Monday, March 2, 2009

LIFE Magazine meets ZORRO at Disneyland in 1958



LIFE Magazine photographers were not only at Disneyland during special events, they have also shoot a series of pictures with Guy Williams - legendary actor who played ZORRO - in 1958 at Disneyland, Anaheim. Let's have a look at these rare Allan Grant pictures.

Here is Guy Williams arriving in Frontierland for the Zorro show.



Guy Williams as Zorro leaping from a roof during the show. This remembers me that we had a Zorro show at Disneyland Paris at the opening of the park, unfortunately canceled since then.



We must remember how good swashbuckler Guy Williams was. I think the other guy is the actor who played the Monasterio character in the first season, isn't it?



After the show, Guy Williams signed autographs for his (young) fans at Disneyland.



Now, LIFE photographers shoot Guy Williams also on the ZORRO TV series set! Here are some pictures, beginning by the one at the top of this article. Below, Guy Williams on the set of the TV series, on a white horse - not "Tornado" who had a black colour, if i remember well...



Actor Guy Williams practicing swordplay on the set for his role as Zorro.



Guy Williams acting in the TV show, against Sgt Garcia and another soldier.




Always on the set, with a lovely waitress.



This last picture doesn't show Williams and was not shoot at Disneyland, but it's a very rare picture of Zorro's creator, author Johston McCulley, helping neighborhood fans to imitate their hero!



All pictures: copyright LIFE Magazine

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Very interesting, thanks!
I searched on youtube for a video of the show, but the only thing I found was this little thing from Disneyland's 4th anniversary with Walt Disney himself and his Mouseketeers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb6CiN4XzN0