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 Walt Disney's Zorro:
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Gilbert Roland is El Cuchillo |
Rita Moreno is Chulita |
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Vito Scotti is Chaco |
Annette Funicello is Constancia de la Torre |
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Mark Damon is Miguel Serrano |
Ricardo Montalban is Ramon Castillo |
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Ross Martin is Marcos Estrada |
Suzanne Lloyd is Isabella Linares |
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 #79 "El Bandito" Airdate: 10/30/60 To most of us, the early days of California mean the time when this flag flew over the California Republic before its submission into the United States in 1850 and we think of Sutter's Mill near Sacramento where gold was discovered back in 1849. But a full half century before the exciting days of the gold rush, California was the sunny land of the Spanish dons. It was a romantic period of leisurely and gracious living, but it was a lawless period, too. A time when California's isolation from the forces of law and order in the rest of the world was an open invitation to violence and banditry. Stories are told of a legendary hero who lived in those outlaw days, a dashing young man who appeared as a gay bon vivant, by day, but who wore this (holds mask up to face) by night to ride the countryside as the champion of justice and protector of the oppressed. Hated and feared by those he opposed, honored and respected by those he defended, he was known as z-z-z-Zorro (swishes sword) and you are about to see one of his exciting adventures now. It's title is "El Bandido."
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 #80 "Adiós El Cuchillo" Airdate: 11/06/60 Of all the lawless men whose evil plans were opposed by Zorro, one of his most worthy advisories so the story goes was El Cuchillo. A lighthearted rogue, swashbuckler with a flashing smile for a pretty girl, El Cuchillo was an opponent well-suited to test Zorro's mettle. He was a splendid horseman, and an expert swordsman. When he crossed blades with Zorro, he gave as good as he received.
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 #81 "The Postponed Wedding" Airdate: 01/01/61 In 1800, what is now known as California was a Spanish possession. It was Spanish in its language, in its dress, and in its customs. Perhaps the most rigid customs involved courtship and marriage. For a boy and girl in Spanish California there were no dates at the corner taco shop. No 'come as you are' fiestas or swimming parties at the seashore. The young man involved would put on his fancy sombrero, pick up a box of cactus candy from the local sweet shop, and make a number of well-chaperoned visits at the home of the senorita of his choice. After these visits, if the couple felt they had reached an understanding, the young man would formally ask the girl's father for her hand. If the answer was yes, the boy got the girl and the girl's dowry. This is the Spanish equivalent of a hope chest. It contained gold and sometimes jewels and the deed to certain land. Our story tonight concerns such a dowry and Zorro. It's a romance, well almost. We call it "The Postponed Wedding."
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 #82 "Auld Acquaintance" Airdate: 4/02/61 For a test of skill and a method of settling arguments, we've made a lot of progress since these were commonplace, but I'm not sure we've made too much improvement. Two men could meet and settle with each other, and didn't necessarily have to bury the loser. The program you are about to see takes you back to the colorful days of Spanish California. You will again meet Zorro, the bold dashing caballero, fighting to preserve a glorious way of life, for this was a golden era of California history. Travelers could stay at the missions, located a day's ride apart. There was never any charge for board and bed, and the 'no vacancy' sign hadn't yet been invented. Cattle were raised by the thousands for tallow and for hides, and there just weren't enough people in California to eat all of the steaks and pot roasts. They were yours for the asking, but there is always somebody who shows up and wants to spoil a good thing as you are about to see on our program titled "Auld Acquaintance."
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El Cuchillo and his men arrive in Los Angeles, planning to rob the pueblo. Garcia tries to question El Cuchillo just as he does with all new arrivals, but El Cuchillo refuses to talk to him. When Don Diego walks up to the men, El Cuchillo still will not give his name but offers to treat Don Diego and Sgt. Garcia to some wine in the tavern. While in the tavern, El Cuchillo hears the barmaid tell Garcia about a valuable silver shipment that he is to put on the coach for Don Francisco. El Cuchillo decides that he and his men will steal it. Diego and Bernardo notice El Cuchillo's interest in the silver. El Cuchillo and his men capture Garcia and the soldiers and seize the silver. Zorro arrives and prevents El Cuchillo from getting away with the silver. 
Diego tries to warn Sgt. Garcia about El Cuchillo, but Garcia will not listen. In the tavern, Garcia nearly tells El Cuchillo what Diego said about him but Diego stops him just in time. Garcia announces that $20,000 is arriving on a ship to pay for the hides that are being stored in a warehouse. El Cuchillo decides to steal the money. El Cuchillo visits the de la Vega hacienda that evening so that he has an alibi while his men rob the tavern. After El Cuchillo and his men leave the de la Vega hacienda, Zorro rides after them and retrieves the money.
El Cuchillo is determined to kill Zorro, and he suspects that Don Diego is Zorro. Don Diego and El Cuchillo speak to each other in the tavern, and El Cuchillo asks Diego if he knows who Zorro is. The entire time the two man speak, El Cuchillo sketches Diego's picture onto a paper that has a reward notice for Zorro. Bernardo sees what El Cuchillo is doing and causes an accident in which food falls onto the picture. El Cuchillo's men decide to fight Bernardo, and Diego fights in Bernardo's place. Finally, Garcia realizes that Cuchillo is a bandit when Cuchillo and his men rob the innkeeper. Garcia and all of his men go after the bandits. Diego realizes that Cuchillo is planning to rescue the three men who are in jail. Zorro foils the attempted rescue that night. 
Don Alejandro thinks El Cuchillo has left the area, but Diego says he will come back for the three men who are still in jail. Diego is correct, as El Cuchillo arrives at the de la Vega hacienda and makes Diego and Alejandro his prisoners. He says they are free to go, as long as one of them stays with Cuchillo. Don Alejandro and Diego are dismayed when Garcia arrives and reveals that the $20,000 has already arrived. Cuchillo decides to have Chaco kill the de la Vegas while he goes after the money. Bernardo knocks Chaco unconscious, enabling Don Alejandro and Diego to escape. Cuchillo and his men attack Garcia and the soldiers, stealing the money. Zorro overtakes the bandits and fights Cuchillo. During the fight, Cuchillo cuts Zorro on the cheek. Sgt. Garcia plans to personally take Cuchillo to Mexico. When Diego and Cuchillo briefly speak to each other before the departure, Cuchillo mentions the cut on Diego's cheek. Diego claims that he was cut by a rose bush, but he knows that Cuchillo now knows his secret. Cuchillo says nothing. Later, Cuchillo escapes from the soldiers with Chulita's help. Zorro captures him and takes him to a priest so that he can marry Chulita and will no longer have time to be a bandit. 
Diego and Bernardo meet Constancia de la Torre, who is returning to the pueblo after an absence of ten years. Constancia prevents Sgt. Garcia from inspecting her luggage, and Bernardo notices that one of the bags is unusually heavy. At the inn, Constancia introduces Diego to Miguel Serrano, as an old friend, but neglects to mention that she is planning to elope with him. Diego realizes Constancia's plan when Bernardo discovers that the heavy bag is filled with jewelry and gold coins; the fortune must be Constancia's dowry. Diego decides that the best plan would be for Zorro to delay the wedding so that Constancia does not rush into marriage. When Miguel arrives at the hacienda that night to get Constancia, Zorro creates a series of diversions that keep Miguel from making it to Constancia's room. 
Miguel sees Constancia the next day and explains that Zorro attacked and robbed him, which is why he stood her up. Miguel urges Constancia to leave with him so that they can elope. She plans to leave most of her things behind, but Miguel wants her to bring along her dowry. Diego interrupts their discussion and insists that Constancia and Miguel ride with him into town. Diego tells Garcia that Zorro robbed Miguel so Garcia asks for a full report. Meanwhile, Miguel's accomplice Ansar attacks Diego and ties him up. A short while later, Ansar attacks Garcia and imprisons him as well. Diego frees himself and rides as Zorro. Miguel and Constancia board the ship, and Constancia overhears Miguel planning to leave the ship with her dowry. Zorro arrives just in time, and with Constancia's help, is able to capture Miguel. 
Ramon Castillo arrives in Los Angeles with his friend Marcos Estrada. Ramon plans to rob the soldiers' payroll which will be arriving that night. Ramon chances to meet Don Alejandro in the pueblo and is invited to the de la Vega hacienda. Bernardo overhears Ramon speaking to Marcos and learns that Ramon is planning to steal the payroll. Complicating the situation is the fact that Ramon knows that Diego is an expert swordsman. Ramon and Marcos steal the payroll from Garcia, but Zorro confronts them. Zorro and Ramon fight, and Zorro prevents Ramon from stealing the money. Unfortunately, Ramon recognizes Zorro's fencing style as Diego's and knows that Diego must be Zorro. 
Diego tries to encourage Ramon to leave the pueblo. Ramon refuses to leave and instead tells everyone that Diego de la Vega is Zorro. Nobody believes him so Ramon bets money that Diego is Zorro. Garcia bets all of his pay that Diego is not Zorro. Ramon tells Garcia to have the tavern surrounded that night and that he will prove that Diego is Zorro. Don Diego is taken aback when Garcia comes to see him and asks if he is Zorro. Garcia tells Diego about what is to happen that night. Diego feigns excitement that he will help Garcia to capture Zorro and slashes madly around the room with his sword, scaring Garcia. Diego enthusiastically declares that Garcia would have to lock him up to keep him from helping to capture Zorro. Garcia picks up on the hint and locks Diego up. Bernardo helps Diego to escape. Ramon and Marcos tie up the innkeeper and proceed to steal the purse from the bets. Zorro appears at the crucial moment, knocks out Marcos, and fights Ramon. Zorro defeats Ramon and gives the innkeeper his sword to keep Ramon covered. Zorro removes his mask from behind the innkeeper and then disappears. When Garcia unlocks the room in which he locked up Diego, he finds Diego inside.
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