Q : I believe that on The Wonderful World of Disney (back in the 1980s), there was a movie where two boys find a biplane in a barn at an auction, an older gentleman teaches them to fly, and they take off into to the skies. Can you tell me the name of the movie and if it is available anywhere?
Greg, Macy, Indiana
A: You may be thinking of the three-hour television movie Sky High (1990), starring Damon Martin, Anthony Rapp, and James Whitmore. There was a similar 1975 TV show entitled The Sky’s the Limit, about a boy and his grandfather fixing up and flying an ancient airplane. The grandfather and grandson were played by Pat O’Brien and Ike Eisenmann.
Q : I am trying to get confirmation as to which show was the first to run on Disney Channel on April 18, 1983. I know both Good Morning Mickey and Welcome to Pooh Corner ran that morning, but unsure which show actually owns the title, “first show run on the Disney Channel.”
Kim, Natick, Massachusetts
A: According to the premiere issue of the Disney Channel Magazine, the very first show to air was Good Morning Mickey, followed by Mousercise, Welcome to Pooh Corner, and You and Me, Kid, in that order.
Q : Why, oh why, can’t I find a listing for an animated feature called (I think) The History of Cats? I seem to remember seeing it first in the 1970s, though it may have been produced earlier. I have tried and tried to find/acquire a copy, and it appears to have vanished into thin air! Do you know the item?
Maureen, Tampa, Florida
A: You may be thinking of an hour-long 1956 Disney television show entitled The Great Cat Family; there was also a comic book of the same title. It relates in animation the history of cats from the days of the Egyptians to the present day, and explains how cats have been used in Disney films. An excerpt from the show appears on the 2008 Special Edition DVD of The Aristocats.
Q : How long have the Christmas parade specials at the parks been televised? My favorite was when Animal Kingdom was featured. There were many years when I wasn’t able to see them. Will they be released on DVD someday, with or without the guest artists’ performances… perhaps highlights?
Leslie, Las Vegas, Nevada
A: The Florida parade, then titled Walt Disney World’s Very Merry Christmas Parade, debuted on ABC in 1983, with Joan Lunden and Mike Douglas as hosts. It has appeared most years since that time, with the exception of 2000. Segments from the Disneyland Christmas parade have often been included on the show, which is now known as the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. There are no plans for releasing the early parade telecasts on DVD.
Q : Whatever happened to the Wonderful World of Color television series that was hosted by Walt Disney and shown on Sunday nights?
Kevin, La Habra, California
A: The show ran for 29 straight seasons, with several different titles, and on all three networks. It had debuted as Disneyland on ABC in 1954, and ended as Walt Disney on CBS in 1983. After some gaps, there were some similar shows up until the mid-2000s. All of the shows are maintained in the Disney Film Library; a number of the programs were released on VHS in years past, and perhaps someday they will be released again.
Q : Around 1984-86 on Disney Channel, there was a Winnie the Pooh show that was not animated. The characters were in animal suits and acted out the half-hour story. My daughters loved the show because they thought it was real versus the animated show. I have been unable to find any copies or old videos of this show anywhere. Can you help?
Robin, Sterling, Virginia
A: This show is Welcome to Pooh Corner, which aired on Disney Channel beginning in 1983. It has never been released on DVD, but it was on six volumes of VHS tapes available from 1984-1986. As I write this, some of the tapes are available on eBay.
Q : I recently discovered that Paul and Linda McCartney hosted an episode of Disney Time in the UK on Boxing Day 1973. Can you tell me anything about this series and episode? Can it be seen anywhere?
Sharon, Glendale, California
A: Disney Time was a series of holiday TV specials produced in England, with guest hosts presenting clips from Disney films. It began with a Christmas show in 1964. Most of the hosts were from British television shows for kids. But there were also internationally-known celebrities; besides Paul and Linda McCartney doing the Boxing Day show in 1973, other prominent hosts included Peter Ustinov, Bing Crosby, Shari Lewis, and Cliff Richard. The shows are not available for viewing.