Walt Disney Productions has produced an anthology television series under several different titles since 1954. The original version of the series premiered on ABC, Wednesday night, October 27, 1954. The show, which was hosted by Walt Disney until his death and then from 1996 to 2002 by then-CEO Michael Eisner (with one-off hosts or no hosts during other periods) has since aired continually as either a weekly program or an irregular series of specials on several networks and streaming services, most recently on ABC and Disney+. The show is the second longest showing prime-time program on American television, behind its rival, Hallmark Hall of Fame. However, Hallmark Hall of Fame was a weekly program only during its first five seasons, while Disney remained a weekly program for more than forty years.
The Wonderful World of Disney (Season 2)
Dumbo [1941] (Episode 1)
Air date: 1955-09-14
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: This is an airing of the beloved 1941 animated feature, edited to run in the allotted time slot. Mrs. Jumbo, a circus elephant receives a baby with large ears. The other elephants ostracize him, and his mother is locked up for attacking a heckling human. As Dumbo, the mocking nickname for the baby elephant given to him, finds himself without any friends, an ambitious mouse named Timothy befriends him and helps him overcome his problem.
Behind the True-Life Cameras, Olympic Elk (Episode 2)
Air date: 1955-09-21
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: James Algar takes us behind the scenes of a True-Life adventure in The Everglades and in a desert with Bob Crandall.
Jiminy Cricket Presents Bongo (Episode 3)
Air date: 1955-09-28
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: A little circus bear runs away and finds more of his own kind. Rejected at first, he soon becomes a hero after standing up to a bully named Lumpjaw. This is actually the first half of the animated film, Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
People and Places: Tiburon, Sardinia, Morocco/Icebreakers (Episode 4)
Air date: 1955-10-05
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: This episode is from the People and Places theatrical series filmed by William N. Smith about his adventures in these exotic places.
The Adventures of Mickey Mouse (Episode 5)
Air date: 1955-10-12
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Walt looks at the career of Mickey Mouse through a collection of his short cartoons.
The Story of the Silly Symphony (Episode 6)
Air date: 1955-10-19
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: This compilation of several of Disney's ""Silly Symphonies,"" a series of short cartoons from the 1930s has Walt telling viewers about the respective origins of many of the stories.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow [1948] (Episode 7) 7.0
Air date: 1955-10-26
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Features The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1949), originally from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949).
The Story of Robin Hood: Part 1 (Episode 8)
Air date: 1955-11-02
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952) re-edited into a two-part television presentation.
The Story of Robin Hood: Part 2 (Episode 9)
Air date: 1955-11-09
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952) re-edited into a two-part television presentation.
Davy Crockett: The Keelboat Race (Episode 10)
Air date: 1955-11-16
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: The fourth of five programs about Davy Crockett involves Davy and Georgie ending a particularly successful season of trapping and hunting with the hopes of easy sales, only for such hopes to be dashed by the self-proclaimed "King of the River", Mike Fink, and a band of renegade Indians that have been notorious for attacking passing boats.
The Story of the Animated Drawing (Episode 11)
Air date: 1955-11-30
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: The first of three shows based on Disney's ""Art of Animation"" book. Walt Disney explores the history of Animation from primitive cave drawings, to Windsor McKay's ""Gertie the Dinosaur"" and Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat, up to Fantasia. Two cartoons are featured: The Skeleton Dance (1929) and the Nutcraker Suite segmest from Fantasia. This episode is avalible on the ""Behind the Scenes at Walt Disney Studios"" 2-disc DVD.
The Goofy Success Story (Episode 12)
Air date: 1955-12-07
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Goofy's rise to stardom is featured here, starting with a look at Hollywood, where talent scouts seek out the next superstar. They find Goofy in a movie theater watching a Mickey Mouse cartoon and laughing at it, and he is "discovered". And so begins the career of an actor with a unique laugh.
Davy Crockett: The River Pirates (Episode 13)
Air date: 1955-12-14
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: The final Davy Crockett story (the second ""Legend"" tale) has Davy and ex-foe Mike Fink on the same side, fighting some nasty pirates who are passing themselves off as Indians in order to start a war. This episode is avalible as part of a 2-disc DVD set.
Man and the Moon (Episode 14)
Air date: 1955-12-28
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: This installment tells of many age-old legends and fantasies about the moon, upon which, at the time of this episode, man was still trying to land.
When Knighthood Was in Flower: Part 1 (Episode 15)
Air date: 1956-01-04
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Sword and the Rose, The (1953) re-edited into a two-part television presentation.
When Knighthood Was in Flower: Part 2 (Episode 16)
Air date: 1956-01-11
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Sword and the Rose, The (1953) re-edited into a two-part television presentation.
A Tribute to Joel Chandler Harris (Episode 17)
Air date: 1956-01-18
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Walt looks at the history of Joel Chandler Harris, author of the Uncle Remus stories.
A Day in the Life of Donald Duck (Episode 18)
Air date: 1956-02-01
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: This episode follows the events of Donald Duck as he struggles through a typical day at the Disney Studio. Along the way, he meets Jimmie Dodd, Roy Williams, the Mouseketeers and the actor that does his voice, Clarence Nash.
Survival in Nature (Episode 19)
Air date: 1956-02-08
Runtime: 60 min
Our Unsung Villains (Episode 20)
Air date: 1956-02-15
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: "Our Unsung Villains" is a 1956 episode of Walt Disney anthology television series. The program has Walt Disney handing over the hosting duties to the Magic Mirror, who promptly decides to do a show devoted to the Disney villains. Hans Conried plays the role of the Magic Mirror and would reprise the role in many Disney television specials, including the 1977 followup "Disney's Greatest Villains." In this program, the Magic Mirror only focuses on four villains, whereas he covers twelve in "Disney's Greatest Villains."
A Trip Thru Adventureland/Water Birds (Episode 21)
Air date: 1956-02-29
Runtime: 60 min
On Vacation (Episode 22)
Air date: 1956-03-07
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Walt Disney, who is on vacation, gives Jiminy Cricket a phone call to take over hosting duties for one TV episode while he is away. Jiminy decides to gather the other Disney stars together to help him out. Unfortunately, they, too, are on vacation, but how they are spending their respective vacations helps put the show together for him.
Stormy, the Thoroughbred [1954] (Episode 23)
Air date: 1956-03-14
Runtime: 60 min
The Goofy Sports Show (Episode 24)
Air date: 1956-03-21
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Walt introduces the narrator, Spyrus Olympopolus, to demonstrate how the ancient sports practiced in foreign countries have evolved into the games of today. Spyros illustrates this using Goofy.
Where Do the Stories Come From? (Episode 25)
Air date: 1956-04-04
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Walt answers the often-asked question of just where the stories for his studio's cartoons come from, which is from practically anywhere.
Behind the Scenes with Fess Parker (Episode 26) 9.0
Air date: 1956-05-30
Runtime: 60 min
