Son of Flubber first bounced into movie theaters on this day in 1963, the high-flying sequel to 1961’s The Absent-Minded Professor. Based on the short story “A Situation of Gravity” by Samuel W. Taylor, the film follows the further adventures of Professor Ned Brainard (Fred MacMurray) of Medfield College and his flying rubber, “Flubber!” This …
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“Around the lonely campfire, when the wolves begin to call, the writers tell the story of the bravest wolf of all. The king of all the hunters, born to lead the rest, his name became a legend across the great southwest.” Well, partner, those lyrics to the title song of The Legend of Lobo, released …
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Something fishy happened on this day in 1962, when part one of Sammy, the Way-Out Seal made its debut on Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color television series. Sammy, the Way-Out Seal tells the tale of two brothers who decide to “harbor” an injured seal they find on vacation, only to learn the valuable lesson …
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On this day in 1962, theaters filled with glee when Almost Angels was released. The film tells the story of Toni Fiala (Vincent Winter), an Austrian boy who joins the Vienna Boys Choir, where he proves to be unusually talented. He dreams of being accepted by the choirboys, but to succeed, Toni must contend with …
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On this day in 1962, things were really swinging at Disneyland when the “Cavalcade of Big Bands” struck up the bands for the first time. For each night, seven nights a week, the original Magic Kingdom would feature the biggest of the big-name big bands, all hired by Disneyland talent booker Sonny Anderson. The big …
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When Harry Willard (Fred MacMurray) packs up his wife (Jane Wyman) and kids to set sail on a long-awaited “dream” vacation in romantic France, he and the family encounter some unforeseen adventures in Bon Voyage, which journeyed into theaters on this day in 1962. There’s plenty of amore in store for the Willard family, both …
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After a short monorail ride from the Disneyland Hotel, TV viewers arrive at the Magic Kingdom and are greeted by Walt Disney, right around sundown when the lights come on. “It seems like a new kind of magic takes over in Disneyland after dark,” was the way Walt described it in “Disneyland After Dark,” an …
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If you were a teen in Southern California during the 1960s, then Disneyland’s Spring Fling was the place to be. Young gals sporting bouffant hairstyles and peasant skirts and guys with polyester pant suits and thick turtlenecks danced the night away at Disneyland’s see-and-be-seen hot spots. It was not too uncommon that a celebrity performer, …
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On this day in 1961, thousands of people were invited to the Walt Disney Studios for a big party, but not literally, it was all through the magic of television. In “Backstage Party,” an episode of Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, your virtual tour began at the entrance of the studio in Burbank, where …
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On this day in 1961, audiences first got a glimpse into Toyland, that “dear little girl and boy land,” with the release of Babes in Toyland, Disney’s first live-action musical fantasy. The film starred Annette Funicello as Mary Contrary and Tommy Sands as her sweetheart, Tom Piper. As the two are about to be married, …
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