Product Description

Celebrate Walt Disney and his magical vision with this look back at several of the most memorable hours from his groundbreaking television shows. As its friendly, approachable host, Disney endeared himself to millions and became much more than an icon for family entertainment. He became Uncle Walt. Join Walt as he celebrates the rededication of Disneyland with a parade of celebrities and guest stars, the fourth anniversary of his weekly show featuring a surprise party arranged by the Mouseketeers, and a tenth anniversary program showcasing some of his talented Imagineers at work. And in a rare interview, Diane Disney Miller shares warm and personal memories of growing up with the man we all admired from afar.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34740 in DVD
• Brand: Buena Vista Home Video
• Released on: 2006-12-19
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Color, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .70 pounds
• Running time: 458 minutes

Features

• Celebrate Walt Disney and his magical vision with this look back at several of the most memorable hours from his groundbreaking television shows. As its friendly, approachable host, Disney endeared himself to millions and became much more than an icon for family entertainment. He became Uncle Walt. Join Walt as he celebrates the rededication of Disneyland with a parade of celebrities and guest sta

Amazon.com
More than a time-capsule treasure for Disney buffs, this two-disc set will warm the nostalgic hearts of baby boomers who eagerly looked forward to their weekly visits with "Uncle Walt" Disney. As the host of his anthology series, Disneyland (later Walt Disney Presents, then The Wonderful World of Color), Disney presented classic cartoons and original programs, but he also gave starry-eyed viewers a privileged, behind-the-scenes look inside his magic kingdom, from the construction of his magnificent theme park to animators at work. Disneyland transformed Disney into the face of Disney Studios, a pied piper, according to film historian Leonard Maltin, who introduces the features on each disc. This collection of episodes features Disney at his most avuncular. "Where Do the Stories Come From" (1956) is a fun exploration of where Disney artists find their inspiration. "Fourth Anniversary Show" (1951) charts the development of the Disney featurette, Peter and the Wolf, but then becomes a surprise-party musical extravaganza for Disney hosted by his Mouseketeers, and featuring appearances by Guy "Zorro" Williams and Fess "Davy Crockett" Parker. Long-thought lost, "Kodak Presents Disneyland '59," is a black and white kinescope recording of a live, 90-min. television special (compete with entertaining Kodak commercials featuring Ozzie and Harriet Nelson and sons) that serves to introduce three new attractions to Disneyland: the Nautilus submarine ride, the Monorail and the Matterhorn. Look for rising stars Clint Eastwood and Dennis Hopper among parade participants.

"Backstage Party" (1961) is a visit to the set of Disney's production of Babes in Toyland, with appearances by the film's stars, including Annette Funicello, Ed Wynn, and Ray Bolger. "Disneyland 10th Anniversary" (1965), previously released on the now-out-of-print Disneyland U.S.A. set, introduces the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and It's a Small World rides, and shows how "space-age" technology was used to create the Enchanted Tiki Room. Disc 2's extras include a true rarity, a 1962 Cinemascope film presentation created to accompany a Disney Radio City Music Hall stage show. Another delight is "I Captured the King of the Leprechauns," a 1959 Disneyland episode tied to the release of the feature Darby O'Gill and the Little People (and included as a bonus feature on that DVD). This whimsical bit of blarney follows Disney to Ireland in search of "the little people." Movie tough guy Pat O'Brien sends him off with a charming song about leprechauns, just a small sample of these episodes' endearing and enduring hokey charms. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews

EDITED! Some new rare TV show offerings, but some re-issues.
Disney DVD has announced 6 episodes that will be included in this collection:

1) "The Fourth Anniversary Show" : 1957 DISNEYLAND season opener, originally aired 9/11/57 on ABC.

2) "Where Do Stories Come from?" (1956) a nice little behind-the-scenes show about the Disney animators and their inspiration.

3) "I Captured The King of the Leprechauns" : this last DISNEYLAND episode of the 1958 season was a big promo for the Darby O'Gill movie, originally aired 5/29/59 on ABC. *** This has already been released as a bonus on the Darby O'Gill DVD. ***

4) "Kodak Presents Disneyland '59" : a long thought lost TV special, not part of the DISNEYLAND series. This is well worth getting this set for!

5) "Back Stage Party" sort of a behind-the-scenes wrap party for Disney's 1961 movie "Babes In Toyland" starring Annette.

6) "Disneyland 10th Anniversary Show" : from the 1964 season of Wonderful World Of Color, originally aired 1/3/65 on NBC. *** Sadly, this EDITED presentation is identical to the show's previous appearance on the Disneyland USA Treasures tin, missing several minutes of Tiki Room footage. *** Sure that older DVD is out of print, but It is disappointing not to have a new to DVD episode included here, or a complete version correcting the previous error. There are SO many episodes in which Walt plays a major part, this DOUBLE DIPPING is regrettable! ***

10th anniversary show: will there be edits this time?
I bought the Disneyland USA treasures set specifically for the Disneyland 10th anniversary show, and in particular for the tiki room segment. I was appalled and very angry to find that they had done their creative editing again. About 8 minutes were cut out of the tiki room segment, and then to add insult to injury they put a large hard to avoid flashing warning on the bottom of the screen during the tahitian terrace fire dance segment. All this from a set that was pretty heavily advertised as being "uncut" and "original". The other shows on the set had some light editing done as well, whenever the mousketeers normally showed up breifly in the background these peices were cut out, and of course the infamous scene in the opening day broadcast where Walt thinks he's off camera and swears a bit. I dont know about anyone else, but I am really tired of revisionist history. I would rather take these things as whole and unedited blemishes and all, then have someone take out parts for one reason or another.

I am really really hoping that the reason that the 10th anniversary show is on this set yet again, is that they are putting out a unedited original version. If not, then once again as with many disney things lately I will have to find a way to put my old unedited television tapings from disney channel onto dvd. I refuse to buy into someone else's version of history, and will not buy edited dvd's. For it to be a "treasure" it has to be an original version to me, otherwise its pretty near useless garbage in a pretty decorated tin.

I feel cheated
I love these vintage Disney shows, but I have to say I'm very disappointed with this addition to the Treasures Series. I have collected the entire Treasures series and the 10th anniversary episode has already been included on the Disneyland U.S.A set. But the show was edited on the previous Treasures DVD, five minutes of Tiki Room footage was cut, so I hoped that Disney including it again on this volume would make up for the edit by providing an uncut version here. But No, it's Disney of course they didn't it's the same old version that was included last time edits and all. I mean there are so many wonderful episodes of the show that could have been included here like the World's Fair episode, so why repeat previous material?