Don DeFore's Barbeque Restaurant

Back in the early days of Disneyland, actor Don DeFore operated a chicken restaurant with his brother Vern for five years. It was called The Silver Banjo Barbecue and was located in Frontierland right next to Aunt Jemima's Pancake House. After enjoying a rollickin' good time watching the Golden Horseshow Revue, Disneyland guests could mosey to the Silver Banjo to have the DeFore brothers serve up a heaping of their famous barbeque chicken dinners for $1.70 a plate. 

Don and his brother Vern DeFore pictured outside the restaurant in July 1959

During the 1950s, Disneyland offered five-year leases to a number of restaurants. Frito-Lay, who had previously occupied the space with Casa de Fritos, had requested a better location closer to the front of Frontierland, so Don DeFore - who had met Disney through their mutual participation on the Board of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences - was asked if he wanted to open up a restaurant within the park. 

The Silver Banjo Barbecue opened its doors in the summer of 1957 and remained until its contract expired in March 1962. Barbeque chicken dinners were the specialty of the house and they included baked beans, french fries, cole slaw, and rolls and butter. Other options offered were spare ribs and Fish and Chips for $1.50.  

Aunt Jemima's Pancake House wanted to expand so the lease for The Silver Banjo Barbeque was not renewed in 1962. Instead, Vern took over as a manager of several other ventures within Disneyland while Don DeFore returned to acting starring as George "Mr. B" Baxter in the television series Hazel. 

This post is a part of our latest series entitled "Did You Know?".....sometimes we just feel like sharing interesting fragments of television and movie history and now we have a place to do just that. If you have a hot tip that you would like us to share on Silver Scenes, drop us a line!

From the Archives: That Darn Cat! (1965)

Oh, no! Things can get really dirty when you are trying to fingerprint.. ahem, pawprint.. a cat. Federal agent Zeke Kelso (Dean Jones) finally found the perfect print - he took it off his forehead! Hayley Mills looks on at Zeke and the mess he made in this NBC-TV release photo from Walt Disney's That Darn Cat! (1965). 

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 

From the Archives: Third Man on the Mountain (1959)

It looks like Rudi (James MacArthur) has a sweetheart! Who can resist the charms of cute Janet Munro? You just know she'll snag him by the end of the picture. This lobby card features a scene from the entertaining Third Man on the Mountain (1959), a Walt Disney film based on the Newbury Honor book "Banner in the Sky" by James Ramsey Ullman. Click here to read our full review of the film. 

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 

From the Archives: The Moon-Spinners (1964)

Every year on the day before we take our Christmas tree down, we watch The Moon-Spinners (1964). It's such a lovely tradition and I don't even recall how it started, but this is one of my favorite scenes in the film. Nikki (Hayley Mills) and Mark (Peter McEnery) spend the night in the ruins of a Greek temple inhabited by stray cats. In the morning, they meet the helpful Anthony Gamble (John Le Mesurier). 

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 

Gold Key Comic: Walt Disney Presents Bullwhip Griffin (1967)

"On the trail of California gold, a boy and his family butler seek a lost map to the fabulous Mother Lode!"

That's Bullwhip Griffin in a nutshell, but there is much more to the story than that and this comic, from Gold Key publications, shows you just how entertaining the movie is. That's what these comics were for.... a little entertainment and a lot of promotion. The comic books were usually released as movie tie-ins just after the film was released in theatres. 

Gold Key and Dell Movie Classics were the two big comic book houses that issued all of the latest film releases in picture-story format. Gold Key was lucky enough to have a license from Walt Disney Productions, so they issued all of the Disney film adaptations, comic characters (like Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse), as well as the Disney television adaptations (Zorro, The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, The Hardy Boys, etc)....and they made them quite nicely. In fact, I think Gold Key's illustrations are a slight cut above Dell's quality. 

The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin, starring Roddy McDowall, Suzanne Pleshette, and Karl Malden, hit the theatres in 1967 and, shortly after, this wonderful little comic book arrived on the newsstands. It followed the film scene by scene and most of the characters were drawn to match the actors in the movie...with the exception of "Bullwhip" himself, Roddy McDowall. Bullwhip doesn't resemble Roddy in the least. 

Walt Disney presents Bullwhip Griffin sells for $2-$12 on average but could go up to $30 for a near mint condition comic. If you're a fan of the film, it is a nice collectible to own. 

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)

Dexter Riley (Kurt Russell), a popular but not-too-smart student at Medfield College, becomes a walking whiz-kid when he accidentally electrocutes himself with the donated computer the college received from wealthy businessman A.J. Arno (Cesar Romero). Now he has encyclopedic knowledge and lightning-fast recall. Dexter's mechanical brain turns him into a national sensation, and he finds his newfound skill going to his head when Arno recruits him to his business, but he soon discovers that "everyone is out for themselves!". A.J. wants to exploit Dexter’s abilities for his own gain, while the deans of two colleges are attempting to recruit him for academic competitions so they can win funds for the school. 

Dexter doesn't realize that he absorbed sensitive data from the computer - incriminating information about Arno's illegal gambling rings. When he accidentally blurts it out on live television during an academic quiz challenge, Arno's henchmen kidnap him, prompting his college friends to mount a rescue to get Dexter back on TV so they can win for good ol' Medfield!

"The State Collegian Classification Test is tomorrow. As you know, we came in 36th last year. I think we can improve on that." (Dean's announcement)

"36th? You know Dexter, there are only 37 colleges in the state." - Annie

"Gee, I wonder who we beat?" - Dexter

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes is a light-hearted comedy from Walt Disney that was geared for the teenage market when it was released. It proved to be so popular that two more Dexter Riley films were made, each one featuring a different scientific breakthrough: invisibility (Now You See Him, Now You Don't) and super-strength (The Strongest Man in the World). 

Kurt Russell was ideally cast as Dexter, your average good-looking but not-too-bright college student. He's loyal to little Medfield College and means well in all he does, but things always tend to backfire and, when it does, his pal Schuyler (Michael McGreevey) is usually right beside him. Dexter is a genius compared to Schuyler who really bumbles things. Luckily, their recurring opponent - A.J. Arno and his stooge Chillie (Richard Bakalyan) aren't the sharpest sharks in the tank. Like most Disney films of the 1960s and 1970s, the Dexter Riley series end with a chase scene and this is when A.J. and his gang always get caught. 

Kurt Russell is not usually considered a comedian but he was great in all the Dexter films. In The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, he is especially funny when he tries to sputter out the answers to the remaining quiz questions agonizingly slow while his "computer" is shutting down. 

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes boasts a great supporting cast of character actors: the talented William Schallert plays Medfield's science teacher Professor Quimby whom the students love but the dean despises; Alan Hewitt plays Dean Collingsgood of the rival State College, and Joe Flynn portrays Medfield's Dean Higgins, a lovable fussbucket. Joe had previously appeared in Disney's The Love Bug but, as Dean Higgins, he had a chance to showcase his unique comedic talent. He reappeared in both Dexter Riley sequels as well as in The Barefoot Executive with Kurt Russell, before his death in 1974. 

Jon Provost, Frank Webb, Debbie Paine, and Frank Welker have supporting roles as Dexter's college pals. 

There's a lot to like in this film: its groovy opening (with computer punch card graphics!), the small town college vibes, the dunebuggy chase, and the TV quiz show finale - not to mention Kurt Russell. If you enjoy it - as we certainly did - then check out the sequels. Luckily, all of Russell's Disney films are on DVD and are available to stream through Disney+.

From the Archives: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

Kirk Douglas spent a day at Disneyland in 1954 and clowned around with the pirates on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride during a publicity photo shoot for "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" which was Disney's biggest live-action production to date. 

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

Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue (1953)

The setting is Scotland in the 18th century. A German has inherited the throne of England and Scotland and will rule as king. The appointment of King George I upsets many of the Scottish people and the highlanders especially who gather their clans together and rise up against the English troops occupying Scotland. The Duke of Argyll has quenched most of these rebel uprisings, except for a small but stubborn band of highlanders of the McGregor clan led by Rob Roy "the Highland rogue".His fight for Scottish independence leads him on a road to the gallows in London... and eventually, face to face with King George I himself. 

Walt Disney made a number of excellent adventure films in the 1950s and Rob Roy ranks as one of the best. It has all of the sweet ingredients for a rousing good adventure: highland rebels, romance, swordplay, beautiful locations, stirring music, and a grrraaand story. Technicolor filming and a cast of seasoned actors bake the cake. 

Richard Todd, who starred as the heroic Rob Roy, had just completed two period costume adventure films for Walt Disney Studios - The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men and The Sword and the Rose - both of which were popular with UK audiences and Rob Roy proved to be a box-office hit as well. Unfortunately, these films did not do as well stateside and Disney decided not to pursue more costume films. This was also the last picture Disney released through RKO for shortly afterwards all of his productions were released through his own distribution company, Buena Vista.  

Rob Roy gathered together some excellent actors from throughout the United Kingdom including Irish-born (!) Richard Todd, Welsh actress Glynis Johns, James Robertson Justice of Scottish ancestry (who looked especially handsome donning long blonde hair), English character actors Michael Gough and Geoffrey Keen, and one of the most famous Scottish film actors to have ever lived: Finlay Currie. 

Rob Roy is a simple story of a rebel but he is one like Zorro or Robin Hood, where the audience takes sides with him and is pleased to see justice done in the end.The story was, in Disney's words, "based on history and legend" and written by one of his most dependable scriptwriters Lawrence Edward Watkin, who specialized in adapting adventure stories such as Treasure Island and The Story of Robin Hood.  

Location filming took place in Scotland around Corriegrennan and Aberfoyle and this Highland scenery was beautifully shot by legendary cinematographer Guy Green. What scenes they could not film were painted in by matte artist Peter Ellenshaw. Today, one can view Rob Roy and its colorful filming through Disney's subscription streaming service Disney + or by purchasing it on DVD. 

The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975)

Them thar kiddies are armed and dangerous. They're loaded with winsome ways and beguiling smiles. Why, one glance at them can drive a man.... to marriage? For Mr. Donovan (Bill Bixby), that's exactly what happened. 

Mr. Russell Donovan was just passing through the town of Quake City enjoying a game of poker, when he volunteered to pick up some valuables that was coming in on the next stagecoach for an old acquaintance . Those "valuables" turned out to be three children: Bobby (Clay O'Brien), Clovis (Brad Savage), and Celia (Stacy Manning), and his old acquaintance was nowhere to be found. 

Judge McCoy (Harry Morgan) was of the mind that since Mr. Donovan accepted a down-payment for the valuables, they are rightly his. After numerous attempts to pawn of the youngens fail, Mr. Donovan reluctantly becomes a family man, but the townsfolk suddenly want to adopt the children after the little ones strike gold in an old derelict mine belonging to them. If Mr. Donovan wants to safeguard the children and their fortune, he better "find himself a wife" (the judge declares) and so Mr. Donovan grasps at a last straw and proposes marriage to one of the few single women in town, the rough and tumbled "Dusty" Clydesdale (Susan Clark).

Walt Disney Studios released The Apple Dumpling Gang in 1975, when most of the theaters were showing movies filled with violence and not many laughs. However, Disney knew what families wanted to see and this comedy-western struck gold. The picture reaped in nearly $32 million in box-office receipts and became the 11th top-grossing film of the year*. 

What made the film so entertaining was the featured comedy duo of Don Knotts and Tim Conway. This was their first pairing and the characters of Amos and Theodore ("dumb and dumber") were a boot-fit for this team. Theodore (Tim Conway) had accidentally shot Frank Stillwell (Slim Pickens) of The Stillwell Gang in the leg and so he and Amos (Don Knotts) decide to strike out on their own as the newly dubbed "Hashknife Outfit". They wanted to leave a trail of crime in every town they passed but all they were leaving was a mess. Now the giant gold nugget that the children find is sitting on display at the local bank and Amos and Theodore have their eye on stealing it!

Like most of the scripts for Walt Disney films, there are multiple stories going on at once, all of which intersect and conclude nicely during the finale. The Apple Dumpling Gang was written by Don Tait who had just started with the Walt Disney Studios in 1972 when he wrote Snowball Express. He went on to write many more scripts for the studio, including the sequel to this film, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979), which also featured Don Knotts and Tim Conway. 

Bill Bixby gives a wonderful performance (as usual) as Mr. Donovan and Susan Clark is entertaining as Dusty, but the children are the real scene-stealers. Clay O'Brien has long been a favorite of mine ever since I watched him on Saturday morning showings of The Whiz Kid series, where he played Alvin's friend Shooie. All of the children were well-cast, as were the character actors which also included David Wayne and John McGiver. 

Director Norman Tokar (Leave it to Beaver) kept the action and the entertainment at a steady pace and The Apple Dumpling Gang never becomes dull or tiresome...even after multiple viewings. The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again is equally entertaining. In fact, it is one of those rare sequels that is actually better than the original because most of the story centers on Amos and Theodore instead of Mr. Donovan and the children, and who could pass up more of Knotts and Conway?

* Based on the website The Numbers. 

Film Albums: Songs from Annette and other Walt Disney Serials

Every once in a while you come across a gem of an album that you never even knew existed. This one caught my attention because Annette Funicello was on the cover but then I saw the subtitle "and other Walt Disney serials" and my heart skipped a beat. This album is actually just an updated release of Disney's "Songs from the Mickey Mouse Club Serials" album (another one I never knew existed) but with the inclusion of Annette's music from her latest serial Annette. If you enjoy Walt Disney serials then that one is well worth watching. 

This album features songs from some of the popular Mickey Mouse Club members including Tim Considine, David Stollery, Darlene, and Annette, as well as tunes performed by the Walt Disney studio chorus. In my own humble opinion, these are the best ones on the album. There is a ripping version of "Pieces of Eight", the theme song to The Hardy Boys - The Mystery of Applegate Treasure; a lilting tune called "Moochie" (about Moochie, of course); a rosing version of The Boys of the Western Sea, the theme from a rare serial about Norwegian fishermen; and "Annette" performed by Jimmie Dodd. 

Click here to listen to the album in full on Youtube. 

Track Listing

Side One

How Will I Know My Love

Annette

Meetin' at the Malt Shop

Buckwheat Cakes

Hap-Happy Snowman

Pieces of Eight

What I Want to Be Theme

Side Two:

Don't Jump to Conclusions

Theme from Spin and Marty

Triple R Song

Uncle Dan

Moochie

The Boys of the Western Sea

Top Picks: Annette, Pieces of Eight, Meetin' at the Malt Shop, Theme from Spin and Marty, Moochie

From the Archives: The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967)

Arabella Flagg (Suzanne Pleshette) performs as The Boston Belle in a San Francisco saloon in Walt Disney's The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (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

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

Treguna Mekoides and Trecorum Satis Dee....

"I don’t want locomotionary substitution or remote in transitory convolution, only one precise solution is the key…. substitutionary locomotion it must me!"

Yes, Eglantine Price was searching, not for locomotionary substitution, nor for remote in transitory convolution, but for that secret magical spell – Subsitutiary Locomotion – that would be the key to single-handedly quenching the onslaught of the Nazis and putting a stop to the war!

In her secluded country estate in the cover of night, mild-mannered apprentice witch Miss Price, along with her scraggly looking cat Cosmic Creepers, practiced her latest lessons from Professor Emelius Browne’s Correspondence College of Witchcraft. However, when three evacuee children from London take lodging in her home, her top-top secret identity is discovered and, as an exchange for their silence, she gives them a special Travelling Spell.

“The game’s up Miss Price, we know what you are”

A bedknob (and its matching bed) become the initiators of this fantastic spell, and it is put to good use quickly when Miss Price and the children set out for London to enlist the aid of Professor Browne in searching for the all-important magic words of Substitutiary Locomotion. Their quest takes them to Portobello Road - the street where the riches of ages are stowed - where they meet the wily Bookman (Sam Jaffe), another Substitutiary Locomotion spell-hunter and his knife-wielding henchman Swinburne; to the Beautiful Briny Sea where they have a chance to get a better peep at the plants and creatures of the deep; and to the not-so-mythical animated Isle of Namboombo, a land of talking animals and where the legendary magician Astoroth (the spell’s creator) was believed to have spent his final days. Aha!….but do they find the magic words to Subtitutiary Locomotion AND put it to use before the approaching Nazis invade Pepperinge Eye and the coast of England?

Well, this being a Walt Disney movie, I’m sure we all know the answer to that question.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks was based on two books written by children's author Mary Norton in the mid-1940s. "The Magic Bedknob, or How to be a Witch in Ten Easy Lessons" and its sequel "Bonfires and Broomsticks" were originally purchased by Walt Disney in 1963 as a backup plan in case P.L Travers did not like the retelling of her story "Mary Poppins", a movie which was already in its pre-production stages at the time.

Since "Mary Poppins" got the go-ahead, Bedknobs and Broomsticks was put on the back burner and it was not until 1969 that Bill Walsh blew the dust off the kettle and got it boiling again.

Initially, Julie Andrews was offered the part of Eglantine Price (Leslie Caron and Lynn Redgrave being other choices) but had turned down the role. She later changed her mind, feeling she owed her start to Disney and wanted to work at the Studios again, but by this time Angela Lansbury had already been offered the part and gladly accepted.… signing the contract on Halloween Day of 1969.

And what a great choice she was! Miss Lansbury played Eglantine, the apprentice witch, with conviction and heart. And the wonderful David Tomlinson ( Mr.Banks of Mary Poppins ) played penny-any magician Professor Emilius Browne, a role he took to with a flair.

Mr. Browne: Bookman! Before your very eyes, I shall cause this bed, and all the occupants upon it, to disappear!

Bookman: Disappear? I should like to see a cheap-jack tenth-rate entertainer do a trick like that.

Mr. Browne: Cheap-jack entertainer. Now that was naughty.

The three children (Ian Weighall, Roy Snart, Cindy O’Callaghan) were all making their screen debuts and, save for Cindy O’Callaghan, have not done any other film work since then. A pity, because they were very good child actors.

Roddy McDowall played Mr.Jenks, a priest with an eye for Miss Price (or rather, her valuable bit of property); Reginald Owen was…well, Reginald Owen….mouth wide-agape and commandeering the soldiers of the Old Home Guard; Tessie O’Shea played shopkeeper, town gossip and postmistress Mrs. Hobday, and rounding out the cast was John Erikson as the Nazi captain who has a bad fall-in with some headless fighting armor.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a heartwarming and bewitchingly enchanting movie and like most Walt Disney films, the supercalifragilistic Sherman brothers song-writing team had a big part in contributing to this. Bedknobs is chock full of wonderful whistlable tunes like “The Beautiful Briny Sea”, “Portobello Road” and “Eglantine, Eglantine!” and best of them all is the lovely “The Age of Not Believing” (nominated for an Academy Award). Its words brilliantly capture that period in life that we all go through at times when we doubt our own abilities and lose faith in our dreams.

Miss Price wasn’t a very capable witch, even for an amateur. She couldn’t fly a broom straight, nor turn a person into a frog (although she did have a knack for morphing them into fluffy white rabbits) but she had a heart of gold and tried the best she could to save her beloved England. Technically, a witch is a lady unless circumstances dictate otherwise, and, at the closing, we see this clearly demonstrated in Eglantine as she dons her battle helmet and pulls out all the stops to fight the Nazis had on.

"Filigree, apogee, pedigree, perigee!"

Bedknobs and Broomsticks premiered in 1971 at Radio City Music Hall as part of their Christmas show but, unfortunately, over thirty minutes of this wonderful movie had to be cut to fit into its two-hour time slot. For some reason, this sliced footage was left out of all the subsequent national showings as well. It was not until 1997, for the 25th anniversary video edition, that most of this deleted footage was reinstated. It is still missing a few key scenes, but we’ll not complain…after all, it’s a step in the right direction.

"Oh, bother! I do hate shoddy work!"

The Classic Disney Trivia Quiz

It's quiz time! And since we just hosted The 100 Years of Disney Blogathon, this quiz will be all about Disney.....with a special focus on the "classic" years (pre-1990). So dust off your thinking caps and give yourself a little test to see how well you know your Disney films. When you finish the quiz, the View Score button will tell you which ones you got right and which ones you missed. 

(If you cannot view the quiz below, click on this link)

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 ROSTER

Top Ten Animated Disney Movies - Hamlette's Soliloquy

Have you ever tried to pick your favorite Disney animated film? Rachel gave it a go and came up with ten surprising favorites.

Top Ten Live-Action Disney Movies - Hamlette's Soliloquy

Rachel also shares with us her favorite live-action Disney films from the classic Kidnapped (1960) to The Lone Ranger (2013).

Freaky Friday (1976) - Realweegiemidget Reviews

Jodie Foster had a long career at Walt Disney Studios and one of her most famous films for them was the original Freaky Friday. On her blog, Gill shares with us her thoughts about this classic. 

Top Ten Silly Symphonies - Nitrate Glow

Disney's Silly Symphonies garnered numerous awards throughout the 1930s and Nitrate Glow shares with us her top ten favorites of these charming cartoons. 

Seven Things to Know About Disney's Zorro TV Series - Classic Film & TV Cafe

When Walt Disney entered television production in the 1950s, two of his most popular series were Davy Crockett and Zorro, starring Guy Williams. Rick shares with his readers 7 Things to Know about this classic adventure series. 

Mary Poppins (1964) - Starlight and Saucepans

The live-action classic Mary Poppins was Disney's biggest box-office success of the 1960s and Lizzie thinks its masterful storytelling may be one of the reasons why it is so endearing.  

The Black Hole and Tron - The Midnite Drive-In

Disney also delved into the realm of science fiction with two films, The Black Hole and Tron, both of which are reviewed by Quiggy at The Midnite Drive-In. 

7 Favorite Disney TV Movies - Silver Scenes

Disney naturally made tons of movies and TV shows, but did you know they also made TV movies? We put together a list of 7 of our favorites from the 1950s-1990s.

Marge Champion and Disney - Box Office Poisons

Jess shares with us the story of Snow White and the real-life dancer who modeled for her....none other than Marge Champion!

Walt Disney's Silent Laugh-O-Grams - Crítica Retrô

Before Disney hit it big with his Silly Symphonies series, he made Laugh-O-Grams, silent shorts that were sure to tickle the audience.  Lê shares with her readers the story of these cartoons. 

A Letter from Roy Disney - Stars and Letters

Janet shares an insightful letter about distribution issues Walt had with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on her blog Stars and Letters.

The Disney Round-Up - Silver Scenes

We wrote a pile of reviews of Disney films and personnel throughout ten years of blogging, so we have gathered them all together in one big Disney Round-Up.

The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh (1977) - Thoughts from The Music(al) Man

Winnie-the-Pooh and all his friends tooh are fondly recollected in this post from The Musical Man.

Cinderella (1950) - Whimsically Classic

Kayla, over at Whimsically Classic, shares with her readers a review of one of Disney's most beloved animated classics Cinderella. 

DuckTales: The Treasure of the Golden Sun (1987) - Taking Up Room

Growing up in the 1980s, every child remembers DuckTales and the fabulous adventures Huey, Dewey, Louie and Donald would go on. One of their best was The Treasure of the Golden Sun, reviewed over at Taking Up Room.

Ten Favorite Disney Movie Soundtracks - Old Books and Movies

Disney made a lot of great movies and all of them had wonderful music, so Johanna shares with us her favorite movie soundtracks from Disney.

Disney's Historical Fiction TV Shows - Old Books and Movies

Johanna also shares with us her favorite of Disney's historical fiction shows: The Swamp Fox and The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca. 

Kurt Russell at Disney - Phyllis Loves Classic Movies

The 100 Years of Disney Blogathon Giveaway!

Who can resist a giveaway? Not only do you get a free prize, you don't even have to do anything to earn it! Well, at least not much. For this giveaway, we are issuing virtual "tickets"...if you entered a post in the blogathon you already earned yourself a ticket (Entered two? That's two tickets!) and, for those of you who didn't enter the blogathon, you have an even easier way to get a ticket: Stop by any of the blogs listed above and then come back here and leave a comment in the box telling us which blog you've read. That's it! The more blogs you read, the more tickets you get. 

The Drawing - We'll keep track of who has what number of tickets and then there will be a random drawing held on Friday, September 22nd. The first name drawn will get first pick of the prizes, second name drawn gets second pick, etc. 

What are the prizes? Take a look below!

1. Sleeping Beauty Paper Doll PDF book (this will be sent via email)

2. A vintage 1973 re-release still from The Aristocats

3. The Strongest Man in the World DVD (not new, but like new)

4. A fab label pin featuring Walt Disney surrounded by his animated creations

5. Your choice of a vintage lobby card from any of 8+ film titles

7 Favorite Disney TV Movies

When my sister and I decided to write a post about our 7 Favorite Disney TV movies, I didn't realize just how many television films Walt Disney Studios had made....or how many I enjoy!  A good sign of a "favorite" is how often you watch the movie so, using that criteria, we picked the films we watch the most frequently and enjoy the most when we do see them. We also ranked them in order from 1st to 7th place. So let's begin with the Number One favorite....The London Connection!

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? 

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

Editor-Cotton Warburton

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

Marc Davis - Imagineer

Bill Walsh - Disney Legend

Hayley Mills - Disney Legend

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 

Ballerina (1966)

Way Down Cellar (1968)

Secret of the Pirate's Inn (1969)

High Flying Spy (1972)

The Child of Glass (1978)

The Secret of Boyne Castle (1969)

Bejewelled (1991)

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 Reluctant Dragon (1941)

Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue

The Great Locomotive Chase (1956)

Johnny Tremain (1957)

Perri: A True-Life Adventure (1958)

Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)

The Shaggy Dog (1959)

Third Man on the Mountain (1959)

Swiss Family Robinson (1960)

Nikki, Wild Dog of the North (1961)

The Parent Trap (1961)

Summer Magic (1963)

The Moon-Spinners (1964)

Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N. (1966)

The Gnome-Mobile (1967)

The Happiest Millionaire (1967)

The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit (1968)

The Barefoot Executive (1971)

Snowball Express (1972)

Diamonds on Wheels (1973)

Island at the Top of the World (1974)

Candleshoe (1977)

Pete's Dragon (1977)

The Cat from Outer Space (1978)

The London Connection (1979)

The North Avenue Irregulars (1979)

The Unidentified Flying Oddball (1979)

Condorman (1981)

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