Saturday, September 30, 2023
The Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game
Friday, September 22, 2023
The Classic Disney Trivia Quiz
Friday, September 15, 2023
The 100 Years of Disney Blogathon Has Begun!
This year marks the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney Studios and we are joining in on the celebration by hosting the 100 Years of Disney Blogathon! There is a fantastic selection of posts from classic film bloggers across the web covering everything from Disney's humble beginnings to his television work to the studio's later films.
Diana and I are tickled pink to be hosting this three-day event which is beginning today and will run over the weekend. We will be offering giveaways to both readers and bloggers alike (scroll down for more details) and there will be a Disney trivia game at the conclusion of the event, so be sure to check back here throughout the weekend as we post updates.
Walt and his Wonderful Work
The fantasmagorical Disney entertainment empire all began with a visionary man and a little mouse named Mickey back in 1923. Walt Disney had worked in the film industry for almost a decade before he struck it big with his first Academy Award win for "Flowers and Trees". Walt Disney would soon be a familiar sight at the annual awards ceremony as he kept breaking new ground with innovative animation techniques. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) set a new standard for what animated films could convey and Disney has been setting standards ever since.
Disney's realm spread beyond television and live-action films to theme parks, restaurants, cruise ships, and who knows, maybe even a spaceship will soon be launched by Disney Corp!Since Silver Scenes is a classic film blog, we are here to celebrate the film and television work of Disney between 1923 and 1996....so without further ado, we proclaim that the weekend of The 100 Years of Disney Blogathon has officially begun! Let the blogs roll in!
The 100 Years of Disney Blogathon Giveaway!
Thursday, September 14, 2023
7 Favorite Disney TV Movies
1. The London Connection (1979)
Jeffrey Byron stars as Luther Starling, a young agent for a CIA-like organization. He's on holiday in London but when an old scientist slips a gold ring in his pocket, he decides to delve into a mysterious kidnapping led by the group known as Omega.
This film was actually released in theaters first (as a double-bill with The Aristocats) but it aired on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color soon after and has always been shown on television since under the title The Omega Connection....hence, the reason we are including it. What makes this deserve the top-spot on our list? Well, it's a family favorite that we have been watching every summer for the past fifteen years but it also has a great blend of action and comedy hi-jinks. In other words, it is just an all-around fun family film to watch!
You can read our full review here.
2. Bejewelled (1991)
Another summertime family favorite. This one is more for the kiddies because it has a lot of corny humor, but we never tire of it anyway! Emma Samms stars as an American woman who is transporting a set of valuable jewelry to England for a museum exhibition. While disembarking at the airport, the hatbox she was carrying the jewels in gets lost in a shuffle and she then has to spend a frantic weekend traveling all over London trying to retrieve the jewels. Aiding her in her endeavor is Denis Lawson and two children whom he is chaperoning.
Like The London Connection, I think it is the English setting that draws us back to this film so often. Bejewelled boasts a great cast of British/America actors (Jean Marsh, Jerry Hall, et al ) and, even though the humor is geared for little ones, it still makes us laugh every time we watch it.
You can read our full review here.
3. Diamonds on Wheels (1973)
Another fun mystery/suspense film! This one is about a group of teenagers who enter their MG sports car in a treasure-hunting road rally and quickly discover they are being chased by crooks for the diamonds that were hidden in their car (unbeknownst to them). A young Peter Firth stars as the driver of the car and Spencer Banks plays his navigator. Banks was a popular British TV child star. You'll also spot a bevy of familiar actors from British television in supporting parts, namely Patrick Allen, George Sewell, and Edwin Richfield.
You can read our full review here.
4. The Secret of Boyne Castle (1969)
The Secret of Boyne Castle was a three-part television movie that aired in February 1969. Kurt Russell and Patrick Dawson star as two Hardy-Boys-like teens who buzz all over Ireland trying to avoid capture by a Russian agent, all the while also trying to aid American spy Glenn Corbett (Russell's older brother in the film). This movie features one of the cleverest crooks to be found in any Disney film: Kersner. This man is a master of disguise and always seems to be one step ahead of the boys, who are constantly in danger of being killed. The film was shot on location in and around the Emerald Isle and is just a wonderful way to spend a few days (I'd recommend breaking it into 1-hour segments over 3 days....ideally, the week of St. Patrick's Day).
You can read our full review here.
5. Child of Glass (1978)
This has been a longtime favorite Saturday afternoon flick...especially on a rainy fall day. If you like ghosts and legends and the old South, then you'll enjoy this one. Steve Shaw stars as Alex, a young boy with psychic powers. He and his family recently moved into an old Georgian manor once owned by a sea captain. Alex sees the glowing ghost of Captain Tremaine's daughter in the attic one afternoon and she pleads with him to help her solve a riddle so that she could be freed from her state of limbo. The movie isn't packed with excitement, but it holds your interest. Fans of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory will recognize Denise Nickerson as Alex's sister.
You can read our full review here.
6. Escapade in Florence (1962)
Tommy Kirk was not only busy starring in films for Walt Disney Studios but on the small screen as well. This film, which was released on the heels of The Horsemaster, reunited Annette Funicello with Kirk. They play students abroad in Florence, Italy, who get mixed up in mystery and suspense when they get unexpectedly involved in an art forgery operation. The movie was filmed in Italy and features many colorful locations, including a chase sequence during the famous Palio horse race in Sienna. It also features some playful Italian-esque tunes by the Sherman Brothers, most of which are performed by Annette.
7. The Whiz Kid and the Mystery at Riverton (1974)
This was the first of two television films that were made about Alvin Fernald, a wonderful character from the imagination of writer Clifford B. Hicks. Alvin was a child inventor who liked to tinker with gadgets every chance he had. Most of the summer he spends in his basement laboratory/workshop but this summer, he and his friend Shooey discover a case of corruption in their town of Riverton and Alvin decides to put his inventions to use as they try and solve the mystery. Tagging along is his little sister Daphne, played by Kim Richards.
This film has a lot going for it. Not only does it boast a great cast of character actors (including Edward Andrews as the mayor of Riverton), but the children are perfectly cast and are a delight to watch. I wish Disney had developed the Alvin Fernald stories into a television series instead of just two films.
Well, that wraps up our list of favorite Disney TV movies. Do you have any memories of watching these films? Or do you have any Disney TV movies you would pick as favorites?
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
The Disney Round-Up!
This year, we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of our blog Silver Scenes. Looking back on all of the posts my sister Diana and I (Constance) have made over the years, we discovered that Walt Disney films were a common theme....in fact, we reviewed quite a large number of Disney productions! We also covered small bios on some Disney Legends, such as Bill Cotter, Marc Davis, and James Algar.
Since we are hosting The 100 Years of Disney Blogathon in honor of Walt Disney Studios' anniversary, we decided to round up all of our Disney posts into one large corral. This way you can browse through and pick and choose which posts you may want to explore.
The Disney Round-Up!
Disney Legends
It has been a long time since we ran this series which featured profiles of actors/directors/writers and other personnel from Disney, but looking back on it, I want to relaunch this (and this time include my favorite Legend - Richard Sherman).
Fred MacMurray - The Walt Disney Years
Joe Flynn - A Frustrated Fellow
James MacArthur and Janet Munro - A Disney Duo
Tim Considine - A Disney Legend
Carroll Clark and Emile Kuri - Set Designers
Eustace Lycett - Special Effects
James Algar - Imagineer and Director
Bill Thomas - Costume Designer
Disney Television Productions
Walt Disney Studios are known for their film work but the studio also did many many television productions, especially when Walt himself was alive and hosting The Wonderful World of Color. Here is just a selection of many of Disney's TV productions:
The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure
The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca (1958)
The Prince and the Pauper (1962)
Dr. Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh
Secret of the Pirate's Inn (1969)
The Secret of Boyne Castle (1969)
The Disney Films
If you were to mention the name "Disney" most people would instantly link the thought with "animation"...and rightly so. Disney was a pioneer in the animation field. We thought that there were enough books and articles written about his animated work, but very few about the live-action films that the studio made over the years, so we have always put the spotlight on those, some of which were:
The Great Locomotive Chase (1956)
Perri: A True-Life Adventure (1958)
Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)
Third Man on the Mountain (1959)
Nikki, Wild Dog of the North (1961)
Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N. (1966)
The Happiest Millionaire (1967)
The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit (1968)
Island at the Top of the World (1974)
The Cat from Outer Space (1978)
The North Avenue Irregulars (1979)
The Unidentified Flying Oddball (1979)
Misc. Topics
TV/Movie Set: The Parent Trap Ranch
TV/Movie Set: Bedknobs and Broomsticks
TV/Movie Set: Herbie Rides Again
Film Albums: The Happiest Millionaire
Promoting Poppins: The Merchandise of Mary Poppins
Sunday, September 10, 2023
The Cat from Outer Space (1978)
Ken Barry, in his pre-Mama's Family days, stars as Frank Wilson, a young scientist who is befriended by ZunarJ5/9Doric47, otherwise known as "Jake", a cat from outer space. Jake crash-landed his spacecraft on planet Earth and now needs a substance called "Org 12" to repair it. Frank discovers that Org 12 is none other than gold and that Jake needs $120,000 worth of it in less than 24 hours so that he can fix his spacecraft and reunite with his mothership in time. Quite a tall order for an underpaid scientist!
The Cat from Outer Space was written by Ted Key (Hazel) and it has a wonderful premise of a cat coming from outer space....after all, cats can seem aloof and unworldly at times. Jake comes from a planet where its inhabitants spent years developing tools to increase the mental powers of its species. His race discovered they need not progress beyond the form of a cat. Indeed, Jake can do anything a human can and beyond.
The brilliant scientists at ERL - the lab where Frank works - are only beginning to touch on theories that Jake's civilization has known for years. It's no wonder Jake sits by with that typically feline air of superiority while he watches mortal Frank at his work.
"We developed our brain to a fine point. Now man, on the other hand, rose off his four legs and developed tools, machinery, agriculture, and a chronic pain in his lower back. We developed tools for the mind."
That magic color around his neck is what amplifies Jake's brain power and later aids them in procuring $120,000 to buy the gold he needs. It also allows him to "speak" telepathically with Frank, with whom he has a rapport. How can anyone resist such a cute and clever cat as a companion? Incidentally, Jake is voiced by Ronnie Schell who also has a small part.
While the story of The Cat from Outer Space is clever, the film itself never gets into a proper orbit. It seems overly simple in its structure and rather uneventful, even though there is quite a bit going on....especially during the helicopter chase at the finale. Casting may be the issue here. The film is filled with characters that could be exciting but fall flat.
Frank Wilson is an engaging character and Ken Barry has a winning personality but, in spite of that combination, this movie really needed Dean Jones (or Fred MacMurray had it been made a decade earlier). Sandy Duncan was marvelous in Disney's The Million Dollar Duck (also penned by Ted Key) but she is given very little to do here. McLean Stevenson portrays Frank's colleague Link, but he isn't humorous in the role. This would have been a great part for Tim Conway.Much of the film rests on the supporting players and character actors.... which there are a surprising number of! Harry Morgan, a regular in Disney comedies of the 1970s, plays an irate general, Hans Conreid has a marvelous bit as Frank's boss, Jesse White plays the pool hall owner, and Alan Young is a distracted veterinarian. And let's not forget the requisite villains. It is not A.J. Arno or Alonso Hawk who discover and are plotting to steal Jake's magic collar, instead, it is Mr. Olympus (William Prince) aided by his snooping stooge Mr. Stallwood (Roddy McDowall).
Norman Tokar directed this light-hearted comedy and there are some good special effects to thrill the little ones, but this particular viewer found the film to be only average entertainment. If I had a taste to watch a Disney comedy from the 1970s, I'd pick Disney's Dexter Riley comedies and the marvelous comedy talents of Jim Backus and Joe Flynn instead.
Saturday, September 2, 2023
Film Albums: The Happiest Millionaire ( 1967 )
Usually, for our Film Albums series, we feature a single album relating to movies in some way or another, but this time around we have a bunch of albums all featuring the music of The Happiest Millionaire (1967), a delightful - although rather long - musical from Walt Disney Studios.
Below each album is a link to the Internet Archive where you can enjoy the music for yourself and see how your comparisons differ from ours.
The Happiest Millionaire - Original Sound Track Album
Buena Vista Records - 60781-7
The Happiest Millionaire featured no less than 16 songs (!), all of which were written by the wonderful songwriting team of Richard and Robert Sherman. If the film itself isn't overly memorable, the music certainly is....especially Are We Dancing (a beautiful waltz performed by John Davidson and Lesley Ann Warren), Let's Have a Drink on It, and Fortuosity. Also included, is the not-heard-on-screen It Won't Be Long Til' Christmas. Jo Stafford performs a beautiful version of this song here.
This original album is definitely the best of the bunch. The orchestration (by Jack Elliott) is lush and lovely and the singing performances from the main cast are wonderful to hear. Plus, what a great cover with Tommy Steele smiling in spite of his big black eye!
Note: the above link contains only 30-second sound clips, but if you search for the album on the Archive, you will find another upload that contains Side A and Side B of the original album.
Songs from Walt Disney's The Happiest Millionaire
Disneyland Records - STER-1303
This is by far our least favorite of the albums. The listing credits "various artists" but it sounds like one man singing all of the songs and his voice isn't the most pleasant to listen to. I wonder if this Disneyland Records album was cheaper than the soundtrack because why would someone buy this if they cost the same? Nevertheless, the album cover is cute.
Monday, August 28, 2023
From the Archives: Pete's Dragon (1977)
"Boo Bop Bopbop Bop, I love you, too!" Elliott and Pete (Sean Marshall) are the best of friends as can be seen in this lobby card from Walt Disney's Pete's Dragon (1977).
From the Archives is our latest series of posts where we share photos from the Silverbanks Pictures collection. Some of these may have been sold in the past, and others may still be available for purchase at our eBay store : http://stores.ebay.com/Silverbanks-Pictures
Friday, August 25, 2023
The Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game
As always, if you are not familiar with the rules of the Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie game or the prize, click here!
Saturday, August 19, 2023
Secrets of the Pirate's Inn ( 1969 )
"A fortune in treasure....waiting to be discovered!"
Walt Disney Studios made a number of television movies in the 1960s and 1970s to air on their television series The Wonderful World of Disney...most of which have been forgotten now except among Disney fans. Secrets of the Pirate's Inn is one such title. Most people never heard of this film, but those who saw it when it first aired remember it well.
The story is set down south in Georgia in the present times. Three children - Scott, Tippy, and Catfish - like to play on the grounds of an old abandoned inn belonging to an Irish sea captain ( Ed Begley ). It is rumored in town that Jean Lafite, the pirate, had at one time buried treasure on the property but no one knows where. The children and the captain decide to piece together clues to find the whereabouts of the old pirate treasure....but they soon discover that someone else is searching for the loot and is desperate to get their hands on it!
Secrets of the Pirate's Inn was based on the book "The Secrets of the Pirate Inn" ( 1968 ) by Wylly Folk St. John, a popular author of children's mystery stories in the late 1960s and 1970s. It is a simple story and yet one that quickly captures your imagination. Who can resist that potent mixture of sea captains, hidden treasure, and pirates? Director Steven Spielberg enjoyed stories like these when he was a youngster and most likely had watched this on television as a boy because the similarity between it and The Goonies, made 16 years later, is obvious.
Secrets of the Pirate's Inn was popular enough when it first aired that all three children revised their roles in the sequel The Strange Monster of Strawberry Cove ( 1971 ) which featured Burgess Meredith as a teacher who believes he saw a lake monster. It was a good idea, but that film lacked the secret staircases and cobweb caves that made Secrets of the Pirate's Inn so engaging.
Also in the cast is Charles Aidmen, Paul Fix and Disney regular Bill Zuckert. Secrets of the Pirate's Inn has not yet been released on DVD but can be viewed on Youtube here.
Sunday, August 13, 2023
Cinematically Inspired Design - Check it Out!
Today we have a real treat to share! A few months ago I stumbled upon a great website called Mockingbird Lane where a cinema-loving woman named Marina Coates shares her love of architecture and design....especially set designs found in films and television series. Two great features of the site are her virtual TV/Movie Home Tours and her Cinematically Inspired Design tutorials.
The TV/Movie Home Tours began with a behind-the-scenes virtual CG tour of the Petrie home from The Dick Van Dyke Show and has since grown to include the Bewitched house, Lucy and Ricky's apartment and country home from I Love Lucy, the Family Affair apartment, the Cleaver's home in Leave it to Beaver, and many more from classic TV shows. These are fantastic videos that show you all of the details of the houses you have seen countless times on television. Most are 15-25 minutes in length and honestly, you feel like you are walking in the house with a tour guide listening to fun facts about the show and all of the items in the house.
She also has virtual tours of famous film houses like the North by Northwest house, The Parent Trap ranch, and the Inn from White Christmas. You don't want to miss these so be sure to check them out!![]() |
Look familiar? It's the Ricardo's country house. |
The Cinematically Inspired Design tutorials are even more amazing. Here, Ms. Coates shares her architectural experience with us and gives in-depth analyses of why the interiors of classic cinema houses look so good and tips on what we can do to improve our own interior designs. If you ever wanted to attend a class on classic Hollywood set design, this is it.
If you are an art design nut like ourselves, then be prepared to set aside hours enjoying these videos!
From the Archives: The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit ( 1967 )
Dean Jones is sharing a cup of beer with his pal Aspercel after a successful competition at the International Horse Show in Washington D.C. in this still photo from Walt Disney's The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit ( 1967 ).
From the Archives is our latest series of posts where we share photos from the Silverbanks Pictures collection. Some of these may have been sold in the past, and others may still be available for purchase at our eBay store : http://stores.ebay.com/Silverbanks-Pictures
Thursday, August 3, 2023
Announcing The 100 Years of Disney Blogathon!
Disney is one of the largest entertainment corporations in the world today but way back in 1923 it was just one man and a little mouse named Mickey.
Help us celebrate this colorful film studio by joining in on the fun! We will also be giving away some terrific prizes and on Silver Scenes you can enjoy Disney-themed posts all month long leading up to the event.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with blogathons, they are simply a hosted theme writing event that you can take part in if you have a blog. All you need do is create a supercalifragilistic post that goes along with the theme ( Walt Disney ) and share the link to your post with us so that we can include it on a master list for others to enjoy.
For this event, you've got a TON of topics you can write about. There's a great big heffalump-size of material waiting for your selection! You can make a post about Walt Disney himself, any of the animated films and shorts that the studio made, the live-action films ( over 150 titles! ), the television series, the actors and actresses who had contracts with the studio or one of the numerous behind-the-scenes personnel ( e.g. Peter Ellenshaw, Robert Stevenson ). You could also write about a Disney character ( e.g. Goofy ), a role in a film ( Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins ), or a history of the studio itself. You can even write a review of a Disney record album or book - including coloring books and comic books. If it has anything to do with Disney you are good to go!
Here's a recap of that above mess:
- Animated Films & Shorts
- Live-Action Films ( including TV movies ) & Shorts
- Television Series
- Any Actor/Actress who had a Disney contract
- Behind-the-Scenes Personnel
- Disney Characters
- One Role in a Film
- A History of the Studio or a branch of the studio ( e.g. The Special-Effects Department )
- Disney Memorabilia
- Disney Music
- or Somethin' Special
Rules? Who needs rules? We have no rules here. Well, alright....maybe one. You can pick any topic that is related to Walt Disney Studios provided it is focused on something between the years 1923-1996. After all, this is a classic film blog!
Old posts are always welcomed, too, if you re-post them with one of the new Disney banners ( down below ).
We'll be announcing the prizes in our giveaway at a later date, but for now.....every entry in the blogathon gives you an extra "ticket" for the giveaway, so the more posts the merrier!