Ramon Castillo, an old enemy of Don Diego's, arrives from Spain and tries to steal the army payroll from Sgt. Garcia. Though thwarted by Zorro, he recognizes the fencing style as Diego's and tries to convince Sgt. Garcia that Diego is Zorro. It is only with great difficulty - and Bernardo's help - that Zorro manages to decisively beat Castillo in a swordfight while Diego appears to be safely locked up in a jail cell.
In 1919, a novelist named Johnston McCulley wrote a book entitled The Curse of Capistrano, which starred a fantastic swordsman named Zorro. McCulley had no idea what a phenomenon he had created. Zorro, a.k.a. Don Diego de le Vega (Originally known as Don Diego Vega) was a masked hero, fighting… More tyranny in Spanish California. In "The Mark of Zorro" starring Douglas Fairbanks (1920), and later a remake starring Tyrone Power, Zorro proved that he was not limited to novels. Actually, he and the screen were made for each other. Yet Zorro had yet to reach his peak. The character became a true classic when Walt Disney created a television series, starring Guy Williams as Don Diego/Zorro. This version was quite different from the novels. For starters, he was de le Vega instead of Vega. And more importantly, in the book Diego was a great swordsman and everyone knew it! Instead, Diego was cruel and hateful towards the lower classes, making so no one would ever suspect he was Zorro. Walt Disney changed that, and made several other changes as well, creating the Zorro we all know and love. But, after disputes between Disney and ABC, Zorro was cancelled forever, with the exception of a few hour long episodes of "Disneyland" which later became known as "The Wonderful World of Disney." With reruns, and of course The Disney Channel, Zorro was able to ignite another spark of adventure in the hearts of viewers everywhere, young and old. But, with "Vault Disney" having been taken off the air, it seems that again networks have done what Garcia could not, and that is cause Zorro to end his mascarade. But who knows, maybe someday Zorro will get his chance again to ride against tyranny, fighting soldiers and evil-doers for yet another generation. The Zorro theme song used throughout the series was written by Norman Foster (words) and George Bruns (music).
Seasons One and Two are available thru the Disney Movie Club
To me it has to be Guy Williams in the 1957-59 Disney show. But my second favorite is Antonio Banderas!!!
Well I just thought I'd pop in and say hello. I used to watch Zorro occasionally when I was little and I loved it. Only I haven't seen it for a while. Anyway hiya to all the really quiet people who aren't posting in here very much at all! Hiya Kas! Now there's two topics! :lol: How come you locked… More the first one?
My All-Time TV Favorite hide show
I've been a fan of this show since it first came out. I was a kid. I had to watch it again when it came out on DVD, and was not disappointed. It has not only held up beautifully for more than 50 years (has it really been that long?), but remains the best-loved TV show of my life. It was a jewel in Disney's crown, and gave us some unforgettable Disney characters to cherish. There have been plenty of Zorros, and a lot of them have been good, but Disney's magic touch gave us the best.
I simply love this show hide show
Saying this is a classic is an understatement. It's a very strong emotional attachment I have to this show, hard to put into words. I think I was 7 the first time I watched it... now I'm 28 and I still try to catch the re runs everytime I can. Zorro had everything you need: an extremely handsome hero, sword fights, lots of comedy, tyrannical baddies, indians, pretty helpless women, pretty evil women... all of which made an awesome combo.
Sometimes I feel it's a bit overrated, but maybe that's only because not so many people have watched it. I adore this show and I highly recommend it.
Probably the best Zorro! hide show
"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.
Great Show. I Can't wait for it to come to region 1 DVD. hide show
I used to stay up way past my bedtime because this was on at 12:00 on vault Disney. My mother used to watch this show when she was younger and I am glad I got a chance too. The show was a little corny, but it was still nice. Guy Williams was the right person to portray Zorro/Diego and the story lines were good. It was funny that Diego pretended that he did not know sword fighting so people would not think that he was Zorro. I loved that Annette from the Mickey Mouse Club came on for some of the episodes. I enjoyed this show and if it ever comes to Region 1 DVD(it is on DVD in France already)I think people should buy or rent it.
My Zorro! Along with Tyrone Power and Frank Langella this was Zorro to me. We even had Zorro iceblocks that I spent all my weeks pocket money on. My mother making me take them back! I had a Zorro had and sword. The sword oddly enough was a broadsword not a sabre for fencing... Is this the only place Zorro's horse was referred to as Toranado and not Tornado?
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