Q : I fondly remember the episodes of Gallegher the newspaper boy and have often wished I could purchase copies of all the episodes made. How would I get my hands on this treasure? (How much would it cost me, and who would I need to bribe? lol!) Is there any chance that my dreams will come true one day, and I will find myself watching Gallegher again?
Andrew, Centralia, Washington
A: Gallegher has never been released on DVD or VHS. Three of the Swamp Fox episodes were on the Walt Disney Treasures DVD set Elfego Baca, The Swamp Fox – Legendary Heroes.
Q : Here’s a challenge for you. I’m 62 now, but as a young boy in the ‘50s, we watched Disney every Sunday night like most American families. I remember one program in particular, The Legend of Andy Burnett. He was a pioneer like Davy Crockett—another Disney favorite. I seem to remember he died, or was killed at the end of the show (killing any chance of a sequel also). Unlike most Disney programs, I don’t think this program was ever aired again. Any chance of finding a DVD or viewing the show somewhere?
Carl, Broughton, Ohio
A: That was The Saga of Andy Burnett, which aired in six parts in 1957–58. It has not been released on DVD. By the way, Andy (played by Jerome Courtland) was not killed in the final episode; it was one of his fellow mountain men, Jack Kelly (portrayed by Andrew Duggan).
Q : I would like to research a brief-lived series called Boys of the Western Sea. Does a copy of the film or the original script still exist? Where would I have to go to view it if it does? My impression is that the original version exists in Norwegian.
Richard, Trenton, New Jersey
A: Boys of the Western Sea was an eight-episode series that aired on the Mickey Mouse Club television show in the 1956–57 season. It was a Norwegian film, and some of the Mouseketeers helped dub the Norwegian dialogue into English. I know of no place where this film is available for purchase.
Q : Disney Channel did a special with Ringo Starr called Ringo Starr Coming Home where Ringo takes you on a tour of his home city of Liverpool, England. Has this or will this ever be released on DVD, as I would love to see this program.
Robert, Clermont, Florida
A: The title is actually Ringo Starr: Going Home, and it aired on Disney Channel in 1993. It has not been released on DVD. Going Home was actually a series of specials on Disney Channel, including Ashford and Simpson: Going Home, Boyz II Men: Going Home, and Travis Tritt: Going Home. Paul McCartney: Going Home and Gloria Estefan: Going Home both won the Cable ACE award for best musical show.
Q : Many years ago, Mr. Walt Disney hosted The Wonderful World of Disney, every week on TV. One week it might be showing about Johnny Shiloh, the next week, Charlie the cougar. One week it was about a native Indian boy and the legend of the bald eagle. Mr. Dave, can you tell me what the name of that show was called? It had something to do with getting an eagle’s feather and bravery!
James, Tyler, Texas
A: The featurette is The Legend of the Boy and the Eagle. It was first released in theaters in 1967, then shown on our television show in 1968.
Q : I recently came across a movie poster for The Golden Horseshoe Revue online. I’m familiar with the episode of The Wonderful World Of Color from the Walt Disney Treasures DVDs and when I couldn’t find any info about a theatrical release in the A to Z encyclopedia, I tried looking it up on IMDb.com. It didn’t have a theatrical release listed, but the trivia page for the TV episode said it was edited down and released with The Monkey’s Uncle. The movie poster has a copyright date of 1964, and I wondered if it was actually released with The Monkey’s Uncle or The Misadventures of Merlin Jones. If there’s any more information you can provide, it would be greatly appreciated.
Braden, Idaho Falls, Idaho
A: The television show was released theatrically in England in August 1963, only in London’s West End, with Miracle of the White Stallions. In the U.S., it got a theatrical release with a reissue of So Dear to My Heart in September 1964.