“Out of the night when the full moon is bright comes the horseman known as Zorro.” Those iconic lyrics welcomed viewers into the world of Zorro when Disney’s third television series premiered on ABC in 1957. With the company in production on a new Zorro series for Disney+, Bill Cotter led a Walt Disney Family Museum virtual event about the show’s origins titled “Walt Disney’s Zorro with Author Bill Cotter.” What follows is a recap of this special event.
(Disney)
The origins of Zorro date back to 1919 when author Johnston McCulley created the character for pulp magazines. Zorro became an instant success and Hollywood soon came begging for the rights, with film adaptations including a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks and a 20th Century Fox film in 1940 starring Tyrone Power. The rights were up for grabs again in the mid-1950s when Walt Disney was trying to develop two TV shows for ABC as part of the network’s investment in Disneyland. The rights to Zorro weren’t cheap and Roy O. Disney denied Walt’s request to buy the rights through the company, so he did it himself under his own company, WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering).
Walt Disney’s commitment to authenticity started with some expensive purchases in the form of antique furniture and props from Mexico. $35,000 were spent on period-accurate furniture alone, but this early investment in the series ended up in limbo when ABC passed on the project. Instead, Disney’s first shows for ABC were the anthology series Disneyland and The Mickey Mouse Club. With both shows instant hits, ABC was soon begging for more content. Walt was happy to oblige and Zorro was given a direct-to-series order without the need of a pilot.
Casting was soon underway, with big names vying for the part including Hugh O’Brien, Jack Kelly, David Janssen, Dennis Weaver, and John Lupton, who was Walt Disney’s top choice and had already appeared in the Disney film The Great Locomotive Chase. However, Walt quickly changed his mind, deciding that the role was better suited for an unknown actor with whom audiences had no previous association. Like Fess Parker as Davy Crockett, Walt Disney wanted a fresh face that audiences would recognize only as Zorro.
Many actors read for the part of Zorro, some of whom would later go on to fame elsewhere, like Armando Silvestre and Tony Russel. Britt Lomond was also considered for the lead role but was cast instead as the villainous Capitán Monastario. Guy Williams’ first screentest was on April 18th, 1957, who started his career as a model in New York City and moved his family to Los Angeles to pursue acting. According to legend, Guy watched the Zorro backlot sets being erected from Griffiths Park, promising himself that if he didn’t get cast in the series, he would give up his acting dreams and move his family back to New York. As luck would have it, Walt Disney knew almost immediately after seeing Guy Williams’ test that he had found his lead actor. While other actors were excellent as the fox, only Guy Williams could imbue Don Diego de la Vega with a believable warmth to service Disney’s adaptation, which emphasized the dual roles of the character.
Over $100,000 was spent to build the sets on the backlot, with elaborate models not only aiding in construction but also helping the writers and directors block scenes ahead of arriving on set. With the Disney Brothers Studio located near the Burbank airport, Disney knew that outdoor shoots would be routinely interrupted by the sound and even sight of planes, so some of the most frequently used sets were erected on soundstages. This includes not only the interiors of the de la Vega house but also the exterior. A curved backdrop was used to present a fictional sky behind the house’s facade and matte paintings were also employed, an unheard-of commitment to quality for television of the era.
Western Costume Co. created the costumes for the series and early screen tests reveal variations on everything from the cape and mask to the hilt of Zorro’s sword. Staged photos of Guy Williams in these early costumes were sent out in an effort to attract paid sponsors for the series. Guy Williams also shot a promotional film to gain the interest of ABC affiliate stations, who were not obligated to broadcast the series. Walt Disney used an episode of Disneyland titled “The Fourth Anniversary Show” to introduce his version of Zorro to audiences, with Walt surrounded by the Mouseketeers. Moochie begged to know more about Zorro and Guy Williams crashed the party in full costume and character, giving viewers their first look at Disney’s adaptation of the popular hero.
At more than five times the cost to produce than an average TV show in the 1950s, no single advertiser could afford Zorro, so sponsorship was split between 7UP and ACDelco. Disney created custom advertisements for the sponsors, who alternated weeks. The show was a huge success, with around 35% of all TV households tuning in each week. However, Zorro lasted only two seasons due to a dispute between Disney and ABC. When the network invested in Disneyland, there was a clause that Disney could buy them out at any time. ABC didn’t like it when Disney bought back their shares of the park and called into question who really owned the rights to all of Disney’s TV shows, including Zorro. We know how that was eventually settled, but by the time Walt found a new home for his TV programs on NBC, Guy Williams was already involved in other projects. Four hour-long episodes were produced as part of the anthology series to wrap up Zorro.
When Bill Cotter began his Disney career in 1976, not only were the backlot sets from Zorro still standing but many people who worked behind the scenes on the show were still on the lot. Among them was Lou Debney, father of composer John Debney. Through Lou, Bill met writers, producers, and even cast members from Zorro. His presentation not only included a detailed history of the series, but also a look at the merchandise, guest stars, historical accuracy, and controversial storylines covered. He also took a look at how Zorro was celebrated in Disneyland through several event days in which cast members from the show would stage fights in Frontierland. And thanks to Bill Cotter, Zorro gained exposure to a new generation of viewers in the 1990s on Vault Disney, a late-night programming block on Disney Channel. While the complete series may not be available on Disney+, Disney fans who aren’t as familiar with Zorro can enjoy the compilation feature, The Sign of Zorro. And with a new series on the way, I wouldn’t be surprised if it starts streaming around the time of the cunning fox’s grand return.
For more information on Zorro and Bill Cotter, visit his website billcotter.com/zorro.
Stay up-to-date on future events from the Walt Disney Family Museum by checking out their event calendar at waltdisney.org/calendar.