Guy Williams Saves the Day as Zorro!

If I were to compile a list of my favorite TV dads, John Robinson of Lost in Space would be high on my list. He was strong, brave, understanding and he did all he could to raise his children right. Manners are important, even if there is a two-headed swamp monster headed for the ship, you don’t interrupt mommy and daddy when they’re talking.

When it came to playing John Robinson,  the fatherly part was new for actor Guy Williams, but the strong and brave part was a no brainer as he had spent two years portraying that swashbuckling, western hero, Zorro!

This past Tuesday (November 3, 2009) Walt Disney Home Entertainment released all 78 episodes of  Zorro on two Walt Disney Treasures DVDs.

The Walt Disney Treasures releases are truly something special. They come in unusual numbered tin cases and in this case, they each come with a collectible Zorro pin and a photo postcard. These black tins with gold lettering are a fitting homage to one of the most popular TV shows of the 1950’s.

In Zorro, Guy Williams played Don Diego de la Vega, a playboy by day he fought corruption by night, garbed in black, with a mask, a cape and a rapier as his choice of weapon. Zorro was full of action from chase scenes on horseback to exciting sword fights. It also had original Disney music and some terrific guest stars such as Mousekteer Annette Funicello and future Batman villain Cesar Romero. It was a terrific series that launched a cultural icon which would be copied and remade dozens of times in the movies and on TV.

Like all great Disney DVD’s, this one has some very rare goodies. In addition to the complete first and second season, you get several Zorro specials that aired on the Disneyland TV show in 1960.

On the Second Season DVD,  Leonard Maltin and Guy Williams Jr. take you on a tour through the Disney archives and give you a detailed look at the original Zorro costumes and licensed merchandise. Zorro playsets, wallets, rings, even roller skates! And for only .59 cents you could own your own Zorro mask and whip.  I am a huge collector of licensed TV Toys (I even wrote a book about them), so this is my favorite feature on the DVD.  There’s also a collection of rare behind the scenes photos including one of Guy Jr. himself dressed as Zorro. Very sweet. Guy shares his memories of his dad and tells a great story about a special surprise he received from Walt Disney himself.

Guy Williams fans will really enjoy the “Behind the Mask” featurette. Here, co-stars and friends talk about Guy and how he came to the role of Zorro. There are fun stories about how he developed that truly awful accent and how he handled the large number of stunts on the show. The best quote comes from one of his female co-stars who had this to say about Guy, “he was a Latin gentleman with a wicked sense of humor who made women feel extremely feminine.” Funny, one could use that same phrase to describe Zorro himself.

One of the rarest treats on this DVD is a home movie clip of Guy Williams playing Zorro in front of the fans at Disneyland. He rides in on horseback, waving to the crowd, then has a sword fight on the top deck of the showboat. It’s a short piece with no sound, but I’m so glad they included it.

All of that is only one DVD set. There are even more surprises on the other!

The Walt Disney Treasures Zorro collection is more than a DVD. It really is a collectible, from the packaging to the extras, to the care that was put in to remastering these old TV shows and presentation of the special features. It’s a must have for Disney fans, Guy Williams fans and anyone who loves a good superhero — it’s Zorro!

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Home Entertainment