REVIEWED BY DAN STUMPF:         


ZORRO. ABC/Walt Disney Productions, 1957-1959 (30min), 1960-61 (four 60min episodes). Guy Williams (Don Diego de la Vega), Gene Sheldon (Bernardo), Henry Calvin (Sgt. Demetrio Lopez Garcia), Don Diamond (Corp. Reyes), George J. Lewis (Don Alejandro de la Vega).

   A short while back someone opined to me that Guy Williams was probably the best Zorro and I carped a bit, since I really prefer Tyrone Power’s film version of Don Diego. Since then, however, I’ve gotten hooked on old Zorro reruns on the Disney Channel, and I have to say I gave the show short shrift.

   I loved this program as a kid, and now it’s even better than I remember. I note from the credits that Fred Cavens — who did on all the best MGM swordflght movies, like Scaramouche and Prisoner of Zenda — worked as fencing master on the series, and it shows in Williams’ (or his stuntman’s) stylish swordplay and well-choreographed bits of business. The sets are lavish for a TV show, with plenty of extras and horses, the acting passable (Henry Calvin does some delightful mime) and the stories…

   I never realized as a kid that most episodes of this program were designed like a Serial, with Zorro each week thwarting some element of the Evil Villain’s Master Plan until the two finally work up to a showdown. This may seem like a small thing, but when you’re doing a half-hour action story, it saves time not having to establish characters and situations each week. The directors even include Bill Witney, who did the best of the Republic serials, and Norman Foster from the Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto movie series.

   Some intelligent writing also came to the fore as Sergeant Garcia quickly evolved from a pure buffoon to a slightly better developed character, and even got a comic foil of his own in the weary Corporal Reyes, played with languid gusto by someone named Don Diamond. Which reminds me:

   Another thing I never realized until I began watching this is that Donald is a common Spanish name. Yeah, really. Seems like half the characters are called Don Something or Don Other.

   Hey, was Don Ameche Spanish?