User reviews

Thought I'd add my two cents. Along with Johnny Weismuller as Tarzan, Larry Buster Crabbe as Flash Gordon, Guy Williams is Zorro for me. He wasn't the first Zorro I saw in action, but after his, it is hard for me to watch some of the others. I believe he had a lot of potential and in the hands of the two directors he worked with, and the fencing master, they really brought a lot to the scripts and performance. Along with a wonderfully fleshed out supporting cast. I was also surprised to find Albert Whitlock's name in some of the end credits. He's the famous matte painter who has also work on many of Hitchcock's films. Also the stunt work for some of the episodes is quite impressive for a TV show, more of what I would expect to see in a feature film at that time.

I just bought the complete first season on DVD and I am surprised how much in tune my opinions are with the many positive things written about the show here already. If I'm ever blessed with a family, I truly look forward to watching these, along with Johnny's Tarzan, Buster's Flash and Clayton Moore's Lone Ranger with them. I have had the opportunity to watch a couple of the silent Super 8mm black and white films from the Zorro show with some kids I baby sat. If their reaction is any indication as to how my own family will enjoy and respond to watching these colorized versions on DVD, the experience will surely be a real treat for all of us.

One of the most successful of Walt Disney's television shows was the famous Zorro series. Stepping successfully into the role that Douglas Fairbanks and Tyrone Power did on the big screen as did many others was Guy Williams, an actor who perfectly fitted the concept of the dandy by day and the demon fighter for right by night.

It's a pity that Guy Williams was born as late as he did. Had he been born 20 years earlier this man could easily have established himself as every inch the swashbuckling star that Errol Flynn did. Or his predecessor in the Zorro role Tyrone Power with whom Williams appeared with in Mississippi Gambler. He had looks and presence and definitely the fencing skill for the job. Williams would have been some studio's leading swashbuckling star back in the day.

Zorro only lasted two seasons on the air, hard to believe. I think that Walt Disney made a mistake in marketing the show. The first season was like a long serial. It concerned a secret plot to detach California from Spain and the conspiracy was led by a man known as 'The Eagle'. Before the first season ended Zorro was constantly gumming up the mysterious Eagle's plans. Then eventually we were introduced to the Eagle and he was played by Charles Korvin. The last show of the first season was an exciting battle, maybe the best Zorro show ever produced.

Then the second season happened and Disney could really do nothing to top it. The show ran out of gas and Williams himself thought himself headed for big screen stardom. It got canceled.

Still I remember it fondly from childhood. Williams only confidante was his mute servant Bernardo played by Gene Sheldon whom he had pretend to be deaf as well, the better to hear things he ought. Later on Williams's father George J. Lewis playing Don Alejandro Dela Vega learned of his son Diego's masquerade. Lewis was one of many actors who also played Zorro on the big screen.

Williams had some real enemies to be sure, but he also had Henry Calvin as Sergeant Garcia. Calvin was a jolly klutz of a sergeant of the local Spanish troops in the small town of Los Angeles. Calvin had a running comedy act with his corporal Don Diamond as Corporal Reyes. The two were a riot together, Diamond performed the same function here as he did in F Troop as Crazy Cat to Frank DeKova's Chief Wild Eagle. Williams also used Sheldon to learn things and occasionally give disinformation to Calvin. Calvin and Sheldon were also a funny pair.

Thursday night on WABC New York was time for Zorro and in that first year to see how he would foil the dastardly Eagle's plans for an independent California. Those were the days.

Considering my age, I watched the series quite late. Having heard a lot about these series from my older sisters and friends, I decided to watch them all. I bought the whole series on DVD (total of 78 X 30 min and 4 X 60 min) in summer 2006 and watched the whole 83 hours in around a month.

Having watched 3 other Zorro versions, I do agree that Guy Williams version is the best along with the other two pivotal characters of Bernardo and Sgt Garcia being unique. Considering the fact that I am in 2006 and still enjoining these series, I tried to imagine how enjoyable these series were for the peoples of 50's!!!

What a guy he was! An incredible athlete. He was daring, romantic, and well-mannered even under stress. At times witty, and a bit mischievous in dealing with the villains. Women pined for him, and men wished they could be him. He had a clever way of making the criminals pay for their misdeeds. As I remember it was a show an entire family could watch with no apprehension. Good, clean fun for all. And the underlying moral, "Crime does not pay." At least it does not succeed if Zorro is around. There was always an intriguing plot and I remember many good laughs while watching this nimble hero foil the plans of the evil commandante. This was well written, and well acted TV entertainment at its best. I was almost 11 years old when this show first appeared on TV, but I remember the dashing hero as if it were yesterday. This is the Zorro that I will likely compare all others to. I must say that Antonio Banderas put an incredible amount of energy into the latest production of Zorro. I greatly enjoyed it and will watch for the sequel due out in 2005. Perhaps Antonio can get access to some of the original Guy Williams versions and raise the bar on his portrayal of the dashing, cunning hero dressed in black? I rate the Disney Zorro played by Guy Williams as 10/10

I remember I used to stay up until midnight to see this show on the Disney channel. It's wonderful. I thought Guy Williams was the most attractive guy in the world. Part of that made me stay with the show until it's end. I now own a bunch of the video tapes and sometimes watch them even today. None of the Zorro movies or shows could ever compare to this one. 11/10, if that's possible.

I watched the original Walt Disney's Zorro TV series when it first aired in the late 50s. I was in grade school, but I remember having a huge crush on Zorro and also wanting to be Zorro, as did most kids back then. We all ran around making Zs in the air or on things with sticks or toy swords.

I renewed my love of Zorro a couple of years ago when I read Isabel Allende's book, Zorro, It made me want more, so I started doing online searches until I found out I could buy the whole series if I joined the Disney Movie Club. I normally do not like to join those types of clubs but it seemed this was the only way I could get these DVDs which were colorized. I loved watching them, but the colorized DVDs are not as good quality as the black and white DVDs which recently came out as a WD Treasures. I bought those too and am enjoying watching this set even more than the colorized ones simply because the detail is so much better.

I usually watch a movie once and that is it. If it is a really "feel good" movie, I might watch it a couple of times, but for some reason, I can watch these 82 episodes of Zorro over and over. It takes a few weeks to watch them start to finish, then I just start over and watch them all again.

Disney did this right. Guy Williams is the best Zorro ever. I have seen most other Zorro films but I like Guy Williams best. Sgt. Garcia is also a great character whom you grow to love. The man who plays him, Henry Calvin was apparently an opera singer and once in a while we get to hear him sing. These TV episodes are full of action, humor, and some good story lines that sometimes take up to 13 episodes to get through them. The theme song is one of the catchiest ever. The music used for background is just perfect. Since the show is about California in the early 1800s under Spanish rule, it doesn't seem very dated even today. Whenever I watch an episode of Zorro, I want to watch another one. It always makes me feel good.

For the boomers who actually saw this in real time, this review is redundant. At the time of course we had no idea: 1. We were watching the most expensive TV show ever filmed in that era, each done in color because Disney could do it no other way 2. We were watching the original original original superhero source material, experts generally agree that the idea of a secret identity and masked hero started here. Ditto the "Batcave" motif and hidden passages 3. We were watching the start of the branding phenomenon. Today Disney Studios could not imagine doing a project without pre selling the toys and spinoffs. Then, the studio was shocked at how lucrative that market was. There were dozens of Zorro toys, all valuable today. Yes, there have been other Zorros but this the template. (We will not mention the versions with Sir Anthony Hopkins because the less said about them the better) These shows are over a half century old and hold up well. Check out THE LUCKIEST SWORDSMAN ALIVE episode, it is especially compelling.

One of the best shows I've seen in television.

Guy Williams is superb as Diego\Zorro and all the cast is wonderful ( Gene Sheldon, Henry Calvin, George L. Lewis, Britt Lommond, Jolene Brand).

One thing that upsets me is when people compare this Zorro to Antonio Banderas' Zorro. It's completely different. Guy Williams is playing Don Diego de la Vega and Antonio Banderas is playing Alejandro Murrieta. Two different characters. This series are very well written and the swordplay is fantastic. They used real swords because Walt Disney wanted realism into the scenes.

After episode 52 - "Amnesty for Zorro" the series goes into a different format. I enjoyed the stories ( specially the one with Diego's uncle, Estevan, played by Cesar Romero).

This is what I think. They should've done another 13 story arc in which Monastario (Britt Lommond) returned and Ana Maria (Jolene Brand) discovered Zorro's identity.

Zorro is one of my favorite shows ever. All in all, this is great and even today is fantastic. A show for all ages!

Zorro, premiered on ABC in 1957, and was a huge production. Each episode cost $80,000, at a time when TV show budgets hovered around $15,000. Walt Disney was directly involved in the development of the series, putting his best brains to work on Zorro. Although it only lasted three seasons, Zorro was a huge success, garnering great ratings and generally sizable profits from merchandising.

Walt Disney's great production and good taste explain why this Zorro series has continued to captivate generations for seventy years. In many parts of the world, Zorro was still shown in the early 2000s on free-to-air television. Zorro is a perfect blend of comedy, adventure and suspense for all ages.

Being a weekly show from the 1950s, obviously not everything on the show has aged that well. Some of Zorro's escape scenes are exciting, others a little lazy. Sargento Garcia is usually very funny and steals the show, but sometimes he overdoes the humor and becomes cartoonish. The way Don Diego talks to all the villains, without arousing suspicion, could be better worked on. Perhaps with more eavesdropping and less direct interaction between characters. Sometimes the series sacrifices script development for adventure and comedy.

Despite minor flaws, Disney's Zorro is a timeless classic. The reconstruction of 19th century Los Angeles and Monterey, sets, costumes, is fascinating. The stories remain compelling thanks to the consistent pace and believable script. The 30-minute duration of each episode made it easy to follow. Many of the episodes involve greed, ambitions and political conspiracies, which could occur anywhere. The political plotlines favored Disney's Zorro's sense of adventure, unlike other Zorro series that focused on romance. The fencing sequences are very well choreographed and the cast is excellent (in particular Guy Williams as Zorro, Gene Sheldon as Bernardo and Henry Calvin as Sargento Garcia).

Disney's Zorro remains the best adaptation of the masked hero and best swordsman series of all time. It's an extremely entertaining show, even in its weakest episodes.

An unmissable series for those who enjoy the genre.

Tyrone Power was fantastic as Zorro in 1940. And Guy Williams is excellent as this hero Zorro in this 1958 tv series made by Disney.

Don Diego return to California with mute friend Bernardo, but only to find out that California is ruled ruthlessly by Captain Monastario and his lawyer from Monterey. Monastario think Diego is a spineless weakly that don't dear to fight but he underestimated him because by night Diego is the hero Zorro who steal from the rich and give to the poor.

Very few series becomes classic but this series is e first classic series that will live forever 10/10.

Zorro: The fox so cunning and free! went the theme song. What a theme tune it was.

This was a Saturday morning staple when I was a kid. It was in black and white but we did not care.

It could be silly, the bad guys were inept, but this Mexican version of Robin Hood was great fun.

Zorro is a great swordsman who fights for justice, stands up for the poor. His alter ego, the rich kid, Diego masquerades as 'the most inept swordsman in all of California.' who is jealous of Zorro. Of course, we the audience are in on the joke.

Hokey but fun.

Now out as Seasons One and Two DVD Collector's Tin releases by Disney; both a limited series of 30,000. Each contains an individually numbered certificate of authenticity, a 7" x 4.5" black and white publicity still of the title character, a collectible pin, a booklet about the serial, and six disks. The first season release covers the first 39 black and white episodes (there were 78 total) of the series, originally broadcast by ABC during the 1957-58 television season. Also included are two (of four) 60 minute color episodes which were broadcast as part of "Walt Disney Presents" in the fall of 1960. Season Two contains all the remaining episodes.

Made in the style of old Saturday-matinée action-adventure serials; Disney began each episode with a rousing theme song about the adventures of Spanish California's most famous swordsman. Walt's success with Fess Parker's Davy Crockett miniseries paved the way for this relatively ambitious project.

Out of the night, When the full moon is bright, Comes the horseman known as Zorro. This bold renegade Carves a "Z" with his blade, A "Z" that stands for Zorro.

Zorro, Zorro, the fox so cunning and free, Zorro, Zorro, who makes the sign of the Z.

He is polite, But the wicked take flight When they catch the sight of Zorro. He's friend of the weak, And the poor and the meek, This very unique senor Zorro.

Zorro was a 1820's Mission California version of Robin Hood. Although fictional (first appearing in a 1919 five-part pulp magazine serial by Johnston McCulley) he bears a resemblance to Joaquin Murrieta, a semi-legendary outlaw who was either an infamous bandit or a Mexican patriot, depending on one's point of view.

Guy Williams plays young Don Diego, returned to California from several years of university study in Spain with his mute manservant Bernardo (Gene Sheldon) to live with his father Don Alejandro (George J. Lewis). His newly acquired foppish ways are a disappointment to his father. But playing the wimp is simply an act as he quickly becomes the new champion of the oppressed, donning the black outfit and mask of Zorro and carving a "Z" in places that embarrass the corrupt territorial officers and political appointees.

Bernardo and Sergeant Garcia (Henry Calvin) provide comic relief and would be paired a couple years later in Disney's "Toby Tyler". Disney sweetheart Annette Funicello joins the cast for some of the second season episodes.

The film Zorro dates back to Douglas Fairbanks (Sr.) in the silent "Mark of Zorro" (1920). After its initial episodes the Disney entry's format becomes more like the 12-episode Republic Pictures cliffhanger serial "Zorro's Fighting Legion" (1939). "Zorro" in total is a little choppy. While many of the episodes are pieces of multi-part tales with a new set of characters; others have no link to the established time-line and are largely independent of what has gone before and what will follow. So there is not the sense of progress that held other serials together. This is more apparent when viewing this collection in broadcast order; something that was not an issue when they were showed in syndication.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Guy Williams was the best Zorro in my opinion. Playing Don Diego as both foppish and intellectual allowed his character to be warm and sympathetic both in and out of the mask. And if you have ever watched any 60's TV show you'll notice that old set staple, Bryce Canyon, used for, I think, one of the first times on a television show. But just think, on Zorro it's not supposed to be yet another alien planet, but exactly what it is! A canyon outside of LA! That to me was always the cleverest thing about the show. The fact that it was filmed (sorta) near where it would have taken place if Don Diego had been real. I have to say though, I prefer the episodes in black and white. I think it looks weird when you see a bright blue sky in a "night" scene.

Zorro has long been a favourite of film goers! Ever since Douglas Fairbanks' l920 trail blazer, THE MARK OF ZORRO. This film adapted to the screen just a year after the character's introduction. That would be Johnston McCulley's story "The Curse of Capistrano", published in the Pulp Magazine, ALL-STORY.

After viewing the Fairbanks film, one can see how this Masked Avenger of Olde Spanish California was so successful. Very much like Edgar Rice Borrough's Tarzan, a veritable explosion of films with many different actors in the role over the years.

The Walt Disney Productions' Zorro Television Series came to fruition with all sorts of stated and implied comparisons to those who had traveled that route and given their interpretations to "The Fox". Most commonly heard was of that to Tyrone Power's performance in the 20th Century-Fox film, THE MARK OF ZORRO(1940). Tyrone Power was still active at the beginning of the ZORRO Series TV run. He would succumb to a heart attack, November 15, 1958, while filming the Biblical costumer, SOLOMON AND SHEBA (Edward Small Productions/UNITED ARTISTS Corporation 1959), in Spain. (Yul Brynner with full beard and hairpiece, replaced him on the production.) The other comparison was to my favourite actor to essay the part, and that is Reed Hadley in the REPUBLIC PICTURES Serial, ZORRO's FIGHTING LEGION (1939). Reed was still active and died in 1971.

These comparisons are okay up to a point, but only on the basis of the actors' portrayals. The film types are all different, one being a Feature Theatrical Film, one a Serial made for viewing in the movie houses on the installment/week to week method. And then we have the Walt Disney TV Series.* The TV series was action-filled, well written, pleasantly acted, well presented and as far as it went, Historically accurate, though strictly fictional

They gave us a Hero who had returned to Olde California suddenly. Having been summoned by his Father, Don Alejandro de la Vega(George J. Lewis), Don Diego relates the stories of troubles in California to his dumb servant, Bernardo.**

They formulate a plan whereby they will both put up a false facade for their public persona. Diego would feign being a soft, ineffectual and even sort of an effeminate weakling and intellectual. You know, an early 19th century California "Girlie Man." Bernardo added a pose of being deaf, as well as being unable to talk.

Then, for two full seasons we followed Zorro's swashbuckling deeds in fighting unjust government and the unknown, secret society of enemies led by the mysterious Aguila(Eagle).

They went through 77 half hour episodes before the series wound up and pitched for the last time. This was followed by 8 hour-long stories on Walt Disney's DISNEYLAND Show. The same cast members were employed and the use of guest stars was the order of the day. A few of Zorro's "Guest Starring" Performers were: Paul Picerni, Annette Funicello and Kent Taylor.

At the end of the day we're able to give this ZORRO Series an O.K. mark and a great mention as a weekly series. ***1/2(Stars, that is!)

* It isn't really to compare these renditions of the ZSorro legend as they were done in 3 different formats, two different media.

** I was surprised to see that the Speechless("Dumb")Servant, Bernardo was a character in the original Johnston McCulley stories.

For kids it might look a little bit childish. It is the colorized version of an older black and white series and the definition of the image is rather poor. It has not been remastered at that level so at times the picture is blurred and it was shot in such conditions so that cast panoramic views are not very good except if it is to show an empty landscape and fast movements always seem to be magical, some kind of sliding or slipping on the screen.

But it is fine for close-up shots and narrow scenes like a room or a yard.

The story is of course simple, very simple, though there is some truth behind it when California was coveted and lusted after by so many people like the Russians and the Americans. But the plot is really simple- minded with one man and a bunch of gunslingers who try to capture California by capturing Los Angeles which is at the time a pueblo with maybe a couple of hundred inhabitants, most of them Indians. But luckily the one-man show of and the single-handed treatment of problems by Zorro will manage to get all the culprits killed or imprisoned.

Now if you are nostalgic about the character you will like him very much. He is up to his reputation and very swift and smart and his deaf and dumb servant is even better. The sergeant is enormously sympathetic, wine swift and food clever. The rest of the time he is sleeping or doing little though he knows he will get the credit for a lot since Zorro being an outlaw he cannot claim credit for what he does.

I find it yet maybe too colorful to really make me nostalgic of the original in black and white. In fact it has become very funny and it made me laugh a lot, especially with the great number of flower pots and other pottery artifacts that end up on the heads of some bandits or disruptive individuals. After all the bragging that is behind this tale is probably typically Californian since we know California has the best soil in the world and produces the biggest tomatoes in the whole universe.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

One of those great wonders of long gone times - simple action, a good shot of humor, a solid production and fine actors having fun. Zorro is still a fine show to watch and will give you a fine trip back in time. Nostalgia deluxe.

One of the most interesting of all!............................

I remember watching this series when I was a kid and was 100% of the time in awe.

I always thought to myself, who is this man, how can he be so tall, superb, handsome and talk like honey so much that not only young women fell for him but a whole audience were under his spell.

When he put his mask, cape and Zorro outfit, I took my red cape too, put it on, attached my plastic sword to my belt and run around the house so fast and wild that my mom was always terrified that I would bump hard on some furniture or wall around.

His fighting skills with his sword, his dexterity and movements were out of this world. To this day, I saw no one handle the sword in such sublime and perfect way as him.

Thank you Mr. Williams for coloring my childhood days. Each episode of Zorro with you in it was for me as blissful and shiny as the sun.

May you rest in peace till eternity...

Disney tries his hand at the television market for a second time with "Zorro," the 1957 television series that everyone likes so much!!!!! Of course, I won't spoil the story for you, so let us cut right to the chase:

What I like about this show: This is good Disney; no same old stuff the New Disney Channel shows have! I miss this show ever since this left the Disney Channel a few years back for restructuring. Heck, even late night talk show host David Letterman liked the show, too, as evidence by the following things:

"Is 'Zorro' on????? Are you cookin' beans????? WHAT TIME IS IT?????"

Top Ten Signs There's Trouble At The New York Times

7. TV listings only for "Zorro"

Top Ten Surprises in George W. Bush's Speech

3. Appealed to Zorro for help

Top Ten Things Overheard During George W. Bush's Trip To Cancun

6. "When do I get to meet Zorro?"

Top Ten Questions Received By The Toro Snow Blower Hotline

4. "Toro? Oh, I'm sorry. I was trying to call Zorro?"

Top Ten Questions On The Zorro Application

10. Spell "Z".

9. When was the last time you buckled your swash?

8. Do you have a problem with "mask rash"?

7. Do you mind being shot at with guns while all you've got is a plastic sword?

6. Can you say the phrase "gay blade" without giggling?

5. Have you ever been fired from Taco Bell?

4. Can you work weekends?

3. Would you be willing to spend the first two years of your job as an assistant Zorro?

2. What's your favorite color--'cause if it ain't black, then, amigo, you're screwed!

1. What were your Z.A.T. scores?

Top Ten Pet Peeves of Interns at the Late Show

10. Dave goes crazy if you don't call him "Zorro."

10/10

Loved this series... I grew up watching this on Italian Tv .. Never got bored...

Perfect mix of action, comedy, history, thriller. All in one perfect package.

I wish I could have the entire collection... unfortunately cant find it in my country.

"Zorro" was a character created in the image of others of the 19th century who had worn a disguise, played a dual role, championed justice for people against those who would deprive them of it or rob them through excessive taxes and deny them justice under courts. Johnston McCulley's character returned home in 1820, after attending a university in Spain, to find the land being ruled by a tyrannical commandante. Instead of committing suicide through a premature rebellion, Don Diego instead masquerades as a foppish coward by day--like the Scarlet Pimpernel--and by night becomes El Zorro, the black-clad fox. He is no altruist; his purpose is to steal back what the tyrant's soldiers have stolen, to save those condemned falsely and to instill a spirit of revolution against their oppressor in his people. McCulley apparently liked the television version much better than the film that had starred Tyrone Power; I too prefer it to that film as author and actor, and to the later versions. Producer Norman Foster and Walt Disney labored to make the production, albeit an adventure series, a quality offering, much as the British "Robin Hood" of Hannah Weinstein became a classic for the same reasons. As Diego de la Vega, Guy Williams, actually Hispanic, was a charismatic, attractive and capable "B" leading man in the role of a lifetime; he had the capability of playing comedy as well as drama and was made to seem a superb fencer. Henry Calvin played the slow-witted but practical Sergeant Garcia, Gene Sheldon was his mute servant and helper Bernardo, who also played the banjo. George J. Lewis, also Hispanic, was attractive as Don Alejandro, Diego's father; the part of Captain Monastario was played with some power by Britt Lomond; many other semi-regulars populated the series including Don Diamond, Jan Arvan, Jolene Brand, Nestor Paiva, Romney Brent, John Litel, Vinton Hayworth, Eduard Franz and Eugenia Paul. Others often seen in the series included regular guests Suzanne Lloyd Charles Korvin, Carlos Romero, Jay Novello and Michael Pate. Directors for the series included Charles Lamont, Harmon Jones, William Witney, John Meredyth Lucas, Norman Foster, Lewis R. Foster, Hollingsworth Morse, Charles Barton and Robert Stevenson. Among sixteen writers who contributed to the series' several; formats were Gene L. Coon, Roy Edward Disney, Anthony Ellis, Jackson Gillis, Lewis R. Foster, Norman Foster and N. B. Stone, Jr. George Avil supplied good B/W cinematography; Production Designer was Marvin Aubrey Davis aided by Set Decoratos Hal Gausman and Emile Kuri; Chuck Keehne supplied the attractive period costumes. Fred Cavens performed the vital job of fencing master. The theme song became as famous as the series did. This same show might have been done as drama; but as an adventure with sincerity, emotional honesty and good production values, it would be hard to better. The series appeared only from 1957 to 1959.

I was born and raised in Southern California, where this show was supposed to have taken place (long before the white man, like myself, showed up and ruined everything!). Many of my friends were of Hispanic origin, and a few of them taught me to speak Spsnish. That gave me a bit more of an appreciation for "Zorro" than much of its white audience, even though all the dialogue was in English. This Walt Disney Production is one of the best things ever to come out of the Walt Disney Studios. The writing was always at least good (and often GREAT!), the acting was superb (and if you were a fan of "F TROOP on ABC-TV in the 1960s, you may not believe this, but "Crazy Cat" of the Hekawi Indian Tribe was the same actor who played Corporal Reyes on Zorro - Don Diamond!). The Directors of this show were all terrific, as they ALL knew how to keep you in suspense when it was called for. There was always lots of action, and that "Bold Renegade Marked A "Z" With His Blade - A "Z" that Stood For ZORRO!" You could count on THAT! It was one of the first TV shows with Movie-Style Production Value. And can you believe that Zorro himself went on to get "Lost In Space"?

This series is an extraordinary example of the best television in history: a magnificent story, a superb cast, impeccable production, great music, stupendous recreation and a hero who, smiling, establishes with his graceful figure the triumph of good over evil. It doesn't have any flaws. History is respected and it is important that when a legend is captured on the screen, everything is credible, acceptable, credible. This series achieves that and much more. Being the protagonist himself an expert swordsman (like many secondary ones) the great art behind this immortal work that in the light of the years is unsurpassed is fully admired.

One might say this is quite possibly the most entertaining TV show ever created. "Zorro" has a rare combination of action, adventure, suspense, music, and even comedy. Though Guy Williams is only one of many men who have donned the mask of Zorro, he is considered by many, including me, to be the one true Zorro. Williams, though the true highlight of the show, was just part of a great cast. Gene Sheldon is a convincing "deaf" mute and we can always rely on Sergeant Garcia (Henry Calvin) for a few laughs. This show also is unique because even though it holds enough action and plot for adults, it is still mild enough for even very young children to watch and enjoy.

When "Zorro" originally aired on ABC from 1957-1959, it was a smash hit, knocking 5 of the 7 shows airing at the same time off the air. Unfortunately, due to legal problems with the rights of the show, only two full seasons of the show and four one-hour episodes were completed. But, on the bright side, "Zorro" can still be seen nightly on the Disney Channel.

It is 1820 and a ship approaches the coast of Spanish California with young Don Diego de la Vega returning to his father's hacienda in the pueblo of Los Angeles. Recalled home after 3 years at University in Spain, Diego learns from the Capitan that the trouble his father hinted at in his letters is due to the political oppression of the new Commandante, Capitan Monastario. Realizing that he cannot hope to fight the soldiers as himself, Diego decides that "if one cannot wear the skin of the lion, put on that of the fox." By day he will appear to be a lazy, bookish, pacifist dandy. By night he will don the black clothes, a cape, and a mask and become the "Friend of the People", El Zorro, the Fox.

Although "Zorro" aired in the early days of television in B&W, it retains a fresh, modern quality, especially in the colorized version. In one half-hour show we get plot, action, comedy, drama, music, and even Spanish dancing. Everything was done under the guidance of Walt Disney and director Norman Foster with attention to detail, high production values, and Spanish flavor. The cast was wonderful, especially Henry Calvin as Sgt. Garcia, Gene Sheldon as the "deaf"-mute servant, Bernardo, George L. Lewis as Don Alejandro, Don Diamond as Cpl. Reyes, and co-star Britt Lomond as the evil Capitan Monastario. The author and inventor of Zorro, Johnston McCulley felt that the pages of his books had come to life in this show. Guy Williams, in the dual role of Diego/Zorro will never be surpassed as either. He remains for a generation of Babyboomers the real Zorro.

"Zorro" airs nightly on the Disney Channel. The 78 episodes are shown alternately all in B&W and then again in the colorized version. Even today it remains my favorite program on television.