some of them are hard to get, though, or expensive. I'd love for them
> > > to air the made for TV movies I grew up on in the 70's. The Child of
> > > Glass, Mystery in Dracula's Castle, etc.
> >
> > http://youtu.be/zDfC_LklFss
>
> That's only part two, which does no one much good :)

Yeah, I failed to find part one. Still, part two with a recap is better
than part one without!

[anim8rFSK]

So according to TCM's online schedule, this will make up the contents of
the next Treasures from the Disney Vault, come March 15.

Darby O'Gill and the Little People
How I Captured the King of the Leprechauns
Babes in the Wood
The Story of the Animated Drawing
The Three Caballeros
Walt and El Grupo

The Fighting Prince of Donegal

In article <m77j3e$pbl$5...@dont-email.me>,

[Michael Black]

On Sat, 27 Dec 2014, anim8rFSK wrote:

> So according to TCM's online schedule, this will make up the contents of
> the next Treasures from the Disney Vault, come March 15.
>
> Darby O'Gill and the Little People
> How I Captured the King of the Leprechauns
> Babes in the Wood
> The Story of the Animated Drawing
> The Three Caballeros
> Walt and El Grupo
> The Fighting Prince of Donegal
>

I found a VHS copy of "The Three Caballeros" at a book sale last year.
I was impressed by the fusion of animation and live action, but the
story didn't do much for me. Maybe it was a bad transfer. I was tempted
when it was issued a few years ago on DVD with another Disney film done
about the same time, but put it off.

"The Fighting Prince of Donegal" is one I well remember, even if I can't
remember any details. I think they used it in the commercials for some
time.

Michael

[Ubiquitous]

et...@ncf.ca wrote:
>On Sat, 27 Dec 2014, anim8rFSK wrote:

>> So according to TCM's online schedule, this will make up the contents of
>> the next Treasures from the Disney Vault, come March 15.
>>
>> Darby O'Gill and the Little People
>> How I Captured the King of the Leprechauns
>> Babes in the Wood
>> The Story of the Animated Drawing
>> The Three Caballeros
>> Walt and El Grupo
>> The Fighting Prince of Donegal
>>
>I found a VHS copy of "The Three Caballeros" at a book sale last year.
>I was impressed by the fusion of animation and live action, but the
>story didn't do much for me. Maybe it was a bad transfer. I was tempted
>when it was issued a few years ago on DVD with another Disney film done
>about the same time, but put it off.

I get the impression Disney thought they'd be wildly popular, judging by their
prominence in the Mexican pavilian at Epcot.

[Michael Black]

On Mon, 29 Dec 2014, Ubiquitous wrote:

> et...@ncf.ca wrote:
>> On Sat, 27 Dec 2014, anim8rFSK wrote:
>
>>> So according to TCM's online schedule, this will make up the contents of
>>> the next Treasures from the Disney Vault, come March 15.
>>>
>>> Darby O'Gill and the Little People
>>> How I Captured the King of the Leprechauns
>>> Babes in the Wood
>>> The Story of the Animated Drawing
>>> The Three Caballeros
>>> Walt and El Grupo
>>> The Fighting Prince of Donegal
>>>
>> I found a VHS copy of "The Three Caballeros" at a book sale last year.
>> I was impressed by the fusion of animation and live action, but the
>> story didn't do much for me. Maybe it was a bad transfer. I was tempted
>> when it was issued a few years ago on DVD with another Disney film done
>> about the same time, but put it off.
>
> I get the impression Disney thought they'd be wildly popular, judging by their
> prominence in the Mexican pavilian at Epcot.
>

I gather they were some sort of goodwill gesture duing WWII. An effort to
keep the countries on the US side, or at least neutral, rather than be a
haven for the nazis after the war.

I guess i was expecting something more than it is, I should watch it again
with a more open mind.

I know it got me wanting to watch "The Three Amigos" with Steve Martin,
Martin SHort, and the other guy (was it Chevy Chase?). I saw it decades
ago on tv, back when they ran movies in the morning, though I can't
remember if I saw it all. It was actually around the time I saw "Under
the Rainbow".

Michael

[Ubiquitous]

et...@ncf.ca wrote:
>On Mon, 29 Dec 2014, Ubiquitous wrote:
>> et...@ncf.ca wrote:

>>> I found a VHS copy of "The Three Caballeros" at a book sale last year.
>>> I was impressed by the fusion of animation and live action, but the
>>> story didn't do much for me. Maybe it was a bad transfer. I was tempted
>>> when it was issued a few years ago on DVD with another Disney film done
>>> about the same time, but put it off.
>>
>> I get the impression Disney thought they'd be wildly popular, judging by
>> their prominence in the Mexican pavilian at Epcot.
>
>I gather they were some sort of goodwill gesture duing WWII. An effort to
>keep the countries on the US side, or at least neutral, rather than be a
>haven for the nazis after the war.

I'm pretty sure that was released in the 1980's.

[Michael Black]

On Mon, 29 Dec 2014, Ubiquitous wrote:

> et...@ncf.ca wrote:
>> On Mon, 29 Dec 2014, Ubiquitous wrote:
>>> et...@ncf.ca wrote:
>
>>>> I found a VHS copy of "The Three Caballeros" at a book sale last year.
>>>> I was impressed by the fusion of animation and live action, but the
>>>> story didn't do much for me. Maybe it was a bad transfer. I was tempted
>>>> when it was issued a few years ago on DVD with another Disney film done
>>>> about the same time, but put it off.
>>>
>>> I get the impression Disney thought they'd be wildly popular, judging by
>>> their prominence in the Mexican pavilian at Epcot.
>>
>> I gather they were some sort of goodwill gesture duing WWII. An effort to
>> keep the countries on the US side, or at least neutral, rather than be a
>> haven for the nazis after the war.
>
> I'm pretty sure that was released in the 1980's.
>

No, it was from 1944. There was also "Saludos Amigos" along similar lines
in 1942. The 1942 one was animated only. Which is why the blending of
animation and live action looks so good, I'd expect lesser work that
early.

It was "The Three Amigos", which I assume took a variant of the name of
the 1944 film, that came out in the 1980s with Steve Martin and the other
two.

Michael

[Ubiquitous]

No, I distinctly remember seeing the commercials on TV. Perhaps it was a
re-release or a double-feature for Three Amigos?

--
So to recap:
Iraq is imploding
Ebola is spreading
Russia is expanding
The US is being invaded
Vets are dying
IRS is lying

And Obama is fundraising & golfing

[A Friend]

In article <m7vb45$tmg$4...@dont-email.me>, Ubiquitous

I recall the home video release of The Three Caballeros in 1987, with
the advertising pitch that it was a "lost classic." It hasn't been
released to theaters since 1981.