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 fictionalThey 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.

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.

"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.

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.