The Wonderful World of Disney
Season 11
Walt Disney, one of Hollywood's most ambitious producers, was first approached to do television in 1950, when The Coca-Cola Company offered him a one-hour special. The one hour special, "One Hour in Wonderland," aired December 25, 1950 on NBC and garnered 90% of the television viewing audience. A second special, "The Walt Disney Christmas Special," aired December 25, 1951 on CBS. When Walt had drawn up plans for a theme park, known as Disneyland, he found a hard time obtaining funding; critics, including Walt's brother Roy, thought that it was unfeasible and that it would be a fiasco. At the same time, the ABC television network offered him a deal for a television anthology series. Walt wouldn't agree to it unless they put up partial financing for Disneyland (a term that had kept CBS and NBC from signing with him). ABC agreed, and also paid him $50,000 per program, an exorbitant sum for the time. The show, titled Disneyland, premiered on October 27, 1954 and was an immediate success. The program showcased original works from the Disney Studios. Cartoons, documentaries, educational shorts, all were shown to a captive worldwide audience. Variety was the key to its success, as it kept most of what it did fresh, multi-cultural and constantly changing its entertainment.
Where to Watch The Wonderful World of Disney • Season 11
25 Episodes
- The Hound That Thought He Was a RaccoonE1
The Hound That Thought He Was a RaccoonA charming, TV version of 1960 featurette, tells a tale in the traditional Disney vein, this animal-filled children's story is about a little lost puppy who was mothered by and adopted into an extended family of raccoons. Naturally, the dog bonds with the furry masked bandits and even when the canine ends up back in the care of his real owner, he cannot forget his adopted family. His sentiments are particularly relevant when he finds himself at the head of a raccoon-hunt.