Sandy in Disneyland, which aired on this day in 1974, is a classic of the variety TV genre, which typically featured a star-studded cast singing, dancing, and generally doing things they had never done before on TV or the big screen—with often unintentionally hilarious results. For this special, Sandy Duncan, an acclaimed Broadway musical performer best known at the time for playing Peter Pan on stage, hosted a one-hour special on CBS (though Disney specials were usually found on NBC).
Among the guest stars were Academy Award®-winning actor Ernest Borgnine, The Jackson 5, The Mary Tyler Moore Show‘s Ted Knight, and more. Highlights included Sandy singing with Borgnine as they paddle their way through the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, the Jackson 5 singing a Gilbert & Sullivan parody before moving on to a pre-recorded medley of hit singles and Sandy and Ted taking a ride on The Jungle Cruise, cracking corny jokes that would make a Cast Member roll his or her eyes! But it’s all part of the “wacky” fun that is the hallmark of classic ’70s variety shows.
In addition to The Million Dollar Duck (1971), Sandy went on to star in such Disney classics as The Fox and the Hound (1981) and The Cat from Outer Space.
