Q : I’m on the board of the Cornville Historical Society in Cornville, Arizona. We have heard from several residents that Sancho, the Homing Steer (it aired January 21 and January 28, 1962) was filmed using scenery from Sheepshead Crossing in Cornville. We are trying to verify these stories so that we can actually record a tie to Disney in our local history records. Any chance you could shed some light on this?
Janet, Cornville, Arizona
A: The Archives does not have complete production files on Sancho, the Homing Steer, but I refer you to William R. Koehler’s book, The Wonderful World of Disney Animals (1979), in which there is a chapter on that television show. Besides Koehler, the other animal trainer was Al Niemela.
Q : I have been trying to locate a movie for some time now that I remember seeing either on Disney Channel or Walt Disney Presents. It has Tommy Kirk and Annette Funicello. They were in Florence or Rome, and the title was something along the lines of Escapade or Escape to either Florence or Rome. I know it dealt with art. I would love to know where or if I can buy a copy of this film. Tommy Kirk is one of my favorite Disney actors.
Jason, Edmond, Oklahoma
A: Escapade in Florence was the television movie, aired in two parts, in 1962. It has never been released on DVD.
Q : I remember watching a show when I was little. It had a little spotted animal with a long tail, and he was always around a monkey in a pink T-shirt. What was the name of this cartoon? Where has it gone? I haven’t even seen it anymore. Has it been discontinued? If so, when?
Austin, Ogden, Utah
A: You are thinking of Marsupilami, whose friend was Maurice, a gorilla. Maurice was indeed in a pink T-shirt. The animated shows aired back in 1993-’94. There were only 13 episodes—and were based on a European comic book character from the 1960s.
Q : I have what looks like an original watercolor painting. It is from a made-for-TV movie Disney made about 1977 called Harness Fever, I think. In the bottom-right-hand corner of the painting is written in pencil “Harness Fever” and “Prod. 3752.” Do you know who would have been the artist, or anything else about it?
Bill, Veneta, Oregon
A: This film was also known as Born to Run, which was its TV title in the U.S. when it aired in 1979. It had been released theatrically in Australia and the U.K. as Harness Fever in 1977. We do not know who would have painted your artwork, but the film was produced in Australia, with David Copping credited as its art director.