Rare Videos of 1958 Zorro Show at Disneyland

LIFE Magazine photographers went several times at Disneyland during special events, and they also have shot a series of pictures with Guy Williams - legendary actor who played ZORRO - in 1958 at Disneyland. I've post them before and you'll find them again below and above.

But these two video will show you rare images of the show itself. So far it's the only videos of the show i've ever seen so i'm glad they've been posted. the first one below was posted by the Disney History Institute web site




And the second one below was posted on youtube by someone who seems to be the son of Guy Williams. Great family shots at the end of it of Guy Williams with his wife, too.




Below, Guy Williams as Zorro jumping from the Golden Horseshoe Revue building roof during the show.



We must remember how good in swashbuckling was Guy Williams. I think the other guy is the actor who played the Monasterio character in the first season, isn't it?



After the show, Guy Williams signed autographs for his young fans at Disneyland.



Now, LIFE photographers shoot Guy Williams also on the ZORRO TV series set! Here are some pictures, beginning by the one at the top of this article. Below, Guy Williams on the set of the TV series, on a white horse - not "Tornado" who had a black colour, if i remember well...



Actor Guy Williams practicing swordplay on the set for his role as Zorro.



Guy Williams acting in the TV show, against Sgt Garcia and another soldier.




Always on the set, with a lovely waitress.


All pictures: copyright LIFE Magazine

Video: copyright Disney History Institute, wdzorrojr

Rare Video of Disneyland Paris Zorro Show in 1993

Three years ago i've posted the rare pictures below of the DLP Zorro show, but today - thanks to vaultdisneyreturns - you'll see an even more rare document, i.e a video of this show which happened at DLP's Frontierland only during two years after the park's opening.

In 1992-1993 Disneyland Paris guests could enjoy a "Zorro" show on the rooftop of Frontierland buildings, more specifically on the roof of the Fuente del Oro restaurant. This little show only last a few minutes each time, but the Zorro character is highly popular in France, so it was a real good idea and like it happen sometimes unfortunately with good ideas, the Zorro show ended shortly after the pictures below were shot, in August 1993.



As you can see, Zorro was fighting against soldiers - probably soldiers of the evil Monasterio commandante!





Of course, Zorro was victorious...





And before he left, he salute one last time the audience!



And now, here is this rare video showing the Zorro show on the roof of the Fuente del Oro restaurant, filmed in 1993.




The good question is: Why DLP don't put back this show again, even if it's only during summer...Only three persons were involved in the show, so it's not very expensive to produce. The main reason probably is a "licensing" problem. Apparently a company named Zorro Productions Inc owns the rights of Zorro - see their web site here - and although Disney owns the rights of their Zorro TV series they don't necessarily owns the rights foe this kind of theme park show, so perhaps DLP would have to take a license if they wanted to do the show again.

One last great news: Guy Williams who played Don Diego de la Vega / Zorro in the beloved Disney TV series will be honored at the next D23 convention as he will become a "Disney Legend".



Guy Williams died May 7, 1989, so unfortunately he won't be here in person to receive this highly deserved award, but for me he always was the best "Zorro" i've ever seen on screen.

Video: copyright vaultdisneyreturns

Photos: copyright Daniel Rous

Guy Williams picture: copyright Disney




Click HERE for the direct access to the TDS Wallpapers HD iTunes page.

Guy Williams Tribute : When LIFE Magazine meets ZORRO at Disneyland in 1958

Guy Williams was born January 14, 1924 and here is a tribute to the best "Zorro" of all time thanks to this 1958 LIFE Magazine special report by LIFE photographer Allan Grant at Disneyland, Anaheim. Let's have a look at these rare pictures and remember how great Guy Williams was!

Here he is arriving in Frontierland for the Zorro show.



Guy Williams as Zorro leaping from a roof during the show. This remembers me that we had a Zorro show at Disneyland Paris at the opening of the park, unfortunately canceled since then.



We must remember how good swashbuckler Guy Williams was. I think the other guy is the actor who played the Monasterio character in the first season, isn't it?



After the show, Guy Williams signed autographs for his (young) fans at Disneyland.



Now, LIFE photographers shoot Guy Williams also on the ZORRO TV series set! Here are some pictures, beginning by the one at the top of this article. Below, Guy Williams on the set of the TV series, on a white horse - not "Tornado" who had a black colour, if i remember well...



Actor Guy Williams practicing swordplay on the set for his role as Zorro.



Guy Williams acting in the TV show, against Sgt Garcia and another soldier.




Always on the set, with a lovely waitress.



This last picture doesn't show Williams and was not shoot at Disneyland, but it's a very rare picture of Zorro's creator, author Johston McCulley, helping neighborhood fans to imitate their hero!



All pictures: copyright LIFE Magazine

LIFE Magazine meets ZORRO at Disneyland in 1958

LIFE Magazine photographers were not only at Disneyland during special events, they have also shoot a series of pictures with Guy Williams - legendary actor who played ZORRO - in 1958 at Disneyland, Anaheim. Let's have a look at these rare Allan Grant pictures.

Here is Guy Williams arriving in Frontierland for the Zorro show.



Guy Williams as Zorro leaping from a roof during the show. This remembers me that we had a Zorro show at Disneyland Paris at the opening of the park, unfortunately canceled since then.



We must remember how good swashbuckler Guy Williams was. I think the other guy is the actor who played the Monasterio character in the first season, isn't it?



After the show, Guy Williams signed autographs for his (young) fans at Disneyland.



Now, LIFE photographers shoot Guy Williams also on the ZORRO TV series set! Here are some pictures, beginning by the one at the top of this article. Below, Guy Williams on the set of the TV series, on a white horse - not "Tornado" who had a black colour, if i remember well...



Actor Guy Williams practicing swordplay on the set for his role as Zorro.



Guy Williams acting in the TV show, against Sgt Garcia and another soldier.




Always on the set, with a lovely waitress.



This last picture doesn't show Williams and was not shoot at Disneyland, but it's a very rare picture of Zorro's creator, author Johston McCulley, helping neighborhood fans to imitate their hero!



All pictures: copyright LIFE Magazine

Rare pictures of the Zorro show at Disneyland Paris

In 1992-1993 Disneyland Paris guests could enjoy with pleasure a "Zorro" show on the rooftop of Frontierland buildings, more specifically on the roof of the Fuente del Oro restaurant.

This little sword fighting show only last a few minutes each time, but the Zorro character is highly popular in France, so it was a real good idea, and, like it happen sometimes with good ideas, the Zorro show ended shortly after this series of photos were shoot - in August 1993. It's very difficult to find photos of this show, so i am happy to show you today these rare documents.




As you can see, Zorro was fighting against soldiers - probably soldiers of the evil Monastorio commandante!




Of course, Zorro was victorious...




And before he left, he salute one last time the audience!



The good question is: Why DLP don't put back this show again, even only in summer...Only three persons were involved in the show, so it's not very expensive to produce. Hopefully, one of my reader may pass on to them the message!

I want to add for any Zorro fans that season 2 of the TV series was released in France in dvd one month ago. Language is in english for those of you eventually interested and who don't speak french.

Photos: copyright Daniel Rous

Disney and more Time Machine : Remembering the ZORRO tv series and Guy Williams

Any french who was a child in the 60's and the 70's will tell you how hugely popular the Zorro TV series were in France at that time. A huge TV success, really, and everybody still remember the main title song!

And when i was a child, me, too, i LOVED him, he was my hero! Now that i look back at those happy days and try to understand why we all loved the series so much, i think that one of the reason was the casting. Frankly, the casting was perfect. Whether it was Guy Williams in the Don Diego de la Vega/Zorro character...



Gene Sheldon playing Bernardo, Don Diego servant...



Henry Calvin playing Sergent Garcia, or even the villains, all were perfectly cast. Add to this good scripts and good directors, and you have a great tv series. Of course we must never forget the innocence of that era, something partly lost, now.



The Walt Disney Productions TV series premiered October 10, 1957 on ABC and The final network broadcast was June 2, 1959. Seventy-eight episodes were produced, and 4 hour-long specials were aired on the Walt Disney anthology series between October 30, 1960 and April 2, 1961. On this rare picture below, Walt is on the set, discussing with Guy Williams.



Walt himself introduced the first episode as he always did at that time with his tv series, and here is the video of this Zorro introduction.



The tv series were filmed in black and white, and the season 1 dvds in France were released with the orginal B&W. But Disney did a colorised version in the U.S, and below, here is the very first episode of Zorro, in a three part video, and in colour. Note that the director was Norman Foster, a good director who worked years before with Orson Welles.







Let's come back to Guy Williams - born Armand Joseph Catalano and former fashion model before he became actor. Not only he was full of charisma, but he had the most important: he was a perfect swashbuckler!



The Zorro series were a of course a hit in the U.S, and in the early days of Disneyland, if you were a child you could have the luck to sword fight with him in Frontierland!



The Zorro merchandise was incredibly successful during years and years - all the kids wanted the Zorro costume! Guy Williams himself did some promotional pictures as you can see below.



He also met the Musketeers as guest star in one of Walt's tv show.



After the phenomenal success of Zorro, Guy Williams played in another tv series: Lost in Space. During the casting, he did some screen tests, and you can watch them below in this rare video.



Guy Williams died April 30, 1989 of a brain aneurysm, but he now have his star on the Hollywood walk of fame, in California. And we still miss him.

Photos and videos : copyright Disney.