Disney anthology television series

Disney anthology television series
Opening title for The Wonderful World of Disney used from 2022 onward (with the "Presented by Disney+" tagline from 2022 to 2023 (later reappeared in 2024); currently used in promos)
Also known as
  • Walt Disney's Disneyland (1954–58)
  • Walt Disney Presents (1958–61)
  • Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1961–69)
  • Disney's Wonderful World (1979–81)
  • Walt Disney (1981–83)
  • The Disney Sunday Movie (1986–88)
  • The Magical World of Disney (1988–90)
  • The Wonderful World of Disney (1969–79, 1983–87, 1991–present)
GenreAnthology series
Created byWalt Disney
Presented by
Narrated by
Theme music composer
Opening theme
  • "When You Wish Upon a Star" (1954–61, 1968–2012 and 2012–present; various instrumental adaptations)
  • "The Wonderful World of Color" (1961–68)
  • "Heaven's Triumph" (2012–present)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons58
No. of episodes2,207 (list of episodes)
Production
Camera setupMulti-camera (hosted segments)
Running time156–180 minutes
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseOctober 27, 1954 (1954-10-27) –
June 11, 1961 (1961-06-11)
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 24, 1961 (1961-09-24) –
August 16, 1981 (1981-08-16)
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 26, 1981 (1981-09-26) –
May 21, 1983 (1983-05-21)
NetworkABC
ReleaseFebruary 2, 1986 (1986-02-02) –
May 22, 1988 (1988-05-22)
NetworkNBC
ReleaseOctober 9, 1988 (1988-10-09) –
August 17, 1991 (1991-08-17)
NetworkCBS
ReleaseOctober 1, 1991 (1991-10-01) –
June 15, 1997 (1997-06-15)
NetworkABC
ReleaseSeptember 28, 1997 (1997-09-28) –
present (present)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

The Walt Disney Company has produced an anthology television series since 1954 under several titles and formats. The program's current title, The Wonderful World of Disney, was used from 1969 to 1979 and again from 1991 onward. The program moved among the Big Three television networks in its first four decades, but has aired on ABC since 1997.

The original version of the series premiered on ABC in 1954. The show was broadcast weekly on one of the Big Three television networks until 1983. After a two-year hiatus it resumed, running regularly until 1991. From 1991 until 1997, the series aired infrequently.

The program resumed a regular schedule in 1997 on the ABC fall schedule, coinciding with Disney's purchase of ABC in 1996. From 1997 to 2008, the program aired regularly on ABC. Since then, ABC has continued the series as an occasional special presentation from 2008 onward, the most recent being a holiday music special in 2019.[1] In 2020, the series returned with movies from the Disney+ library.

The show has had only two hosts, Disney co-founder Walt Disney and former Disney chairman and CEO Michael Eisner.[2]

The show is the second longest-running prime-time program on U.S. television, behind Hallmark Hall of Fame.

  1. ^ "Wonderful World of Disney Returns to ABC – Rotoscopers". www.rotoscopers.com. December 3, 2015.
  2. ^ Pierce, Scott (September 28, 1997). "ABC revives weekly Disney series". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. Retrieved March 14, 2016.