Seven Things to Know About Walt Disney's Zorro TV Series

Guy Williams as Zorro.

1. Walt Disney launched his Zorro TV series on ABC in October 1957. Despite airing on Thursday nights against the Top 10 show You Bet Your Life, Zorro was an immediate hit. The first season's 39 episodes were divided into three 13-episode story arcs. In effect, each story played out like a 13-episode serial. That structure was retained for the second season, but the length of the story arcs was shortened. Zorro's ratings dipped that season, but ABC was still interested in renewing the show on a limited basis. Unfortunately, a legal dispute between Disney and ABC resulted in Zorro being cancelled (for more info on the legal issues, check out Bill Cotter's article). In 1960, four hour-long "special" episodes of Zorro were shown on the anthology series Walt Disney Presents--which, ironically, was still being shown on ABC.

Jonathan Harris as Don Carlos.

2. Jonathan Harris guest-starred in Zorro several years before he was cast as Dr. Smith alongside Guy Williams on Lost in Space. He played villainous landowner Don Carlos Fernandez in three second season episodes: "Zorro and the Mountain Man," "The Hound of the Sierras," and "Manhunt." Harris's agent told the Zorro producers that his client could ride a horse. In fact, Harris had a fear of horses and a stunt double had to be used. Of his future Lost in Space co-star, Jonathan Harris said in a Television Academy Foundation interview: "I don't think we got very friendly."

3. The title song to Zorro was written by Norman Foster and George Bruns and performed by The Mellomen. Bruns earned four Academy Award nominations for his work on Disney films over a span of several decades. He also co-wrote "The Ballad of Davy Crocket," which hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as recorded by Bill Hayes. The Zorro song was released as single, too, but peaked at #17. That version was recorded by the female quartet The Chordettes. Their biggest chart hits were "Mr. Sandman" and "Lollipop."

Annette Funicello.

4. Annette Funicello was a huge Zorro fan, so Walt Disney gave her a unique present for her 16th birthday: a three-episode story arc on Zorro. She played Anita Cabrillo, a young woman who arrived from Spain in search of her father. The three episodes, which aired during season 2, were: "The Missing Father," "Please Believe Me," and "The Brooch." Annette later guest-starred as another character in "The Postponed Wedding," one of the hour-long episodes.

5. The international popularity of the Zorro character led Walt Disney to release two theatrical films consisting of edited episodes of the TV series. The Sign of Zorro (1958) was edited from eight season one episodes. Zorro the Avenger (1959) has Zorro taking on The Eagle (Charles Korvin), who appeared in six episodes, also from the first season. Disney re-released The Sign of Zorro to theaters in 1978 and in 1982. In the latter instance, its running time was shortened and it was paired with Disney's animated Robin Hood (1973).

6. Walt Disney Television revived Zorro in 1983 with the CBS TV series Zorro and Son. Set 20 years after the original show, it introduced Don Carlos de Vega as Zorro's offspring, who naturally follows in his father's footsteps. Guy Williams considered returning as Zorro, Sr., and even flew from his Argentine estate to meet with the producers. However, when he discovered the show would have a comical slant, he turned down the role and Henry Darrow (whom I interviewed in 2015) was cast as Zorro. Despite the presence of veteran comedians Bill Dana and Dick Gautier, Zorro and Son was cancelled after five episodes.

7. Following the cancellation of the original Zorro, Guy Williams starred in a couple of European films (including Damon and Pythias) in the early 1960s. He was then cast as Ben Cartwright's nephew Will on Bonanza. The intent was for him to "replace" Pernell Roberts, who had decided to leave the popular series. When Roberts was retained for the following season, Will Cartwright was written out of Bonanza after just five episodes. Still, Guy Williams didn't stay unemployed for long as he was cast as family patriarch Dr. John Robinson in Irwin Allen's sci fi series Lost in Space. Unfortunately, Dr. Robinson faded into the background of most episodes when Jonathan Harris's Dr. Smith became the show's unexpected breakout star. Guy Williams retired from acting in 1968. He eventually moved to Argentina in the 1970s, where he was immensely popular because of his Zorro portrayal. He died in 1989 of a brain aneurysm.

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