Walt Disney Television

The original incarnation of Walt Disney Television was the name of the American television production division of The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Television's television productions were broadcast, mostly on Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, and ABC. Today, the majority of the 'old' Walt Disney Television's productions are animated series which are produced through Walt Disney Television Inc. (simply known as 'New' Walt Disney Television or just Disney Television). The last known live-action series produced by Walt Disney Television was Smart Guy which ran for three seasons from 1997 to 1999 on the now-defunct WB Television Network. It was succeeded in purpose by It's a Laugh Productions. Background While initially not interest in television back in the 1930s, Walt Disney changed his mind seeing television at least as a promotional tool. Most studios were generating revenue by selling off their permanent television rights to their films made before 1948, while Disney held on to the company's film rights. Thus Walt Disney Productions was the first of the film industry, which saw television as an adversary, to enter the television production field. Walt Disney Productions did an hour-long special on Christmas Day 1950 for NBC then in 1951 for CBS. The specials used Disney film clips, short films and promoted the upcoming Alice in Wonderland theatrical film. Both specials had excellent ratings. The networks pursued Disney to do a full series for them. Disney used this interest in a series to request funding for Disneyland, which the newly merged American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres did for its American Broadcasting Company (ABC) with the airing of the Disneyland anthology series. The "Operation Undersea" episode of the series garnered Disney its first Emmy Award. The series quickly became ABC's first series to hit the top 20 in ratings.